Book Crazy

Saturday the Irishman and I took advantage of National Museum Day and used a coupon for free admission to our local art museum. I'd been once with the kids from school, but I really wanted to go back with adults to look around. The Irishman was mostly well behaved. On our way out we stopped at the gift shop and saw a board book called Sunday with Seurat. The Irishman and I each found our favorite paintings in the book. We are avoiding impulse buys though so we reluctantly walked away.

I have a classroom full of books, but not many board books. The Irishman suggested we stop at Barnes and Noble on the way home, but I do not have that much self control...or money for that kind of a trip. (That and the Hogs were on TV...not that that ended the way we wanted it to!) I started thinking of the books I wanted to get for our little girl. Then I came up with the solution.

My good old friend Paperback Swap came to the rescue!

I have recently emptied several bookshelves in the house and posted the books on paperback swap. I had about 25 credits. That means I can order 25 books to be mailed to me free of charge. They are used books, but nothing a little disinfecting can't take care of. I spent hours last night "shopping" for books for the baby.

(Although a friend on Facebook pointed out that there is a fine line between what is for the baby and what is really for us!)

So far I've ordered 19 books. I called my mom (who has LOTS of credits on Paperback Swap) and begged asked for a donation of credits. The grandma-to-be wouldn't turn that down. I also put another 18 or so books on my wish list. The Irishman was a little bummed that most of his favorites are on the wish list.

So far here are the books we have coming our way:

Elmer's Colors (McKee)
I Love You, Little One (Tafuri)
Mama, Do You Love Me? (Joossee)
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (Christelow)
Christmas in the Manger (Buck)
Elmo's Christmas Colors (Allen)
Who Says Quack (Smith)
Moo Baa La La La (Boynton)
Barnyard Dance! (Boynton)
What Does Ernie Hear?
Kitten (Jumbo Animal Shaped Book)
Itsy Bitsy Spider (Trapani)
Mr. Brown Can Moo Can You? (Seuss)
Oh, David! (Shannon)
Oops! A Diaper David Book (Shannon)
Chicka Chicka ABC
Animal Kisses (Sattsberg)
On the Day You Were Born (Frasier)
Miss Mary Mack (Hoberman)

These are the books I have on my PBS wish list. As soon as they are posted they should be coming our way! Thankfully most of them do not have a long wait, so we stand a good chance of getting them soon.

Baby Faces: Sesame Beginnings (Lewison)
Baby Nose to Baby Toes (Ceelen)
Chugga-Chugga Choo Choo (Lewis)
Do You Want to be My Friend? (Carle)
Down By the Bay (Raffi)
Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z (Ehlert)
Hand, Hand, Finger, Thumb (Perkins)
Have You Seen My Cat (Carle)
In the Garden with Van Gogh (Merberg/Bober)
Mouse Paint (Walsh)
The Napping House (Wood)
Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? (Martin/Carle)
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (Martin/Carle)
Silly Sally (Wood)
Skippyjon Jones: Color Crazy (Schachner)
Skippyjon Jones: Up and Down (Schachner)
Sunday with Seurat (Merberg/Bober)
We're Going on a Bear Hunt (Rosen)

I was getting a bit carried away, so I also have a list of another 15 books that I have book marked for later. The Irishman and I both have a thing for children's literature. He was thrilled because I ordered/wished for several that I knew he would pick: Christmas books, Sesame Street/Muppet books, and Eric Carle Books. It looks like our mail carrier is going to be one busy woman! At least we will have a full book shelf/basket to show for it!