For The Love...of Kids -- My Book MeMe

Many, many moons ago, a friend of mine, Jennifer Bukaty, asked me to post a different style of a MeMe. It was one I had not ever heard of and it is inspired by reading, a love of reading, and our favorite books. I was completely overwhelmed. It was the holiday season with so many things going on. All of those things were designed for my children. For the kidlets to enjoy the season, to remember what is important about the season. To celebrate with family and with friends.

So...at that time, I decided that I would post my book MeMe on my favorite children's books. Those books which my children still ask me to read to them once in a bit. Now that they are so grown up, at nine and eight years old...

Without further ado, then...the following are my five recommendations. whether read to your child or read as a child, these stories are endearing. And although I read many challenging stories in fiction and in reality, I must say that these books all invoke a sense of security, familiarity, and warmth. In these cold winter days and nights, what more can we ask for?

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams~ I am choosing this story as the first one listed because it holds personal meaning for me. As a child, I was inflicted with Scarlet Fever and still have the heart murmur to prove it. The Velveteen Rabbit is a story about a little boy who has a beloved and shabby little stuffed bunny rabbit. While the bunny was not as fancy as his owner's mechanical toys, he was special. This taught me at a young age that looking on the outside appearance is a worthless measure of anything we hold close to our hearts. My children today still love my childhood copy of the book! And they love that I am alive to read it to them! :)

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper ~ One of Derek's favorite books as a "little" boy, I must confess I did get tired of reading this one. He had three versions of it, so we read it a lot. Now that he is eight, he does not request it nearly as much. Too many other things to do; sports, musicals, guitar. But the lesson remains there and we talk of it often. When Derek feels frustrated and discouraged (he is smaller than most boys his age), he will recall how the littlest engine could and did. We talk about how only the engine thought he could do it, and that persistence and belief will allow is to accomplish so many things!

I Love You, Little One by Nancy Tafuri ~ This story tells the tale of how animal babies wonder whether or not they are loved. It may seem silly to us as parents, but every child wants to know, really know, that they are loved. So when the human child asks on the last page, "Do you love me, Mama?", I would (and still do) look my children in the eyes as I answer them with. "I love you like the stars love you...forever and ever and always." I get the best hugs when that book is done. I would not trade it or them for the world! :) Sappy but true, I will love them forever and ever and always!

Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt ~ A best seller and classic book written in 1940, this book holds sentimental value for our entire family. While pregnant with our son, my husband and I had to endure a miserable hospital trip. Not for us, but for our ten month old daughter. Breana had come down with RSV and was hospitalized for severedehydration. My Mom and Dad came and gave us a small reprieve from our sleepless night one morning. They brought with them Pat the Bunny and the book that went with him. Dad and Mom helped Breana's tiny hands feel the bunny as they read the story to her and prayed for her to get strong again. She did, and still has both the bunny and the book. As her Grandpa is no longer here on this Earth, she treasures all things given to her by her "favoritist grampa ever". So sometimes, when we miss him a lot, we pick up the bunny, the book, and we read it together. Feeling the stubble on the Daddy's face, looking in the mirror, and feeling that familiar bunny.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch ~ This story is about a son and his mother. For those of us with boys...we know how tender that relationship is. This book highlights that bond and that love. My little Derek -- to this day tells me that he is going to come tuck me into bed when I am old and he is a Daddy. How he plans to fit that in with his plans for being a geologist, an astronaut, a husband, a Daddy, and a Coach...that is what I am not so sure of. I would love it if he did, but I would love even more that he grows to be so sweet to his own family someday.

So...sorry that this took so long Jennifer! I did have fun with it, and it has been in progress for many weeks. I hope that for you and all of the other readers that you enjoy this insight into who I am. Who my children are. And, most importantly, who I hope we all become.

I will be watching, reading, and writing...after I read to my children! :)