There's nothing that compares with love
In earth or sea or up above
If love prevailed everywhere there would be no terrible wars, no prisons, no dreadful poverty, no bitter quarrels between those who work and those for whom they work. And on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest there would be no suffering from traps and terrible guns. Love, that wonderful great thing that is contained in one little word of four letters, could and would bring joy and happiness to every heart for all time if only we would give it a chance.
- Thorton W. Burgess
I had to share this right away after getting the boys settled for the night. It was taken from the book I am currently reading to Ry, The Adventures of Bob White.
I haven't found so many teaching opportunities within a story since reading The Box Car Children series to him and Liam, and perhaps Mr. Peabody's Apples. Okay, maybe also The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane as well but I have written about that before here, it's a beautiful story to mesmerise any child. Oh and I can't forget the Elsa Beskow books like Children of the Forest and Peter in Blueberry Land that Ry still is completely captivated by that we started reading in Waldorf preschool. They are hard to find but really sweet stories about living amongst nature.
Last chapter we learned the difference about being indignant and angry and even when either showing respect through Farmer Brown's boy. Tonight when I gave Ryan examples and asked if it would be anger or indignation he could choose the correct one. I would have had a really difficult time teaching him that on my own. Tonight we read about love and Farmer Brown's boy spoke of his love of the Bob Whites, a quail family that ate the bugs off their garden plants it was lovely. How everyone has a role and when we love with respect we are rewarded. Ry told me excitedly about some bug life cycles he learned about at the school garden and how he was going to check our garden. At a shop earlier with my Mom he say some pewter quail figurines and said right away: "That's Bob White and his family". And I also got to speak to him about all the quail at my old house where his Dad lives and why I got so upset when the strata landscapers trimmed the tall grasses along our property without permission during quail baby season. Mrs. Bob White did just as our quail had done and made her nest in a place so obvious no one would look and that year the landscapers killed them. He was too young for me to explain at the time. So many connections, my Momma cup runneth over. Only five short chapters to go and I can't wait to read again in the morning then I will be on the hunt at old book stores for more Burgess Bedtime Stories.
Here is a brief description from Good Reads as I don't feel I can do them justice...
* Young readers travel to the timeless world of the Green Forest and Smiling Pool. Gentle lessons about nature, the environment, and the “lesser folk of fur and feathers” for today’s young readers and listeners.
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• * Originally published in 1919, “The Adventures of Bob White” is part of the rich heritage of children’s nature books left to us by Thornton W. Burgess in his long running — and much beloved — series of children’s nature books about the Green Meadow and the Green Forest..
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• * This book is the nineteenth in Thornton Burgess’s “Bed-Time Storybook” series. Any imaginative child will be captivated by this book. The chapters are short, with simple language that children will identify with, and is printed in easy-to-read 14-point type. Read aloud to pre-readers, or read by children themselves, this book will surely be a family favorite in no time.
Children's literature is a passion. The illustrations and stories, especially classic stories make me so happy. I even studied as an elective in university and enjoyed all the assigned reading. For over 16 years now there is rarely a day or night with my boys when I don't have special time reading to at least one of them. Road trips were the perfect time to introduce special stories and often books on tape. Little Beatrix Potter books are still tucked into the glove box
I have oodles of titles I preach about excitedly to other parents and have shared favourites on Snicks often over the years. Summer and blankets under the tree and precious stories go hand in hand. What better way to escape life and give your imagination a treat. See some of the books I have loved or want to read on my Reading Love Pinterest board.
I hope you enjoy them too and be sure to share your treasures with me.
oxo
related posts from the past...
http://www.snickerdoodles.ca/snickerdoodle_life/2013/01/reading-for-sanity.html
http://www.snickerdoodles.ca/snickerdoodle_life/2011/09/all-in-a-day.html
http://www.snickerdoodles.ca/snickerdoodle_life/2010/06/sleepy-lion-lullaby-a-new-classic.html
http://www.snickerdoodles.ca/snickerdoodle_life/2010/03/hachiko-waits.html
http://www.snickerdoodles.ca/snickerdoodle_life/2008/11/books-for-new-readers.html
That is just a small list...scroll through the books category on the right sidebar for 8 years of shares.
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