Purpose of this Blog...

You may have noticed that not all books are equal in capturing children's imaginations and in cultivating those innocent, tender souls. My goal is to help you find the ones that do!
(Painting by Mary Cassatt: "Mrs Cassatt Reading to her Grandchildren" -1888)




Thursday, October 17, 2013

Come 1, Come All! It's a Birthday Giveaway...


I'm celebrating! Our grandson Peter just turned 1, and his creative Mommy hosted a cute circus-themed birthday party in our backyard. (Giveaway details coming...)



Dumbo is one of my daughter's favorite Disney films (can you watch the "Baby Mine" scene without crying? Alison Krauss has a beautiful rendition, here).  



Elephants and circus images grace Peter's nursery - so I wasn't surprised when his Mommy chose a circus theme!

And I found three unique circus books - two feature elephants - for Baby Peter that I'm excited to share with you...(Giveaway details at the end of this post.)

One book for NOW...
Of course, when I saw this cloth book of Dr. Seuss's Circus McGurkus 1-2-3 (based on If I Ran the Circus - a family favorite), I knew I had to get it!  [for 1-2 year olds]



It's fun and interactive, with a rattle on the page about the "Drum-Tummied Snumm" drumming away on his tumm-tumm. (Peter's favorite page.)  Stupendous! 

One book for SOON...
A new find,  The Secret Circus [ages 2-6], by Johanna Wright, is simply adorable!   I was immediately taken in by the quiet opening sentence: 
Somewhere, deep in the city of Paris, there is a circus that is so small, and so secret only the mice know how to find it... 

(Read this book in a whisper!)

One book for LATER...
Here is an incredible story that Peter will enjoy when he's a little bit older: The World's Greatest Elephant [ages 6 and up], by Ralph Helfer, based on the true story of an elephant and a boy born on the same day in a small town in Germany.  They grew up side by side in the circus (the boy's father was the elephant trainer).



I discovered this poignant book a couple of years ago on Anita Silvey's informative Book-a-Day Almanac website - you can read her post here.  The illustrations by Ted Lewin are gorgeous. 

AND NOW, INTRODUCING THE BIRTHDAY BOY! (and a surprise...)
Baby Peter and his Mommy.
(I think Peter is going to love all his new books...but right now, he'd rather play with his birthday balloons!)

Leave a comment and Peter might just share with you!

  • He'll help me choose 1 lucky winner...  
  • Which book will he be sharing?  The Secret Circus    
  • You can enter two ways: here on my post with a comment, and/or by leaving a comment on my Good Books Facebook page link to this post.
  • Giveaway ends Friday, October 18, 2013 at midnight, PST.   
  • Winner announced on Saturday, October 19, 2013.


6 comments:

  1. What a beautiful book!! Thanks for sharing!! :]

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  2. Those books all look lovely! Especially The Secret Circus :) One of our favorite circus books is Elliott, have you read it?

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    1. No, I haven't read that one. I LOVE recommendations. Thank you!! :)

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  3. I'm a children's librarian with three children of my own, and I would love to have a copy of The Secret Circus to share at Story Time!

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    1. I love librarians! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. :)

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