Down a sunny dirt road...

I have always loved to read, and have a particular fondness for children's literature. Even before I did storytelling in high school forensics, I was helping my mom for various storytelling events she put on.* I have been collecting kids books for as long as I can remember, always hoping I would pass along my love to my future children.

Though I never met a kids book I didn't like,** one of my favorite series is The Berenstain Bears. In fact, Go to the Doctor was the first book I ever learned how to read all by myself and I proudly showed off that skill to my pre-K class.*** This love has always continued, to the point that I stood in line for over an hour to get a signed book from Stan and Jan themselves when I was living in NoVa.

Imagine my excitement, when my daughter (who LOVES books of all kinds too) discovered the wonder that is The Berenstain Bears. She loves the tails on Mama, Papa, Brother and Sister just as much as I did. The only problem is that she's almost three. Almost three year olds have an amazing love of repetition. So we read the Bears at naptime and at bedtime, EVERYDAY. This has been going on for several weeks now. I hate to say it, but even I am getting a little tired of the gang deep in Bear Country.

I really don't want to discourage her reading or her choice of books, but it's getting to a point where I've even considered hiding some of the more frequent choices. (ironically, Go to the Doctor is one of her top favorites.) Maybe all I need is a few days off (which is around the corner thanks to the whole having a baby thing.); maybe I need a trip to the bookstore for a few more titles. Whatever it is, I need to change things up before my love for the books grows tired.

*Mom was a kindergarten teacher, and still works with the county. Since I was a baby, she's dressed up as "Granny" and told stories to children for different occasions. I used to accompany her as the "Story Princess."
**Except for Dr. Seuss. I HATE Dr. Seuss. It's nonsense. The pictures are not interesting. They are way too long. Though, as to not pass along my prejudices to my child, I have suffered through many a Dr. Seuss books for Abby.
***Had I ever applied to med school, you can bet that this fact would have been sung from the rooftops. It would have been in my essay and in my interviews. To this day, I think that's the main reason I thought I wanted to go to med school.