Sandbox Book Club!

I've been pondering what it is that I can uniquely contribute to the Mommy Blogging Universe, which is quite expansive.  What brings people to my blog?  Why should they stop and listen, when there are so many other alternatives?  I'm just a mom trying to survive and thrive in good old Vermont, using what I know and what I learn to make a good thing even better.  What makes this place special?

Well, one aspect of my parenting that I am rather proud of is Jax's insatiable love of letters, books, and words.  In that way, I have made a unique contribution to my children and their spongey little minds.  We have a pretty kickass children's library going on in our house.  I wish you could all come over and see.  I just went upstairs and counted and we have over 130 children's books in J and E's bedrooms, from board books to storybook collections to a few favorite chapter books to our new favorite, picture books.  Books cover most of the surfaces of our home when no one is here to see--they get shuffled back to their appropriate shelves (and oh yes, they have appropriate shelves--I could start my own Dewey Decimal system over here) when company is coming over.  Usually there are little book mountains and molehills littering the floor and cluttering sidetables.  I absolutely love it (and feel a deep urge to organize them).  I wouldn't have it any other way.

So that's what I can share with you.  My book list.  My recommended reading.  My must-haves.  The ones I give at baby showers and the ones my kids can't live without and the ones I don't hate reading for the twenty thousandth time.  I will keep a running tally on a tab above in case you ever need a suggestion or two when you have a good Borders coupon in your hand and no time to browse.  And the name for this ongoing list--please feel free to contribute through comments and emails!--is the Sandbox Book Club.  I hope your kids will get their hands and feet (metaphorically) dirty in these books I so wholeheartedly recommend to you.  If they get them literally dirty, my heart goes out to you because nothing makes me sadder than a tarnished book.  But I'm a dork so there's no surprise there.

So there's the synopsis.  I will give my first recommendation in its own post--this is just a summary and explanation.  Bear In Underwear deserves his own space.