Welcome to 2025 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK TEN
How to participate in Picture Book Club …
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Get the suggested books from your library or bookstore (local or online). See PICTURE BOOK CLUB BOOK LIST for the complete list of books for each week.
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Before reading each of the weekly books to your child, READ FIRST “What Adults Can Learn from This Story.”
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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.
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Consider doing whatever activities you think are appropriate for the age and maturity of your child from “Make This Story Come Alive for Your Child.”
WE WELCOME FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR PARTICIPATION. YOU CAN LEAVE A COMMENT BY USING THE “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.
At School by Cecil Kim
(what there is to like about going to school)
Annie wakes up for school. Her face without using any words says she is worried. But quickly her thoughts turn to all the things she likes at school. And she really really likes coming home from school as well.
What Adults Can Learn from This Story
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Back to school time for adults can mean fewer childcare concerns, more ability to concentrate on housework or office work while children are occupied at school, and maybe – if they’re lucky – some extra me-time. (See Me-Time for You Is Good for Your Children.) It’s OK for adults to be happy about their extra time.
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Adults may miss their children, especially if they are going to school for the first time. It is good to tell children that they will be missed. If adults are super sad, they should find a friend to talk to about it. They should be sure they don’t talk about their sadness to the children in a way that may leave them feeling responsible – like they could make the adults happy if they stayed home. (See Whose Feelings Are They?)
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Be on the lookout for delayed reactions to children’s fears or nerves. Children may suck it up in the first few days or weeks (months for older kids – like college kids), but down the road, they may suddenly start having trouble going to school. Just go back to square one. Pretend it is the first few days of school. Be an extra good listener and be extra comforting to help the children deal with their fears. (See First Days of School.)
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Children need to be appreciated for who they are – just because they are special human beings. They also need to be appreciated for the many things they can do well. School puts the emphasis on those things children do well. Adults can balance those messages at home by offering lots of I-love-and-enjoy-you messages – regardless of what they accomplish at school. (See And Calm Fell Over the Household and First Days of School.)
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Children can miss mom-time, a favorite toy or blanket, TV shows, neighborhood friends, a pet, etc. when they are at school. Adults can comfort them about their feelings of loss.
Make this Story Come Alive for Your Child
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Show your excitement to have your child home from school. Be interested in his day. Ask questions like “Did you have the right supplies? or “Did you paint today at school? These specific questions are better than a great big question like, “How was school today?” or “What did you play at recess? Let school be your child’s experience. Don’t ask too many questions. Let him share what and when he wants to. (See First Days of School.)
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Share with your child some of the things you do while he is at school when you are missing her (plan an after-school snack for her, listen to music that you know she likes, or just think about that big bear hug you will give her when you both arrive back home).
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If your child doesn’t give details about school, let it go. Accept “Fine” or “OK” as an answer to your questions. Let him know you are available to talk about anything anytime. (See First Days of School.)
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Ask your child, “What are three things you would like to do when you grow up? Talk about what things he can learn in school that will prepare him for doing those things. For example, to be an architect he will need to know a lot about numbers. To be a writer he will need to know a lot about words and how they go together. To be a scientist he will need to know a lot about chemicals, and the earth, and the sky. When your child realizes these school subjects apply to their special interests, school becomes much more important to them. (See Your Child’s Special Talents, Part 2.)
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When your child comes home from school have some of her favorite things waiting for her. Hug her, share a protein snack, plan special time with her. (See First Days of School.)
The Chandeliers by Vincent X. Kirsch
(a story about getting attention)
Little Rufus Chandelier watches (and learns) from the wings of the stage of his family’s nightly show because he “was not big enough to perform in the show ….” One night everything started going wrong, and it was Rufus who came to the rescue. He fixed the costumes. He made the sound effects. After the show “…Mazimilian Chandelier made a special announcement …’we could not have done it without the wonderful Rufus Chandelier!’” Rufus was recognized before the entire audience as a very important member of the family. He felt the limelight and the applause.
What Adults Can Learn from This Story
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Rufus was admitted into the limelight – he found his place on the stage of life. All children need to be recognized. They need to know they matter. Put the spotlight on them. Let them know they are important.
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Sometimes children misbehave to get that attention. They would rather have you angry with them than feel you don’t care about them at all.
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Quality time is often considered as the answer for paying attention to our children. However, the kind of attention that children need cannot always be “scheduled.” Oftentimes the closest connections made with children are when adults least expect it, not at a big, expensive event like a trip to Disney World. “Magical” moments may happen when quietly reading a story or playing catch in the back yard for the fifth time in five days. Those moments don’t cost anything, and they happen all the time. When least expected adults can make amazing connections if they are fully tuned in to children.
Ways to Make this Story Come Alive for Your Child
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Ask your child whether there is something he would like to learn how to do. Avoid responding with “You can learn that “when you get bigger or are older.” A comment like that takes the power away from him because he has no power over getting bigger or older. Let him know that to do what he wants to do will require a lot of practice and sticking-with-it. Figure out what your child needs to know and be able to do to be good at what he is asking to do. Let him begin to try one small part of the task. For example, if he wants to ride horses when he is only two or three and you think that wouldn’t be safe. You can tell him he needs to know a lot about horses before he can ride them safely. You can find ways for him to begin to learn – read about them, visit them, pet them, feed them, etc.
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Read Dr, Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss together. Talk about the line, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Explain that it means she is important at every age and every size and no matter whether she is just beginning to learn something new or has already become excellent at something.
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Make a checklist of your child’s chores. Write a description of how to know each part is done well. For example, clearing off the table after dinner is done well when the table is clear, clean, and dry. Have your child do one of her chores and by using the checklist agree whether she did it well enough to check it off.
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Use a mirror to play with your child. For a baby, use a baby-safe mirror as a toy. For an older child, play in front of a mirror (dress-up, beauty parlor, catching a ball, gymnastics, dancing, etc.). Tell your child how special, pretty, strong, or impressive he is while he is looking at himself in the mirror.
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Perform something for your child. Sing a little song. Do a little dance. Draw a picture. Tell her if she likes your performance, she should clap when you are done. Relax and be as comfortable as you can with the clapping. Thank your child for clapping and tell her it makes you feel good about what you did.
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Belonging to a family is important. Make (or purchase) a family photo book that is just the right size for your child. Put pictures in it of people he knows or will be getting to know. Go through the album with him and tell stories about each person, especially something each one is good at. Repeat often. The younger the child, the more often they will want to see the book.
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Plan a talent exploration. Pick something you have seen your child be interested in (sports, an instrument, cooking, etc.). Explore one of those things. Go to the library to get books or DVDs about it. Talk to someone who is good at it. Let your child try it.
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Plan some time for reading or playing with your child. Find an alone place for just the two of you. Let your child know you are turning your phone off because you only want to think about enjoying your time with her. If you have other children, make sure they know when their special time with you will be.
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While watching TV together, silently and gently stroke your child’s arm or forehead or hair. If he objects, calmly stop and don’t be offended. Try again in a week or so at another time, maybe while reading at bedtime.
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Teach your child a household chore. Break the chore down into parts. For example, making your bed requires straightening the sheet, straightening the blanket, fluffing the pillow, and smoothing out the top cover. For a young child, have her do just one part for a few days and when it is done well most days, move to the next part. On any days when it is not done well, calmly ask that she do it over.
Picture Book Parenting 