True Confessions of a Children’s Book Lover

True Confessions of a Children’s Book Lover | Houston Moms Blog

Can I start with a confession? I fully accept that you will judge me and probably roll your eyes or question my competancy. That’s fine. After all, I have shared my love of reading with you and emphasized the importance of reading, especially for us moms. I am working hard behind the scenes on our HMB Book Club! And while I can appreciate Beartown and Daring Greatly for their contributions to our world, they are just not my favorites.

My favorite books are children’s books.

There, I said it. Well, I guess technically I wrote it. But just so everybody’s clear:: Children’s books are my favorites.

I’d like to think it’s because I never really grew up {man, I wish my body got that memo–I’m looking at you, saggy skin and gray hairs}, but in reality I have come to love children’s literature more and more as I age. Adulting is hard and while there is always a place for adult literature, escaping to a lighter world with happier endings is my idea of a good time. It’s cool, you can laugh at me if you want to.

True Confessions of a Children’s Book Lover | Houston Moms Blog

That’s why I am so excited about this week. April 29-May 5, 2019, is the 100th Children’s Book Week! A week to celebrate the genre that makes the world a better place through the hearts and minds of our children. Any day of the week I would reach for anything by Kate DiCamillo, Judy Blume, Shel Silverstein, or Katherine Applegate over anything by Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, Harlan Coben, or Clive Cussler. Any day. That’s why this week is so exciting to me. This week I can freely celebrate my love of children’s books without feeling the need to point out the fact that I am a children’s book author, in hopes that my career validates my preferred genre. I genuinely love children’s literature!

Are you still with me? Oh, good.

Thanks. I was afraid you’d scrolled on to someone infinitely more cool and sophisticated.

Let’s celebrate!

Whether you, like me, have an affinity for children’s books or not, chance are you have a child in your life. And as much as I love this week, it wasn’t created for me. It’s for the children. So, if you are looking for some fun ways to celebrate Children’s Book Week with your littles, here are a few suggestions to get your ideas flowing::

-Plan a meal based on a picture book. You could prepare green eggs and ham and read Green Eggs and Ham before/after. Or maybe an all-orange meal in honor of Oggie the Otter. Or maybe start with a cookie and read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and then see where it leads you. You could even read Shel Silverstein’s epic Peanut-Butter Sandwich poem just before you make a simple peanut butter sandwich.

Visit a local bookstore or library and check out some new books. The official Children’s Book Week website has a short list of books you may want to check out. You and your child can vote for your favorites on their site.

True Confessions of a Children’s Book Lover | Houston Moms Blog

Decorate bookmarks for your new books. Cut out cardstock or paper or even an empty cereal box into your desired shape. You can make them as simple or as ornate as you want.

Print the activity pages and posters from the Children’s Book Week website. Their collaboration posters in celebration of 100 years are gorgeous! They would make awesome posters for a child’s bedroom, a playroom or a homeschooling room.

Host an impromptu read-a-thon. Next year it could morph into a fun annual tradition! Keep it simple with your household or invite friends and neighbors.

Dress up like monsters and read Where the Wild Things Are.

Read Hooray for Hat! and then create your own hats to wear around the house.

Create your own musical instruments, go on a mini-parade through your home with your homemade instruments, then read Drum City together.

I hope this list was enough to get your creative juices flowing. We’d love to see you share your final products with us on Facebook or Instagram! Children’s Book Week originated in the belief that children’s books and literacy are life-changers. If time, diet, and/or resource constraints don’t make the options listed above feesible, please do not despair! The best thing you can do this week is read a book with your child. And that is what Children’s Book Week is ultimately about. Take a few minutes from the mundane, hectic, heavy responsibilities of everyday life and read a story with a child. Facetime or Skype work, too. Let’s make the world a better place, one page at a time.

True Confessions of a Children’s Book Lover | Houston Moms Blog


Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates and Target Affiliate Program, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.comTarget.com, and affiliate sites.


Pin this post and be sure to follow Houston Moms Blog on Pinterest!

Previous articleTrust and Power:: How You Can Help Prevent Child Abuse
Next articleWhy Stay at Home Moms Need Stay at Home Dad Friends
Alissa M
Alissa is a wife to her best friend {since 2003} and a grateful mother to four boys {2009, 2009, 2010, 2012) and one girl {2015}. And if you're going to be friends, you should know she has a deep and abiding love of chocolate. She's survived infertility, IVF, two NICUs, cloth diapers, a food allergy, and so much more! In 2017, she officially began writing and publishing children's books and LOVES it! When she's not writing or picking her kids up from school, she'd like to be reading/singing/laughing/napping/traveling/crafting/learning something new. But in reality, she's probably grocery shopping/cleaning something/telling her boys to stop fighting. She lives in Katy, blogs at AliMcJoy.com, and occasionally visits Instagram {@alimcjoy}, and Facebook {@alimcjoy}. She is a big believer in living life--especially mothering--with intentionality. If she's learned anything it's that accidental success is a myth: decisions determine destiny. She will also be the first to tell you she is not even close to perfect, but she's giving life her best shot one jam-packed day at a time.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here