reading to toddlers

It's been a while since I spent any quality time reading to a toddler. (Or a pre-schooler. I forget which category three-year-olds fall into, actually.) Anyway. It's been, in fact, almost five years since I spent any significant time reading to a three-year-old. So I had forgotten that the best thing you can do for a three-year-old, in the reading arena, is read the same book over and over. And over. And over.

Luckily my nephew has excellent taste. So we've been spending some time sitting on the couch reading the Little Bear books, by Else Holmelund Minarik (illustrations by Maurice Sendak).

I love these books.

I love them because Mother Bear tells her son he can't have the things he wishes for, but still gives him what he needs. I love them because Grandmother Bear tells Little Bear a story about his mother. I love them because Grandfather Bear tells Little Bear a story about a goblin. And I love them because Little Bear makes his own birthday soup.

So I don't mind at all reading them over and over again. But check with me again at the end of the week.