From shivers to shrieks: Spooky stories for Halloween

A lot of people enjoy being scared. I'm not sure why that is, but the plethora of scary movies, scary books, scary television shows — and scary vampires and zombies everywhere — confirm that to be true.

Even my grandsons like to be scared. Sort of.

Bubby and Mac like sort of scary stuff that sort of scares them a little. Especially sort of scary Halloween stuff. And sort of scary Halloween books, in particular. In fact, when I visited my grandsons in July, we went to the library one day and Bubby made a B line for the Halloween picture books. In July!

(Of course, his mom contributed to the early enjoyment of all things spooky. Megan loves Halloween picture books, too, and checked out a huge stack of sort-of-spine-tingling tales for her and the boys to enjoy. In July.)

The joy my grandboys — and their mother, my daughter — get out of Halloween books is part of the reason I was delighted to receive (free for review) several Halloween books from Candlewick Press. I'll be packing a few of them — the sort of scary ones, at least scary for wee ones — in my Grandma Bag to share with Bubby and Mac when I visit next week.

Another reason I was delighted to get the spooky stories? So I could share them with you here today.

(Don't be afraid... they're mostly just sort of scary. I promise.)

Vampire Baby by Kelly Bennett, illustrated by Paul Meisel ($15.99, Ages 4-7) Mac is going to love, love, love this one, as he's been experiencing a few bites from one of his fellow toddlers at his babysitter's. I'm thrilled there's a trailer for it, so you can get a real taste (har, har) for this treat.

Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette, illustrated by Adam Record ($15.99, ages 3-7 years) A rhythmic tale where the spooky stuff grows in number with each turn of the page.
From Candlewick: When a little ghost goes slip-sliding down the hallway, he suddenly hears... a groan! Turns out it’s only a friendly mummy, who shuffles along with the ghost, until they encounter... a monster! As the cautious explorers continue, they find a surprise at every turn — and add another adorably ghoulish friend to the count. But you’ll never guess who is the scariest creature in the house!

Filbert, the Good Little Fiend by Hiawyn Oram, illustrated by Jimmy Liao ($15.99, ages 3-7) I love this book so, because Filbert makes me think of Bubby and the angel character makes me think of Mac. I have a feeling they will agree (or fight over who's who; we'll see).
From Candlewick: Daddy and Mommy Fiend want their little Filbert to be gruesome and ghastly, but he won’t trample or terrify, roar or holler. He’d much rather help an old lady with her bags or go bird-watching. What are they to do with him? When Filbert starts school, he quickly learns that good behavior isn’t tolerated in class, and he is banished outside until he can act like a proper little fiend. Suddenly a little angel appears, flying fast and furious until... bump! Could this naughty Angel-School dropout be just the friend Filbert needs? Could they find a way together to make everyone accept them as they are?

The Music of Zombies by Vivian French, illustrated by Ross Collins ($15.99, ages 8-12) See? I told you: Zombies are everywhere. But this book seems like a must-have for preteens who enjoy sort of scary tales. I envision the entire series (this is the fifth Tale from the Five Kingdoms) being a great gift for the holidays.
From Candlewick: Prince Albion expects a unique occasion when he starts planning Cockenzie Rood Day to celebrate his kingdom—and himself. What he doesn’t expect is boppings on the head and kidnapping, all because a zombie wants to play his fiddle in the talent contest. With a misbehaving path, a romantic bat, and a greedy butler to set them on their way, Gracie Gillypot and Prince Marcus are off on their fifth adventure. It’s up to a Trueheart, a resourceful prince, and Gubble the troll to stop the zombie before he does some giant damage to the Five Kingdoms.

Feral Nights by Cynthia Leitich Smith ($17.99, ages 14 years and up) This is one I plan to read in the nights leading up to Halloween. The back-cover quote from The Horn Book calling it "A hearty meal for the thinking vampire reader" has me intrigued... and ready to be sort of scared.
From Candlewick: When sexy, free-spirited werecat Yoshi tracks his sister, Ruby, to Austin, he discovers that she is not only MIA, but also the key suspect in a murder investigation. Meanwhile, Werepossum Clyde and human Aimee have set out to do a little detective work of their own, sworn to avenge the brutal killing of werearmadillo pal Travis. When all three seekers are snared in an underground kidnapping ring, they end up on a remote island inhabited by an unusual (even by shifter standards) species and its cult of worshippers. Their hosts harbor a grim secret: staging high-profile safaris for wealthy patrons with evil pedigrees, which means that at least one newcomer to the island is about to be hunted. As both wereprey and werepredator fight to stay alive, it’s up to mild-mannered Clyde — a perennial sidekick — to summon the hero within. Can he surprise even himself?

Find out more about these books and others at Candlewick.com.

Best wishes for a splendidly spooky weekend!

Disclosure: The books above were sent to me free for review. Opinions and anecdotes are my own.

Today's question:

What is the last scary — or sort of scary — book you read?

Back-to-school books for all ages, including grandmas

I've always resisted any hoopla about "summer reads" and such, as summer has always been the time I'm least likely to read. Unless I'm sitting in a car or plane while traveling, there's far too much to do and see and enjoy outdoors during the summer, so reading gets put on hold. As far as I recall, reading was similarly shelved, for the most part, by my daughters during the summers of their childhoods.

Whether you're a summer reader or not though, once the school bells ring, it's time to return to the books — for enjoyment as well as edification. Following are a few books I recently received free for review, with something sure to entertain and enlighten readers of all ages.

FOR AGES 2 to 5

Peppa Pig and the Busy Day at School by Candlewick Press, illustrated by Ladybird ($12.99 hardcover) Many a youngster — and parent — knows and loves Peppa Pig, the Nick Jr. star. In this new adventure, Peppa hems and haws about which special talent of hers she should share during Special Talent Day at school. She and her classmates first have lessons in counting, the alphabet, painting, playing store and more, followed by Special Talent time. Lo and behold, other classmates show off the very same talents Peppa had hoped to share. What is she to do? Madame Gazelle offers guidance to the perky little pig — and readers, too.

FOR AGES 4 to 7

My Blue Is Happy by Jessica Young, illustrated by Catia Chien ($15.99 hardcover) Ever since I had a boss who painted his entire office blood red, I've been intrigued by how colors have different meanings (and feelings) for each individual. This book made my heart sing as I read about a little girl's journey of discovering what others think of some of her favorite and least favorite colors. I was especially pleased the little girl saw pink a little different than most girls, stating that to her, "pink is annoying, like an itchy bug bite." An unexpectedly delightful read with adorable illustrations.

FOR AGES 5 to 8

How Did That Get In My Lunchbox? The Story of Food by Chris Butterworth, illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti ($7.99 paperback) Sometimes the best part of the school day is lunch time. But where does all that food in one's lunchbox come from? No, not the grocery store. This book — named Book of the Year by the American Farm Bureau — educates hungry kiddos on where everything from their sandwich bread and cheese to tomatoes, carrots, apple juice, clementines and even chocolate chip cookies come from. You might want to pack a lunch before setting out to read it, for you will end up hungry.

FOR AGES 7 to 12

Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World by Elizabeth Rusch, illustrated by Oliver Dominguez ($16.99 hardcover) Nikola Tesla is a former and much beloved resident of my city. Until a year or so ago, in fact, my city boasted a Tesla Historical Museum dedicated to honoring the man who pioneered modern electrical engineering. Tesla changed not only the course of local history, though, he rivaled Thomas Edison in his contributions to lighting up our world at large. This intriguing book tells of Tesla's seemingly magical powers that lit up not only the Chicago World's Fair and New York City of yesteryear, but that impact modern inventions used today.

FOR AGES 12 AND ABOVE

Bluefish by Pat Schmatz ($6.99 paperback) Travis is 13, a difficult age for any kid. Making matters worse, he's stuck living with Grandpa in a new town where he must attend a new school. Worst of all? Travis has a secret, something that makes him consider himself a Bluefish — stupid, angry and alone. Until, that is, an unorthodox girl nicknamed Velveeta offers blunt honesty and plenty of humor that shows Travis he is so much more. Though meant for middle readers, this coming-of-age story — winner of numerous awards and honors — will resonate with anyone who was 13 years old once upon a time.

FOR GRANDMOTHERS & OTHERS

Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole ($25 hardcover) Like I said, back-to-school time is great for grownups. As the kids toil away at school during the day and on homework come evening, grandmothers and others have more uninterrupted time to dedicate to good books of their choosing. I recommend Letters from Skye next time you're choosing. I was captivated by the love story played out in letters shared across continents between a Scottish poet and a feisty American college student, beginning in 1912 and spanning decades. The trailer:

Disclosure: I received the books above free for review, though that did not influence my opinions nor my desire to share them with you.

Today's question:

What book(s) are you currently reading?

Dads rule and sea life's cool: A picture book roundup for summer reading

 

When my daughters were little, we spent many summer days perusing the shelves at the public library, gathering up stacks of stories to take home and read together. No matter their ages, picture books were always represented in the piles we happily carted away — for my enjoyment as much as for theirs.

I love picture books and love, too, sharing with you those I think you will enjoy reading with your favorite kids — or on your own, if your penchant for picture books is as strong as mine. Following are six delightful hardcover releases that recently came my way courtesy the publishers (for free, without obligation), stories that make perfect additions to summer reading lists for kids of all ages.

With Father's Day soon on the horizon, what better place to begin a reading roundup than with some top tales featuring fathers.

The Deer Watch by Pat Lowery Collins, illustrated by David Slonim (ages 3-7, Candlewick Press, $15.99). This perfect summer story tells of a young boy's eager anticipation of spotting for himself the deer he's heard so much about from his dad. Father and son traverse sand dunes, marshes, an unexpected rain (followed by puddles!) and more in search of a buck or fawn. Staying still and quiet enough to witness the wonder is hard for a small boy, but if he can manage, the payoff will be one to remember.

The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline (ages 6-10, Candlewick Press, $16.99) A young girl visits her great-grandfather and upon his urging, chooses from his shelves a cigar box filled with matchboxes for him to tell her its story. Each matchbox holds within it a keepsake from the great-grandfather's boyhood. As a child, the great-grandfather couldn't read or write, so he created a matchbox rather than written diary, filling it with baseball tickets, bottle caps, a lost tooth and more. He shares with his great-granddaughter the mementos of his journey from Italy and his early years in America and encourages her to start her own written diary.

My Dad Thinks He's Funny by Katrina Germein, illustrated by Tom Jellett (ages 5-8, Candlewick Press, $15.99). Dads say the darnedest things and this book hilariously highlights quite a few of those silly things that come out of their mouths. This one made both Jim and me chuckle. (Yes, I made him sit down and let me read it to him.) Kids will no doubt see their own dad in one or more of the utterings and especially giggle at the page in which Dad offers up words that clear the room — "before it really starts to smell."

FArTHER, written and illustrated by Graham Baker-Smith (ages 5-7, Templar Books — an imprint of Candlewick Press, $17.99) In magical artwork and heartrending prose, this book tells the story of one young boy whose dad goes off to war and never returns, leaving a life-long dream behind, unrealized. The boy takes up his father's dream — to fly on homemade wings — tweaking those left by his father. Through magnificent drawings of magical machinery, we see the dream of the boy and his father take flight.

Nighty-Night, Sleep Tight by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by David Walker (Ages 3-5, Sterling Children's Books, $9.95) Getting little ones off to dreamland can be a bit more of a challenge during summer. This rhyming bedtime story makes the transition smoother and will have even the most rambunctious kiddo cuddling up to say nighty-night to creatures all across the globe. Tigers, chimps, turtles and other stars of the animal kingdom get the goodnight greeting from the charming pink-jammie clad cutie.

Shimmer & Splash: The Sparkling World of Sea Life, written and illustrated by Jim Arnosky (ages 6-10, Sterling Children's Books, $14.95) Of all the books here, when Jim saw this oversized book, he exclaimed, "Bubby is going to love this one." And he is, as will all little naturalists who get a kick out of aquatic creatures of endless variety. The author and illustrator — a renowned naturalist — has so jam-packed this book with life-size illustrations, it took seven fold-out pages to feature it all. Personal stories of close encounters with sea creatures plus fascinating facts and descriptions of everything from fiddler crabs to blacktip sharks and manatees make this a must-have for any child (or adult) who appreciates amazing ocean dwellers and related accounts of their discovery.

Disclosure: I received free copies of these books; I share them here not because I was paid or obligated to do so (I wasn't), but because I think they're pretty darn good. I hope you do, too.

Today's question:

What books have you read (picture book or not) that feature memorable fathers, good or bad?

Picture this: Reason No.143 why I love libraries

Despite having shelves upon shelves of books of their own, the treasures Bubby and Mac brought home from the library Monday kept them content and quiet while Gramma made dinner.

Mac and Bubby engrossed in their library books — April 22, 2013

Today's question:

What did you last borrow from the library?

What I'm reading... and 8 more books waiting in line

When I worked for the newspaper — before my layoff in 2008 that led me to be a full-time freelance writer and blogger — one of my very favorite things about the job was the semi-annual book sale.

Like every other media outlet in the country, my employer, the publisher of the daily news, received literally hundreds of books each year for review. Twice a year, all those review books (and CDs, too), were lined up according to genre on table upon table in the lower recesses of the building, put up for sale to the eager readers employed by the paper. Prices were 10 percent of the listed price, and all of the proceeds went to a local charitable organization.

Newspaper reporters, editors, designers, marketers, and more are word nerds and voracious readers, no doubt. Anticipation ran high as the book sale neared, and the lines formed hours before the doors opened and associates were allowed to peruse the piles, with a limit of ten per person the first time through.

As I said, I loved the book sale, and I always bought the max limit, often returning for seconds... even thirds, if any remained. I stocked my home bookshelves with more than a dozen brand-new books each time, usually for less than the price of a couple of hardcovers. I was in book-lover heaven. My heart swelled right along with my bookshelves.

Alas, as the adage says, "So many books, so little time." Though I've not been employed by the newspaper for more than four years now, haven't attended a newspaper book sale in even longer, I still have swollen book shelves with far more books than I've had time to read. Many of the book-sale books have not been cracked open since the day I pulled them from my book bag to show my spoils to Jim upon my return home after the sale.

Those books are not the only ones on my shelf. I've had a serious book addiction, and I have the bookshelves to prove it. Even now, as my funds have dwindled (the plight of a freelancer), I still get books on a regular basis — because bloggers are one of those media outlets that get hundreds of books a year for review. I don't get hundreds, but I do get a lot.

That said, I did recently purchase a book, something I've not done often since losing my full-time job. The book was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, recommended to me by my Generation Fabulous friends. I devoured it, loved it, wished it wouldn't end. Then I passed it along to Brianna.

Next up were several books that I simply could not get into. I won't mention names, so as not to offend writers and the readers who love them. For each one, I'd try, I really would. But after several chapters, I'd find myself guiltily placing it atop the growing stack on and inside my night stand, telling myself I'll try it again another time. With so many books and so little time, I'm not one of those readers who commits to reading a book even if I'm not thrilled with it. Too many others await.

The book I'm reading now — the one that I did manage to get through several chapters and am now nearly finished with — is one I received because I'm a world-renowned blogger. Okay, forget the world-renowned part, but I did get the advance reader's edition addressed to Grandma's Briefs.

The book — The Burgess Boys by Pulitzer Prize-winning Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive Kitteridge and Amy and Isabelle (which I loved!) — publishes March 26. It's one of those quiet, deep, family dramas featuring struggling protagonists with broken hearts and plenty of flaws. You can find out more by clicking the book graphic to the right.

My goal, when finished with Ms. Strout's latest literary tale, is to get through a few of the book-sale books that still remain unread on my shelf after all these years, despite having looked quite good when I nabbed them from the sale tables.

Here are the ones I have lined up, ready and waiting:

• The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie MacDonald

• Visits from the Drowned Girl by Steven Sherrill

• No Ordinary Matter by Jenny McPhee

• A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore

• The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn by Janis Hallowell

• Dancing with Einstein by Kate Wenner

• A Mouthful of Air by Amy Koppelman

• Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel

Have you read any of those? I hope to soon, especially as those are just eight of the many books upon my shelf that are stamped inside the cover with Review Copy, designating them a book-sale find.

I'll just say I've chosen to savor my book-sale finds slowly and intentionally, to make them last rather than devouring them one after another. Telling you such a lie makes me feel far better about myself than if I were to truthfully tell you I'm simply no longer the reader I used to be. Or for me to admit that, when it came to those semi-annual book sales, I was powerless against my bibliophilic addiction, that my eyes truly were far bigger than my reading appetite, then and now.

Still... So many books, so little time.

Today's question(s):

What are you reading? And do you feel obligated to finish all books you start?

Celebrating Seuss

“You can find magic
wherever you look.
Sit back and relax,
all you need is a book.”
― Dr. Seuss

“When you think things are bad,
when you feel sour and blue,
when you start to get mad...
you should do what I do!
Just tell yourself, Duckie,
you're really quite lucky!
Some people are much more...
oh, ever so much more...
oh, muchly much-much more
unlucky than you!”
― Dr. Seuss, Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?

Tomorrow, March 2, marks what would have been Dr. Seuss' 109th birthday. Bubby's class celebrated all things Seuss this week, topped off by a day of dress-up and green eggs and ham.

Bubby posed with his teacher, whom he loves and adores, then ate (or pretended to eat) the obligatory green eggs. Bubby's not a fan of eggs in general, and I'm not so sure even the prospect of them being green — his favorite color — made him change his mind.

(Food for thought: In the photo above that Megan texted me, the eggs don't seem to me to be all that green. When my girls were little, green eggs for our annual green-eggs-and-ham breakfast — on St. Patrick's Day because that's the way we rolled — were pretty much a Technicolor affair ... and scrambled. Go figure.)

In honor of Dr. Seuss, March 2 was designated a while back by the National Education Association and Random House as the official Read Across America Day. If you're looking for celebration ideas (and printables for some special fun), head on over to Seussville.

“You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So... get on your way!”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Today's question:

Of Dr. Seuss' 46 children's books, which is your favorite?

'Grandmother Power' — 8 things I learned from Paola Gianturco

A little over a week ago, I had the privilege and honor of spending a day in Denver with Paola Gianturco, a powerhouse of a grandmother and photo journalist who has documented women's lives in five phenomenal books.

The occasion was a presentation on Paola's most recent book, Grandmother Power, in which she shares photos and stories of activist grandmothers around the world, the stories told in the words of the women themselves.

After the presentation and luncheon in Paola's honor, I had the pleasure of interviewing Paola Gianturco — pronounced Pow-LA John-TUR-co — privately for an upcoming article on Grandparents.com (and possibly other websites, too). Once those articles are published, I will pass along the links to them.

For now, though, I'd like to share with the Grandma's Briefs readers a few of the lessons I learned from Paola that day, some profound, some personal.

1. Grandmothers can — and do — change the world. We grandmas know we're a powerful force in our families, but the grandmothers who share their amazing stories in Grandmother Power make a difference far beyond the borders of their families and inspire us all to do the same. In Guatemala, grandmothers fight for human rights. In South Africa, grandmothers run afterschool programs for orphaned youngsters. In India, grandmothers learned solar engineering and brought light to their villages. Those are just a small fraction of examples, a small taste of what a difference grandmothers make across the globe.

2. Grandmother activists have different issues yet the same goal. Though grandmothers across the globe face challenges unique to their cultures, those wanting to make a change agree on one thing. "The one universal was their observation of our troubled world and the conclusion that this world just plain was not good enough for their grandchildren," Paola said.

3. My camera can do great things. Paola uses the same model DSLR camera as I do for the glorious photos that fill her books. Photos such as these from her slideshow presentation that I took with my camera that's just like her camera:

4. Grandmothers who have long upheld "bad traditions" hold the power to end such traditions. A prime example is the female genital mutilations performed in Senegal, often at the hands of the grandmothers. Once grandmothers learned how the long-time practice impacted their granddaughters to devastating degrees and often contributed to their deaths, the grandmothers joined together to become the most instrumental and successful of all who tried before to facilitate abandonment of the horrific practice.

5. I'm not heroic — and that's okay. Like the grandmothers above, what many of the grandmother activists do and accomplish floors me, makes me realize I could never manage the grand and noble things they've pulled off. I don't need to, though, Paola points out. "Don't do something that has no bearing on your life or skill set," she says. She suggests taking inventory of your skills and interests then matching that with issues you could impact locally. After perusing the organizations profiled in Paola's book, I'd say my interests and skills are in line with the Storytelling Grandmothers of Argentina who inspire children to read, which has helped literacy rates rise.

A member of the Storytelling Grandmothers shares a story — photo taken of Paola's presentation.

6. Grandmas are award-winning superheroes. Inspired by his own grandmothers, Mohammed Saeed Harib of Dubai created the Freej animated series featuring four grandmother characters. The show immediately caused a sensation in his country and became a runaway hit enjoyed by audiences of all ages. Harib told Paola, "Grandmothers are portrayed in media as somebody about to die or who's ultra sick; that's the storyline of our dramas and soap operas. I get many calls from grandmothers who appreciate that we are showcasing women reciting poetry, solving problems, talking...not showing them as people in wheelchairs about to die."

7. Step aside Lady Gaga: Grandmas can dress flashy, too. There's nothing like an electric dress to grab the attention of an audience and bring joy to all. Paola had hers made here, and it's the perfect complement to her ebullient instruction on the gratitude dance she learned from GrandMothers and GrandOthers in Barrie, Ontario:

8. All grandmothers can be activists. Grandmother activists are simply grandmas working valiantly to make the world a better place for their grandchildren. Making the world better, Paola stresses, includes teaching our grandchildren the important lessons of collaboration, generosity, patience, perseverance and resilience. If you teach such things, I think it's safe to consider yourself a grandma activist — then consider the organizations where you might enjoy taking your grandmother activism a step further.

Today's question:

Of the lessons Paola points out as important to teach our grandchildren — on collaboration, generosity, patience, perseverance, resilience — which do you find easier to teach? Which is more of a challenge?

Photo replay: Grandmother Power

Paola Gianturco and me, after her Grandmother Power presentation — Feb. 8, 2013

For information and to purchase Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon, click HERE or on the photo below.

Today's fill-in-the-blank:

A grandmother who made a difference in my life is _____________.

The Saturday Post: The greater Great Gatsby edition

First there was The Great Gatsby, the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in 1925.

Soon came the first movie version in 1929, of which no copies remain...

Then this in 1949 (here, the first 14 minutes as no trailer could be found; no need to watch the entire clip)...

Next was the unforgettable Robert Redford and Mia Farrow version in 1974...

And a forgettable—daresay, unknown—TV version in 2000, with, yes, Paul Rudd...

Now this: The ultimate Baz Luhrmann treatment, coming December 2012...

Looks like my plans for Christmas Day evening are set.

Today's question:

Which Great Gatsby have you seen? Which would you like to see?

She came in through the (bedroom) window

I write picture books. I've yet to have one published. Thanks to a particularly challenging last week or so as it relates to such things, picture books have been on my mind lately. A lot. And not just as they relate to kids.

As a mom, I had a favorite picture book I regularly read, regularly cried to, regularly gave as a baby shower gift to moms-to-be.

As a grandma, I learned the error of my ways—at least as far as giving that favorite picture book to new mothers.

The book of which I speak is Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. It's not a literary classic by any means, but it resonated with me. For those of you who don't know the story—is there really a mom who doesn't?—it's about a mom and her beloved baby boy whom she loves tirelessly throughout the years. Her son begins as an infant, and, as baby boys are wont to do, grows into a man. Through each phase of his life, his Mommy rocks him and tells him...

I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,

As long as I'm living

my baby you'll be.

In the story, Mommy grows older, too. And bolder. At one point, once her beloved boy is a man with home of his own, Mommy drives across town in the middle of the night, leans a ladder up to her son's bedroom window, and climbs the darn thing. She goes through the window into the bedroom, where she cuddles and rocks her sound-asleep man-sized boy.

Ladder-climbing Mommy continues to get older...and older and older, and eventually it's the adult boy's turn to rock his Mommy, singing basically the same song.

So sweet. To me, at least.

So creepy, though, to Megan. Megan, my daughter. Megan, mother to my grandsons. Megan, recipient of what I thought was a love-it-forever baby shower gift—a hardback copy of Love You Forever. Not long ago I learned Megan didn't find the gift sweet, that she actually hated it. Always has, she eventually admitted. Mostly because a mom climbing through the bedroom window to express her love to her grown child hits the high point on the creep-o-meter. At least for Megan.

Creepy never crossed my mind when reading and crying over Love You Forever. It just seemed a sweet tale of never-ending loyalty and love between mommy and son.

Now it seems it's yet another way I show my age.

Like so many other things related to parenting, reading and loving Love You Forever is apparently outdated, not how the current generation of parents does things. Nor how they want things. Like picture books. No, kids nowadays—meaning adult kids nowadays, parents themselves—eschew the sweet, the sentimental, opting instead, it seems, for all things practical, pragmatic.

A friend of mine who is a bit younger than I and clearly not of the sweet and sentimental sort (at least not before having kids; motherhood, though, has softened her significantly) received from me for her baby shower a couple books from the Baby Be of Use series: Baby, Mix Me a Drink and Baby Do My Banking. They were given in jest, obviously not to be taken seriously.

That was several years ago. One of the current top books for giving new parents—parents who understandably likely already or will soon want to scream the title to their kid—is Go the F**K to Sleep. Fortunately I don't currently know any moms-to-be, because though I like to give picture books as baby shower gifts, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around giving the particular popular picture book. I've considered buying a copy for myself, for the novelty of it and the chuckles it will surely elicit. (I'm not that much of an old fogey.) But when it comes to baby showers, Go the F**K to Sleep is surely not this grandma's cuppa tea. (Okay, maybe I am that much of an old fogey.)

Maybe like everything else, though, the picture book pendulum will swing back to the sweet, the sentimental. Just like what happens with parenting rules—such as recommendations for placing a sleeping baby on his back...or stomach...or side...or whatever is the current wisdom—what was once old will eventually be new again.

In the meantime, while I wait for that pendulum to swing back my way, I'll just go read Love You Forever another time or two.

And cry.

And consider the logistics of lugging a ladder to the desert for my next visit to Megan. (Mostly just to creep her out.)

Today's question:

What picture book has creeped out you, your children, or your grandchildren?