My favorite moments as a mom often come when I am eavesdropping on my children. If you are friends with me on facebook, you have seen a multitude of status updates that are simply the things I have overheard in the midst of their play. This morning alone, there were snakes that had transformed into robots and penguins in polka-dotted underwear roaming the halls of our home. Their imaginations are incredible. I think that is why I love my pick for this week’s Perfect Picture Book Friday, HARRY AND HORSIE, so much. In a time when it is tempting to try and wrangle our kids into a daily routine that includes a minute-by-minute schedule, it is a great reminder to let our kids just play. The things they can do in their imaginations, even in the dark of night, are often so much greater than whatever we have planned for them.
- HARRY AND HORSIE
- Written by: Katie Van Camp Illustrated by: Lincoln Agnew
- Balzer + Bray, August 25, 2009, Fiction
- Suitable for: ages 3 and up
- Topics/Themes: Friendship, Adventure, Imagination, Outer Space
Opening/Synopsis: “It was way past bedtime, but Harry wasn’t tired. Neither was Horsie. The moon was keeping them awake. It was shining on the shelf where Harry’s brand-new Super Duper Bubble Blooper had been put away for the night.”
Harry and Horsie are best friends. They do everything together. So one night, when Horsie becomes trapped in a bubble and floats out to outer space, Harry embarks on an out-of-this-world adventure to rescue him.
Links to Resources: The official Harry and Horsie website has a seven-page, downloadable activity book that includes adorable coloring pages and two Harry and Horsie word search activities.
Why I like this book: The art, the art, the art…
I am absolutely in love with the “retro-comic style” art of Lincoln Agnew. Harry and his little pal Horsie couldn’t be drawn with more charm. The story is adventurous and outer-spacey and is my new go-to gift for the little boys in my life. Though it must be noted that my 3-year-old daughter asks me to read this to her over and over again. I think that’s because at it’s core, it is a story about friendship with universal appeal.
…and did I mention that I love the art?
**interesting side-note: Katie Van Camp worked as a nanny for David Letterman’s son, Harry, who inspired this book. Read more about that in this article.
Head on over to Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog to read other picks for Perfect Picture Book Friday.
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