Item #0008 – My “D” Book & My One Book (1991)

I love books, so naturally, the library is like Christmas for me. You get to take books home on any subject for FREE! If one of your kids loses a book, you can just keep renewing it (on a limited basis) until you find it in a random place like behind the toilet.

Responsible Parent Disclaimer: I always go over my kids’ library books with antibacterial wipes before they get to read them…sometimes.

The staff never hounds me for a late fee. When I tell them I would actually like to pay my fee, they are usually surprised and treat me like a super citizen. MANY libraries will even let you borrow without a limit. (This is not true at the local library we currently visit. It has been a big adjustment for us to widdle our selections down to a pitiful 20 books. How can you tell your child to put a BOOK back?!) They have audiobooks for long drives, free DVD rentals (not really big on them since we stream a lot), subscription-free magazines, activities for kids, educational classes for adults, knowledgeable staff who can help you write your resume and research your genealogy, and so much more.

With all of that, I am just disgusted amazed when I meet families who just don’t use the library proving it is the most underutilized community resource. For our family, books equal memories. When I come across Dear Mr. Henshaw, I’m transformed back to fourth grade when my teacher read it aloud while I thought it was about time to write a letter to Ann M. Martin (never did). When my four-year old Little Lawyer Hulk drops Harold and the Purple Crayon into the library bag, I reminisce about when my almost eight-year old Conspiracy Theorist was tediously getting his art creations just right when he was a toddler. When Doe Eyes the Fierce grabs Hop on Pop, it’s hard to laugh at the many times my husband got injured by her two older brothers while reading the story.

So, when I found My “d” Book and My One Book at Goodwill last week, it was a big Stop.Everything.Moment for me.

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These specific books were published in 1991 (based off of the 1984 initial printing), but the illustrations appear to be the same ones from the original Sound Box series from 1978. The simple yet explorable nature of the characters of Little “d” and Little “1” (or Little Whoever depending on the book) allow you to focus on the items they interact with throughout the reading. There have been quite a few updates to the “My First Steps to Reading/Math”/“My (Whatever Letter/Number) Book”/Sound Box series, but one name is constant: Jane Belk Moncure.

During her 35 years in early childhood education and writing, Jane Belk Moncure also wrote the Word Bird Series and The Magic Castle Series. Despite her passing in 2013, Mrs. Moncure’s legacy in childhood literature continues today with her wide array of books available in 27 countries and translated in a number of languages.

Mrs. Moncure’s 2009 Sound Box books resonate with us the most. When he was three, our Conspiracy Theorist was really obsessed with the series, to the point that he memorized which ones we already read and how long the library was out of the few we still needed to read. My very stubborn boy was receiving speech therapy at a time when not understanding him would almost always lead to a temper tantrum ANYWHERE, so these books made learning letter sounds fun outside of his regularly scheduled sit-with-my-speech-therapist-and-repeat-after-her sessions. While reading, I would offer silly responses to make him think like: “Why on earth would Little S put a shark in his sound box with seven seals? Those poor seals! Look, he just met a sailor! Stay back, sailor, Little S is going to drag you into his sound box! He’s little, but he’s strong!”

Yes, I still ask my kids questions while we read and give my own commentary (which is becoming more “unnecessary,” as my oldest would say). Yes, as soon as we come home from the library, we snuggle together and read the pile of freshly sanitized books. Yes, there’s always one book that someone doesn’t want to send down the Return chute.

Because a book is never just a book.

Are there any books that take you back?

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Status: Do you even need to ask?

Random for You:

Jane Belk Moncure died on July 27, 2013 which is exactly six years to the day of her late husband’s passing.

The My First Steps to Reading Series also includes My First Book, a child’s first read-alone book, while the Sound Box Series includes My Sound Parade which features all of the letters coming back in an alphabet parade.

It appears, no matter the remake or series, the letters X, Y, and Z had to share a book. 🙁