Mami Reads: One Love

I was a book buyer in my last lifetime (or maybe it was 2 lifetimes ago, I can't keep track).  It's no surprise that I am a book hoarder.  Recently, I purged and gave the local library over 9 boxes of books (and counting).  You might think I'm a good person but really, it's just to offset the fact that I checked out the Sears Baby Book in 2010 and just returned it a few weeks back.  Don't judge me, I had a lot going on when it was time to return it and for a while it was "misplaced" in my home.  This is why it's best if I just own books outright. In either case, the one thing I loved about working at Scholastic Book Fairs was living the mission to turn kids into lifelong learners and also to ensure that every child had a book in hand.  Alan Boyko used to say that we had to infect people with the reading bug.  He is certainly good at it and I think I learned to be a good transmitter of this most fantastic epidemic!

I started reading to the frog princess probably in my 6th month of pregnancy.  We would read at night and she would summersault and work on her dance routine.  She started turning pages at 4 months and to her, there's no difference between a light up toy or a board book.  They are equally as fun.

This week found me visiting my Book Fair family and one of my former co-workers told me she had a book for me. Now, the great thing about going back is that it feels like Christmas every time.  Seeing people that are as passionate as you are about books has this effect on you.  And so, whenever the frog princess and I visit, inevitably, I walk out with a bag for her as one after another, favorite books are shared.  I love them more each time because now, they are sharing this with my girl.

One of the books handed to me this week was One Love by Cedella Marley.  It is being carried in the Book Fairs African American module in the Spring.  I LOVE THIS BOOK.  First of all, who doesn't love the Marley song?  Second, I love the idea of introducing children to music early on (have you seen my baby singing Three Little Birds yet?).

Third, while I love all kinds of books, I have a special place in my heart for books that include people and children that look like my frog princess.  This book is extra special because it includes all sorts of people.  There will come a time when my child won't need to worry about the color of her skin. When no one will think anything of it.  As children, she and her friends experience that now.  Perhaps noting their differences but thinking as much of it as they think of the different clothes they wear.  I wish they could remain this way.

The book centers around the song but the story that is illustrated is about a group of people that come together to transform their neighborhood.  It brought a smile to my face as I read it.  The illustrations were soft and inviting and even if you didn't have the words to read, the images could warm your heart up all by themselves.

If your child is having a book fair in the spring I hope you look for this and other great books.  If you don't have a child that's old enough to be in school, sneak into one! Most schools advertise their fairs for the neighborhood to join in.

If you cannot wait until then and want to purchase your copy of this book right now, stop by my Amazon store and click the children's books link.

Have you found an awesome book you can't wait to share with others?