Thinking about children's books

My nephew turned 4 this week. He's a great kid, really smart, loves to read and be read to. I've considered it my mission, since he was born, to buy him books that not only he would enjoy but also books his mother (my sister) would enjoy. So for this birthday, MAB and I sent him _Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type_ and _Giggle, Giggle, Quack_, the sequel to _Click, Clack, Moo_. Last night, I got a phone call from said nephew, and he kept repeating "click, clack, moo; click, clack, moo." My job here is done. :-)

But then I started thinking about children's books that make me laugh. And I've got a bit of a recommendation list (and these are enjoyable for not only the kid but for adults, too):

-- _Tuesday_ by David Weisner
-- _The Three Little Pigs_ by David Weisner (not your typical pig-meets-wolf story)
-- _Goodnight, Gorilla_ (a board book for the under 3 set; one of the funniest board books I've ever seen)
-- Any of the Sandra Boynton board books, though my favorite has to be _Blue Hat, Green Hat_

I'll probably come up with more recommendations later and post a "children's books redux" entry. One of my oldest friends (she and I have been friends since we were 2) is a children's librarian - she was the one who turned me on to David Weisner - and has always been a good source of recommendations for children's books.

Anyone out there reading this should feel free to add their favorites to the list. I'm always on the lookout for new stuff to buy, either for our personal collection or for the nephe

More things I was too sleepy to remember to blather about yesterday

I went on a DVD buying spree yesterday. CDNow.com is a very dangerous place for me, especially when they're having an up-to-40% sale on all their DVDs. I bought "A Few Good Men," "Top Secret!," "Airplane!," and pre-ordered the 30th Anniversary edition DVD of "Schoolhouse Rock" (eligible for the sale but not shipping until 27 August). I also bought Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's CD "Alone in Iz World" on behalf of MAB, who requested it.

Now my "waiting for release" list of DVDs is down to the 3rd season of "Buffy" (expected winter of 2003, according to the advertisement in the season 2 DVDs) and the two seasons of "Sports Night," which is rumored to be planned for early November 2002.

An addendum to my last entry

MAB points out that the purchase of "A Few Good Men" and "Airplane" were also his idea, not just the CD. Just thought I'd mention that. :-)

Pre-shabbat musings

It's less than an hour before shabbat (the sabbath) starts, and here I am sitting in front of the computer instead of what I am usually doing an hour before shabbat - running around like a chicken with my head cut off. This week, we decided to cheat. Y'see, we don't work during the 25 hours of shabbat - today in the Boston area this means from 7:53 PM tonight through 8:53 PM tomorrow night, I do nothing that qualifies as "work." Over the centuries, the rabbis have clarified for us what constitutes work. The short version is that I don't use any electricity (though we do set up timers that automatically turn on and off the light and such so that we don't have to sleep with the lights blazing all night), don't answer the phone, don't cook, etc. It sounds like lots of restrictions, but it is, in my view, very freeing - I have 25 hours where I don't have to worry about my e-mail, about what the stock market is doing, about whatever I don't want to deal with. We have an answering machine, and in case of an emergency, we'd hear someone leaving the message and we'd pick up the phone (there's a clause regarding violating the sabbath in order to save someone's life). So usually, I spend Thursday night and Friday from the time I get home from work cooking so that we have food for Friday night dinner and Saturday lunch and dinner (depending on how late the sabbath ends; it starts earlier and ends earlier in the winter, as it's tied to the time of sunset). This week, however, we're eating pre-made food from o ur local kosher supermarket. It's not _really_ cheating, but it feels like I should be doing stuff when there's really nothing to do - the pot pies are warming in the oven, the hot plate is on for tomorrow's lunch, and all is prepared.

So, have a good 25 hours, all. See you again sometime Saturday night..