My first favorite children’s book is Goodnight Moon, the classic tale by Margaret Wise Brown. Our kids have always loved watching the room change as the bunny is getting ready for sleep. One time when we were flying and Anna was little we were reading the book on the plane. The kind gentleman next to us commented about how much he loved that book. I noticed he succinctly put down his Wall Street Journal while we read the book (forward, backward then forward again is how baby Anna like to read books).

My next favorite children’s book is Kitten’s First Full Moon, by Kevin Henkes. It is about a newborn kitten chasing a bowl of milk. Poor kitty! I love this imagination. I love the sense of discover in the kitten. I love the kitten’s daring and ambition. And I love the idea that Henkes gets to draw kitten’s for a living.

There is a great bookstore in Charleston, West Virginia called Taylor Books. While in Charleston for the day, I stopped in to get the kids a new book. I was delighted to discover All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon. It was a Caldecott Honor Book and is gorgeously illustrated. The book is joyful and real and eternally hopeful.

Reading, as they say, is fundamental. But not just for success in the marketplace as adults. It is fundamental for a joyful life. Through reading you discover the world. You hear others’ stories. You gain a sense of your own story and you learn a medium for expressing yourself. Also, it is a great way to bond with another. Now that we have a reader and a half among our kids, I am seeing their minds open up to the world around them. On one hand, they might become more exposed to the troubles of the world. On the other hand their strong nimble minds and their indomitable spirits make them forces for the future good of the world. Many days I worry about little things concerning my kids. But with reading, I know I am preparing them to live free and well.

What is your favorite children’s book? Who read to you? What story has stuck with you? What story makes you put down the newspaper?

As much as I love reading with my kids. I am looking forward to Project Transformation and the joy of reading with kids. I wonder what books they will want to read.