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I love reading to my girls and most of the time I love Dr. Seuss.
But the lovely Doctor wrote a particular tale that I wish we’d never brought home from the library.
It’s not his fault really. It’s a fine story. In fact, Julia would argue that it’s THE BEST story. And therein lies my problem.
Every night for the last three weeks, Julia has insisted that I read to her Bartholomew and the Oobleck
(Okay, there was one weekend in there that I was out of town, but she still insisted that her sitter read it to her.)
It is a looooooong story and does not follow the typical fun Dr. Seuss writing style. (At least it does have a good message as King Derwin ruler of the Kingdom of Didd learns the magic of the words “I’m sorry.”)
Julia has often chosen different books as favourites and we’ve had to read those over and over, but never one as long as Oobleck. I admit as I read it I often skip sentences, but she’s very clever and catches my omissions. “You missed the sentence about the silly magicians not doing a thing!”
So here’s my dilemma…
This copy of Bartholomew and the Oobleck belongs to the library and I’ve just renewed it. But Julia is BEGGING me to buy it. Do I go out and buy our own copy of the book? Or do I return it and try to entice her with other new books? What would YOU do?
And please tell me… what books have your children forced you to read over and over? Which ones drove you the most crazy?
(By the way, those links to Oobleck include my Amazon affiliate link, just in case you too want to read about Oobleck every night.)
Written by Susan – a professional Mommy Blogger and co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom.
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hannah says
My grandson loved the book, “Mrs. Piggle Wiggle”. It’s an old book (available on Amazon.com) about the creative and very clever solutions she has for solving all the basic “kid problems”. I also read it to my fourth graders when I taught school.
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Christy says
Have you made Oobleck with her? It is a colloidal substance. Kids love it!
Alexia says
Buy her the book…and the audio book to go along with it so you don’t have to read it anymore LOL
Almost Unschoolers says
I would probably return it – you can always check it out again later if she still really wants it.
My children haven’t really had a favorite like that, but I did when I was little – “Put Me In The Zoo”, my mother had to read it so often, she absolutely can’t stand the story now. You can imagine her joy then, when I produced it, on her last visit here, for her to read to my children, as it is still one of my favorites.
Yes, I think I’d return the book 🙂
Lindsey says
I so get it! I was so excited about reading to my little girl and to find that they want you to read the same books over and over is a bit of a disappointment, LOL. I would like to read a new one every night. 😉 But we love our kids, don’t we? hehe
Susie's Homemade says
Luckily, all of the books that my daughter has become addicted to were hand-me-downs from cousins:-)
Deb - Mom of 3 Girls says
Becca is still a little Dora fiend. She doesn’t watch the show very much anymore, but when it comes to books, that’s all she wants. We have many Dora books, and she takes out more from the library whenever we go (I’ve put my foot down about taking out books that we already have at home, lol). We’ve gotten so tired of reading Dora books to her that my husband refuses to read them anymore. He’ll read her anything else – except Dora, and she’s ok with that now. But she still wants me to read Dora books, and we left the library with 2 of them in her pile yesterday too. Sigh…
Carissa says
Oh I have to laugh! I am currently reading Green Eggs and Ham and Mouse’s First Halloween and for well over a year I have been reading I Love You Through and Through non-stop. We have actually went through 2 copies of each book and I can recite them from memory! For our little readers ~ they would let a rabid dog read to them if the dog could read ~ we have a rule I will read whatever they like but only once in an hour or two then we have to choose a new book. Sometimes I read 20 different books before we stop that reading session and sometimes we only read the favorites and they walk away and play and come back again later! I am just happy they appear to love to read!
Susan says
Yes, it’s amazing how much kids love to be read to! I just try to focus on that and enjoy the time.
Sophia is a huge fan of Green Eggs and Ham!
TwinHappyJen says
Haven’t read it recently, but for awhile, they were VERY stuck on “Are you my Mother?” by P.D. Eastman. On a trip to Hersheypark last summer, I even had to bring it with us and read it to them, in the middle of the amusement park, while we had lunch :-p
That one I didn’t mind reading, but they also got stuck on “Dora and the Crystal Kingdom” for awhile, too… and, it is just the most convoluted story :-p There are others, too, that I inwardly cringe when they ask me to read AGAIN (like Murray Saves Christmas :-p)… although they also ask me to read “Two Snowflakes” a lot, and I’m always happy to read that to them 😀
Oh, another one that you could try getting her interested in: Dinosaurumpus. The girls keep getting that from their school library… it’s not too bad to read, over and over again 🙂
Susan says
I loved that “Are you my Mother?” book as a child, and I also read it to my girls.
Ugh. I also am not a fan of Dora and the Crystal Kingdom.
I’ll look for that Dinosaurumpus one.
Heather says
The time is short when kids allow you to read to them. I’d buy the book and cherish the time. Write in the front cover how many times you read it, make tally marks or something. You’ll both laugh over that when she’s older.
Susan says
I love that idea! Thanks.
Liz says
I am one that would buy the book. There is some kind of passion about the book for her.
Susan says
Yes, I think I have no choice. I can’t deny such passion.
Ticia says
Cock-A-Doodle-Moo and The Very Grouchy Ladybug.
At one point I made my husband read it after having read it 10 times that day, because they don’t just want it read one time in a row, and just left the room for the bedtime story.
I’d distract her.
Susan says
Wow 10 times in one day! That is brutal.
Naomi says
Right now, Jasper is pretty obsessed with Dallas Clayton’s An Awesome Book. Oddly, I don’t mind too much because it is actually awesome and the message is great:
http://dallasclayton.com/products/
We’re also big on Mo Willems and my personal favorite is LeUyen Pham’s Big Sister, Little Sister, which you might enjoy…
Susan says
Oh my gosh Naomi, that video from Dallas Clayton is brilliant. I’m definitely going to get that book.
Naomi says
Let me know what you think! I am totally in love with it. Did you watch the other video, where he talks about his foundation and how he gives away a copy of the book for each one sold? Truly awesome.
Elizabeth says
Kaitlyn’s current favorite is Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax”, which is an interesting but very LONG story. I didn’t feel one bit guilty about downloading the iPhone app of The Lorax, which has both “read to me” and “read it myself” settings. Maybe there’s an Oobleck app?
Susan says
Ohhhhhh…. I like the sound of that iPhone app. I may have to get some of those. I love Dr. Seuss, but his stories are rather long.
Angi says
I’d get her the book. But thats coming from a mom who has two jam packed medium size bookcases filled with children’s books for our two young boys. We pick up books from our friends of the library sales (when they discard books they no longer need), from PaperBack Swap, yard sales and the occasional cheap one from Amazon.
Susan says
Yes, I believe you’re right. And you sound like me… we have tons of books.
Angel says
OH my son had a book called Under the Sea when he was young. He got to where he could literally recite it without the book being anywhere in sight. Forget trying to change up the wording or anything he KNEW it by heart. I think I would have to buy her the book, I mean offer other options from the library and see if anything else strieks her fancy but if she won’t be swayed then get her the book..
Susan says
It’s so funny when they know it word for word. Julia has started to know quite a lot of this one already… and it is looooong.
Erica Mueller says
I feel your pain! There are favorites in this house too.
Hey, you can try what I do with the rented movies Lil Man likes. I tell him we have to take them back cause other kids are waiting to see them and that we can get them again some other day. Then I pick out something new for him to watch so he doesn’t go home empty handed.
Susan says
I tried using that explanation… that’s what I always say when we return books… but it hasn’t convinced her for this one. I think I have to buy it.
passionofthemom says
LOL I remember those days well!! We used to have to read Goodnight Moon and The Very Hungry Caterpillar over and over and over again. I loved those stories, so it wasn’t too much of a stretch for me, but God help you if you suggested “a NEW book”….talk about unleashing the lions! LOL
Susan says
Oh yes, those are two classics, aren’t they? Funny thing my girls never latched on to either of those though.