Children's Book Monday

My friend Barbara asked me how I find the books that I review on my blog-- you know, books that are fun but not silly, and just as enjoyable to me as to them.  My answer is two-fold.  First of all, we read lots of books.  We may bring twenty books home from the library, but only ten or eleven are worth reading a second time and maybe only four or five are what I consider excellent, reviewable, recommendable (is that a word?!) quality. 

Secondly, I am always on the look-out for other readers' recommendations.  I visit Elise's blog and Kathi's and Stacy's and Anna's and if one of them writes a few words about a book that piques my interest, we put it on hold at the library and give it a try.  For Christmas, my parents gave us a copy of Sarah Clarkson's book Read For the Heart and I'm tagging at least one book every few pages so we can borrow one or two at a time from the library.

Jodi recently started a fun feature on her blog called Five on Friday where she highlights five children's picture books each week.  My recommendation this week comes from one of her lists!

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The Snow Globe Family

by Jane O'Connor

illustrated by S. D. Schindler

When I was child, I was fascinated by those pieces of artwork that would show a painting within a painting within a painting.  The concept blew my mind and perhaps that is what drew me to this particular storybook.  This is the tale of a family-- a mama, a papa, a boy, a girl, and a baby--who owns a snow globe that is home to another family-- another mama, papa, boy, girl, and baby.

The snow globe sits on a mantle in the big family's dining room.  It is one of those decorations that was placed there so long ago that no one notices it anymore, except to give it a weekly dusting, but the tiny family who lives under its clear dome longs for a blizzard like the ones from days gone by.  Someone in the big house does remember the snow globe, though, so there just might be the chance for the hoped-for storm.  

My children placed this book in my lap over and over again.  Maddie giggled while the real mama served  slices of crumb cake and cups of tea and the snow globe mama served  crumbs of crumb cake and  half drops of tea.  Benjamin pointed out the baby on every page (since at the ripe age of  two, he no longer considers himself a baby!).  Finding a story simple enough to reach my toddler and engaging enough to captivate my older children is a real treat.  Finding this story of great quality yet few words was a feast!

Elise is back!  For her weekly Children's Book Monday recommendations, click here.