Blankets and Shoes

A has become an avid reader these days, so we read at every given opportunity. She has developed an interesting quirk, however. We can only read books that feature blankets or shoes. If a page comes up on which a person's feet have been excluded, she bursts into tears and demands where their shoes are. If a character has no blanket to snuggle, hold, or be tucked in with, she similarly bursts into tears because they have no blankie. Then we have to run through the litany of people in her life who do in fact have both shoes and blankets (read: everyone she knows) before she calms down enough so we can continue.

I am thrilled that she is developing empathy, although her choice of things to be concerned with seem a bit odd to me. My concern is with finding a book that we can actually complete without a hysterical meltdown. So as a favor to little old me, as you read your children books, keep an eye out for a combination of characters who both wear shoes and snuggle blankets. A and I will be eternally grateful to anyone who can find a satisfactory combination.