Mama, That Is Not a Good Story

I can't believe that tomorrow is already Monday, where did the weekend go? Today was such a lazy day for us. My son and I both napped for a few hours. We did get our Christmas tree this morning, and decorated it earlier this evening. So it now officially feels festive at our house!

Tomorrow night will be the last normal night around here for awhile. Tuesday night I have a small get together with some co-workers. Wednesday night we have to go to the airport to pick up my 94 year old grandfather who is flying in from Arkansas. Which means there will be lots of visiting and family get togethers happening in the next three weeks. It's going to be really busy.



So lately my son has been really picky about the books I read to him. This is so very frustrating to me, because he will look at the cover and tell me "that is not a good story." I ask him how does he know since he wouldn't let me read it to him? If I open the book, he will immediately close the book and ask me to read something else.

We just received Brian Wildsmith's The Twelve Days Of Christmas in the mail this week. Let me tell you, I love the illustrations in this book, they are so unique. Though, when I tried to read it to my son last night, he took one look at the book, said "that is not a good story", then asked me to read something else. I was so excited about reading this to him, and the look on my face must have really showed my disappointment, because he asked me "mommy, is you heart broke?"

I told him it was, because he would not let me read this wonderful story to him. Well, since he loves him mama so much, he says to me, "ok mommy, you can read it."



Let me tell you, he loved it! After we read (or shall I say sang) it, he asked me to read it again. Then he let me read three other books that he has refused since they arrived in our house from the library last week.

He loved Mary Engelbreit's Nutcracker. This was my first read of the Nutcracker as well. I am not sure how closely this book is to the original story, but I loved the illustrations, and the story. I think I will be searching out the original version to read next year.



He also let me read Jan Brett's Home For Christmas, which he loved as well. The adventures of Rollo the naughty little troll intrigued him so much, I have read it three times in the last twenty four hours.



I loved Cynthia Cotten's This Is the Stable. It is a simple story about the birth of Jesus. Delana Bettoli's illustrations are just lovely. My son only let me read this one to him once, but I am so glad he did.

I will leave you tonight with an excerpt from this wonderful story...

"This is the baby, born that night in the stable marked by the star so bright. A baby boy, who cooed and cried and looked around with eyes so wide. Then cuddled and swaddled, he laid his head on the soft, sweet hay in the manger bed and slept in the stable in Bethlehem town, the quiet stable, dusty and brown."