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Favorite silly characters from children's books

August 03, 2009

Who doesn't love a good laugh and a good story with funny characters? Reading with kids is so important, and books are such a great way for kids to learn, not just to read, but to enjoy flight of imagination. All the better if the story gives us a good laugh. Laughing relaxes tense muscles, especially in the face, and releases endorphins. Although it may seem like being silly can give kids a second wind at the end of the day, it can also be a good and healthy release of the last of the daily tension and what we call "the willies" (that fun, crazy energy all kids have). Additionally, I can only offer anecdotal evidence, but I fully believe going to bed with a smile and happy heart can lead to better rest and happier dreams. So feel free to enjoy fun and silly books, even at bedtime.

We've got some favorite silly characters from funny books that I'd like to share -- and please feel free to share your own!

Those crazy letters from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Why in the world would the entire alphabet want to climb up the coconut tree? But it did -- with bets, dares, boasts and silliness. We love this book, especially after hearing the Scholastic song. So we hum and sing the great rhymes and enjoy the alphabet lessons, too, as we giggle.

That silly demanding Mouse from If You Give  Mouse a Cookie (and similarly, Moose from If You Give A Moose A Muffin, Pigfrom If You Give A Pig A Pancake, and Cat from If You Give A Cat A Cupcake.)

Laura Joffe Numeroff writes great silly books. This one is funny, but our main fun is making up our own guesses about what else that Mouse might ask for above and beyond getting a cookie. It's also become a family joke for those times when the children get demanding and are never satisfied. it would be (and is) so easy to get annoyed when we do something nice for the kids -- such as take them to a favorite restaurant with a play place -- only to be besieged by them demanding more and more. Instead we can crack a joke such as, "Are you the Cookie Mouse? The Muffin Moose? The Cupcake Cat? The Pancake Pig?" Whether reading the book or incorporating it as a reference in our lives, we always get a laugh from the silliness of any of the Numeroff characters.

Skippyjon Jones from the Skippyjon Jones series

We were first attracted by the funny cover, which shows a kitten with huge ears. it reminded us of our cat, Bubba, when he was a big-eared kitten. Then we fell in love with the crazy and adventurous Skippyjon Jones, who has a huge imagination and likes to pretend to be so many things beyond what he is. Our family can really relate. The book is upbeat with energetic illustrations -- which suit the energetic Skippyjon Jones -- and is another that stimulates good conversation, imaginination, and some foreign language (it includes some Spanish, which most kids are familiar with from Dora).

Ian Falconer's Olivia

That Olivia -- bright, independent, and always with a plan, which often stretches boundaries or breaks a rule. Sometimes loud, sometimes silly, Olivia is always fun and entertaining. My 4 year old identifies very well with Olivia, especially her penchant for dressing up. Olivia Trains her Cat is a current favorite, now that our family has acquired two new kittens.

The ensemble cast fromThe Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

If you like fairy tales but prefer something with a more modern twist, you might really like The Stinky Cheese Man And Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka (illustrated by Lane Smith). By modern twist, I mean crazy, silly, and sometimes gross -- all the very things that get kids giggling and keep them laughing. Allegedly this book is for ages 3 and up (or 4 and up, depending who you ask) but we just introduced it now, when the youngest is nearly five. it can be a little harsh in places (if you are senstive to sarcastic humor) but I admit that the one-liners entertain me, too. So it ends up being a pretty silly laugh for all. Don't be afraid to talk about it -- even if some of the humor is beyond your comfort zone, it can be a good teachable moment for you and your kids to discuss what to do when something crosses a line for you or someone else.

Not-So-Spooky Ghost Stories

July 13, 2009

Recently, our family took a trip to Wimberley, an adorable town in the hill country. We got to stay in a wonderful cabin that the kids adored, and, despite the heat, we braved the fire pit to toast marshmallows for s'mores. This is how much we love our childre: we'll slave over a hot fire in Texas summer heat to make the s'mores they'd anticipated with such excitement. As we sat around the fire, my seven year old said, "Tell us a scary story, Mom!" I glanced at the four year old, and discovered that she was nodding enthusiastically.

Should I? Yes, I should...but, how do I tell a story with just enough spook to thrill but not much as to terrify? I wondered.

Let them have some power over the story, I realized.

"Should this story have a ghost or a monster?" I asked.

"A ghost of a wailing child," the seven year old said.

"A monster. And a dragon! Maybe a dinosaur too," the four year old said, bouncing on the bench excitedly.

I began a tale of two valiant little girls going on an adventure to rescue a poor wailing child ghost who was scared of a monster in a dinosaur and dragon land. I set a creepy scene, and got the kids worried for the wailing child ghost, who was a little scary but also a fairly sympathetic character.

Let there be a problem we can find a resolution and solve, I thought. Let it be a problem that the children can understand, based on a familiar theme.

The ghost child, you see, was wailing and scared of the monster because she didn't understand it (thank you Dora). I let the children brave the ghost to tell her the monster could be a friend, and help her get past the fire-breathing dragon so she could find her ghost family and all be together again.

The children and I worked together to create creepy parts---I was surprised by how spooky even my creative children could get---and think up ways to solve the problem. In the end, the valiant little girls of the story got the wailing ghost child and monster past the fire-breathing dragon and dinosaur (neither of whom were made nice or misunderstood in the tale---because sometimes, there are creatures who are simply not that nice, and we're okay with that, because we move past them with our true friends to our loving family and friends). The poor child was happy to find her ghost family and they all howled and rattled happily. We even let them move off together to go haunt a house.

The kids were slightly spooked, but felt in charge of how much, and we all enjoyed our sunset sitting 'round the fire not-too-spooky story.

That's the key, actually: kids like to hear spooky stories because they feel dark emotions at times (anger, fear, etc.) and don't understand (thus get scared) of many things around them that seem "creepy." Scary stories help them work through these feelings, and find okay ways to deal with them, such as finding an ally or going to a parent. It's a way to experience these emotions---fear, worry, anxiety, etc.---with a safety net because it's all fiction and fantasy, and usually happening at this age with a parent or trusted adult.

Our scary story let a child find a parental-like ally (the monster) and true friends (the valiant little girls) to help pass by a huge fear (fire-breathing dragon) to get somewhere important (to her family). The child had experienced trauma (a tragic death---falling off a cliff) and separation from her family, who she now wanted to find and be reunited with.

Being separated from family, lost, and alone are pretty big fears for most kids. Expressing it in a fictional story is a good way to be afraid and flirt with that fear, all while sitting safely in a family circle. Finding a way to get past that fear and face other ones helps kids, as well. Even if it does bring fears to the surface, that's okay. Kids can handle it with a loving parent. Even if it creates a nightmare, that's okay too, because kids need to know that nightmares are a way of managing stress and worries, and you can separate fact from fiction (nightmares from reality). It's a great lesson for keeping fear in perspective.

So enjoy your summer camping creepy campfire tales at dark, even with preschoolers. It's all good.