Angus and I and two slightly grumpy babies turned up at the swimming pool at the local council Leisure Centre on Friday morning. We were packed to the gills with anything and everything we thought we might need, and we were both wearing our swimsuits under our clothes.

My suit was chafing horribly because as I had slipped it on in our bathroom I realized that my triangular pubic patch had been a little, shall we say, unattended. It's not like it was insane, Robin Hood and Little John weren't going to burst out of the forest or anything, but it definitely needed some attention. I had gotten a waxing shortly before the babies were born, and although trimming was had in the meantime the hedge, it was looking a little uneven if you know what I mean. So I lathered up, addressed the situation with my Lady Bic, and sighed when I realized I had that telltale spray of razorburn.

Oh well. Better razorburn than Tarzan and Cheetah having a picnic on my thighs.

We go to the reception desk. I try not to itch my beaver. I am holding Nora who is dressed not unlike Maggie Simpson in her snowsuit, looking like a starfish.

"Have you booked?" asked the receptionist.

"No, but I have cash," I say, pulling out a crumpled ten from my jeans. I left my wallet at home, figuring that two babies and two adults wouldn't cost more than ten quid.

"You haven't booked?" she asked me, looking at me incredulously.

"Um, no," I reply.

"Really?"

"Really." What's with the booking? What, do they need commitment, DNA, or a post-coital cuddle?

"All the other mothers in the course have booked in," the receptionist says, indicating a glass door through which some mothers have already absconded. I peer through the door and see the teaching pool, with mothers bouncing babies wearing those orange inflatable arm thingys that always make me feel like kids have day-glo marshmallows strapped to their biceps.

"I didn't know we had to book."

"It's a course, you have to book into the course," I am reprimanded. So all of the good, nurturing, attentive mummies have booked! It's a course! They booked the course! Naughty, negligent mummies haven't booked! Negligent mummies just turn up and throw a nasty tenner on the counter!

"Can I book in the course?" I ask wearily.

"It's full."

"Of course it is." I'm so glad I'm going to have ingrown pubes for this.

"But you can try to book into the next course, which starts in April, although the Mums already in the course have first right of refusal."

Great. It's an aquababy cartel.

We sigh and leave. When I ring the center today they tell me that I can try to get in to the April course if I show up on their doorstep by 6:30 am on March 29, and even then I may not get a place.

Maybe our kids will be into bike riding, instead of swimming.

**************************

Statia and April have recently posted photos of their bookshelves for their kids. This is a point of contention for me, not because they have books and bookshelves, but because I really don't. My babies, they're lacking. When the babies were coming you'd have thought that since reading is and always has been so important to me I'd get off my ass and do something about it. But the truth is, it kinda' slipped my mind. I got some books from Statia and Donna, but now I wonder where we go from here.

When I was a kid we had hundreds and hundreds of books. I can't even fathom how many books we had, we had everything. I used to be a voracious reader, and a lot of my books lasted many years, and then went to my sister. I had it all - all the Dr. Seuss, mass quantities of Little Golden Books, books for older children like the Amelia Bedelias and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggles...you name it. I was there.

I suppose I always thought I would get my hands on that stock someday, but it's obviously not to be. I have only two of the books from my childhood, which are cheesy but I love them still. And maybe I'm approaching this wrong, but I want to integrate their book collections with books I loved as a kid as well as books that are of their generation - I typically think children's books tend to be timeless, and I love looking at their books and feeling that we might be connected, my culture and this culture.

Now that the babie are aware and awake more, they're getting into sitting on our laps as we read to them. They love this one from Statia, and Nora in particular can sit still for telling after telling of this book that Elizabeth sent. So I've been scouring the internet for used copies of books that I used to love and that I think they might love, because a) used copies are cheaper and b) I think there's something lovely and romantic about holding copies of books that were held and loved by other babies. Also, see a) again.

The problem I'm having is there aren't a lot of my childhood favorites over here, for obvious reasons. Dr. Seuss is difficult to come by over here, Silverstein is here but expensive, and my mind is going on other titles. I just can't think of any. I have some of the usuals - a few Eric Carle, I'll Love You Forever, Guess How Much I Love You, Runaway Bunny (that one is also very popular) and Knuffle Bunny. I've ordered some Boynton, Numeroff and Dr. Seuss books as well as this one I loved as a kid, but beyond that, what am I missing?

Help is needed. I've got a list going, if you can help me think of what else are "must haves" for babies to read, I'd really appreciate it - for books from either side of the pond, actually, not just from the States. I simply can't think of what books I might be missing. My brain, she is broken.

-H.

Posted by: Everydaystranger at 10:26 AM | Comments (35) | Add Comment
Post contains 1044 words, total size 7 kb.

1 I had no problem getting Dr Seuss for the sprog (now 7). I think I got them from Amazon as I didn't get out much with the screamer. We did get to the library though, the sprog had his own card from being a baby (worth it because U16's don't have to pay late fees). If you find one you really like then you can set out to buy it. In all seriousness, you might want to put their names down for swimming lessons now. The waiting list at our local pool was so long that they stopped taking names three years ago, the list is still closed now. Finding swimming lessons for four year olds is really difficult around here, you need to plan ahead like you wouldn't believe. There are ways in but they're not public knowledge.

Posted by: Caroline M at February 18, 2008 11:06 AM (x3QDi)

2 The Gruffalo - Julia Donaldson The Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle The Very Busy Spider - Eric Carle Not now Bernard - David Mckee Where the wild things are -

Posted by: Mia at February 18, 2008 12:02 PM (Tiupt)

3 The Little Prince- I love that book! Have you tried buying Children's lots on Ebay, or half.com? That's where I get the majority of my books. Right now, I am collecting different Christmas books for my two little ones. Creating a project, of sorts. I am going to wrap them all, and put them in a pretty tin by the fireplace. Every night, starting December 1st, the kids can unwrap a different book for us to read.

Posted by: Andria at February 18, 2008 01:19 PM (Oo4k1)

4 Oh, I can completely relate to your aquababy cartel . . . we have the same thing here in Marietta, GA. They used to make you line up outside the aquatic center, but now they allow on-line registration . . . which is as nerve-wracking as trying to buy concert tickets or register for college courses on-line. We went on a weekend vacation last week, and my husband brought with him his computer so we could LITERALLY stop everything at precisely 2pm on Sunday and register our 20 mo old for swimming in April/May. It's serious business! It's quite a BIG deal . . . and everyone wants to swim with their baby . . . so I'm feeling you over here in Georgia. So sorry you are dealing with itchy/burning panties now for nothing!!

Posted by: Heather at February 18, 2008 01:25 PM (3LxYv)

5 I love Goodnight Moon. Also there is Pat the Bunny, Corduroy, Caps for Sale, The Little Engine That Could, Make Way for Ducklings, Are You My Mother, The Velveteen Rabbit and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I guess some of them are more for when they are older though. Any Reading Railroad books too I think. Oh man I forgot about The Giving Tree... Gets me every time...

Posted by: Lee at February 18, 2008 01:29 PM (lN4Rc)

6 What about the Paddington Bear series, The Corduroy books, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, Make Way for Ducklings, Stone Soup, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, or A Child's Garden of Verses?

Posted by: Meg at February 18, 2008 02:04 PM (FfSnR)

7 I don't want to disparage that Meatball book but Oh My it is one of my least favorites. Crazy wordy - can we get to the point already. Sorry just had to vent it was your favorites so sorry about that. My kids favorites not mentioned: Doggies by Bonyton Brown Bear Brown Bear by Bill Martin I have bought the Doggie book three times it is well loved (and chewed on). I guess dog love abounds in our house.

Posted by: Judi at February 18, 2008 02:36 PM (MvHfg)

8 My oldest daughter's first word was "book". We literally had over a thousand childrens books. They're gone now, but I'll think a bit and see if I can get you some good titles.

Posted by: ~Easy at February 18, 2008 03:00 PM (XD24A)

9 We got this book as a gift when the baby girl was born - and I LOVE IT! http://www.amazon.com/Mouse-Paint-Ellen-Stoll-Walsh/dp/0152002650 Looks like your list of classics and the lists I've seen so far in the comments are right on from my childhood memories. This is a new one though that I think could be incorporated. Happy Reading!

Posted by: Suz at February 18, 2008 03:04 PM (GhfSh)

10 I suggest starting with "Baby Mix Me a Drink" by Lisa Brown

Posted by: Dotty at February 18, 2008 03:42 PM (KJE2B)

11 The Little Bear books, written by Else Holmelund Minarik and illustrated by Maurice Sendak have always been among my favourite children's books.

Posted by: Gwyneth at February 18, 2008 03:55 PM (zHOEn)

12 you definitely need some Richard Scarry. my absolute favourite as a wee one was I am a Bunny. http://www.amazon.com/Am-Bunny-Golden-Sturdy-Book/dp/0375827781 it's held together with duct tape by now.

Posted by: megan at February 18, 2008 04:02 PM (jy7KI)

13 "The Pokey Little Puppy" was a fave of mine. As was "One...Two...Red...Blue" with the fishes of Seuss.

Posted by: Ms. Pants at February 18, 2008 04:37 PM (+p4Zf)

14 I know I am a veritable stranger...but I have been reading along for quite some time. We are Americans, living in Germany. Our Base Exchange has a decent selection of children's books...everything from the traditional Golden Books of our childhood to Shel Silverstein to Dr. Seuss to all of the new stuff. If you ever need a personal shopper to buy books for you (at a relatively discounted price) I would be glad too. I don't think that it would cost as much for me to ship to England through the Duetches Post as it would from an American post office. I am sure that I also have some books that my kiddos have outgrown. I will have to see what I am willing to part with.

Posted by: justdawn at February 18, 2008 04:43 PM (p90AB)

15 Oddly, most of the books we've got stashed for J were ones my father kept in his garage for me (after giving up his parental rights and being absent from my life for nearly 8 years - mind you) for fifteen years. Most of my true favorites (aside from Twiddlebugs at Work and The Penguin Who Hated the Cold) were passed on to my younger sisters, never to be seen again. Though of course, I ended up with ALL the psycho religious propaganda books. Go figure. Anyway, most of the ones on the bookshelf in the nursery were a Richard Scarry and a Dr. Seuss lot that we picked up off ebay. And I've been looking at resale shops and tag sales for used books. Maybe you should put a wishlist of books up? *cough*hint*cough* that those of us stateside could help find for you?

Posted by: April at February 18, 2008 06:28 PM (428Y9)

16 Strega Nona and Clown of God, both by Tomie dePaola, were among my favorites as a child. I actually have autographed copies thanks to an aunt who is a children's librarian. The Giving Tree by Sol Silverstein is another good one. My daughter loved Mr. and Mrs. Smith Have Only One Child, but What a Child! I'll have to go through my kids' books to remember which were the other good ones. In general, you could look for Caldecott Award Winners to be assured of a good read. Just search Caldecott on Amazon. Hope this helps.

Posted by: Ice Queen at February 18, 2008 07:15 PM (aMkLv)

17 I am going to blatantly nick all the lovely suggestions made by everyone else. But also I have to laugh at the pristine pre-baby, or little baby bookshelves! Amy is 19 months old and LOVES her book shelf, so much so that its never in any state of order and I have to confess, the one thing I said I would never allow, does sometimes happen. That Amy loves her books a little too much and pages get bent, spines get chewed and occasionally I will even have to retire a book due to long suffering service! I figure its better that she loves to read rather than being taught that reading is an adult supervised action!

Posted by: Super Sarah at February 18, 2008 09:47 PM (R5aDp)

18 The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats was one of my favorites. Peach and Blue by Sarah Kilborne and Steve Johnson is excellent, as is Swan in Love by Eve Bunting. The Sheep in a Jeep series by Nancy E. Shaw and Margot Apple is silly and fun.

Posted by: Sarah at February 18, 2008 10:14 PM (lzF2D)

19 It looks like everyone already has the classics covered... so as far as newer wonderful stuff, i discovered this author recently.. I especially love these two books: http://mowillemsstuff.blogspot.com/2007/10/knuffle-bunny-cautionary-tale.html and http://bp0.blogger.com/_tg5zZZnf6e4/RyEBYrq7pUI/AAAAAAAAA8E/Sme0iskBrMo/s1600-h/Pigeon.go.jpg

Posted by: erin at February 18, 2008 11:44 PM (tXYOR)

20 It looks like everyone already has the classics covered... so as far as newer wonderful stuff, i discovered this author recently.. I especially love these two books: http://mowillemsstuff.blogspot.com/2007/10/knuffle-bunny-cautionary-tale.html and http://bp0.blogger.com/_tg5zZZnf6e4/RyEBYrq7pUI/AAAAAAAAA8E/Sme0iskBrMo/s1600-h/Pigeon.go.jpg

Posted by: erin at February 18, 2008 11:45 PM (tXYOR)

21 It looks like everyone already has the classics covered... so as far as newer wonderful stuff, i discovered this author recently.. I especially love these two books: http://mowillemsstuff.blogspot.com/2007/10/knuffle-bunny-cautionary-tale.html and http://bp0.blogger.com/_tg5zZZnf6e4/RyEBYrq7pUI/AAAAAAAAA8E/Sme0iskBrMo/s1600-h/Pigeon.go.jpg

Posted by: t at February 18, 2008 11:46 PM (tXYOR)

22 Most of the ones I would have suggested have already been mentioned. I loved all Winnie the Pooh and Raggedy Ann and Andy stories when I was young. I own the Piggle Wiggle books and the Narnia series and Madeleine L'Engle's books, A Wringkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, but those are for progressively older children rather than for babies. My kids loved almost anything with only one or two easily memorized books that they could read along as they learned to talk - that was COOL. Faves were "Kittens are Like That" and "Sesame Street Count to Ten" and another Sesame Street Book featuring Grover called "I Can Dress Myself". I still have the much-loved copies around here somewhere. I have lots of books I might be able to part with though, so I'll go through them and let you know what I come up with if you'd like. Sorry about the swimming lessons. Lists are kept here too and often there is a waiting list, even for the older kids. And existing attendees do get first right of refusal. It's very competitive.

Posted by: Lisa at February 18, 2008 11:47 PM (EcHBm)

23 Most of the ones I would have suggested have already been mentioned. I loved all Winnie the Pooh and Raggedy Ann and Andy stories when I was young. I own the Piggle Wiggle books and the Narnia series and Madeleine L'Engle's books, A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, but those are for progressively older children rather than for babies. My kids loved almost anything with only one or two easily memorized books that they could read along as they learned to talk - that was COOL. Faves were "Kittens are Like That" and "Sesame Street Count to Ten" and another Sesame Street Book featuring Grover called "I Can Dress Myself". I still have the much-loved copies around here somewhere. I have lots of books I might be able to part with though, so I'll go through them and let you know what I come up with if you'd like. Sorry about the swimming lessons. Lists are kept here too and often there is a waiting list, even for the older kids. And existing attendees do get first right of refusal. It's very competitive.

Posted by: Lisa at February 18, 2008 11:47 PM (EcHBm)

24 Oof, sorry. I tried to stop my comment from posting when I discovered I should have proofread but it posted twice incorrectly. Yikes! I couldn't stand that I had italicized some titles and put others in quotes. LOL So there you have it - the reason I have duplicate comments.

Posted by: Lisa at February 18, 2008 11:55 PM (EcHBm)

25 I'd like to add the Serendipity book series by Stephen Cosgrove, and "What do People Do all Day" by Richard Scarry. Actually, anything by Richard Scarry. "Mama Don't Allow" by Thacher Hurd is another good one (I actually was chosen out of the whole school to meet him and have him sign my books when I was in 1st grade).

Posted by: ZTZCheese at February 19, 2008 01:53 AM (7jM3p)

26 Looks like you have a good list going. I love the Mo Willems books, and my kids still love reading the Pigeon books as well as Elephant & Piggie books. My favorite book as a child, which I still have, is "The Digging-Est Dog" by Al. Perkins. I used to laugh out loud at the illustrations. How about "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" or "If you Give a Pig a Pancake"? Those were always popular at our house. My husband's treasured childhood book was both the "Alexander" books-"Bad Day" as well as "Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday". My kids also love all the Berenstein Bear books, and my nephew is crazy for Little Critter. I still weep like a baby when I read "The Giving Tree", and my son will still request "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" on occasion. We never had, nor still have, a bookshelf for our books. We have one small one, but they just end up stacked in a pile on it more than anything. When Veronica was little we just put all her books in milk crates in every room and then she could sort through them as she pleased, and picking them up meant just throwing them back in the crate. That is still how we do it to this day, although she has some books that are special to her that she keeps on the shelf above her bed-mostly Pokemon books. Yeah, she's nine. Scottie still loves Thomas the Tank Engine books, though he tends to keep them in bed with him rather then on the shelf over his bed. This is the way that has always worked for us, mostly because after all my work neatly arranging them, spine out, two minutes later they were back out on the floor. So I gave up. Second hand books are great. I just recently gave a bunch of books to my nephew (I kept the ones my kids really loved and the ones that were special gifts), and the elementary school the kids attend had a big book drive for inner city schools that can not afford books for their libraries. I like the idea of a book that is well-loved being shared.

Posted by: Teresa at February 19, 2008 02:01 AM (kMI0Q)

27 Favorites I didn't see mentioned Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak Charlotte's Web, EB White Beatrix Potter series Ramona the Pest series by Beverly Cleary Ones I learned after my niece was born... Goodnight Gorilla board book author forgotten Click, Clack Moo--Doreen Cronin Undone Fairy Tale--Ian Lendler I think the woman at the swimming should have babies poop on her. Not knowing to register isnot an unforgivable act. Sheesh!

Posted by: sophie at February 19, 2008 02:35 AM (ZPzQL)

28 What a fun and nostalgic discussion. You've gotten some great suggestions so far - I'll add a few more to the list: Richard Scarry's Greatest Storybook Ever Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion (actually the whole Harry series is great) Frog & Toad series - Arnold Lobel Best Friends for Frances (& series) by Russell Hoban Mrs. Rumphius-Barbara Cooney the Curious George series Tomie dePaola books are great too - his illustrations are captivating

Posted by: Carla at February 19, 2008 02:36 AM (nBdQu)

29 Children's Garden of Verses - R.L. Stevenson - definite...and anything by A.A. Milne. For when they are older...the Swallows and Amazons series!

Posted by: Madame Chiang at February 19, 2008 03:28 AM (6Gnfc)

30 What? No Mercer Mayer? perish the thought. Everything by him is utterly brilliant and beautifully illustrated. Herbert the Timid Dragon is a favorite of mine, as is the one of the little boy imagining what it would be like to live in the time of chivalry, or the professor who was trying to spot his alphabet of monsters and not being able to find a Zipperumpazoo. Since I'm also a little counterculture, I'll suggest Terry Pratchett's book Where's My Cow?— an excellent book for children but also for parents. Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean also have a couple of children's books out— The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish and The Wolves in the Walls. They're all Brits (or at least ex-pat Brits) so you shouldn't have trouble finding them— but the Gaiman/McKean books are shelved in adult SF over here, just so you know. They're not inappropriate for children but they're funny as heck to adults. (" 'Galveston!' shouted Patty. 'Galveston!' shouted Patty's brothers. 'Galveston!' shouted Patty's mother and father. 'Galveston!' shouted the Queen of Melanesia, who was there on a visit." I always envision that last Galveston as being said in that slightly husky older-lady voice.)

Posted by: B. Durbin at February 19, 2008 03:53 AM (tie24)

31 At the board book stage: Rosie's walk Dear zoo the boynton ones you have we're going on a bear hunt Hairy Mclairy Peepo each peach pear plum the eric carles

Posted by: thalia at February 19, 2008 04:57 AM (wGBzp)

32 Dude, you need to slow down with all this posting, I can't keep up! I'm lucky enough to have a mother that kits the kid out in books like you wouldn't believe, and a good friend who manages the children's section at a B&N who does the same. P is set. She didn't show much of an interest for months, but now we are slaves to the written word. Some favourites are: Babycakes, by Karma Wilson ABC, by Alison Jay Feed Matisse's Fish, Julie Appel Anything in the "That's not my ..." series -That's not my dragon -That's not my puppy -That's not my car -There are like, 800 of these fucking things. I could go on and on. As for swimming, have you looked into Little Dippers? It's expensive (£100+), but they're held in private pools and they are proper swimming lessons, not just nursery rhymes and paddling sessions.

Posted by: MsPrufrock at February 19, 2008 08:49 PM (1NDGw)

33 One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Farmer Duck ('ow goes the work? Quaaaack. Kids loved it http://www.amazon.com/Farmer-Duck-Martin-Waddell/dp/074453660X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203471517&sr=8-1) A Fish Out of Water (http://www.amazon.com/Fish-Out-Water-Beginner-Books/dp/0001713078/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203471578&sr=1-12)

Posted by: loribo at February 20, 2008 01:40 AM (MY7JG)

34 I read this and immediately thought of you. Now you have 99 ideas! http://www.jumpingmonkeys.com/jumpingmonkeys/2008/02/99-of-our-favor.html

Posted by: Michele at February 21, 2008 10:12 PM (h1vml)

35 Oh yes, I've heard of this: swim classes get booked, and the people who managed to get their wee ones in get first shot forevermore. Makes no sense. If it makes you feel better, my 2 1/2 year old swims circles around most kids his age up to about 4, and he's never had a swim lesson. We just take him swimming a lot (ok, my husband does), and let him go for it. He loves it! As for books, you'd be amazed at how many you can pick up for almost nothing at your local charity shops if you can drift through them once a week...

Posted by: ewe_are_here at February 21, 2008 10:43 PM (sP0bE)

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