Tuesday, December 27, 2011

'Tis the Season... for Colds and Flu

As I am stuck home with a sick child, I realized there's nothing like a book about someone else who is sick to make you feel like you are not alone.  My favorite is The Sniffles for Bear by Bonny Becker, one in a series of Bear books (I talk about another one in the series here).  Bear, suffering from what must be the worst cold in the history of colds, does not appreciate his friend Mouse's cheerful attitude and lack of sympathy.  At the end, Bear recovers and Mouse, having caught the cold, takes to his bed.  When Bear tells him he's sorry he's sick, Mouse replies that just that made him feel better.  Sometimes sympathy goes a lot further than hot tea and honey! 














There are many other books in which the caretaker becomes the one in need of care.  In Old Bear and His Cub by Olivier Dunrea (of Gossie and Friends fame) and Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama Home with Mama, the child ends up taking care of the sick parent while in a Frog and Toad book (I can't remember which one!), just like in The Sniffles for Bear, the caretaker gets sick from his charge.  That should sound familiar to any parent who's ever caught a bug from his or her child. 

Those are books about being sick.  As for books we read (and activities we did) while my daughter actually was sick, in an attempt to ward off cabin fever, they include finishing three chapter books we were in the middle of (Little House on the Prairie, The Cats in the Doll ShopGoing, Going, Gone! with the Pain and the Great One), reading tons of picture books, reading 6 books online on Raz-kids.com, playing Mastermind, Memory and Shut the Box, making beaded snowflakes, doing other art prjects and watching plenty of TV.  Unfortunately, we still had cabin fever!

What is your favorite book about being sick?  What is your favorite book to read when you or your child is sick?  What are your favorite sick day activities?

5 comments:

  1. I just read The Sniffles for Bear by Bonny Becker (I'm a huge fan of A Vistor for Bear) and The Sniffles did not disappoint. So cute, especially as bear is very dramatic.

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  2. A Sick Day for Amos McGee! I would love to have such nice friends come visit me when I am sick. I also love Frog and Toad books but do not remember the name of the story where Toad I bet is sick.

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  3. How could I have forgotten A Sick Day for Amos McGee?!? Perfect!

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  4. Hi! I was intrigued by this post of yours - I was actually reminded of this flipside picture book that I own: on one side the title is What Mommies Do Best and the flipside part (I don't know if that's how you should call it really) is What Daddies Do Best - it's by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger - have you heard of this one yet? While not entirely about being sick, there are sections which also look into how daddies and mommies take care of you when you're sick. It's quite a fun and ingenious book. :)

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  5. My kids have a book which isn't really about being ill, but rather a greedy whale who eats so much that he then ends up vomiting it all out. It can be a great read aloud (as long as you're feeling healthy!) as you can go overboard with making disgusting noises (I've read this in school and the boys in particular loved it). But I don't like the book enough to be able to remember it's title and it's in their room at the mo where they are still sleeping.... so I will have to return later when I can check what it's called!

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