This week, as I reviewed the list of books she’s had read to her, or has looked at, over and over again, I thought about the many social, emotional, creative, and intellectual gifts she’s received as a result.

I picture her at a book party, holding a bunch of brightly-colored balloons decorated with each of the reasons why parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older brothers and sisters, friends, teachers, and librarians—why, everybody!—should read stories aloud to young children.

1. I learn to listen.

2. I grow my vocabulary

3. I develop empathy.

4. I have fun.

5. I laugh out loud.

6. I learn a second language.

7. I find out about the world and all its diversity.

8. I realize that I can be and do many things.

9. I observe amazing art.

10. I feel the rhythm of language.

11. I encounter all the information that can be found in books.

12. I spark my imagination.

13. I see myself and others different from myself.

14. I feel loved.

15. I feel safe.

And now, for a moment I remember how, before I began reading on my own, my mother’s voice brought my favorite stories to life. How these stories created in me a sense of hope and well-being, assuring me that the world was full of possibilities; that I could do and be many things, a heroine of my own adventure.

2018 Children’s Book Week poster, designed by Jillian Tamaki

You ask yourself, are any of my favorite books on the list? Are there any books on the list that I’d like to read?

As a children’s book author, I feel the best book lists are those that are read and selected by the young readers themselves, like the Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award in Minnesota, or those in other states that sponsor such “children’s choice” award programs.

In that spirit, and upon the occasion of my granddaughter’s birthday this week, I asked my daughter to compile a list of Ofelia’s favorite books from the third year of her life.

Ofelia wearing her hand-sewn Pippi Longstocking apron

Except for the books in Swedish, Ofelia’s second language, I admit that her list held a few surprises:

Animalia and The Waterhole by Graeme Base

Aunt Green, Aunt Brown, and Aunt Lavender by Elsa Beskow

Town Mouse, Country Mouse by Jan Brett

The Gruffalo, The Snail and the Whale, and Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Alex Scheffler

Oh, No! by Candace Fleming Eric Rohman

Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers

Pippi Longstocking (original picture book) by Astrid Lindgren with illustrations by Ingrid Nyman

Fables by Arnold Lobel

The High Street and Grandma’s House by Alice Melvin

Maps by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski

The Peter Rabbit Pop-up Book by Beatrix Potter

Books written or illustrated by Richard Scarry – too many to name – including my favorite, I am A Bunny

Plume by Isabelle Simler

In next week’s blog post, I’ll reflect upon what I learned about selecting books to read to young readers and the reasons that reading aloud is so very important for their social, emotional, artistic, and intellectual development.

In an interesting article, Cece Bell shows photos of the sock monkey she made from a kit her grandmother gave her back in 1975, the sock monkey and other soft-sewn animals who have inspired her.

Yorkshire Terrier Saves Owner From a Bear 

A different bear story: Yorkie Fights Off Bear 

Spunky Yorkshire Terrier Saves Her Owner’s Life 

Yorkie Doodle Dandy: A Canine WWII Vet

[Photo credit: Konstantin Gushcha | 123rf.com]

Tango, my beloved dog who passed on last year, the model for one of the main characters in Tango: The Tale of an Island Dog, was a Yorkshire Terrier.

Do you know much about this breed?

Do you realize that it has been a popular pet since Victorian times, first being recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885?

Here’s much more intriguing information about Yorkies.

[Photo credit: Sergio Schnitzler | Dreamstime.com]

1. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll with illustrations by Camille Rose Garcia (Published by Collins Design, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2010)

2. The Question of Miracles by Elana K. Arnold (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015)

3. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer (Sandpiper/Houghton Mifflin, 1986)

4. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulson Books/Penguin, 2104)

5. May B by Caroline Starr Rose (Yearling/Random House, 2012)

Fox on Prince Edward Island [credit: Dennis Jarvis]

This would make a wonderful story. Write a story about your wish with a beginning, a middle, and an end. When it’s done, read it over a couple of times, imagining you are a friend of yours reading this story. Do you see places where it could use revising?

When you’re done, share the story with your family and your teacher.

Have fun writing!

You’ll find good dialogue to work with and it’s a tense scene, both imperative for creating good theater. Remember to identify each character so the actors know when to speak. And offset the stage directions so people don’t accidently read them out loud!

Are there other chapters in the book that will work well for a short play?

If your school performs your play, I hope you’ll send me a video.