Tender Twigs

Bird Books

A reader with two girls 6 and 11 years old emailed me quite some time ago (I've been working on this post since June) asking for bird book suggestions.  I've procrastinated by reading quite a few bird books from the library.   

Your recommendations would be most welcome. 
I know there are many books that I am probably missing.

I wrote a post some time ago that includes many bird books for preschoolers.  Check out that post for preschool bird book suggestions.  I'm now reading those books to Silas.  Below are books more suited for early elementary.

   

Bird, Butterfly, Eel, a beautifully illustrated story of a bird, butterfly and an eel's return to a Massachusetts farm, introduces the reader to animal migration, nesting, and preparing for the eventual autumn journey .  The illustrations and simple text tells the story of each creatures migration and life cycle.  Cate liked the two page map that shows how far each creature traveled.  The swallow travels 8000 miles to Argentina which is much farther away than I imagined.

If you liked the Caldecott Honor winning A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams illustrated by Melissa Sweet you will enjoy her illustrations in The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon.  The story is a very brief biographical sketch of the time Audubon began "banding" birds.  It is amazing to realize not so long ago bird migration was not quite understood.  For a more complete picture book biography I recommend Into the Woods: John James Audubon Lives His Dream.

Recently we read Bird Boy, an early chapter book set in China on the Li River near the Guilin mountains.  This story about a mute boy who lives with his mother and father on a fishing boat introduces the reader to the use of cormorants among fishermen in China.  We learned quite a bit from this delightful book which includes illustrations.   You can also see cormorants in Daisy Comes Home illustrated by Jan Brett and also set in China. 

 

Many of you will know An Egg is Quiet but if not the illustrations present drawings of different eggs and bits of information.  This isn't a book to read aloud but one to leave in your child's room for her to discover.

Flute's Journey follows a wood thrush from the nest through the migration to Costa Rica and back to a small patch of land in Maryland.  The thrush encounters difficulties due to the destruction of its habitat.  There is so much you can do with this book.  Most importantly it teaches children that we are impacting the birds' environment. 

The illustrations in The Cuckoo's Haiku are amazing which makes the haiku seem almost secondary.  I would check this book just to read and use as a beautiful identification book. 

 

The three books pictured above are perfect for the a little older reader.  Bird Watching with Margaret Morse Nice (see all Naturalist's Apprentice Biographies) is a historical biography about a woman at the turn of the 20th century devoted to ornithology and includes lovely illustrations, information about bird watching, selecting binoculars, hunting for bird nests, learning to listen to bird song and bird gardens. 

Little Leap Forward is another book set in China except at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.  Although not a bird story, the main character Little Leap Forward has a pet bird who acts as a metaphor for the pain and confusion surrounding the unset of the Cultural Revolution.  Beautifully illustrated, well written and published by Barefoot Books.

My husband read Eudora Welty's The Shoe Bird to Cate.  He didn't enjoy the book or the more difficult writing style of Welty but Cate certainly enjoyed it and talked endlessly about the birds she met in the story. Also, Cate listened to this musical fable based on The Shoe Bird and narrated by Jim Dale.  Again, she enjoyed it but I didn't listen to it.  Oh, just now reading the reviews on Amazon made me reorder it from the library.  We will try and listen to it in the car. 

I read 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names a few years ago along with the companion 100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names.  I think this would make a nice read aloud.  Each bird has a short 2-3 page chapter.  For the child who wants to dig deeper into learning about birds, I highly recommend this one.

And finally, Riki's Birdhouse.  I adore this book and have read it to Silas several time in the last few weeks.  He loves it now but it is a book you can grow with because of all the details in the margins.  Like Zinnia's Flower Garden also by Monica Wellington, you encounter the topic in each season of the year.  If your child likes birdies, this is not to be missed.

Two more posts where I wrote about bird books
Bird Poetry and Sing Nightingale,Sing

Well, that's all for now.  I'm finding it more and more difficult to write about books.  Other bloggers are so good at writing succinct meaningful reviews.  What I offer is only my heartfelt recommendation of the books we have enjoyed. 

Playing with Picnik

 Silas loves his wooden toys.

Seven Quick Takes

(one)

Breaking News-my children played by themselves for over an hour yesterday morning.  First they played individually and then they sat atop a table and pretended it is a boat on a river.  It is nice when children are well behaved.

(two)

We have picked almost 60 pounds of organic blueberries in the past two weekends.  My freezer is now packed.  I overheard Si saying "kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk" several times.  So cute.

(three)

I found two wonderful books at the Goodwill this week.  Read A Rhyme Write a Rhyme includes ideas for writing poetry, prompts and lots of delightful poems.  I've had my eye on this Golden Book of Fairy Tales book for some time and was thrilled to find it at the Goodwill for $2.  We have enjoyed reading it, although Cate brought it to me last night and told me it was making her feel scared.  Perhaps we will read it during the day. 

 

(four)

I am considering doing a media fast like the one described here.  Her fast included all media, books, computer, newspaper, cereal boxes.  She writes that she slept a lot more.  I've also considered doing this and allowing myself only one tough book.  I've wanted to read Emma for some time but there is always more interesting and easier things to read.  If I had only one choice would I devour it?

(five)

To not bore you with too much recycling and trash, here is a link to photos and a bit more explanation about another two week view. 

(six)

Cate completed this 200 piece round puzzle.  I wish I had a close up of the beautiful puzzle design.  We grew this lacinato kale (my favorite) in our garden.  My dh planted more for a fall harvest.  It is a plant that keeps on giving.  We've had this kale once or twice a week for much of the summer.  It is a great savings as this kale is $2.99 a bunch and never looks as good. :)

 

(seven)

Tell me, what do you think about responding to comments within the post.  I've set up a new comment system that typepad offers.  Notable blogs that are using it are Beauty That Moves (one of my favorites), mamaroots (a most wonderful wooden toy maker and mama to another little boy named Silas) and Soulemama.  I've noticed that the readers of Beauty That Moves are truly interacting with the comments sections.  One thing I don't like is that my responding ups the comment count which I think is somewhat artificial. 

 

Some Favorite Books & a Winner

Here is a sneak peek of some of the books that might be on my top 100 picture book list.  I created these Amazon lists (some time ago) to share some of my recommendations over the last three years. I would recommend any of these for gift giving.  Take a look and let me know if you see a favorite.

Painted Rainbows Recommended Books

Painted Rainbows Recommended Book List 2

 

And the winner of the book Emily and Daisy is Christy from Superheros and Princesses.  Christy has a seriously cute blog, so check out all her wonderful ideas.  Her Tot School posts have inspired me to start preschool with Silas.  

Sharing and a Giveaway

Elsa Beskow giveaway at the end.

I'm still here, healthy, happy and living a good simple life.  I just read this post and it made me appreciate my own mothering and homemaking a little more.  I just wish I could do it with a little less complaining.  I've been enjoying the sunshine and sleeping more by going to bed earlier or napping when the children nap.  It isn't very ambitious but it works for me.  I take good care of my home and family, cleaning, reading, being present, cooking, in a slow, authentic and simple way.  It might take longer to hang a load of laundry but I enjoy it and my electric bill is much lower than most.  Blogging somehow has taken a quiet backseat to daily life.  I'm still reading blogs but haven't commented much so please forgive my silence. 

I've been reading a lot of blogs that are very practical with homemaking and money saving advice including simple, eco living and grain-free cooking blogs. If you frequent the same blog circle as me you undoubtedly know the blog High Desert Home.  I've read through her entire archive enjoying every bit while wistfully wishing she hadn't ended her blog.  If only I could craft my blog with such wisdom and simplicity.  What she shares is my ideal but I do have to laugh; she is only 9 years older than me and has grown children.  I have a two year old. ;)  I enjoyed her post Natural, Simple, Eco, Healthy, Frugal... and intend to write a similar post for my blog.  I really like knowing what products and books people use.

Speaking of books, I haven't been checking as many from the library for the children.  I have become frightfully aware that Cate and Si will only be little for a short time.  I will only have so many more times to read I am a Bunny or Little Fur Family to Si.  To that end, I am focused on reading our old favorites again and again.  I feel we do not have the time to read too many new untested books.  I am going to share a list of my own top 100 picture books and I can guarantee the list won't look like this one.  I plan to write the list by 10 or 20 books at a time.  I know some of you have written these lists in the past.  Will you please share a link now or when I post the start of my list?  I think these are some of the best lists because they are created by us not publishers or teachers reading to large groups of children but mothers reading quietly to their own child. 

All that flies in the face of my two new book selections to share.  I have to gratefully thank Jennifer for mentioning Emily and Daisy.  Like so many of you, Elsa Beskow is a favorite in our house.  Emily and Daisy is newly issued by Floris Books.  The story is delightful and I was pleased that even Cate (nearing 6 years old) adored the book.  The illustrations are charming with flowers, a meadow, elves and homelife.  It reminded me a little of reading Ricka Flicka and Dicka books.  This book will certainly be on my 100 list.  It doesn't happen often but again, I liked the book so much that I am giving away a copy.  Leave a comment through Sunday 19th to be entered.  It would make the best gift

The fortieth anniversary of the first moon landing is July 20th.  If you are looking for a book to mark the day look no further than The Moon Over Star.  Written by Dianna Hutts Ashton (An Egg is Quiet) and illustrated by the fabulous Jerry Pinkney this book tells the story of one family and how they spent the day leading up to the moon landing.  The book brought me to tears and I was choked up reading it aloud to Cate.  This book reminds you that it was an awesome event and is also is full of hope and promise.  The young girl in the story is named Mae which suggest that it is African American astronaut Mae Jemison.  I would be happy to swap out the Beskow book for this one should you win.

Two Weeks Worth...

of my trash and recycling.  I know, I'm crazy.  I started setting aside my trash and recycling for a challenge put forth by Beth at Fake Plastic Fish.  I didn't submit my results mostly because I was too occupied to follow the rules.  I found the photos were a help in accessing how I can make more changes.  All those plastic Diet Dr. Pepper bottles (all 15 of them) were my crutch when my dh was traveling.  Knowing I had a cold diet soda in the refrigerator made it a little easier to get up with Silas in the middle of the night.  Seeing all the plastic bottles made me realize how easy it would be to eliminate most of my plastic.  I'm fairly satisfied with the results.  We will have very little trash once we are diaper- free.  Don't you think there should be some sort of carbon offset to atone for disposable diaper use?  A few changes we are making right now:

1. Cut way down on soda consumption
2. Quit buying spinach in plastic boxes which apparently are not recyclable
3. Silas is peeing in the potty occasionally.  Soon to be diaper-free.
4. Contacting all direct mailing companies and opting out. 
5. I'm not buying anymore canned food after reading this about the BPA lining. (It is worth reading.)

Two weeks of trash, mostly dirty diapers, plastic bags, the coffee cup is broken.

  

By far, the biggest component of our recycling is paper waste.  To reduce the paper waste I have started "dealing" with each piece of paper coming in our mail box.  Not the obvious catalogs but all the direct mail and such. 

Lemonheads were used for bribing good behavior while daddy was traveling. 

 

Here are bits of plastic that are not recyclable.

 

More plastic that is NOT recyclable but you might think it is.  I caved just once on the non-local strawberries.  The strawberry containers are not recyclable where I live.  Not sure why the peanut bag is in the photo. 

 

The plastic recyclables.  Using up some old cleaning supplies and shampoos.

 

Paper Food Containers (the ice cream is our secret snack from the kids)

 

Glass & metals

 

So many book suggestions...

Lissa wrote a post mentioning all the books she wants to read and linking to the reviews that made her want to read the book.  So I thought I would narrow my book post today to books we (or I) have read thanks to other bloggers.

First up, Mariposa and Ami's reading lists.  You know you are very far far behind when you are trying to keep up with a seven year. ;)  I read two books Mariposa suggested, A Light at Tern Rock and Mary, Bloody, Mary.  The reading of Mary prompted a reading of Beware, Princess Elizabeth by the same author and Nine Days a Queen by Ann Rinaldi.  I should be reading Antonia Fraser's Wives of Henry VIII, a book on my 4 x 10 Reading List.  I need to update and tick off what I've read from the list.

I loved The Light at Tern Rock.  The main character Martha Morse is wise, simple and content in solitude.  Her wisdom delighted me from the first pages.  I really can't do the book justice but I highly recommend reading this slim 52 page book.  The story is set during the season of Christmas but reading it far removed from the season offers even more poignancy.  I was especially fond of the message that lighthouse keeping is "good work."  We need our children to read more messages that the honest work of farmers, repairmen and bakers is good work.  This is a story about broken promises and forgiveness and of facing adversity with enthusiasm. To be honest, the little book is a perfect parenting manual.  The young boy in the story is angry over the broken promise and Martha knows just how to love him in the situation.  Her patience is inspiring.  How did I miss this book (a Newbery Honor 1951) for all these years?  I will be tracking down a used hardcover copy of this book to read to Cate and again to Si and again for myself and again for my grandchildren. 

   

Mom and Kiddo suggested The Curious Garden in her Urban Picture Book series.  The story follows a boy (Liam) who discovers a small patch of flowers at the top of an abandoned railway track.  He tends the garden and it grows and grows.  There are wonderful wordless pages that Cate enjoyed.  She enjoyed it so much that she wanted to give it as a birthday present to a friend.  The birthday girl liked it so much that her mother decided to give it as an end of the year teacher gift.  That makes me happy.

  

Kate, Oh how I wish I could be as consistent as Kate's Tuesday Book posts.  There is always a gem or two to discover.  Kate suggested A Farm of Her Own and it did not disappoint.  I too found that I wanted to have a farm of my own after reading this beautifully illustrated book to Cate.  We enjoyed reading and seeing the rhythms of the Summer farm.  Kate also wrote about Rocks in His Head, a story of one man's love of rocks and minerals.  The story takes place before, during and after the Depression Era.  Through the economic ups and downs, the man stays committed to something that doesn't cost money, his passion for learning about and collecting rocks.  A must read for kids who like rocks and a great subtle add on to the study of the Depression.

 

Sara suggested The Kitchen Knight which Cate loved.  My husband introduced Cate to castles and King Arthur and it has been fun to encourage her interest.  The Kitchen Knight is a single story from the King Arthur ledgend illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman.  I love to read a single fariy tale or legend in picture books and this one is especially good.  If you have a child at all interested in King Arthur then this is a must read.  Sara has mentined to me that she might write up a post about the other Knights and Castle books they read this year.  I'm looking forward to it. ;)

Our reading has been limited lately.  Silas is always present and always demanding to read his books.  Apparently, we are far more interesting than any toy I could offer.  When I do manage to start reading to Cate, he starts climbing all over us and that sends Cate into a fit.  We do read at the end of the day but sometimes at that point I'm spent.  I try and remember that I have many years to read to them but I feel like we are not reading as much as I wish.  Presently, we are reading On The Banks of Plum Creek, some Mother West Wind stoires, and picture books in the evenings.

So thank you, friends, for writing about the books you enjoy.  It is nice to know that I have great books in my library bag.

I made it...

My husband has been traveling for the past three weeks.  He arrived home last night and even though he went to work this morning I feel like I am on vacation.  Knowing that he will be home this evening is such a relief.  To say "I survived" might be too melodramatic but at the onset I didn't think I would.  Three strategies that helped me survive:

Napping when the kids napped
Radical reduction of on-line time
Staying on task with household chores all day

But the real reason I made it was Cate and Si have started to play together! 

(A photo captured through the screen window as not to disturb the miracle.)

So I am back on-line but with a new balance.  Now I must go visiting.

Toward less recycling

One goal this past year was to reduce our output of recyclable material.  Reducing is the first and most important of the three environmental R's.  I worry that what I recycle might actually be thrown into the land fill despite my best effort.  I saw this video recently via Fake Plastic Fish and encourage anyone interested in reducing your plastic consumption to watch the video.  With two children adopted from China, it was especially poignant and urgent to me.

The video isn't coming through to Google Reader.  Please pop over to the blog.  It's worth it.

I haven't been a mainstream grocery store shopper for some time so many of these changes although recent were fairly easy.  We have a wonderful food co-op near our house so all of this is possible.  If you live in a big city, you have to read this post about living green in a small Oklahoma town.  You will count your blessings all the way to your local Whole Foods. 

This is a photo of how my market basket looks on the day I food shop. 

(Not the best photo but functional)

I purchase the following in bulk reusing the same bags, bottles, cartons, and jars each week.  I reuse the wax liner bags from cereal boxes for produce bags.  They are very easy to wash for reuse.  I also bring my own bags.

Peanut butter
Pancake mix
Rice
Quinoa
Eggs
Fig Cookies
Maple Syrup
Castile soap for dish washing
Lentils
Beans
Almonds
Sunflower Seeds
Raisins
Coffee
Shampoo
Popcorn
Sugar
Flour

I plan to start buying

Oil
Tea

We no longer buy cereal in boxes and have drastically reduced our soy milk consumption so that has also eliminated a lot of waste.  I still buy too many condiments, POM juice, a more than occasional bottle of soda, frozen berries, apple sauce, jam, and spinach in those one pound boxes.  This summer I am going to try and make jam and apple sauce.  I also want to U-Pick as many berries as my freezer will hold reusing plastic bags from rice cakes and other convenience foods. 

So what do you think about this system?  Do you have any suggestions for me.  I just started doing this two months ago.  I am amazed and embarrassed that I didn't start doing it sooner.  It really is easy.

Listen my children

Today started at 3:45am with "I want breakfast."  Not a good start and by 4:45, I was already "having a bad day" and reading blogs and feeling like our Mother's Day was not nearly as lovely.

But then, Silas now back to sleep on the sofa, briefly lifted his head and said "Sheep Out to Eat" and then laid his head back down and fell asleep.  Ah, I thought, we might not do crafts or clean up very well but my children know books.  Apparently, they even dream about them.

And then I remembered a sweet moment this weekend.  My husband said "you really need to get Cate a copy of Paul Revere's Ride."  Oh husband of little faith, I have a copy.  I found a book of poetry opened it up, took it outside to Cate.  Seeing the title, she grabbed the book, laid down in the overgrown grass and began reading it.  She was delighted as she puzzled out the few words she didn't know, like mystic, barrack and Lexington.  She certainly doesn't understand it but it is a start.  She is now eager to read the "Jack and Annie" Revolutionary War book. 

Today I want to find an audio recording of the poem and perhaps a picture book.  Cate can recite The Owl and the Pussycat because of hearing it on this CD hundreds of times.  Occasionally, I will come upon Si saying "his nose, his nose, a ring at the end of his nose." 

Suddenly, I'm not feeling so bad. 

In the photo above Si is delighted by a tool.  My dh planted the planter.  Isn't it lovely?