Author: Storymamas

Reading picture books is one of my favorite things to do. I can’t wait to read aloud to my students, I’d do it all day if I could.  I cherish the times Declan brings me a book to read to him and he snuggles on my lap. I even had a period in college when I would read bedtime stories to my roommates. What college student didn’t want to hear Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs?! But recently I’ve realized I read to my students and son so much I often don’t get the chance to listen to other people read books aloud.

Now, as a parent, I get to hear another take on many of my favorite books, through the eyes of my husband, Chris.  As he reads aloud I love to hear his interpretation on books I have read a million times.  I use to read Goodnight Gorilla to my nieces and we’d laugh at the end when the wife wakes up. But listening to it read by my husband he started to point out the balloon on the pages, because that’s what Declan liked at the time. And sure enough did you know that in almost every page of that book there is a balloon?! I had no idea. While reading the Airport Book by Lisa Brown he discussed with Declan how many of the characters have their own stories through the illustrations, that the biker bikes to the airport and then bikes away once he has his bike back from the luggage carousel. I have to be honest I never saw it.  

So, my take away, even though reading aloud is my favorite, sometimes it’s is just nice to just sit back and see someone else do it and you might learn (or see) something new!

I’ve been anxious for a while about my first blog entry. Should I write about how Declan pulled out Press Here and screamed so loud at the part where he had to tap the page 5 times, or about how I got to meet the very funny and inspiring Maggie Beadie Roberts, co-author of DIY Literacy. Nope, instead I’m taking advice from a seasoned blogger, Pernille Ripp, who I chatted with at a tech conference this summer. Her advice was to write from your heart and what matters to me. And at this moment what matters is my two co-blogger authors, Courtney and Ashley. They both started as professional friends, which quickly turned into personal friends.  We used to see each other on a daily basis as we taught in the same school, but now Courtney moved to a different school and I moved to a different state.  It is nice to know that every few days we text or email to check in. But one of the special parts of our relationship centers around literacy. We are all elementary teachers and have a passion for finding the best kids lit out there. I was so excited to text Ashley the moment I read The Thank You Book, wow, what an ending! (Get all elephant and piggie books if you haven’t already). Also, my Instagram notifications go off each day with Ashley’s post about her two sons’ book interactions.  I smile at their cuteness and often write the titles down to read to Declan. This year, Courtney and I both taught 3rd grade. During the school year, I would text her for advice or offer mine. “What’s your next read aloud?”  or “I just finished Fenway and Hattie, you should read that to your kids!”. On the flip side, I was the first person Courtney texted when she got to meet and chat with Oliver Jeffers. He’s quite a celebrity in our book (and cute too).  So as I go on and on about Ashley and Courtney I want them to know that I value our friendship, but having the same passion of kid lit together has continued to drive my engine to find out more, read more, and share more! I hope if you are reading this that you will enjoy this journey the three of us are taking together.