“I LOVE MY NEW TOY!” … Summer Virtual Book Club, featuring Mo Willems

This summer, instead of featuring a single book in the Virtual Book Club for Kids (hosted by Toddler Approved) is featuring ONE AUTHOR EACH MONTH.  This month … Mo Willems!

I wasn’t introduced to the amazing work of Mo Willems until Henry received one of his books from a relative a few years ago (Thanks, Aunt Jean!).  The book happened to be part of Mo’s “Elephant and Piggie” series.  We’ve enjoyed it ever since!

So, we decided to feature THIS … our first … Mo Willems book, “I Love My New Toy!”  If you don’t know this story, head over to YouTube and Henry will read it to you!

In the story, Piggie gets a New Toy … here’s our version of Piggie’s toy:

All we did is take one half of a green plastic Easter Egg and one half of a blue Easter Egg and SNAPped them together.  On the tops of each of the plastic egg halves I folded a black pipe cleaner and stuck it on with a piece of clear tape.  We stuck pompoms on the ends of the pipe cleaners.  Now, we too, LOVE OUR NEW TOY!

I also asked my own kids and other members of the Summer Virtual Book Club for kids, “Why are friends more fun than toys?”  Here’s what they said …

• “Because friends last forever. Toys MOSTLY don’t last forever.” -Andrew, age 7, Mommy and Me Book Club
• ‎”Cause day funny.” -Molly, age 3, (with an adorable lisp) Mommy and Me Book Club
• ‎”Because I like playing with them.” -Andrew, age 4.5, Toddler Approved
• ‎”Cause they can’t do drawing (toys that is).” J, age 2.5, Rainy Day Mum
• “Because friends you can play with as long as you want, and toys will eventually break.” (she did follow it up by saying “they do die, but not the same as toys!”) age 8, Kitchen Counter Chronicles
• “They’re not more fun … they are the same.  My friends and my toys are equally fun.” age 6, Juggling With Kids
• “Because they love me,” age 3, Juggling With Kids
• My 3 year old couldn’t think of a reason why they were. I’m not sure she really thought friends were more fun than toys especially since she hasn’t wanted to share her toys with friends lately. (CraftyMomsShare)
• “Because you can do more stuff with friends than toys.” – age 5, Mom to 2 Posh Lil’ Divas
• “No, toys are more fun than friends.  Well, they’re both fun.  Toys and friends are the best!” – age 5, Royal Baloo
• “Toys are more fun. I have more toys.  Because my Backyardians like to play with me more.” – age 4.5, The Golden Gleam
• “Because you care about friends.” -Honor, age 3, PlayDrMom
• “Toys can break.  Friends are alive and bigger … most of the time.” – Henry, age 6, PlayDrMom

I LOVE the honesty and the mix of answers.  I think some of the kids answered in a positive fashion because they had just read the book … or “knew” what answer the parent wanted.  The truth is .. it is COMPLETELY normal for a young child to like his/her toys better.  For many developmental reasons young kids are completely egotistical … toys will play the games YOU want to, let YOU win, and YOU don’t have to share.  Toys can be whatever THE CHILD wants them to be.  It makes perfect sense that some of the kids replied that they like toys better than friends.  That’s one of the reasons why “I Love My New Toy!” is such a great book to read to young kids … to get them thinking and developing positive social skills!

I can’t wait to see all the other great ideas everyone comes up with to go along with Mo Willems books.  We are planning on heading to the library and checking out all the ones we can find!  I’d hear what your favorite Mo Willems books are … and see you share any activities you have in the linky below!

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