Featured Author of the Week: Margaret Wise Brown

Brown is the author of my favorite book, Goodnight Moon. My Nana Glenys read it to me when I was little and I've read it to every child who has come into my life, including the delightful children who come to my storytime.

I visited Brown's website to find out more information about the person who wrote so many wonderful stories. She was born in 1910 and went to school to become a teacher. She became a pioneer for the children's movement of the "here and now." The movement said children are interested in the "here and now" and want to read books about their own lives. Before this, children's literature was composed of mostly fairy tales and fables.

Brown wrote hundreds of books in her short lifetime (she died at 42). However, they were not all published before then. You can get previously unreleased material from the library with contemporary illustrators. Check out two books with one of my favorite illustrator's Karen Katz (Where is baby's Mommy? and Where is Baby's Belly Button?).






Goodnight, Margaret! Activities for Bedtime:

1. Make a book about your child's life. They sell plastic books you can slide pictures into at super stores, or you may find one (I did!) at a garage sale or Goodwill. Or for an inexpensife alterative, use a small brag book (your child just won't be able to chew on it). Go through the book at night telling the story of each picture.

2. Goodnight, everybody. To ease your child into the mood of sleepy time, start saying goodnight to their toys, then their books, then their friends and family. I've found with my reluctant sleeper that this helps. Everything is going to sleep, so you need to as well.

3. Tuck in your child's toy pets! Brown never went anywhere without her beloved furry friends, and your child may feel the same way. Make some little blankets for each lovey with two pieces of flannel cut into small squares. Cut a fringe on all four sides and tie the squares together. We made this craft in storytime (thank you Miss Mindy) and Bobo uses it for his baby doll. It is really the perfect size for those little loveys!