She’s been able to say “Elmo” (originally more like “Ah-mo”) for quite a while, so she’ll sidle up to me if she sees the laptop is open and use the word as a question.

“Elmo?”

“No, it’s not time for Elmo.”

But lately the conversation has evolved. Now it goes something like this:

“Elmo?”

“No, it’s not time for Elmo.”

“Ernie?”

I admit, the first time she did it I had to laugh.

So now Lana can identify Elmo, Abby, Ernie, Bert, and Grover (among others). And this video, which is one of Lana’s favorites, is a large part of why.

How complicated! Yes I’m glad she can communicate, but she’s experimenting with it as much as she means it. And if she says no, even when it’s probable she means yes, she know you’re ignoring her wishes if you do otherwise than she directed, and she gets mad!

And sometimes, well, in life you can’t always get what you want. But I hate to have to do that to her.

I had no idea the implementation of a single word would be so altering. I dread complex negotiations. That stage develops in about a week, right?

I think the biggest trick to a good kids’ book, generally speaking, is in how you read it, and what you can add to the performance. This simple book gives opportunity for theatrics, because there are several places where just a certain inflection can make Lana giggle, and there are lots of cute animals on the page that she or I can point to, name, and make different animal noises.

As an added bonus, Boynton books have memorable enough rhymes that one can memorize the contents for recitation without the book. I’ve recited the text of this one on a number of occasions for a quick calming effect. What’s especially awesome is now that Lana is speaking more, she can recite parts: I’ll speak part of it, and pause for her to make the animal noises or say the last part of the rhyme. It’s a great tool to be interactive with her.

Definitely recommended.

Endora

Endora (no revealed last name) was the mother of the main character Samantha on the show Bewitched. She was the antagonist of most episodes of the show. (actress Agnes Moorehead)

Glinda

Glinda was the Good Witch of the South in the book The Wizard of Oz, though she was the Good Witch of the North in the movie version. In the book she wore white; I found the movie’s pink princess poof a rather unfortunate choice for a redhead. (actress Billie Burke)

Willow

Willow Rosenberg was part of the ensemble of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer tv series. She becomes a witch throughout the series, as well as a best friend for Buffy. (actress Alyson Hannigan)

Paige

Paige Matthews is a half-sister character brought in to the series Charmed to replace Prue when she dies. She is only a redhead in the fifth and sixth seasons of the show. (actress Rose McGowan)

Gillian

Gillian Owens is the wild-child foil to her more conservative sister in the movie Practical Magic. (Also was a book.) Good-hearted but reckless. (actress Nicole Kidman)

Jane

Jane Spofford (last name was Smart in the book) is one of three women in the movie The Witches of Eastwick. She is a music teacher who winds up seduced by a Satan character to let her hair down and play with supernatural powers. (actress Susan Sarandon)

Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel is the green-faced witch in the Looney Tunes series. She gets an honorable mention here since in the episode “Broom-stick Bunny” she accidentally drinks a beautifying potion and turns, to her horror, into a pin-up style redhead. (voiced by June Foray)