No, I did not spell that incorrectly. That is the name of the book that my nearly four year old likes the most from the library bag this week. Try reading it without stumbling over the word animal immediately afterward.

This book is a great read aloud about a little boy who goes off to have a picnic and brings back an “aminal.” He tells one kid about what he has. That child tells another, then that child tells another, and so forth until the description has totally changed. The children then go to save the boy from the “aminal” and discover what it really is.

My daughter likes the pages that show what each child imagines in his or her head after hearing the description.

ASL Sign for the Post: To sign animal, place your curved hands at the top of your chest with fingertips touching your chest and slightly wiggle them.

I just finished making a second library tote to help me get the pattern written out a little more clearly. If you have questions, feel free to ask away. The yarn I used has been discontinued, so I mentioned yardage in the pattern. I did use slightly more than four skeins for a tote if you happen to have any of this in your stash.

Library Tote

Lauraslefthook copyright 2008
You may link to this site, but do not post the entire pattern and photo elsewhere. Feel free to use this pattern to make these for yourself, family, or friends. Please do not sell the pattern. Do not sell products made from the pattern online. If you wish to share the pattern, please send the person to my blog to get it.
Materials:

Lion Brand Thick & Quick Cotton or other super bulky weight cotton (possibly two or three strands of worsted might work) —- approximately 350 yards
N hook

Gauge:

11 sc and 8 rows is 4 inches

Finished dimensions: Dimensions of the bag are: 14 x 10.5 x 6 inches, not including the handles.

Directions:
Turn at end of each row.
Bottom:
ch 36.
Row 1: Sc in second ch and each ch across. (35 sc)
Row 2-12: Ch1, sc in each sc across. (35 sc)

Front Side:
Row 13: Ch 1, sc in backloop only of each sc across. (35 sc)
Row 14-16: Ch 1, sc in each sc across. (35 sc)
Row 17: Ch 3, *skip one sc, (dc, ch1, dc) in next st, skip one sc, dc, dc *, repeat across, ending with dc in last sc.
Row 18-27: Ch 3, *(dc, ch1, dc) in ch 1 below, dc, dc, (dc, ch 1, dc)* repeat across, dc in last dc.
End off.

Back Side:
Start on opposite side of beginning chain.
Row 1: Sc across. (35 sc)
Row 2-4: Sc in each sc across. (35 sc)
Row 5: Ch 3, *skip one sc, (dc, ch1, dc) in next st, skip one sc, dc, dc *, repeat across, ending with dc in last sc.
Row 6-18: Ch 3, *(dc, ch1, dc) in ch 1 below, dc, dc, (dc, ch 1, dc)* repeat across, dc in last dc.
End off.

Sides:
Start along edge of bottom.
Row 1: 12 sc evenly spaced across bottom rows.
Row 2-4: Ch 1, sc in each across. (12 sc)
Row 5-14: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each dc across. (12 dc)
Repeat along second side.

Seams:
Sc seams together along the outside, starting at bottom.

Top edge:
Sc evenly around top edge.

Handles: Make two.
ch 7
Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and each across. (6 sc)
Row 2-24: Ch 1, sc across. (6sc)
Fold handle in half and whipstitch together. Attach handles to bag just below and behind the row of sc at top. Be sure to attach securely.

ASL Sign for the Post: To sign library, make an “L” with your thumb and pointer finger. Rotate your hand in a circle in front of you. Lifeprint explains it well.

I discovered some Lion Brand Cotton Thick and Quick yarn in my stash and decided to make something for me for once. Of course, that is not how it started. I thought I was making a tote to sell, but then I liked how it turned out too much to give it up.

I made the bottom in sc and four rows of the sides, then switched to a V stitch, 2 dc combination for the front and back, with dc on the sides. I crocheted together the seams and did a sc along the top. For the handle, I did sc and folded it over and whip stitched it together to make a double thick handle.

It holds plenty of library books so far, without digging into my hands.

I have been secretly reading a chapter book before my five year old gets finished with our current before bedtime chapter book. We picked out two from the library to choose from on Thursday and I just had to read one of them.

When I was a girl I had a copy of The Borrowers by Mary Norton that I read over and over and over again. I remember doing a diorama for a book report with a clay figure of Arrietty sitting on a spool in the midst of a bunch of items that I found around the house that had been mentioned as things that are “borrowed” in the book.

I never knew there were other books beyond the first one, so now I am making up for it with my kids. I could give the excuse that I am just reading it before I read it to my daughter, like any good parent should. But, in truth, I am reading it because I want to know what happened to Pod, Homily, and Arrietty.

I happened upon another book I had as a child while at the library. “Could Be Worse!” by James Stevenson has a grandfather whose comment to everything is, “Could be worse!” Boy, you wonder how it could be when you see what happens with the grandfather. Just check out the cover to get a taste….

My three year old daughter chose Snow by Uri Shulevitz. She enjoyed reading this book with me. She especially liked searching for and counting the snowflakes on each page. This book shows the optimism of children (and how weathermen don’t always know the weather.)

Finally, I chose a book with thoughts of February’s upcoming ASL playgroup in mind. When You Are Happy, written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Geraldo Valerio, is a lucky discovery. The poetic words paint pictures in your head, while the brilliant illustrations make you want to read the book again and again. My three year old had me read this to her several times in a row and I had no problems doing so.

What did you discover at the library this week?