Comfort Reading

Today, Kate recommends a book that teaches kids about the value of family and pitching in:

Books for children come in all different styles -- silly, scary, spooky, fantastical, challenging -- just as children need a variety of types books to help their minds and imaginations blossom. In picking out books for my young daughter, however, I find that I gravitate to those that are, whatever their genre, fundamentally comforting, both in word and image. Not sappy and not rote, but gentle and kind and with a message that the world can be a good and peaceful place. One of our favorite new books of this type is Our Corner Grocery Store by Joanne Schwartz and Laura Beingessner (who have each written other cool books for kids).
Our Corner Grocery Store tells the story of a day in the life of an idealized neighborhood market through the eyes of a young girl who is fortunate to be the granddaughter of the owners and also their Saturday helper. Anna Maria assists her grandfather with stacking the fruits and veggies and her grandmother with parceling out candy to the local kids. She enjoys her grandfather's fresh meats, and watches her grandmother prepare stuffed mushrooms for dinner in the upstairs kitchen. And most of all, she lives in a world of love and care, where children are treasured and diversity is valued and the best summer afternoon ends with a freezie-pop. Our Corner Grocery Store is a sweet story that teaches kids about family and about pitching in and about community, and it's a lovely way to end any bedtime story-reading.