Can we read? No. 1

Wherein I spread the feast (which will be 3-5 books per issue, unless it's a special edition)

Welcome to Can we read?, the title of which is inspired by my three-year-old, who asks me that question 25+ times a day, and even more now that we’ve been quarantined together for months. (Kind of a literary version of Groundhog’s Day.)

Thanks for signing up and for being willing to add something else to your inbox. I hope this is valuable to you — I welcome your feedback at any time. 📩

Now, LET’S DO THIS.

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Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell (1993)

If we could only take three picture books with us to a desert island, this would be the first one we packed. A counting book combined with a cheerful and charming story about a family’s day together, going to the grocery store, and then preparing a big, wonderful evening meal, it has great appeal even well beyond the age when counting books are interesting. Feast for 10’s simplicity belies its sweetness: there is so much love, affection and togetherness here, I want to join them at their table every time.

Falwell’s holiday companion to this title, Christmas for 10 (1998), is equal in every way to its predecessor. If I could only have one book for Christmas forever, this would be it. (Can you tell I love these books?)

Wet World by Norma Simon, illustrated by Alexi Natchev (1954)

More a poem than a story, Wet World follows one little girl through her city and home over the course of a day. Natchev’s evocative pastel and watercolor illustrations add to the murky, dreamy tone, while also depicting the warmth and care radiating from her parents and home. A lovely balance between adventure in the wet world outside and its cozy opposite inside, this is perfect for every spring.

The Seven Chinese Sisters by Kathy Tucker, illustrated by Grace Lin (2003)

A fun legend about seven sisters, each with a very specific talent of her own, who band together and use their special strengths to rescue the littlest one when a hungry dragon snatches the baby away. Full of self-sufficiency, unflappability, and great devotion to and protection of one another, this isn’t just a tale for sisters.

Also highly recommended: Grace Lin’s middle grade novel, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, a fast-paced adventure about having faith and believing in oneself, peppered with Lin’s lovely illustrations. (I couldn’t put it down.)

One Monster After Another by Mercer Mayer (1974)

“One day Sally Ann wrote a letter to her best friend Lucy Jane. She put it in an envelope and put the envelope into her mailbox.” And then all hell broke loose and the reader has the immense pleasure of joining the letter on its wild adventure, contending with manic creatures (it’s a tie for my favorite monster — the Letter-Eating Bombanat or the Paper-Munching Yalapappus), fearsome weather, and plain old bad luck. Outrageously fun to read aloud, this is a rollicking, goofy story that’s not easily forgotten. (Pictured here is my own childhood copy of this book, which I have remembered all my life.)

Two Times the Fun by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Carol Thompson (stories published individually in the 60s and 80s, published as a collection in 2005)

If you’re trying to make a gradual transition to chapter books, Two Times the Fun is a great option — comprised of four of Cleary’s short stories about twins Jimmy and Janet, these are gentle, humorous, and relatable, with topics ranging from hole-digging to dog biscuits (eventually fed with delight to a cat). I’ve always appreciated Clearly’s ability to portray family life in a realistic manner — Jimmy and Janet’s mother gets exasperated sometimes, hallelujah 🙌— which is simultaneously refreshing and comforting for anyone who is part of, you know, a real family. (Perhaps she lands this one so well because she was/is a mother of twins herself.) Note: I tried reading this to my now-six-year-old when she was four and it was too early. Reading it to both of my children now, my three-year-old has no problem keeping up. My entirely anecdotal evidence shows that the attention span of the second child is much longer than the first’s was at the same age, but regardless I think Two Times the Fun is a good builder of the capacity to listen more than look. (I also vehemently believe there’s no rush in that department whatsoever — I plan to read my children picture books as long as they will let me and certainly well-beyond when they are able to read anything on their own. There are about eight million reasons for this. Maybe someday I will rant about them all.)

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That’s it, folks. Thank you again for being here. (So much. I am having tremendous fun with this already.)

And if you have obstacles when it comes to children’s books or reading aloud, hit reply and let me know. (How might I be of service to you with this newsletter? What help do you need?)

I’ll be working to unlock as much reading magic for you as I can! 🔮

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