We're Going On a Bear Hunt

Author: Michael Rosen
Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury
Ages: 2+

My little boy came home with a handful of scratches yesterday. Hands full of scratches and scrapes, to be precise. He had been jostled against his more agile classmates in the post-break scramble to class. Having proved to his mates that he was a brave young man with a "Bah, no pain at all" face, he came home whining like the wee boy that he actually is. As much as I cuddled and comforted him, I also quite frankly told him it was going to burn and pain for a while before it went away and that he would have to be brave and bear it. He immediately said " Oh I know! The pain. It's like the bear hunt, Mum! - We can't go over it, we can't go under it. Oh No! We have to go through it!".

It was one of those special moments when your patient efforts bear the most beautiful fruit of understanding and acknowledgement in your little one. I was so moved, touched by his reasoning. I knew then that all the time I had spent reading to him hadn't been in vain.

So then of course, I had to blog it!

We're going on a bear hunt, by Michael Rosen, is a very catchy poem for children. It is about a family that decides to go on a bear hunt and their rather adventurous trail into the bear cave. And the rush back home when the bear comes after them. Told as a poem with nice repetition, adjectives and onomatopoeia (just did Grammar with elder son heh heh), it gets the children's enthusiasm up to infectious levels!

The family has to tackle wavy grass, oozy mud, splashy river, a forest and a snow storm before they could get into a cave and see a bear. But when they do see one, they are scared out of their wits and they go running back again through all of the same things and into their bedroom, with the bear in  close pursuit. Once tucked safely in bed, they decide they would never ever go on a bear hunt again.

The bear gives up the chase and goes back home. I actually like the last page picture of a rather sad looking bear ( you can only see the rear, but it does all the talking! ;o)). It kind of gives you a feeling that the bear is rather a timid one that maybe only wanted them as friends, not dinner! And perhaps it was sad of being rejected thus and made its lonely walk back to its cave. Awwww....

And if you hear Michael Rosen reciting it, the infection quotient truly multiplies many times over. You know I really have a soft spot for egg-eyed people ( sorry if that appears to be the worst ever equivalent of Muttai kann, in Tamil!), and Michael Rosen's eyes certainly top that category. Even better, his eyes do all the talking and singing for him! You should definitely check it out here.

As always, here is an online reading of the book.

Here's an animated version.

This is a poem that me and my little boy sing almost every day while walking through the woods to school. The vagaries of British weather means that we have gone through most of what is in the poem, sometimes all on a single day! Sans the bear that is. And perhaps with an odd fox thrown in for a good measure :o)

We're Going On a Bear Hunt. You have to go through it!

Where the Wild Things are

Author: Maurice Sendak
Ages: 3+

After my last post about the graphic and scary illustrations and demons in stories being like similes and metaphors for man's negative qualities, I was somehow reminded of this wonderful book that we used to enjoy reading a lot - Where the Wild Things are. I somehow forgot the author and asked my elder son if he knew. He went, "Oh! That's the book President Obama read to kids, it is by Maurice Sendak. Did you know he died last year? Did you know he was Jewish? And he wrote the book in 1963?".

That was information overloading for me. I quietly went to wiki to check out the facts, and they were bang on. It turns out that they had a special assembly about Maurice Sendak in school and listened to President Obama reading the book out to kids. Nice gesture by the school, I thought.

Imagine this situation. You get angry over a silly thing and then you keep on sticking to the angry mode, mainly because you've rather started revelling in it. You do and say things that you would regret later. You want to stop it, but you are enjoying the vent and rampage. And you continue brooding and sulking until the point where you realize it doesn't make sense any more. You actually long for the other person's attention, you want to be laughing with them and be normal again. That last bit of letting go isn't quite easy, as your indignant ego tries to pull you back into the anger. Finally, when you snap out of it, you find that a mega cuddle and smile puts everything back on track and you're back to normal.

Children go through this, too. They act wild sometimes and when they get told off , they sulk and stamp around for a bit too long, until they realize their mistake and quietly come behind you, eyes begging for a hug. A cuddle and a kiss and they are instantly transformed into tame puppies waiting to be pampered :o).

Max, the boy in this story, is like that. One day he exceeds his naughtiness levels and his annoyed mother calls him a wild thing. Max shouts at her that he would eat her up. So he gets grounded with a " No food go to bed" order in his bedroom. I guess he either sleeps off and dreams, or perhaps does an angry role play with his toys and the play tent that he sets up in his room. The room transforms into a forest and he sets sail in a boat to a land where the wild things are.

Now these things, they are wild, they have gnashing teeth and claws and look monstrous, but there is something really timid about them. Some pages have just illustrations and no text, but the pictures tell the story even better. Max tames all of them by looking into their eyes and then he becomes their king. They go on a rampage and create a great ruckus, until Max gets bored and sends them off to bed without food. Then his anger fizzles out and he feels really lonely and longs for home. But the wild things don't want to let him go. He finally somehow manages to come home to the smell of food ( of course mums seldom mean what they say!) in his table and he happily eats away.

When this came out as a movie, I was very much looking forward to seeing it. But somehow it was never meant to be. Not yet, at least. I read in reviews that the movie is on the mellow side and plays to the melancholic emotions. One of the reviews said "This movie portrays how children can lose their fear only by losing their innocence". Heavy, but eerily true sometimes.  I wonder if this ended up as one of those Disney movies which look like it is designed for the kids, but has all adult emotions tied inside. There's a child inside all of us, but alas! there ain't no grown ups inside kids! The good thing is that the children usually don't make the adult link, they just enjoy the movie as it is.

Max is wild. He is playful and has a vivid imagination. He has fear, anger, pride. He shouts at loved ones and then repents. He longs for love, forgiveness and acceptance. He is like us. He is us. (check your simile and metaphor!).

Here's an animated version in Youtube. And an audio book.

Some of the parents might object to the illustrations and the bad qualities exhibited by Max, and some children may not probably like seeing hideous creatures ( only as hideous as the illustration in the cover, maybe with some extra toothy grins and claws)

Where the Wild Things are. Right within us!

Funnybones

Author : Allan Ahlberg
Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg
Age: 3+

I have noticed that stories that strike a chord with our daily life experiences get to become a great hit with every member of the family. Funnybones is just that type of book. Written by husband Allan and illustrated by wife Janet Ahlberg, this was created in the 80s and is still going strong.

From all my unique experiences of living with an Aquarian husband, I have learned to accept and enjoy the fact that unplanned outings can be so much fun, too. And it is a very tough proposition for a strict Capricorn like me who is a stickler for routines and HATES surprises!

Once DH asked me to get dressed and get into the car with the kids and said we were going on a long ride. The long ride turned out to be a 3-day, 300 miles trip all the way up the breath-taking Scottish Highlands! Good thing I always have a spare set of clothes for everyone, but still we had to pick up underwear and some tops to go with our live-in Jeans and other toiletries and essentials on the go :o). Stayed in hotels in remote places and the memories of that trip linger on even now, the best trip I have ever had in my lifetime. No sticking to time, no ticking off places, no packing stuff, no breaking heads over routes and stops. It was daring, chilling, thrilling and it tasted precisely like liberation and freedom, even heaven!

The mantra is to let go of plans but not the fun mood and just flow on. Every once in a while, at least.

This story is just about that.

On a dark dark hill
there was a dark dark town.
In the dark dark town
there was a dark dark street.
In the dark dark street
there was a dark dark house.
In the dark dark house
there was a dark dark staircase.
Down the dark dark staircase
there was a dark dark cellar.
And in the dark dark cellar……some skeletons lived

A big skeleton, a little skeleton and a dog skeleton. One day they feel quite bored and plan to go out in the dark with the agenda of scaring people and having fun. They go outside and enter a park. They start playing around and in the process, the skeleton dog crashes and gets all his bones dislodged. The little and big skeleton try assembling, getting it wrong several times before fixing it back the right way.

Which brought to my mind a fresh picture of the tent pack-up distaster we had: me screaming out the instructions, frustrated Dad not really getting the hang of it, boys chasing bunnies with obnoxious screams and finally us realizing that all it needed was a "Hips don't Lie Shakira style" shake and flip of the rim to get it back inside the bag :o) . Funny they never let you in on these cheats in the instructions paper.

Anyways, the skeletons don't find anybody to frighten and end up in a skeleton zoo and have fun again. Finally they realize they haven't really achieved the purpose of their outing, but there's just nobody on the streets to scare! So they decide to scare each other, but fail miserably, albeit enjoying themselves a lot.

In the end is a little twist to the story. A frightening thing does happen, but who scares who?!? Eventually they go back home ( and I loved this bit so much, it is always just the thing we say when we open the doors and get in after a nice trip!) and unanimously agree that " That was fun!" even if they hadn't quite succeeded in what they planned to do. They then realize it is getting light and they should be in bed. The skeletons wish each other good morning and go to bed for a tight sleep.

There is enough repetition that will appeal to little ones and they will love the pictures and the friendly skeletons. There are many Funnybones books featuring these skeletons and my son would always ask me to pick one if he saw them in the library. We also discovered it was a hit television series as well.

Funnybones. Rib-tickling read!

Dogger

Author: Shirley Hughes
Ages: 3+

Toddlers love cuddlies. They have their own favourite which is inevitably the tattiest of the lot that gets paraded to every single place they have been to.  For years. They take joy rides in prams and strollers and then trikes and scooters, get fed all sorts of sticky things, jump puddles, have little "accidents" and get mended, get baptized in muddy ponds, share the couch for TV shows and demand theatre and air-travel seats, get sick with the kids and finally get turned a new leaf by the warm tumbles of the washing machine ( but ONLY when the toddler is not clutching on to it dearly, which is not a daily, not even a monthly occurrence, and hence the tattiness!).

If the above strikes a chord with you, Dogger is just the story you'd love! Dave loves Dogger, his little toy puppy dog. His sister Bella has loads of toys and shares her bed with all of them, but Dave loves Dogger and only Dogger. On a sunny day, Dave goes with mum ( and Dogger, of course!) to pick Bella from school, then they have some leisurely fun and by the time they get home, Dogger is long lost! Nothing could console Dave, not even the generous offer of one of her precious teddies by Bella.  Mum turns the house upside down ( oh! that frantic search that has happened so many times!) and Dad searches the garden, but to no avail. Dave goes to bed a sad little boy (and your heart goes out for him).

The next day is School Fair day. Dave and Bella get taken to the stalls and fun is in the air. Bella has some luck with the raffle draw and wins a huge Teddy and is beside herself with joy, but Dave remains forlorn thinking of his beloved Dogger.

Right then, what do they see in the toy sale table right behind all the toys - Dogger, with a price tag of 5p! Unable to find Mum to get the money, Dave is dejected because he is close to losing the toy. And lose it he does. To a little girl who jumps ahead of him and pays for Dogger. What happens next is a very brave and compassionate display of sibling affection saving Dogger. And all is well that ends well with a happy Dave taking Dogger to bed that night!

It is hard to believe that this story was written  decades ago and has rightfully won the test of time. Dogger still features in all the "Best Childrens' book of all times" lists. It was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1977, the exact year I was born. Shirley Hughes has not just written a story with children at the heart, she has also illustrated it so! The beautiful pictures tell the story themselves and take you to those good old days when life wasn't as complicated and children had unadulterated, simple play times and fun.  But the core values in the story hold just as good even now, and is something to quote to children as an example, a message of selfless love and affection that they should carry for a life time.

Here's a nice reading of Dogger online.

Dogger, Puppy love at first sight!

Moomin and the Winter Snow

Author: Tove Jansson
Ages: 4+

The Moomins, a bunch of white, chubby trolls, and their friends are the creation of Tove Jansson, a Finnish-Swedish author. She has written many comic strips and adventures with the moomins and all of them are extremely popular. They have also been made into a TV series.

Moomins are very cute characters that are friendly, mystical, philosophical, gentle, kind, adventurous and appeal to all ages equally. I have been such an ardent fan of the Moomin trolls and their friends ever since I started reading them, and am so glad that my kids like them as well!

In "Moomin and the Winter Snow", little Moomintroll becomes very sad when his friend Snufkin leaves Moominvalley and travels south in winter in search of warmer places. Moomintroll misses his friend a lot even though it is snowing and the whole town is very happy about it! He wonders if his friend would miss him just like he misses his friend. And then he gets just the confirmation that he needed, a sweet gift with a note from Snufkin! It cheers Moomin instantly and he prepares to hibernate happily until spring, when his best friend would return back to him.

Aren't we all so familiar with such a situation! Leaving friends behind and embarking on our journey of life, wondering if they would miss us and getting comfort from even the slightest confirmation that they are missing us as well! This book is a celebration of friendship and how very important it is to express it to friends on time rather than keeping them guessing.

The story comes to life with some very touching drawings that emote so beautifully. Snufkin is my favourite character of all. He is so philosophical, a really free spirit who loves traveling around the world with just the bare necessities packed up in his bag and no desire or strings attached. He is everything that you would have loved to be and so he remains etched in your heart long after the story is over!

No wonder Moomin books happen to be such prized possessions that are hard to part with!

Moomin and the Winter Snow. Please do read it the moment you set your eyes on one. Pee-hoo!

image courtesy : http://www.puffin.co.uk/static/spreads/all/3/9/9780141340593L_006.jpg

Owl babies

This was the very first book I bought after we came down to UK. I was just browsing the shelves and warmed up to this one the moment I laid my eyes on it. It is the heart tugging story of three baby owlets who wake up to find their mother missing from their home. They think out loud all their baby fears ( all owls think a lot, says the book!!)  and huddle together wishing their Mum would come back. And back she comes, of course, much to the joyous flapping of the wee ones! And then in that unique mumsy way that we would be so familiar with, she asks them what the fuss was all about!

A beautifully written tale with warm illustrations, this is perfect for the kids who start school or have to stay away from mum for any reason. My little boy found this reassuring when he started Nursery. He was such a fidgety little one and could never stand a moment away from my sight (ah those days! sigh!). It was so hard to leave him wailing at the class entrance. Then I read this to him and surprisingly, he related to the owlets so well and it was like a reassurance that mum would always come back for him. Eventually he did start enjoying school, but three years on, we still read this book and worry, wish, flap and dance with the owl babies!!

This book was also one of the Story themed lessons for my elder son when he was in Year 1 and he enjoyed learning all about owls and their habitat and nocturnal ventures alongside this book.

Recently,  I stumbled upon the book online and thought it was such a wonderful gesture by the Bookstart team. There are many other books on the online shelf as well that are worth checking out if you have a little one.

This story is also on YouTube.

Picture Books

I, for one, am a sucker for Picture books. I come across Mum conversations about how best to wean a child from Picture books and move on to chapter books and I wonder, "Why the big rush?".  You push a child to read, and he ends up running as far away from them as possible. The best you can do is to unlock his imagination and tempt him to explore that wonderfully enthralling world all by himself. Lead him into it by holding his hands, watch him get interested and slowly let go.

Books are to be cherished. To be relished. Read and re-read and reminisced. And picture books certainly tick all boxes for me even at the tender age of 35 :o).

This is one reason why I can't push my 6 year-old from picture books onto chapter ones. He reads chapter books alongside his brother ( most of the times just to show off as being equal and big enough!). But when I pick up a picture book, he comes galloping to my side. My 11 year-old is too proud to blatantly show he is interested, but when I start reading the book, I know an extra head would butt in silently!

This is why I can never have enough of picture books. Every night, we have to read at least 4 of them ( without counting the "one-more-time" s) before the kids nod off. And it is one routine we simply LOVE! This ritual of ours has made us run to the library to bring home a delicious stash every week, come what may. Our library allows 10 books per card and the boys always pick up at least 16 books between them. THAT, is a big number, and it has made us come across some of the most beautifully written and illustrated books, so beautiful that I felt so compelled to write about them somewhere.

I am sure all mums would already have their own special picks and favourites for the bed-time. However, there have been times when I delve into the blog world to read reviews about books that I want to buy. And I thought I could share my experiences as well, maybe there would be someone interested enough to read on! This is just a moment of sharing the joys that we have experienced and also a record for the children to look back on and chew some cud :o).

Thus begins my journey...