All I Want For Christmas Is Books, and Maybe Some Cars

There is a Scholastic Warehouse near where I live and they have a half-off sale every winter. I go with the intention of buying gifts, which I do, and being restrained when choosing books for Isaac, at which I fail miserably. We have reached maximum capacity in books and hot wheels, yet I can't keep myself from buying more of either.

This year was an exception when I went to the sale, though. I was a little disappointed in the selection. The books they had were good books, don't get me wrong, but they weren't what Isaac would want. There were lots of warm, fuzzy animal books and cozy, lap-reading books. But I didn't see many scaly, slimy, gross-me-out books or fast paced, action books. There was lots of fiction, but not much non-fiction. Basically, lots of books that would appeal to young girls, but not to young boys.

I did not leave empty handed, however. I did manage to find some of Mo Willems' books that we did not yet own, and I bought the latest paperback copies of the Bear series by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman. But, the books I think Isaac will be most excited about getting are the Fly Guy books by Tedd Arnold.

We own one Fly Guy book and I brought another home from my library to read to Isaac a few weeks ago. They are a huge hit in our house. They are silly, simple books about a boy, Buzz, and his pet fly, Fly Guy. In each book of the series, Buzz and Fly Guy have a new adventure. The books are written in Early Chapter Book format, so young readers feel like "big" kids when they read them. But big kids like them, too, because they are funny. There is not much text and it is really Arnold's illustrations that make the books so entertaining. Arnold is an author/illustrator who has the knack of knowing how to connect with kids using humorous language and exaggerated pictures. His Parts series is popular in my library, but I think Fly Guy is his most widely appealing character.

I have put all of these new books away until Christmas, when they will magically appear with the other gifts from Santa, including some more Hot Wheels which we will squeeze into the basket with the hundreds of other cars that Isaac owns. I am sure seeing the Fly Guy books will bring a smile to his face, and I think that they will be read more than once soon after.