Have You Seen My Ducking? by Nancy Tafuri is a Caldecott Honor Book from 1985.

Young children love any game or story that has a kind of "hide and seek" or "peek-a-boo" feel. This book is about a mother duck who has lost one of her ducklings. She searches all over and asks a beaver, a turtle, fish and other ducks if they have seen her duckling. Turtle brings back her duckling, and everything is OK.

Children also love stories about mommies and their babies and knowing that mommies will do anything to protect their babies.

When Rain Falls

When Rain Falls by Melissa Stewart, Illustrated by Constance R. Bergum.

"When rain falls in your neighborhood, you run inside and wait for the storm to end."

Do you know what happens in the forest?

Read about what the squirrels do, the birds, the fox, and the caterpillars.

It's great to have a book about the rain on a rainy day. Perhaps if your child understood that rain is important, they could look forward to rainy days.

Play in the puddles and catch raindrops on your tongue. Turn a rainy day into something unique.

Enjoy nature.

The Big Storm

The Big Storm: A Very Soggy Counting Book by Nancy Tafuri, 2009.

"Bird flew for cover. Now there was 1 in the hill hollow. The wind started to blow.

Mouse ran for cover. Now there were 2 in the hill hollow."

After 10 animals got into the hill hollow, the animals thought there was still thunder but then realized that the bears were returning to THEIR hill hollow!

It's a counting book, an animal book and an exciting book that is sure to get your little one anticipating the bears return!

If you ever get the chance to work with Habitat for Humanity, take it! The United Nations has declared the first Monday in October as annual World Habitat Day. I had the chance to work on
a house on a youth group mission trip in 2000. They are a non- profit Christian housing
organization that builds homes for people who need a decent, safe place to live in. They rely on volunteers and donations to build these homes across the country. They have built over 300,000 homes since they were founded in 1976.

Please visit their website www.habitat.org to read more about what they do and find a local affiliate.

During my trip to West Virgina to work with Habitat for Humanity, we had the opportunity to purchase some souvenirs. I noticed they had children's picture books and of course I wanted to add one to my collection. I hoped to one day read it to my children and explain the organization to them.

Grandpa's Hammer written by Ronald Kidd

It's a picture book about a girl's grandfather who loved to build things. His wife passed on, and he stopped building things. A neighbor came by to borrow his hammer. He inquired about why, and she was with a group from Habitat for Humanity who was building a home nearby. He decided to help and continued to help every week working on several houses.

I Love My Hair!

I Love My Hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, Illustrated by E.B. Lewis is a book about self-acceptance. Specifically written about African-American hair, this book aims at teaching children to accept what God has given them and appreciate their unique beauty.

"I love my hair because it is thick as a forest, soft as cotton candy, and curly as a vine winding upward, reaching the sky and climbing toward outer space."

It's important starting at a young age that you communicate with children their individual beauty. As a child, I recognized that my hair was unique being a redhead, and I didn't always like it because I stood out in a crowd.

Another part of this book is about how the child felt pain when her mom tried to comb out the knots and memories of the smell of oil her mom put on her scalp. My hair was naturally curly, and I remember evenings when my mom would put little pink foam curlers on my bangs to help control where the curl went overnight. I used to hate it, but I have vivid memories. I also hated to have my hair blown dry before bed because I thought the hair dryer was too hot.

Adults may not realize that children, particularly girls, can have a lot of memories of early hair care. Tangles, knots, beads, and ribbons often come with resistance. However, learning to take care of our hair is a part of growing up, so why not take the opportunity to teach your child about what makes them special at the same time. Inner beauty is important, but everyone wants to know that they are beautiful on the outside too.

Mr. Rogers wrote a great song you could sing to your child while helping them with their hair:

Everybody's Fancy

Some are fancy on the outside.

Some are fancy on the inside.

Everybody's fancy. Everybody's fine.

Your body's fancy and so is mine.

Boys are boys from the beginning.

Girls are girls right from the start.

Everybody's fancy.Everybody's fine.

Your body's fancy and so is mine.

Girls grow up to be the mommies.

Boys grow up be the daddies.

Everybody's fancy.Everybody's fine.

Your body's fancy and so is mine.

I think you're a special person

And I like your ins and outsides.

Everybody's fancy.Everybody's fine.

Your body's fancy and so is mine.

I Say a Little Prayer for You

"The moment I wake up,
before I put on my makeup...

I say a little prayer for you.

While combing my hair now,
and wondering what dress to wear now...

I say a little prayer for you.

Forever, forever you'll
stay in my heart,
and I will love you.
Forever and ever
we never will part.

Oh, how I'll love you." And on and on.

I Say a Little Prayer for You - Original song by Burt Bacharach & Hal David is put in a picture book for children. Illustrations are by Karin Littlewood interpreting the lyrics into a mother's prayers for her child.

So now you can have fun singing this old song with your child and expressing your love. And in fact, you don't even need the book. You just need to know the lyrics!

McGuffey Readers & Spellers

Rev. William Holmes McGuffey was born in Pennsylvania on my wedding anniversary, September 23, but in the year 1800...only a 206 year difference. It is estimated that 120 million copies of the McGuffey's Readers were sold between the years 1836 and 1960.

My husband bought me the revised eclectic first reader for our first wedding anniversary because I love the TV show Little House on the Prairie and that time period. They always read from their McGuffey readers.

Rev. McGuffey was a professor at Miami University in Ohio in 1826 and a Presbyterian minister. He actually invited students into his home to teach them reading and spelling to find the best way to prepare and teach children. He was asked by a publisher to write four readers. He went on to teach at other colleges and universities, and was president at Cincinnati College and Ohio University at Athens as well.


The Original McGuffey readers went out of print but were slightly revised and reprinted. Few edits were done only to make them easier to understand. Read the following quote from the publisher of this edition by George M. Mott:

"Out of print for over 125 years, the original McGuffey Eclectic Readers are considered educational classics...The character of our Nation was molded in an upright manner through the repeated use of these text books over several generations."

I've read the entire book which includes a list of vocabulary words at the end of each lesson. He was using a phonics method for teaching reading. The version I have doesn't describe it, but other versions do. The stories are about nature (God's creation), being kind to the poor, being kind to animals, obeying your parents, telling the truth, and forgiveness. Come to think of it, there were many lessons about being kind to animals. Considering the period, it makes sense since children spend a good portion of their days outside since there was no TV or computers!

What stands out the most to me is how much God is incorporated into the lessons. They tell us that God created everything and gives us everything. We should please him and seek forgiveness for our wrongdoings.