the kids are picking away

The end of summer may be upon us, with the start of school looming just a few days away, but we haven't stopped reading all summer! It's time for 5 Minutes for Books' monthly show and tell-- what have your kids been reading these days? Let's share some Kids' Picks!


Hey, did you know that JAM is a big old Star Wars fan? No? Well, you must be new 'round these parts. At our latest library visit, he came upon a new SW book, Renegade, and the joy was palpable. I'm pretty sure that he was on the second reading by the second day it was in his possession. Who knows what number he's up to by now. He devours books-- and SW books at that!-- in record time. Have I mentioned how much I love that kid?? On that last visit, he also picked up a few of the Clementine books, and I just love that he has such a diverse set of reading interests!

JAM's Star Wars is on par with Pudge's love of "big trucks!" That's why I made a beeline for the transportation section of the library during that visit. Some of our old favorites from back in the days of a toddler JAM are making regular reappearances on our bookshelves. I have always enjoyed Darlene Stille's transportation series-- Big Rigs and Bulldozers are our current check outs, and Pudge's eyes light up at the colorful, real-life photos. (Perhaps he's reminiscing about our recent trip to CT-- the NJ Turnpike is like crack for a truck-loving-toddler!)

And that, of course, just leaves Red. I'm not the biggest fan of television shows masquerading as children's literature, but I cannot deny my little redhead when she runs directly to the shelf that holds the massive amounts of Dora the Explorer books, and when she came upon a title that also fed into her current obsessions with mermaids (NO idea where that one came from!), there was simply no way that she could NOT have this book. Swim, Boots, Swim features Mariana the Mermaid, and I've read it approximately 761 times in the last few weeks. I'm not saying it's awful, but I might just be possibly, perhaps, maybe doing a dance of glee that it's due back at the library this week. What a shame. Anywhooo... a completely different, beautifully illustrated and delightfully lovely picture book is Before You Were Here, Mi Amor. Oh, what a great book-- so loving and a wonderful introduction to some basic Spanish vocab. And I always love an opportunity to flashback to high school Spanish class!

There you have a little sneak peek at our bookshelves. What's going on over on your kids' shelves these days? Why don't you share with us over at 5 Minutes for Books today?


Always a fan of sharing the book love,