Tasha Does Tulsa.

PSST: Looking for 2012 Valentine’s Day things to do in Tulsa, Oklahoma? Snuggle up to the full list at DO WHAT? at This Land Press. Your love life will thank you.

WINNERS!//Congrats, Kristin P., Jennifer Wedemeyer and Morgan! Each of you has won a copy of Sidewords for your favorite pint-sized valentine. E-mail me with where to send your books and you’ll get them in a jiff!

Thanks to everyone for playing and sharing about your favorite childhood books. It was a trip down memory lane, for sure. And may or may not have reserved a few copies of The Babysitters Club and old Little House on the Prairie videos at the library. Heh.//

We parents already know that reading to our kids is important. But what if you could take something that’s already hugely beneficial to your children one step further, and cover your bases for a gift for Valentine’s Day at the same time?

With Sidewords, a book that was written, published and illustrated right here in Tulsa, not only can you build your kids’ reading, listening and language skills, but you can also support Tulsa’s literary scene, local art and the diversity of Tulsa’s independent, locally owned business landscape.

It’s a little something I like to call a win, win, win situation.

Author Susan Dornblaser gave me a copy of Sidewords last summer, and my son and I were hooked right away. First, we appreciated that the book was actually three smaller stories, which are perfectly bite-sized and suited for reading a little here, a little there (one of our oft-employed strategies as the parents of a two-year-old).

See? Toggling between two activities as we speak.

The stories themselves, a sort of behind-the-scenes peek into the lives of different types of animals, are whimsical and fun. The art, by Tulsa’s own Gil Adams, is gorgeous – the full-bleed illustrations are dynamic, the color is impossibly rich and the detail is, well, amusing. How many frogs do you know that wear gloves, I ask you? Or penguins that wear Hawaiian shirts? Or buffalo that wear white sunglasses?

It’s the sort of world I wouldn’t mind living in.

For those of you still looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the sweet, special, pint-sized person in your life, give Sidewords some consideration. Since Susan and Gil are dedicated to the local business scene of which they are a part, the book can be found at Steve’s Sundry, the Tulsa Zoo gift shop, and the The Lolly Garden, just to name a few.

Plus, Susan has a few copies of Sidewords she’d like to give to some luckier-than-most TDT readers. If you’d like to win one, here’s what you’ve gotta do:

Head to the comments section and tell us: What was your favorite thing to read when you were a kid?

I still get pangs of guilt when I think about how many Tiger Beat magazines I read as a kid, but I also gave myself heavy doses of The Babysitters Club and Goosebumps. To, you know, round things out. At least I read wholesome things when I was younger, right? Things like Fish Out of Water, The Little House and Uncle Shelby’s ABZ book.

And now you know why I am the way I am.

But enough about me. Let’s talk about you! I’ll let Random.org pick winners from all entries that come in before Wednesday afternoon at 4pm, and I’ll announce which of you are the lucky ducks are shortly after.

Good luck, and happy reminiscing!

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