A Facebook friend asked if anyone had some early readers they were willing to donate to her daughter's school. Knowing we have a Scholastic book order coming on Monday, I figured it was a good time to do some purging of J's bookshelves.
It didn't take me long to have a stack of about 20 books. Most are too easy for him, but I admit a few I just want to disappear. I am not going to feel guilty, every parent has done it with a toy or book at one time or another. "If I have to read X one more time I might go insane" and oops it mysteriously vanishes. "Maybe it is downstairs, honey? Maybe you left it in the car?" Secretly hoping "Please, oh please, forget about it soon."
There are still a few books that he has outgrown that I just can't bring myself to part with yet. Books he hasn't read awhile, but are going to remain right where they are.
I Love You All The Time by Jessica Elin Hirschman, Jennifer Elin Cole and Bonnie Bright. It was the first book we ever bought him. We got it the night we heard his heartbeat for the first time at that very first doctor's appointment. The night we new he was real and he was doing okay. Nope, can't let it go.
Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman. He loved this book. It is far too easy for him to read, but I just look at the cover and I can hear him say "Dight-o" for Armadillo and "sashlight" as he pointed to the zookeeper's flashlight. Nope, not ready to let this one go either.
Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss. I suspected he could read Goodnight Gorilla and a few other simple books, but they were short enough that we thought he could have them memorized. But with Hop on Pop we knew for sure he was actually reading the words. At three years old! The first book he read all by himself? I don't think I am ever going to be able to let that one go.
So, it is only a few books on his shelf that I know he probably will never read. But knowing they are there gives me a nice warm fuzzy feeling when I see them sitting there. I don't have to get rid of EVERYTHING do I?
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