February | 2012 | My Mama's Goodnight

For anyone who has not yet encountered the wonderfulness of the “Who Was….” series of biographical children’s books, it’s never too late to get your kids addicted to them. These books, with subjects ranging from Jim Henson to Albert Einstein, make history fun for your little ones. They’re well-written, easy to read chapter books with fascinating and entertaining information on every page. And in honor of the upcoming President’s Day weekend, I thought I’d send a special shout-out to our dear ole George. Roberta Edwards’ biography of our first President includes all of the pertinent information history buffs require with a lot of extra fun facts that your kids will eat up. They’re great for every day reading, and FABULOUS for book reports…Start a collection today – your kids will thank you for it!

To prove the point that love is out there for everyone, I’d like everyone to sit down right this instant and read my favorite Valentine’s Day book of all time, A Sweetheart for Valentine. I grew up absolutely loving this book, published in 1979, and have continued my love affair with it to this day. In the tiny village of St. Valentine, a great and howling noise wakes the residents – and they come to find a giant baby girl deposited on the steps of the village hall. A kind and generous village, the people decide right then and there to adopt this rather large child and raise her the best they can – feeding her enormous amounts of food, making her clothes from whatever they can find to fit and loving her collectively with tenderness and understanding as to her big-boned frame. But when sweet Valentine is old enough to marry, can they find a suitably-sized suitor? Lorna Balian’s sweet book is a testament to finding love in the least likely of places and a wonderful tale to share with your loved ones on Valentine’s Day. (Plus, Balian’s illustrations of Valentine’s giant pink fanny are sure to elicit a few giggles. )