The deluxe package that I order from MFW includes some of these "living books." In the back of my teacher's manual is a list of additional books organized by week of study that I can get from my local library. This is what we call "book basket." The children can look through them. They are not required to read them all. They might just read part of some or look at the pictures. They are like the icing on a cake.
Karen Andreola has much to say about living books on her website if you are interested. In our family we love the library. Now it is so much easier to find the books. I can go online, find out what books my library has, look for others not on the list, save the ones I want to a list, and then print out a list of the books I want which makes my actual trip to the library much easier.
One thing that is not easy is carrying all those books, and we check out a lot at a time, to and from my van. On the message board on MFW's website I read that some parents have bought a portable cart from Staples to make this job easier. I checked online and found they don't have a Staples in Fargo. But they did have an Office Max which also carries the cart.
The cart holds more books than the plastic crate I have been using that I got at WalMart for $5. And it is sturdier than the cardboard box I used before that. There are handholds on the side that I can use to lift into the back of the van. It is easy to fold out and back in. Daniel and I found it works good to transport grocery bags from the van to the house as well. You can fit quite a few in there at a time.
The sales people at Office Max were so helpful as well. I was looking for the cart when a salesman came up and asked if I needed help. He led the way to the spot where the carts were. He took one out of the package and showed me how it works. That is so different than a lot of other stores where I search for help only to have them tell me, "It's over there" as they point in a vague direction. Many stores need to train their employees better.
While at Office Max I remembered that I needed a box for 4 x 6 note cards. Daniel will be using English From the Roots Up this year as well as next that requires these cards and a box to store them. I had already looked at WalMart and couldn't find one there. Another sales lady showed me where I could find the boxes as well as the cards.
Hopefully the cart will hold up to all the use it will get.
