Charlotte Zolotow is one of the best authors of children’s books ever. She really understands the world of preschoolers and writes about them and for them with a calm, steady voice, perfect for bedtime reading , but also for daytime snuggles.

Over and Over is the story of a little girl who “didn’t understand about time.” She remembered several holidays and holiday symbols, but “they were all mixed up in her mind.” The story tells how the little girl moves through the year. Each holiday came as a special surprise of something half-remembered from the previous year. And as the story ends on the little girl’s birthday, she makes a wish that’s bound to come true over and over.

Garth WiIliams’ watercolor illustrations are warm and inviting, and this story is the same. Z-baby (age 4) is in exactly the same place as the little girl in the story, and as we read this story yesterday, Z-baby asked me if Christmas would come again like it does for the little girl. Of course, I assured her that it would–over and over.

Over and Over, first published in 1957, is a beautiful and comforting beginning-of-the-year picture book.

This year on Mondays I’m planning to review some of the books listed in my book, Picture Book Preschool. Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week.

Click on the link if you are interested in purchasing a copy of the preschool curriculum, Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early, or a set of some of the picture books listed in Picture Book Preschool,