Our first book is Hug by Jez Alborough. The whole store has three words (hug, Bobo and Mommy), but it is the emotion behind the words. I must read ‘hug’ about seven times with a baby monkey voice, mommy monkey voice, a mommy lion voice, a mommy elephant voice, etc. After I finish, I am proud of how many animals I did and the range of joy I put into each word.
Unfazed by my dramatic reading, Oliver only sucks on his pacifier.
Next is the story Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton. It is fun to bark, snort, ruff, meow and give my best animal noises (which I must say our pretty good) as I give a lively reading.
Oliver is still just sucking on his pacifier.
The last book of the night: Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. It is a quality picture book with well written verse-- the epitome of a great bed time story. As I read about a young rabbit’s good night to his room. I recite my favorite lines, “In the great green room/There was a telephone/ And a red balloon/ And a picture of--” I stop and show Oliver each picture. After the story ends, the baby rabbit is asleep and so is everyone else in the story. I close the book with a satisfied heart.
There is a wide awake Oliver, staring at me and sucking on his pacifier.
Well someday soon, he will enjoy this moment as much as I do.
Until then, I’ll just keep reading.