Last week, we visited the library and the children chose a few books from the shelf. One of them will be checked out again around Groundhog’s Day and another will be checked out again in April when the tulips that are currently being planted usually start blooming.

The Best Nest by P.D. Eastman

Patrick was happy to find this classic book on the library shelf.

Mrs. Bird decides that she no longer likes her nest.  So, she and Mr. Bird search for a new home.

My one reservation about this book is that it uses the word “hate”.  Since we try to avoid the use of this word in our house, I change the words to “didn’t like”.

Gregory’s Shadow by Don Freeman

This title isn’t as good as Norman the Doorman or Corduroy, but my children enjoyed listening to it and the story will be perfect for February.

Gregory and Shadow leave their house one day prior to groundhog’s day.  When Gregory sees the scarecrow’s shadow, he gets scared and runs inside his home, accidentally shutting Shadow outside.  Eventually, Gregory realizes that Shadow is missing and goes in search of him.  Once Gregory and Shadow are reunited, they need to decide whether or not the farmers will see Gregory’s shadow.

Some books will always be enjoyed no matter how old a child grows.  My eldest son enjoyed listening to this book, too, and I enjoyed reading it.

Hana in the Time of the Tulips by Deborah Noyes

When one of my children pulled this book off the shelf, I noticed that Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China was sitting next to it. Knowing that we had enjoyed reading Red Butterfly, I checked to see whether Deborah Noyes was the author.  After confirming that this was the case, I added the book in my child’s hand to our growing stack of titles to check out.  I am glad that I did.

Deborah Noyes writes in the “time of Rembrandt” about a young girl, Hana, and her father’s tulip prospecting. Hana wants to be a doctor and tends to her father’s ailments, but as her father worries about his “tulip business”, he seems to grow farther and farther away from her.  Hana tries to cheer him up with a sprig of rosemary, fireflies, and by weaving nature’s simple smile out of daisies.  Eventually, Hana (Rembrandt’s student) paints a beautiful tulip for her father and succeeds in drawing him out.

Patrick has listened to this book at least twice this week and seems to really like it.  I am looking forward to checking it out again in April and studying a little bit more about Rembrandt.