Pumpkin Spice and Picture Books

I am trying to wean myself from pumpkin spice lattes. It is probably not good to have that much sugar every morning and I’m sure it will do something dastardly to my energy levels. As the days get shorter, my energy level drops inverse with the lengthening of night.

I hate to admit it, but lately, I’ve been falling asleep at 8.15pm. Sadly, getting up early has never been one of my strong suits.

There are morning people and there are night owls… I am a mid-day kind of person. Around 1 pm my energy level picks up and I’m ready tackle that endless to-do list. Then it drops back down around 5pm. By the time I can actually get stuff done without kids, I’m ready to fall back asleep. I need a new plan.

Did you see the NYT article about the waning market for picture books? Supposedly, more parents are pushing their kids to read chapter books earlier and earlier, eschewing picture books as something only for infants. Picture books are just a bunch of pretty pictures. Often the stories explain very complex ideas in a way that kids can understand (Pink and Say ) or include reading/speaking skills are important for advanced language development (Dr. Seuss ). Even when a child is reading, the ideas and themes expressed in a picture book lend themselves to important conversations between child and adult – not mention giving them the chance to really develop those comprehension skills needed for those big chapter books. You’ll find a lot of high school teachers using these books not only to explain ideas, but using them as examples of characterization, plot development, rhetorical argument, importance of setting, voice and tone in building the story. Just because your kid owns Harry Potter, does not mean that most of their information doesn’t come from the movie. Subtle plot development doesn’t work well with five year olds… as any parent of one will tell you when they are trying to get them to stop asking about the “fat lady” in line at the bank.

And I dare you to try to read Pink and Say without blubbering – but it’s so good and so important.