Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Does the Library Know It's Soon to be Christmas?

Today was our first storytime for preschoolers at the community library. Braeden was actually very well behaved compared to when we tried to do lapsit storytime when he was younger. That was a disaster. While his butt never stops moving, he did enjoy the stories read about cookies.

Afterward, we went by the books themselves and tried picking out Christmas books for check out. Do you think they pulled any holiday books at all to put in the usual "spotlight" section of the library? Thanksgiving had a Thanksgiving display. Halloweentime had Halloween books for your browsing. What do they have in December for Christmas? Eric Carle. You know (if you have kids)...that guy who writes those obnoxious books with creepy Picasso-style illustrations. Books about Birthday surprises for boys that look like they were inbred. Books that are filled with nothing but statements such as "Can you do it? I can do it!" Strange blue apes and purple tigers. If this were the 60's, I'd suggest it was LSD inspired. This is what the spotlight is this month.

I did not realize that Eric Carle was bigger than Jesus. Santa apparently has nothing on him. Books about reindeer??? Check the on-line catalog and go find them yourself (and then find out that they're not there).

It's not that I mind not having books at my fingertip to choose from easily. But for a preschooler, it sure is nice when we can go to one section and have him select several books himself. Gives him a sense of empowerment, instead of me searching for them for him. I'm all about teaching him independence, and these are the little things that help me out.

You can be sure there will be no Eric Carle in our stockings this year.

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