Children's Books - a Breakdown of the types of books authors write

As a teacher, a literacy coach, and now a mom, I have been reading children's books for a long time.  I am an avid reader anyways, but as a teacher, I learned to read books in a more evaluative way.  As a mom, I have been reading books to Kay that I consider "good books".  Most of our books have been gifts from other moms and teachers, those with experience in reading books.  I got to thinking the other day, though, about the millions of books out there for kids.  Right now, we are into the touchy, feely books, the ones that you can rub the fur on the animals.  I know how important reading is to the development of a child, so we read every day.  And I know it's paying off because Kay will go pull her books off the shelf and "read" on her own, which might be my proudest moment.
Anyways, when you go to a bookstore, or browse the websites, you are literally inundated with books for kids: books about animals, books about people; sad books and happy books; multicultural books; books about families, friends, enemies, farting... You name it, I bet you can find a book about it.  So I started thinking what the motivation might be for some of these authors.  Here are the categories I have put these books into.  This list will not be complete.  I am sure as time goes on I'll have to add to it and re-evaluate some of my categories.

1. Books written to make moms (and dads) cry
There are some books out there I know the authors wrote with the sole intention of making us cry.  Those are the books you get at baby showers or as newborn gifts that you can't read after the first time because you can't read the book without sobbing.  That is a very ineffective way to put a kid to bed, crying over a book.  These books include:

• Oh the Places You'll Go (though I think we have been desensitized to this one)
• Love You Forever (which I'll admit, creeps me out)
• I Love You Through and Through

2. Books written to irritate moms (any maybe get dads to read)
Honestly, I will NEVER buy a book about farting, pooping, boogers, or any other bodily function that I won't talk about at the dinner table.  My mother raised me to have manners and act like a lady.  Because of that, I don't tell stories about my poop and I don't want to read about other people's.  Yes, there are actually books out there like this.  There are a lot of great educators out there who will say that if this is the only book you can get your kid to read, then you read it.  Nope, not this one.  If this is really the only book I can get my kid to read, I will try harder.

• Walter the Farting Dog (it's actually a series!)
• Captain Underpants (Uggghhh)
• Billy's Farting Adventure (seriously??)

3. Books written to extend bedtime well into the night

When an author sits down to write a children's book, what possesses them to make it 30 pages?? Dr. Suess, I'm calling you out on this one! I love a good rhyming book, but bedtime is supposed to be relaxing for all involved.  When I am too tired to read through an entire book because it keeps going on and on and on, but my munchkin is eagerly awaiting the end (even though it's been read 5, 10 times before) bedtime has become the dreaded story that never ends. For my friend Melissa, the Berenstein Bears are on this list.

4.  Books written for specific people

In this day and age we can't leave anyone out... no one.  You can find books for grandma and grandpa.  You can find books for aunts, uncles, cousins, godparents.  You can find books for adoptive children, multiracial children, children of divorce or death, children of gay/lesbian parents.  Because books are an easy go to, authors are popping up everywhere to explain difficult topics to children via picture books.  But Lord knows, these are not always quality!! My biggest beef with this is the fact that some people will use these books in place of a conversation with their child.  I love that you can find a jumping off point in a book.  We have our "Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born" (which for me goes up in category 1) so that when Kay starts asking, we have begun the conversation.  But that's just it, books are meant to start conversations.  

5. Books written about social issues

This goes with the above category in some ways, but we can also add that it covers historical occurrences.  Racial diversity, tensions, civil rights, there are numerous great books about these topics.  These aren't your bedtime stories for toddlers though.  These authors had a topic that was near and dear to them and found a way to bring it to the level of a child so that we don't make the same mistakes our forefathers made.  These are the books you find in classrooms, that teachers can tick off their fingers.  But they have a place for children at home too.  These are more challenging reads, so in place of a chapter book for your 4th grader, reading books like these can be a good discussion starter. 

• Jacqueline Woodson is a fab author of books like this

I will keep working on this list, but for now, that's what's on my mind! I would love to know what other categories you might have for books.

1 year

One year ago today we signed the papers giving us "custody" of Kaylin.  And one year ago tomorrow we brought that little tiny baby home with us.  I have blogged throughout the year, so our journey is no secret.  I am not exactly a closed book either :) But one year into parenthood and I could not imagine a better place.  Mark and I celebrated 10 years of marriage last weekend and 1 year with Kaylin.  I have no words for how happy we are.  Well, that's clearly not true, if I had no words, I wouldn't be blogging about it! I have lots of words... happy, ecstatic, over the moon, completely in love, smitten.  I could go on.  But every mom reading this knows those words and more. Kaylin has grown and exceeded our every expectation for growth and for love.  She is a healthy baby, crawling all over the place, learning something new every day.  I honestly don't know how we do anything other than talk to her and stare at her.  She lights up our days with her toothy smile.  We are the typical smitten first parents, I know.  Every night we read stories and pray to God.  I always pray such thanks for the blessing He placed in our lives and I pray her birth mother has peace in knowing what an amazing decision she made. 
Okay, this is somewhat of a rambling blog, but I felt like I needed to update everyone near and far on this anniversary of our "Gotcha Day".  Becoming parents was not an easy road for us.  I spent a long time thinking I never wanted to be a parent.  When we made the decision, we knew that it was going to be God's plan.  We couldn't have foreseen what He had in mind for us.  I don't know if we went down the wrong paths until we came around to where He wanted us all along, or if that was the path God wanted us to go down.  Either way, the rewards have far outweighed the struggles.  I have an app on my phone that updates me on my facebook, photos, twitter, etc from previous years.  Ironically, as the photos from last year are showing up, so are the posts to FB from 4 years ago when I was in the hospital suffering from complications from our fertility treatments.  Much like reading the posts from January when I was reminded of our most hurtful loss, those events 4 years ago are just a rung on our ladder. 
Kaylin Lee Mixon has been the most amazing addition to our lives.  We thank our family and friends for their support and love and continue to enjoy each and every minute of joy that K brings to our lives.  She is the blessing we didn't know was missing. 

Who is this person??

I have been writing this blog in my head for days, no months.  Every time something comes up that I look around and think, who said that?? When happy hour continues but someone says, "I have to get home before the baby goes to bed", or a weekend away comes up and I hear, "Well, let me think, we had a really busy week and I didn't get to see the baby much, so I am not sure." Yeh, there are some out there thinking they have been waiting for this day.  When you don't have a baby until 34, you have had a lot of time to form habits and create a lifestyle that suits you just fine.  Going out, having drinks with friends, dinner with other couples, girls or boys weekends, all of that is the norm.  You are the one who is easy to plan around.  And then one day you hear yourself questioning if you got to see the baby enough.  Or you think you might not be able to go somewhere because who will pick her up from daycare.  Lord, I never saw it coming.  I mean, I knew in my head that obviously those changes come, but what I didn't realize is how easy they come.  And how seamlessly they integrate themselves into your life.  All of the sudden it is second nature to wonder if you can get home before she goes to sleep, or if your friends will care if dinner doesn't start till 8 so you can help put her to bed.  It's weird really.  I still have many nights where I think man, I would love to go out now.  But not being able to doesn't make me sad or mad.  I think it just makes me nostalgic.  That's a silly word, but the best one I can come up with. 
So this is what your life is. I can't say what someone goes through who is pregnant.  SOmeone once said to me that they wondered how I would fare when a baby came and we began losing sleep.  She said that she felt God prepared women for what was coming with pregnancy and since I was not going to have that preparation.  It came from a curious place, and I really did not think much of it.  But that has stuck with me because I have thought about that since we got the baby.  After our first match, we prayed for a baby to come to us with no frills, just a phone call and done.  And God provided.  But that also meant we had to make some immediate adjustments to our life that most can make gradually.  We didn't suffer in the way I think my friend was worried about - sleeplessness, mostly.  But I would say we have had some adjustments hit us in different ways.  Today, at our first 'friend' birthday party, I made Mark go with us.  This was just one of many times I have laughed at the changes that have occurred.  But I kept thinking, the other dads of Kaylin's 'friends' will be there, so Mark should get used to this! And he never batted an eye.  I am sure at some point he had the same thought I have had many times -- who is this person?? But here we are, making choices and decisions that we never expected!
Choices such as:
         Who will pick up the baby today? One is golfing, the other working the school carnival.
          Can I go on that girls weekend? I will have school all week so will I get to see the baby enough?
         So everyone is going home this early? Super! The baby will be up at 6am anyways :)
          What should we do this weekend? Anyone wanna have all the kids at their house?

Now, all that being said, I do feel I am still the same person.  I am very cognizant of when we are around people who are not parents.  I make a conscious effort to have other things to talk about outside of Kaylin.  I am always thinking of how I felt before we had Kaylin and how I needed my friends to be able to talk about other things.  I try really hard to be the friend who can do that.  I think so often moms lose themselves in being moms.  I cherish my friends who are moms with me, especially those that are new moms with me.  But I also try really hard to value those friends who are in different places, who have different and just as important priorities.  I was there, I remember how it felt.