Educational Books, Toys: Savvy Essentials: If You're Stranded on a Deserted Island with a Preschooler...
Savvy Essentials: If You're Stranded on a Deserted Island with a Preschooler...
A parent's mind wanders. We wonder, as the thoughts wander, what if we were stranded on a deserted island with this little one? What would we need? Would we ever be able to pack enough snacks?! And what books we would want with us? What books would both of us possibly delight in hearing that many times? Five? Could we make it just five? What on earth (and sea) would those five be? Here are our Savvy answers--with some inspiration from our panel of preschool director experts, who are (not surprisingly) great at daydreams such as this:
Guess How Much I Love You
by Sam McBratney
Preschoolers fairly bubble over with emotions, and mixed in with all of that frustration and occasional anger and jealousy and ugly stuff, the depth of their love, especially for the big people who take care of them, is almost indescribable. Except of course to the Little Nutbrown Hare in this exceptionally sweet story. He knows exactly how far his love goes, besting himself with every new description until he gets all the way to the moon. But we Big Nutbrown Hare types get the last word as we double that love all the way back, even if the parting shot is whispered into sleeping ears. You'll simply never wish to nestle your little bunny into his bed of leaves without this book.
Best Word Book Ever
by Richard Scarry
Richard Scarry once said that, for him, the ultimate compliment was when people wrote to say that they had worn out his books from readings and re-readings until they were held together by Scotch tape." We are quite certain it's a compliment he received many, many times. Indeed, chances are that most of us parents had this book as kids, but that old copy is so dog-eared and tattered that it is worth getting a new one now that we have our own children. And what a joy it is to revisit Kenny and Kathy Bear as they get up in the morning and work on the farm, or Mr. and Mrs. Mouse and their innumerable children on a family outing to the zoo. The littlest readers adore Scarry's animal characters, and there is enough sophisticated vocabulary here to keep them learning new words and concepts all the way through preschool. Dear Mr. Scarry, rest assured that 21st century copies of your beloved book have already received a few Scotch tape band-aids, with many more years of reading, ripping (oops!), and loving repairs ahead.
The Cat in the Hat
by Dr. Seuss
Galvanized by the 1954 Life magazine profile "Why Johnny Can't Read" lambasting the uninspired Dick and Jane primers, Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) meant to teach kids how to read by using clever phonics to hold their interest (of all novel concepts!). The Cat in the Hat is now (and has been for decades since its publication) the paradigmatic beginning reader book. Yes, there are unexplainable happenings, starting with why these kids were left home alone, but this is supposed to be fanciful, remember?! Setting a little imagination afire is exactly what reading is all about! So, let the Cat (a stand-in for Geisel himself in many unrelated doodles) barge into your house on a rainy afternoon (or any ol' afternoon at all, frankly), and enjoy the antics that ensue.
Harold and the Purple Crayon
by HarperTrophy
This much-loved story makes a compelling case for the power of imagination. It also frees you from thinking that you need to give or make or buy all sorts of things to spark your little one's imagination. In the case of Harold, whatever he needs, he creates for himself, all with the help of one magic purple crayon. You've got a worn waxy stub of any color at all in that art bin that can spin the same magic. Harold's imagination delights and comforts him, and literally it shows him the way: "He also needed something to walk on. So he drew a path." A perfect bedtime story for especially evocative dreams, this wonderful story will surely help your little person make his own way too.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
by Eric Carle
This gentle story of growth is so deeply ingrained in many preschoolers' minds (and ears) that just the mention of "in the light of the moon ..." in your special reading voice will prompt a cry of recognition: "Caterpillar!" It is a simple tale of getting bigger and of time passing and of metamorphosis, for sure--and yes, there's a cautionary tale about overeating junk and repentance with a nice, green leaf in there too. Like many of his other books, this is a story that captivates preschoolers. Perhaps they recognize their own tales of growing up, perhaps they just like the little holes the caterpillar bores in the pages. It doesn't much matter, as long as it stays within easy reach for a cuddle and a read.
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