Despite my obviously charmed marriage, I have lots of crushes, usually on random celebrity types, i.e. people I will never, ever meet so therefore totally safe. Most are quite typical -- think Pacey Witter from Dawson's Creek, Andy Botwin from Weeds or Josh from Sports Night (yes, I do watch too much television). Others make my coworkers shiver, like Benjamin Linus from Lost (what? Sure he's not handsome, but he's devious and snarky) or Stephen Collins (think Jumpin' Jack Flash Stephen Collins, not 7th Heaven Stephen Collins. Yeah, I know....)
I'm now at a bizarro phase in my life where I have a crush on a children's book author. Worse, it's not at all because he's cute, but because his books are so darn awesome. There are billions of children's books out there, and most of them are total crap (I'm looking at you Dora). But Mo Willems? No, his books are awesome? I don't love the Elephant and Piggy series so much, but Knuffle Buffle and the Pigeon? Seriously great. Any kids' book that can make me laugh while keeping my kids interested in just great.
Gerald and piggie (elephant and piggie) will start to ROCK your world when the reading starts. They will be some of the only, some of the few, readable early readers. They are funny, with dry wit that the early reader (and the parent listening to them) can relate to. As the read to type books, not so much. But when Andy starts reading, pull them out again. They ROCK. And yes, I much prefer knuffle too, to knuffle one. I completely get your thing for Mo. He changes it up and keeps it interesting. (unlike the chick, Laura N., who writes the pig a pancake, mouse a cookie series. Should have stopped after the mouse on that one! I do like her what mommies do best/ daddies do best book though)
ReplyDeleteOh yes. I like the pigeon series too. Like his illustrations, LOVE his humor.
...she went boneless. Best. Book. Ever.
ReplyDeleteLiz
Stephen Collins from Jumpin Jack Flash is AWESOME!
ReplyDelete:-)
Traci