Books,bellyaches and Chinese New Year

Sorry it has taken me so long to get a book post going today.

We spent a lot more time last night reading about Australia's animals,

and trying to find a Platypus cookie cutter. We do have a kangaroo,

so we will be making that.Princess did not stay up too late (for her),

and was up at the crack of dawn again. Unfortunately, she woke up

with a "belly ache" and was experiencing quite a bit of nausea.

I think it was from "drinking" the tub water in her bath while

"being a Mermaid" last night, or the late night sandwich she just had to have

while I was making one for Farmer Dad's lunch. Either way, she is not feeling

well, and in fact is sleeping it off on the couch right now. No fever.

Puts a damper on our plans to study China a bit and Mozart today

for Chinese New Year and Mozart's B-Day.

I believe it is also chocolate cake day, so we were going to make a

chocolate cake for after dinner (Chinese Food is already ordered)

while listening to Mozart. I got a nice book called A Musical Picture Book

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart from the library

which we were planning

on flipping through while we listened to the enclosed cd. The book is great

for older children, but a bit wordier than P is into at this time. Maybe if it were

about something like the Platypus (oops..sorry I digress).The cd included is lovely.

Play Mozart,Play is also a great book to enjoy today.Much more to Princess'sliking.

As usual, Peter Sis uses both facts and fancy to bring you into the world

of his subject. Did I mention his artwork?Great book!

In The Snow

For some reason Princess was not interested in taking out any

of the large and beautiful selection of Chinese New Year books

on display at our library. (Have I mentioned our HUGE Mandarin speaking population?)Normally she is all about all, or at least many things Chinese. She loves the people and the culture. (And the food!)But she chose instead, this lovely book by Huy Voun Lee.

A boy and his Mother go for a walk in winter and she writes Chinese characters in the snow for him to learn. It is a lovely intro to one of the oldest picture-languages in the world.

The paper cut art is wonderful.

Because we were also celebrating Australia Day yesterday, we have been

enjoying The Trouble With Cauliflower.

This is a funny book about a silly Koala Bear who says he can't eat cauliflower because

it brings him bad luck. I was hoping it would open Princess up to the "try it, you might like it"

thing. She has suddenly become a somewhat picky eater.We enjoyed a giggle or two at poor Mortimer's expense anyway.

That is all I have time to post now, Princess is waking up, and I must tend to her.

She is calling me to her side in a pile of flannel jammies and soft squishy pink blankets.

(Don't be too jealous S.P., your seasons will change soon and you can bundle back up and watch the storm clouds roll in too!)We will eventually get to our Chinese New Year crafts, and I will of

course post them here.