Library Books!

I thought it would be fun to do some sort of "Library Books of the Month" monthly post, but I came up with that idea several months ago, and it obviously hasn't happened yet. Instead, I hope to periodically post about the library books that we love. More than anything else, this is so that I can remember when we go back every other week which ones I need to look out for, but also so that we can remember all the great books we've enjoyed over the years.

Before I get into more details, here are some photos of my boys loving books! (Yes, I am a proud Mama. ;)

Auggie fell asleep reading Huck Scarry's book about being a fireman.

Books to Remember

And now, here are some of our favorites from the Juan Tabo branch library in Albuquerque (sadly, I can't remember more than these three):

"Hello, Robots" by Bob Staake

"Stella & Roy Go Camping" by Ashley Wolff

"Ten Cows to Texas" by Peggy Mercer and Bill Crews

And here are some of our new favorites from Stellenbosch:

"The Smartest Giant in Town" by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

"Three Pebbles and a Song" by Eileen Spinelli and S.D. Schindler

"Amos Camps Out" by Susan Seligson and Howie Schneider

"Babar's Travels" by Jean de Brunhoff

All Berenstain Bears books :)

"Budgie the Little Helicopter" by (former) H.R.H. The Duchess of York aka Fergie 

"Chimp and Zee and the Big Storm" by Catherine and Laurence Anholt

"Madeline in America and Other Holiday Tales" by Ludwig Bemelmans and John Bemelmans Marciano

"Oscar and Hoo" by Theo and Michael Dudok de Wit

"The Smallest Whale" by Elisabeth Beresford and Susan Field 

"The Snail and the Whale" by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

"Two Cool Cows" by Toby Speed and Barry Root

We love all books Richard Scarry

All the things you never think about when you only live in America

What we notice now about books as opposed to when we still lived in the States is where a book has been published and where it is catalogued: in the British Library or the Library of Congress. We're familiar with American books and the way they're written, but it's interesting to notice the grammar and spelling differences of books catalogued in the British Library.

For instance, "The Smartest Giant in Town" by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler is about a giant that buys nice clothes, and then proceeds to give them all away. When he is dressed nicely, he looks "smart". I originally picked up the book thinking it was about an intellectually advanced giant, but I quickly realized my mistake.

"Got" is a frequently used word in books published in Britain. For instance, in "Zippi & Zac's Grand Ostrich Ball" Zippi says to Sampson, "I've got a present for you." As opposed to, "I have a present for you." In "Oscar and Hoo" Oscar's parents run around looking for "the rucksack and the sun cream", aka the backpack and sun block. In Richard Scarry's "Best Christmas Book Ever!" Pickles and Penny Pig leave Santa a plate of biscuits and hot chocolate rather than cookies and milk. And then there's "mum" and all the "-ize" words like realize spelled with an "-ise", or colour, centre, and programme.