So here's the post I meant to write on Friday, then this weekend, but am not getting around to until now. The "guess the book" posts were probably a bit of a tease without the follow-up post about the actual books. Better late than never though, I suppose.
A Time to Keep: The Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays was one of my favorite books as a child. My mom gave Maia a copy for her birthday, so now I can share it with her (and re-read it myself!). With a spread for each month, it covers all sorts of holidays, traditions, and seasons.
And, as you can see, the illustrations are wonderfully detailed. Like with many good books, I have wished many times that I could crawl into the pages and participate in making apple cider, dancing around the new year's eve bonfire, and holding hands around the Christmas tree.
The most magical, though, is the birthday party in the woods with the cake floating down the river. I love Tasha Tudor's illustrations and her world!
Completely unrelated, except for the fact that they are also books we are currently enjoying, are Leo Lionni's Fish is Fish and On My Beach are Many Pebbles.
Fish is Fish is about a friendship between a fish and a tadpole. The tadpole grows into a frog and leaves the pond, returning later to tell the fish about all the wonderful things he has seen in the world. As the frog tells him about birds the fish pictures fish with wings. Cows are fish with legs and horns, etc. He desperately wants to see the amazing world that the frog sees, but after an attempt (and a rescue), realizes he's happy where he is.
On My Beach There Are Many Pebbles is just amazing. It is short on text but full of fanciful illustrations to feast on and talk about. The illustrations are in black and white, but are very engaging nonetheless. I have to admit that I probably like this book more than Maia. I don't think she fully appreciates it yet.
What books are you reading and enjoying?
