Barefoot Books make your kids think!

Reading has been the one thing that I have been totally diligent about with my kids and it has paid off more than I could have imagined. My 3 year old daughter is in love with books and thinks it is such a treat to sit and read books with mommy and daddy. We have no routine except the book reading routine before bedtime. We now include our 7 month old daughter so it has become the most special time of the day for the whole family. Like every parent, I buy a lot of books to keep her engaged. I was given a set of books from Barefoot Books recently and it has been the more provocative of anything we have ever read! I mean, we just recently graduated Goodnight Moon (everyone can recite that one, right?). She now wants more and I am not going to let this opportunity pass by to open her little world to the big wide world we live in. Barefoot Books incorporate different cultures and points of views in the stories without hitting you over the head with it. It tells the story which happens to be set in a certain country. The illustrations are soothing and a throw back to old school drawings, which I absolutely love (they can overload themselves with graphics everywhere else). Many books come with CD of songs or read alongs. One of my favorites is Mama Panya’s Pancakes, a story about the beauty and rewards of sharing and generosity. There were a few that made my daughter ask a lot of questions that I couldn’t answer to her satisfaction but isn’t it wonderful to push young minds to the edge? Like Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon. The verdict is still out for me on this book,

but my daughter was totally intrigued. Instead of focusing on Herb being a vegetarian (maybe she’s used to this concept because her Aunt Jen is one) she was interested in the social interaction between the humans and the dragons. Why is he mad? What’s that face he’s making? Why don’t they like him? These were the questions she asked. The fact that she was asking questions made me happy! And totally relevant questions at that! Another noteworthy book is The Barefoot Book of Princesses, which has various princess stories from around the world. This was important to me because she is in her Disney princess phase and I just don’t want Disney to dictate what she considers beautiful. There are so many wonderful books for all ages (I Took the Moon for a Walk is perfect for everyone), all of them thought provoking and beautiful. It is a wonderful concept and so important to allow our children to explore all facets of our diverse world. Barefoot books are available to purchase on their website.