RIP, Jan Berenstain!

Berenstain Bear Books

Written and illustrated by Stan & Jan Berenstain

Published by Random House books for Young Readers

Ages: 4-8 years

One half of a pair of writers who created one of A's favourite book series, passed away on friday, 24th February 2012. Jan Berentstain was the co-creator of the Berenstain Bears books, with her writer-illustrator husband Stan Berenstain, who passed away 7 years ago. She was 88. Co-incidently, the first book created and published in this series was The Big Honey Hunt written for The Cat in the Hat beginner book series in 1962 at the behest of Dr Seuss (Theodor Geisel), whose birthday falls on 2nd March.

A loves the Berenstain Bears Books, and we have tried to collect them all. Every time we visit a book store, she checks out their collection from the series, and we pick up the ones we don't yet have. They feature a family of bears living in a tree house (adventure!) - goofy, lovable Papa Bear, sensible, wise Mama Bear, with Sister Bear and Brother Bear, their everyday lives, the ordinary things that matter to them, the things they learn and do, and the scrapes they get into.    

When she was younger, heck, even now, the wisdom in these books guides her through many dilemmas- over and above a heart-to-heart discussion. The books make it easier for us both in considering how to approach a particular situation. Whether it was her fear of the dark, an annoying habit that she picked up somewhere, dealing with peer pressure, focusing on fixing a problem instead of trying to fix the blame,  taking a sensible stand when someone says- "I dare you to...", dealing with jealousy, stranger danger or bullies, learning about money...you name it, the Berenstain Bears had a book about it.

One does have to keep in mind, though, that even though the books offer, sensible, home-grown advice in a palatable, story form, many of these books have been written in the 60s and 70s, and there may be some dating of the context. One also needs to be mindful of some gender/racial stereotyping, much like that in the otherwise wonderful books by Enid Blyton.

A wonderful collection of books that is fun to read for both child and parent alike. We have spent many happy hours reading them together, discussing them, and returning to them again and again at any time a relevent situation presented itself. A great help to parents who may not have the luxury of an easily accesible extended family!

RIP, Jan Berenstain!

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Pictures courtesy Google Images. Crossposted at Saffrontree..

   

Mommy is guilty as charged

Ranjani had tagged me some time back. Sorry, Ranjani, for not doing the tag for such a long time. I have no excuse but my laziness.

Yesterday, however, I went out with a friend and her one-and-a-half year old son, who adores A and will keep asking for her by his pronounciation of her name every time he sees me, expecting her to be somewhere around me all the time.

We did many things (like browsing in a bookshop and picking up some books) that I know A would have loved to do with us. I kept thinking of her all the time, and was wishing it was a holiday, so that she could have accompanied us. Maybe I will take her out on the next school holiday.

Mommy feeling guilty? You bet!

According to the tag, I have to

1. Write about 2 instances where you have put yourself before your child/ children... been a wee bit selfish.
2. How did you feel? Did you feel a pang of guilt or were you comfortable?
3. Tag 2 more moms

I have always had A along with me since she was born. Since we do not stay with extended family, it was only us all the time. I never had anyone to help with her. I have,  of course, my house-help who comes in everyday for housework, but taking care of A and cooking is something I never liked to nor wanted to delegate.

The first time I spent some time alone without A around was when she joined school. Even there, I would say it was I who had a bad case of separation anxiety - A was ready for mixing socially, and so settled down there quite soon.

Over the years, I have grown to like the 'me time' I get when I am by myself. I find that it is essential for me to have this time for myself, to do as I please, without worrying about the kid's or the husband's schedules. Reading, morning walks, blogging, working on something interesting, browsing in bookshops, going shopping or catching a movie/theatre programme with friends or by myself, eating out sometimes. When A was younger, I also caught up on the listening to music other than nursery rhymes and other children's songs when she was elsewhere. All the things a stay-at-home-mom may do after all her chores are done!

Of course, I love the times we can spend together on days when she has a holiday. Some of the best times we have spent together are sitting together, each with her book in her hands. Yes, I have a little reader at home, and I'm glad it's so.

So I would have to really think for doing this tag. Let me see-

1. Harry Potter. A is as much into the series as I am. Only difference being, that I discovered the series in 2004, when she was just three, and she began reading them in 2009, two years after book 7 was published. True to my belief that she should read the books before she watches the movies, she has watched them all only on TV. Except for Deathly Hallows 1 & 2. She began with book 7 much after DH 1 had gone from theatres, and we are still waiting for the movie to come on TV, or for us to pick up the DVD, which we will probably do only after all the movies come on DVD, and we can buy the boxed set. Of course we finished reading book 7 at super speed in time for her to watch the last movie on the big screen. Went to watch it with Choxbox, her FB and another friend from school and her mother, all big on Harry Potter.

So I would go to watch all the earlier HP movies on big screen without her, even when I knew that she would have loved to watch them with me on big screen. That would be Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows 1. If I count the fact that most of her friends went to these movies without reading the books, that would include Goblet of Fire, too.

2. A has never been one of those kids who pester their parents to buy something, anything, everytime they make a visit to a shop. Except when we are in a bookshop. Woe betide me if I take her to a bookshop and do not buy something that she will enjoy. So I do not plan a bookshop visit with her if I have not budgeted for at least one book for her to choose and buy. There are also all those books that are interesting enough to pick up, small enough to be read quickly, but too expensive to pick up, and sometimes for a younger age group. Think of all those fabulous picture books we have not yet got our hands on! So we take advantage of bookshops' policies which allow the customers to make themselves comfortable and read away if they may.

Considering her love of books, and of browsing in bookshops, there have been many occasions when I have gone for it alone- when I have to go to a book sale which it might not be possible to go for on the week-end, which might be in a far-off location, or if I just up and go plonk myself in my favourite book shop on a day when I need some retail therapy. Do I feel guilty? Yes, I do, indeed. As Choxbox will be able to testify, I often pick up a whole lot of books, then realising that they would be way beyond my budget, put away most of those that are for myself, and end up buying those that I know A will enjoy!

To A's credit, she has never consciously made me feel guilty about these things, taking it as gospel that the book has to be read first, and she is overjoyed when I get her something on my book-shopping trips. Yes, she makes me feel guilty about that, too. Contrarily, I would not have felt as bad if she had gotten upset about it.

That was my rather wordy take on the tag. I would like to tag Choxbox and Sangi. Both are ladies I admire immensely for their out-of-the-box thinking and from whom I learn so much. There are some more out there whom I would have loved to tag, but the rules say I have to tag two. So anyone else who wants to take it up is welcome to do so. Let us hear your mommy-guilt secrets, ladies!

March is for the Mad Hatter of books- Dr Seuss!

March is almost over; we are in our last week. How can I let it go without remembering Dr Seuss? The pen name of Theodore Seuss Geisel. The writer who brought so many giggles and knotted tongues to many a bemused reader. It was his birthday on March 2nd, and I just had to post about him.

We also had the World Read Aloud Day on March 9th, 2011. This is part of a literacy drive. I am a firm believer in the reading aloud of books, not just to a child who cannot yet read, but even to someone who can- the sharing aloud of books multiplies the joys we can get from them. And in my opinion, there are no better books that can be read aloud to a child just beginning to read than those by Dr Seuss with the wacky words he uses, making reading such a fun thing, along with the things that we may learn. The books also lend themselves well to multiple re-readings, and I have yet to be bored by one of them, although I must have read them a million times.

Last year, Sheela, with inputs from the other contributors, pretty much covered the entire gamut of his books in this post on Saffrontree.  Here are a few more that we have loved.

Pic courtesy amazon.co.uk

OH SAY CAN YOU SAY?
By Dr Seuss
Beginner Books (Random House)

On the first page, we are warned:
"The words in this book are all phooey.
When you say them, your lips
will make slips and back flips
and your tongue may end up in Saint Looey!"


So we proceed carefully, with a ticklish anticipation. Reading aloud the following pages brings about many giggles.

Try saying "Bed Spreaders spread spreads on beds. Bread Spreaders spread butters on breads."

Or this. "A cop in a cop's cap? Or a cupcake cook in a cupcake cook's cap? Or a fat flapjack flapper in a flat flapped-jack cap?"

No, no, no, no! Not so slowly. Try reading that a little faster. At least at normal read-aloud speed. Now a little faster. A bit more. Can't? Tongue and lips gave up? I did warn you!

A fun book continuing in the tradition of 'Fox in Socks' or 'Wocket in my Pocket.'

OK, say can you say....?  Oh no, no, don't run away!

Pic courtesy amazon.co.uk

I CAN READ WITH MY EYES SHUT !
By Dr Seuss
Beginner Books (Random House)

A celebration of reading.

Anything. Cards, newspapers, signposts, labels on cans, books, anything.

In black, white, red, blue, pickle colour, too.

Anytime, anywhere, and anyhow. Rightside up or upside down. With both eyes, just the left eye, just the right eye, or with BOTH EYES SHUT!

"This VERY HARD to do!" says the Cat in the Hat, who is back in this book, to the young cat. "...so...reading with my eyes shut I don't do an awful lot."

He goes on to tell us about all that we can read about- there's no limit- and so much to learn about, and understand, and think about, and be sad, glad, AND mad about. "BUT...you'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut," he warns us.

So come, let us read! And learn. AND have fun!

Pic courtesy amazon.co.uk

WACKY WEDNESDAY
By Theo. LeSieg (aka Dr Seuss)
Illustrated by George Booth
Beginner Books (Random House)

A lot of things are topsy-turvy on that Wednesday, and they start from the moment the child, our protagonist, opens her eyes in the morning. A shoe is on the wall!

As the day goes on, from one page to the next, the number of wacky things keep increasing. We are told how many, and invited to find them in each doulble page illustration. These, cleverly done by George Booth are easy enough for a 5 yr old, but difficult enough to spot so that things do not become boring.

Things become wackier, and funnier as the story moves ahead, with upto twent wacky things to spot at the end.

A enjoyed this one thoroughly, and even now, this book comes out sometimes and she is lost in giggles.

Crossposted at Saffrontree.