Classic Goodnight Book: Big Red Barn

My writing group was talking about classic children's books the other night, and Lisa (you can find her blog here) began to recite from the Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown.

  

Now, we know all about Margaret Wise Brown at our house - or thought we did - because I can recite Goodnight, Moon and the Runaway Bunny by heart. But it's been over a year since we had read either. How had we missed Big Red Barn? So we picked it up at the library, but it was a board book, and my 3 year-old immediately snubbed it. I checked it out anyway (I always feel guilty requesting something that has to be transferred from another branch and then not at least taking it home for a couple of days.)

Last night I insisted we give it a try. What a delight! The rhythm is pitch-perfect and each line delightfully illustrates the character of one of the farm animals pictured. The book begins with the dawning of the day - the rooster calling - and then the other farm animals are introduced and begin to play (the kids are away). Then the day fades and we witness the most of the animals slowly retiring to the barn as the bats fly off for their nightly escapades.

Without even realizing it, my voice turned down a notch and my reading slowed, and both my daughter and I were captivated by the simplicity of the words. As she folded the last page over, she said, "Can we read that again in the morning?"

And we did.