Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Broom-Broom!

I tried the Sprocket on some new books last night. With great excitement I got out some of the ones I’ve had stored away for him for… well, since before he was born.
They were for my work.
Honest.
Sort of.
I thought I’d see if he’d enjoy Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, (Mo Willems) because, hey, it’s about a bus. And I find it hilarious. But I knew it was a long shot and I wasn’t surprised when he lost interest after a couple of pages. I’ll try again next year.
And then I tried We’re going on a Bear Hunt, but although he loved yanking on the tabs (We have the pop-up-version) the story didn’t grab him.
So we went back to his current favourites.
Where is the Green Sheep. Which has been in his top 5 for over a year. Which is very, very impressive. Full kudos to Mem Fox.
And the under sea one that makes noises. And the puppy one that makes noises. Babies in Art. The Sailor Dog (although I never get to finish this one, which always leaves me somehow unsatisfied.)
And of course… the mini-mover books.
These are tiny (or toddler sized) cardboard books that have a photo of one thing and its name on each size. There is a book of Aircraft, a book of Tractors, a book of Boats, a book of Cars and a book called Zoom. They came in a little box with a handle that my Sprocket likes to carry around.
We can read each book ten times in a row.
Which is odd, because each book only has about ten words and the Sprocket is convinced that each and every thing in these books is a  
TRRRRUCK! anyway.
-Container Ship
-TRRRUCK!
- Look darling, Tugboat
-TRRRUCK!
-Helicopter
-TRRRUCK!
-No, this is called a helicopter.
-TRRRUCK!
-No, hel-i-cop-ter
-TRRRRUCK!
(Repeat x10) 

I sometimes wonder if I’ll be a better children’s librarian now that I’ve had my own kids, and I’ve come to the conclusion, not really (although ask me in a few years and I might have changed my mind.)
I’ve always been around kids and I’ve always loved children’s books – but there is this one exception.
I don’t think I ever fully realized some boys complete devotion to and obsession about trucks and trains and things that go broom.
Oh, I had some idea but I failed to comprehend the mouth falling open, the adoration, the wonder, as the 200th truck that day roars past. As we look at the pictures again and again and again.
I live in a world full of trucks now. I understand.
Brooom Brooom Brooom!

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