A look at my texts between my oldest and me from 12/1 – 12/4…….
December 1st: “Big pigeon fan”
My reply: Enjoy!!!! Happy December!!!
December 2nd: “Tonight’s book was fun! We tried it out in the bath.”
My reply: Important to read everywhere
December 3rd: “She’s catching on to opening wrapping paper! Love the variety.”
My reply: Got to have Richard Scarry in your home library.
December 4th: “Tonight was Feight Train! Charlie took a cute video of her opening it.”
My reply: Can wait to view it!
Today, during Period 7, I started giving the directions for the Quick Write and complimented S on adding the date at the top of her paper. “Can you remind us all of the date?”
S: “It is December 4th.” I smiled and proceeded to share with these students my current gift to my granddaughter, Aden. back in 2018, I saw a tweet sharing the the idea of an Advent Book Calendar and wrote about it here. I imagined the books I’d share, once I had a grandchild. Then a few months ago, I started gathering books, because I finally have a grandchild! Some from my oldest daughter’s childhood book collect. Some from my book collection. Some I purchased new at the book store. (Of course, I had to buy Mo Willem’s latest pigeon book!)
If you follow my blog, you know my granddaughter lives in Amsterdam and I spent Halloween with her. At that time I left her with a bag of seven wrapped books, each with a tag indictating when to open, under the heading “Advent Book Calendar”.
Why seven? Because this Thursday, she flies with her mom and dad to the United States. First, she lands in Newark, NJ and will spend her first night in Stanford, CT at my husband’s sister’s home. So back in September, I gave this sister-in-law a bag of books with tags labeled #8-17. (Not that you need to know but Aden will first spend time visiting her other grandpa and my daughter’s college friends, before coming to stay with me over the Christmas holiday).
Aden arrives at my home on December 18th!! And I have her Advent Book Calendar #18-24 presents all wrapped and ready.
I love how this gift is a perfect gift from me, someone who knows and loves children’s books. Knowing she is having fun opening and reading a book a day feels perfect!
What books would you include, if making an Advent Book Calendar?