The Book Basket

Last year, David's school participated in the Pizza Hut Book It reading incentive program. I was an English Literature major in college and I obviously understand the importance of reading, so I reluctantly signed David up for this program. I did it grudgingly because David really did not enjoy sitting and listening to books and would voice his displeasure almost every time I would try to read with him, but what kind of Mom would I be if I didn't at least sign him up? Plus how could I possibly deny myself that guilty feeling as I tossed the log book in the garbage each month after realizing that we had not met the goal?

This year, it is a different story (pardon the pun). David will sit with me for 20 minutes or more while I read to him, he will bring me books to read, and spends time 'reading' books to himself. Each morning while we wait for the bus, we sit on the front porch with our basket of books and read. He has developed several favorites and, needless to say, we read them over and over. And over and over and over.

So, here are the books in David's book basket—a book review of sorts. I can assure you that this will not be the first in a series of installments, because unless you are no longer in charge of your faculties or suffering from amnesia, you will quickly lose interest as our selection of books probably will not change for several weeks or even months.

The first book on the list would be

And if you read this book, then you cannot go on to another selection until you have read everything in that genre, namely every book in the basket by Sandra Boynton, which include all six of the selections pictured on the back cover of each of the books. As you finish them, you will need to line them up—in order—sometimes with the back page left open because, I don't know, we may have forgotten how they end?

Next comes one of my personal favorites

Now, here are the rules for this book. You can make the "achoo" sound when the bear sneezes, but please under no circumstances are you allowed to make a snoring sound. Maybe David has grown tired of hearing that sound after nearly six years of listening to his father, sorry Michael, but since the book is about the bear snoring his way through a party at his place, you will have to ignore several snoring opportunities.

The remaining books include several selections by Eric Carle—who knew that ladybugs, caterpillars, spiders, crickets and fireflies could be so grouchy, hungry, busy, quiet and lonely?

Fortunately, I do manage to rotate three of four other selections through the basket or you would probably find me shoeless by the side of the road someday muttering something under my breath about a "neigh and a moo and a COCKADOODLEDOO, another little promenade two by two."

If given the opportunity to sign up for the Book It program this year I will sign my name with a flourish. I am confident that we can meet the reading goal and I certainly am anxious to earn that free mini pizza that Mr. Picky Eater will not even consider eating.