Happy spring

James took this picture of a robin the other day.  He is very excited that the birds are back (not that they left for long given our mild winter), and he's been throwing open our breakfast room windows and yelling out into the backyard, "Hello, robins!"

I stopped by my office one evening during spring break last week and was surprised to see that the bare limbs and brown grass outside our building had turned into this lovely sight:

And then I was browsing in Pottery Barn Kids and came across these children's classics in very season-appropriate colors.

Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, Robin Hood, and Peter Pan are all part of the Puffin Classic series (see all eight hardcovers here).  I love the cover art.  Here's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:

Wouldn't these be fun gifts for your favorite young reader (or for yourself, to remember all those classics of childhood)?

An Illustrated Life

Just a quick note to say that One King's Lane has a terrific price on Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life.

This is the big edition (424 pages, 13x19 inches, 12 pounds).  It retails for $200 but is $99 plus an extra 20% off with the code "INDULGE" (good through 1/27/12).  I know that's a lot to spend for a book, but I think it's a terrific coffee table book for kids and adults.  Harper's illustrations are just so colorful and fun--very creative and something you can look at again and again.

If you want the mini version, it's available for $20 at Amazon, or support your local book store by buying it locally (I know Beaverdale Books carries some Oldham/Harper books).  Also, you can read more about Harper and buy his prints here.

Books for sick days

Or, books about sick days, for any day.

Here are two new additions to our library of children's books.  Both are great--the text and the illustrations are really well done.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Written by Philip Stead, Illustrated by Erin Stead

This book follows Amos McGee, who visits his friends at the zoo every day until one day he wakes up with a cold.  His animal friends, worried about him, decide to visit him for a change, and they care for him until he feels better.  It is a very simple story but well told and beautifully illustrated in great detail.  The pencil drawings and limited color on each page are just so charming.  If your kids like animals or if you read books primarily for the illustrations, this book is for you!  

Llama Llama Home with Mama

Written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney

We have (and love) all of the Llama Llama books, recounting the everyday adventures of little Llama Llama as he goes shopping, begins school, or tries to fall asleep.

In the latest book, Llama Llama is home sick.  Dewdney touches on typical kid behavior like not wanting to take medicine, feeling yucky, and getting bored and wanting to go outside and play.

Although the book starts with only little Llama being sick, before long his mother gets a runny nose too, and he ends up learning that he can help his mama just like she helped him.  Like all the books in this series, the illustrations are perfect at capturing emotions on the two characters' faces, and it has a moment of high drama in which little Llama loses control.  This one involves flying tissues (which my son finds hilarious).  I love the easy rhymes and the subtle messages of kindness and patience in this book.

What about you?  Any books you recommend for a sick day?