I'll Love You Forever By Robert Munsch

This book has sentimental value in my life because it was actually the first book I ever owned. I bought it at a book fair when I was in pre school. Almost every night for a year or so I would crawl in my mother's lap before bed time and read it to her. Sometimes she would read it to me. Now whenever we sign letters or cards to each other we always sign off with the song from the book:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
My mommy/baby you'll be.

This is the type of book that is great for all ages. It especially relates to parent/child relationships. It begins with a mother rocking her new born baby and singing the previous song. It then goes through and shows the growth of the child and how the mother continues to sing the song as her child grows. The book then takes us to a point in time where the child is now a grown man and the mother is an elderly woman and the situation reverses. The mother is unable to finish the song so the son holds his mother and sings the song to her. That same night the son goes to his own baby and sings the song to her. For such a simple book it has such a powerful effect on its readers. It's just so surreal and shows the passing from one generation to another and how families tend to pass many things onto their children and they pass it on to their children and they pass it on to their children and so on. To some this song may just seem silly but I think when a parent shares this with their child it shows the child love and comfort. These are two things that they can pass down to their children too. It shows the child that their parents will love them no matter the situation and as long as they're alive. I believe it is a story of love and hope.

Humorous Poetry

I Should Have Studied

I didn’t study for the test
and now I’m feeling blue.
I copied off your paper
and I flunked it just like you.

-Bruce Lansky, reprinted from If Pigs Could Fly


Mary Had Some Bubble Gum

Mary had some bubble gum.
She chewed it long and slow,
And everywhere that Mary went
Her gum was sure to blow.
She chewed the gum in school one day,
Which was against the rule.
The teacher took her pack away
And chewed it after school.

-by Anonymous, reprinted from Peter, Peter Pizza-Eater


Tummy Bubble

A burp is just a bubble
that forms inside your tum.
But if it goes the other way,
say nothing, just play dumb.

-by Bruce Lansky, reprinted from My Dog Ate My Homework

It's amazing how much laughter can come from such simple poems. These poems are not only humorous to children, but for adults as well. A lot of children's literature is the same way. In some instances, there's underlying humor in children's literature that only adults can appreciate. These, however, are pretty blunt.

A Whole New World

When I first realized that I would be taking a children's literature class, I was ecstatic for many reasons. First of all, I've always loved to read as long as I've been able! Secondly, this class gives me an excuse to read children's books! Reading children's books takes me to a place where no other literature can. It brings back that same feeling of youth and not having a care in the world. Having nieces and nephews also gives me an excuse to read children's books! I especially love it when they ask me to read with them or to them. Reading may seem to some as such a trivial thing to share with children but seeing the smiles on their faces and their eyes lighting up as we open a book just makes my heart melt! Another reason I enjoy this class is that we go under the surface of the stories and find that there is much more to be learned from them! This class allows us to see children's literature in a way most people would not. Reading the different versions of the stories from different backgrounds and cultures opens up a whole new world into children's literature. I am looking forward to learning as much as I possibly can from not only the literature we read in this class, but from my outside reading as well.

My List of Children's Books

Book 1: Love You Forever
Author: Robert Munsch
Picture Book? Yes
Posting date and/or number? Jan. 27

Book 2: Green Eggs & Ham
Author: Dr. Seuss
Picture Book? Yes
Posting date and/or number? Feb. 8

Book 3: The Magician's Nephew
Author: C.S. Lewis
Picture Book? No
Posting date and/or number? Feb. 22

Book 4: Royal Diaries:Anastasia:The Last Grand Duchess
Author: Carolyn Meyer
Picture Book? No
Posting date and/or number? Feb. 29

Book 5: Because of Winn Dixie

Author: Kate DiCamillo
Picture Book? No
Posting date and/or number? Mar. 5

Book 6: Doll Trouble
Author: Helen V. Griffith
Picture Book? No
Posting date and/or number? Mar. 21

Book 7: Matilda
Author: Roald Dahl
Picture Book? No
Posting date and/or number? Mar. 28

Book 8: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Author: Bill Martin, Jr.
Picture Book? Yes
Posting date and/or number? Apr. 2

Book 9: Anne of Green Gables
Author: Lucy Maud Montgomery
Picture Book? No
Posting date and/or number? Apr. 17

Book 10: The Bad Beginning
Author: Daniel Handler
Picture Book? No
Posting date and/or number? Apr. 21