Favorite Children's Books

My cousin recently called to ask for some book recommendations for a friend's new baby. As someone with former aspirations to be a children's librarian, I realized I had a lot to say on this subject. Here is a list, in no particular order, of some of my favorite books:

• Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
• When Sheep Cannot Sleep: The Counting Book by Satoshi Kitamura
  
• The Frog and Toad Collection by Arnold Lobel
• Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel
  
• Vera the Mouse Books by Marjolein Bastin (these may be out of print)
  
• Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban
  
• The Secret Staircase by Jill Barklem
• Hippos Go Berserk! by Sandra Boynton
  
• George and Martha: The Complete Story of Two Best Friends by James Marshall
  
• Professor Wormbog in Search of the Zipperump-A-Zoo by Mercer Mayer
• Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
• Alexander and Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
• Ollie the Stomper by Olivier Dunrae
  

Another great resource is Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves.

Quote of the Day

"It is impossible not to love someone who makes toast for you."
~ Nigel Slater
British cookbook author. Quote from his memoir, Toast.

Pancakes or Patchouli?

Every year for Christmas my family gets a package from friends in Colorado. The package always contains homemade jam and some baking mixes. This year the package arrived per usual and contained huckleberry pancake mix. The problem began with the fact that the pancake mix was in a cloth bag that smelled like patchouli soap.

I'm sure the mix was purchased at some nice gift shop that sold lots of nice stuff including soap, but it was as if the mix has been stored in a box with soap or incense for a very long time. The aroma was overpowering. I made the suggestion that we should, perhaps, toss the mix. However my dad said that because there was a plastic bag inside the cloth one, "It'll be fine!" I was informed we would be having it for breakfast the next morning.

The next morning my dad makes the pancakes and thinks as he is cooking that it does smell soapy, but thinks it's the cloth bag sitting on the counter. I am served the first pancakes and am presented with a pile of what can only be described as steaming soapy pancakes. I don't want to be deemed as picky and they do look normal so I am brave and take a bite.

This was a big mistake, the pancakes taste just as they smell or maybe worse. My mouth is engulfed with a soapy, horrible flavor. I spit the bite back on to my plate. Luckily, my mom has been equally dubious since she smelled the pancakes cooking and takes a small bite and also spits it back out. We ended up having toast for boxing day breakfast instead.

Random Pretties for 2009

Winter Fawn by Stephanie Congdon Barnes from her holiday shoppe (Sold Out)

Chasing Feathers Bangle from ModCloth.com ($14.99)



ilee's 2009 Letterpress and Silkscreen Calendar avaliable on etsy.com ($22.00)
I bought one for my mom and one for me!

Christmas Crafting

I've been busy making a few ornaments this season. I have been experimenting with felt this year. I don't really know how to sew. I can sew on a button, but that's about it. So, its been a bit of a challenge, but I made a couple things that I thought looked pretty good.

A tree for Margaret.

A little owly for Eliza.

A little stocking for Ona.

Filled with a licorice stick!