Ernie and the 'doo

Today was a work day. When I got to childcare at around 10 to 6, Benji was sitting on the floor reading Spot's Birthday Party to himself. I perched myself on the teensiest chair ever and read it with him. And then we read it again - it was a true Spot experience given most of the flaps were missing.

We started off tonight with Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy. I bought it last Thursday thinking he'd like it because it is very similar to My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes which he really likes (and which I like reading even more). But by Schnitzel von Krum he'd had enough so I'll try it again in a few days' time. Then he picked Who Sank the Boat? from the pile, but quickly turned to the part where the pig climbs into the boat and started squealing "Pig butter! Pig butter!". I can't quite see the humour in pig butter... anyway, next up was Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo which we read 4 times.

Benji got Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo from Jessie for his birthday. She wrote a little inscription on the first page which I am commanded to read each time, probably because it contains the very popular words "Happy birthday".

Ernie moves to Arnhem Land because his parents are working at a hospital there. The story takes place over the course of a year and each double-page spread shows what Ernie and his new friends are doing as the seasons changes around them. The illustrations are dreamlike - lots of greens, blues, pinks and orange. The picture to the left is Benji's favourite. Tonight we paused on this page for a couple of minutes, pointing out the moon, the birds (which are bats), the house, the river, Ernie getting out of the car and his new friends sitting under the tree. My favourite illustrations are these 3 wet ones on the right below.

I was super-pleased that Benji referred to the kids under the tree as "friends" on the second read-through, as usually any person he encounters is called a boy. He also picked up the words "goanna" and "surfing" and as with previous reads was particularly excited by "Joseph does backflips off the coconut tree" as he fancies himself as a gymnast. And... ... ... look out for the special guest appearance by Santa riding in the back of a ute.

Spot's Birthday Party is by Eric Hill

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy is by Lynley Dodd

Who Sank the Boat? is by Pamela Allen

Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo is by Alison Lester.

Wow, by coincidence they're all author-illustrators tonight!