Summertime is for day dreaming and imaging. Don't you agree? I remember those summer days of making up games and just pretending with friends or myself. I always love giving Hazel time to do this and today I am sharing four books that help inspire that feeling. The first is The Bell in the Bridge by Ted Kooser and illustrated by Barry Root.
Charlie goes to visit his grandparents in the summer. He has lots of time to himself. He often goes and explores the stream to find tadpoles and to the old iron bridge to drop stones. Then he notices that striking the bridge with a rock makes a sound like church bells. Some days when he does this he seems to hear an answering ringing. Is there some other boy on a bridge like this one making the sound or is it an echo of an echo of his ringing? This book is perfect to think about the mysteries of summer and playing alone. It is the perfect book to bring some fun and imagination to your summer. The pictures are also beautiful and inviting.
Our next book is Day Dreamers by Emily Winfield Martin. This board book rhymes and shares all sorts of mythical creatures. It is the perfect introduction to dreaming and fantasy for a young child. The illustrations are beautiful and friendly and the book reminds the child to listen and hear the noises of the unicorn hooves and more. It also reminds the kids to read closely and that the animals will be there for them when they are ready to step back into imagined world and take a break from the real one. This is just such a sweet book and we really loved it.
Our third book is coming out next week. It is the third installment from Aaron Becker in his wordless books. In Return, the young girl visits her fantasy world for the third time (Journey and Quest share the other two times). The girl is lonely and her father seems too busy for her, so she goes off to her fantasy world and friends. There there is a king who needs her and her friend's help. There are people who are trying to capture the king and make his kingdom black and white. In this fun world the kids' crayons can create whatever they draw. And in Return the girl has an unexpected guest--her father!
We have loved all three of these books. Wordless books always spark the imagination since each time the story can be a bit different. The reader sees different things and each person tells the story a bit different. Add into it the kingdom and the magic crayons and these books just excite one's imagination. Plus this book serves as a wonderful reminder to the busy parents to remember to find time to play and be with your child(ren).
Our final book for today is All My Treasures by Jo Witek and illustrated by Christine Roussey. This book is being released August 23rd. In this fun book a girl is given a very special gift from her grandmother. She receives a porcelain box. Now she has to decide what to put in it. She knows it is special and that she got it because she is big enough to know to be careful and not break it. She wants it to hold something very special, but what? Her teddy bear and cat do not fit. What will fit and be special enough? This book has flaps to see how her mind is working and all the treasures she is thinking of. It is a sweet story and the flaps make the book a lot of fun. The overall message is to treasure the everyday moments and fun. I love seeing the story proceed to this message and watching the imagination and mind of a child.
So if you are looking for a bit more imagination and fantasy this summer, be sure to check out these books!!
