Books again

Today's library stats:

Returned 3 books (My First Tractor Board Book, Empire of Debt, and one that I forget), checked out 2 books and a DVD for me (Slings & Arrows - third time's the charm, right?) and 3 books for El Burrito. We also found out where the tractor and farm books are in the kiddie area, so we can read more of those.

Totals: 40 items out, 2 on the waitlist, since I picked up Battle for the Labyrinth and Does this Clutter Make my Butt Look Fat? today.

We spent $5.50 at the sale, mostly for El Burrito. We got Volume 1 of On My Way With Sesame Street (the alphabet), Sailing with the Wind, Number the Stars, Tamora Pierce's Street Magic, and 2 videos that my in-laws are looking for.

We also signed up for the Summer Reading Program, since they added a section for the under-3 age group. Basically, we wrote El Burrito's name on a paper moth - the theme this year is Bugs - and got a one-page calendar and some bug stickers. We put a sticker on the calendar every day that we read, and after 30 stickers, we can go back and get a free board book. It shouldn't be hard, since I've already read three books to him today. Right now he's on a Corduroy kick, so I'll have it memorized soon, along with Hippos go Berserk and The Going-to-Bed Book. It beats having the Jay Jay the Jet Plane theme stuck in my head for another week. (It's not a bad show, but after the third morning of waking up with it bouncing around my head, I was ready for something new.)

I did finish a book this afternoon, The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood by Susan Wittig Albert. It's the third book in her Beatrix Potter Cottage Tales series. I really like these, and I may put them on my Buy in Hardback shortlist. They can take the place of the Mrs. Murphy mysteries, because those are getting too short and quick-reading to justify hardback. I think one of the things I like about the Cottage Tales, and the China Bayles series by the same author, is the feeling of community (both the group of people, and the local geography) that comes across in both series.