Welcome to the 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK THREE

How to participate in Picture Book Club …

1. Get the suggested books from your library or bookstore (local or online). See 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB: COMPLETE LIST OF BOOKS for the list of books suggested for each week.

2. Before reading each of the weekly books to your child, READ FIRST “Things to Think About.”

3. Read one or both books to your child as many times through the week as your child wants to hear them and you have time to read.

4. Consider doing whatever activities you think are appropriate for the age and maturity of your child from “Making the Story Come Alive.”

THE PERFECT PILLOW by Eric Pinder

(a story about appreciating what you have)

Brody was having trouble sleeping in his new, big bed. He grabbed Horst, his stuffed dragon, and crawled out the window. He began checking out how animals slept. Squirrels slept on leaves, so he tried making a pillow of leaves. But he was so fidgety that the squirrels sent him away. A boat rocking on the water didn’t help. The frogs were so noisy, that Brody still couldn’t sleep. He walked and walked until he ended up back at his own home and in his new, big bed. But now, after his adventure, he felt safe and warm. And he fell asleep after he discovered Horst, his stuffed dragon, made a perfect pillow.

Things to Think About

• Children of all ages need ways to comfort themselves and put themselves to sleep.

• For babies to learn to put themselves to sleep, they need some time in their beds alone to discover ways to calm themselves down. They will likely cry – some more than others. Babies DO need to be responded to when they cry, but the key is how quickly to respond. Giving them some time to cry before adults respond gives them a chance to fall back to sleep. When they can’t and adults respond, babies can connect their having called for help and the adult’s arrival. They learn they can depend on adults for help. Responding at the first whimpers is like responding before babies have a chance to finish their sentences. Think of those first, early cries as them trying to figure out what is wrong and what they want to do about it. Give them a chance to figure that out. Bottom line: Adults know their babies best. They can decide what amount of crying time and what intensity of crying is reasonable. They just need to be sure that the sleeping arrangements are safe and that they are always nearby listening for any unusual sounds that would alert them to go in the room to check on things. See “Decisions Babies Make.”

• It can be helpful to keep a journal that records how well your child sleeps each night. On nights when she doesn’t sleep well, note any possible causes. For example: late naps, food or drink in the evening, TV, Internet, or bedtime story topics before bed, exercise or lack of exercise, etc. Use the journal to design remedies for sleep difficulties.

Making the Story Come Alive

• Create a “Dream Jar” of fun, calming things to think about when having trouble sleeping—how it felt to lay on the inner tube on the calm lake water on your last vacation, the feeling of warm sun and an afternoon breeze at the park last week, favorite birthday gifts, etc. If the child is old enough, you can create the ideas for the Jar together. (See the picture book DREAM JAR by Lindan Lee Johnson.)

• Tell your child about what you do to help yourself fall asleep.

• Together, make a short list of “things-to-try” when having trouble getting to sleep (music, cuddling a stuffed toy, counting backwards, etc.). Make a chart to record how well each thing works. Over the next few days try each one. If there are any that are helpful, pick one to keep doing for several days. If none are helpful, you can try making a new list.

______________________________________________________

ELLA SARAH GETS DRESSED by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

(a story about children saying “no”)

In ELLA SARAH GETS DRESSED, Ella Sarah awoke one morning, looked into her closet, and knew exactly what she wanted to wear. She said “no” to each outfit suggested by Mom, Dad, and big sister and ended up following her own mind only to learn that each of her friends had their very own fun ideas about fashion as well.

 Things to Think About 

• Adults need to encourage children to learn to think for themselves and know what they want and don’t want. This will help them deal with peer pressure, be better decision-makers, have confidence in their ideas, and be determined to achieve their goals.

• Being given choices can encourage your child to know his own mind. Fewer options are best. “Do you want carrots or celery for a snack?” is better than “Do you want carrots, celery, crackers, or peanuts?” and better than “What do you want for a snack?”

• Children need to know how to say no in acceptable ways. Does this mean you should let your child do anything he wants to? No, “no-saying,” is different from “no-doing.”

• Think about these ways to allow “no-saying,” but not allow “no-doing.”

  • Calmly insist that your child do what she is told to do while telling her you can see that she has her own ideas.

  • Calmly tell your child he can complain but he still must do what he is told.

  • If your child reacts with a tantrum, stay calm and tell her you won’t let her hurt people or things while she is mad and frustrated.

  • Use your friendly muscles to hold your child to protect him or to move him out of a car or in or out of a store.

  • When giving directions, don’t ask – tell. Don’t say, “Do you want to get dressed?” if the message is “It is time to get dressed.”

  • Don’t use “OK” at the end of a direction. Don’t say, “We’re getting dressed now, OK?” This turns your direction into “Do you want to get dressed?” Only ask that question if it’s OK if she does get dressed and OK if she doesn’t.

• It is important for children (and adults) to realize that it is OK for them to be who they are and for others be who they are with different likes and dislikes.

• To be OK being who they are, children need to:

  • Learn to say no at the right times and in the right ways.

  • Know that there are rules that must be followed.

  • Know that there are times when they can make their own choices about things and find joy in making those choices.

Making the Story Come Alive 

• Ask your child if he likes what Ella Sarah picked out to wear? Why or why not? Were there things he liked better that the other kids decided to wear?

• Give your child some examples about times she might want to say no. For example, when offered carrots for lunch or a friend wants to ride bikes. Together, think of ways she could say no politely and without hurting anyone’s feelings.

• Explain to your child the difference between “saying” no and “doing” no. Explain that saying no is a way to show what you think and feel about something. That can be OK if done without hurting any person or thing. That is different from refusing to house or school rules. That is not OK. 

Past PICTURE BOOK CLUB postings:

2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK ONE

2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK TWO