George O’Connor doesn’t have a long list of children’s books, but what he does have is top-notch. Kind of kooky, offbeat and fun. I suspect O’Connor is a bit like that himself. We had originally received O’Connor’s “Uncle Bigfoot” as a gift from our super-cool friend who works at the Field Museum. Based on the fact that I was able to stomach multiple readings of it without getting whiny, I took a chance on another of this guy’s creative endeavors. Ignoring the fact that little Sally’s mother lets her tromp around by herself in the woods, Sally and the Some-Thing is, as Sally would say, “really something.” I get to make goofy noises like “blegh” and “blippity bloop,” while my girls giggle and repeat.

…..more to come

This week, we loaded up a the library with nine books. Oy. I think we overdid it because I don’t know where they all are right now (by the way, the one that’s ripped was ripped before we brought it home, I swear). So we have two winners, but I’m going to use my official Mom license and hand one the Drake Top Tot Book Award. It’s Anna Dewdney’s stab at a book about manners called Nobunny’s Perfect, and it’s hands-down the cutest one I’ve come across. We love Anna Dewdney for her Llama Llama stories, and they’re rarely available at the library, so we took the leap of faith with this non-llama choice, and it paid off.

My 4- and 2-year-old were huddled around me pointing to bunnies and chattering about them so much I could barely get through a page. The draw? The bunnies have big-time personality: They’re mad and sad and nasty and kind and apologetic, and it all shows in Dewdney’s simple and inviting illustrations. She actually includes a drawing of one bunny spitting out his carrots—and it looks exactly like my 2-year-old when she spits food out right splat in front of her at the table or anywhere she happens to be eating, really. Gotta love it. But she picked up on this bunny’s bad behavior: “He didn’t like that.” Ah-ha. Teaching moment for me. “Yes, but it’s not OK to spit food out at the table, right?” Silence. At least she was thinking about it.

My daughters and I take field trips to the Sulzer Regional library in Lincoln Square every week or so and we pick out a pile of new-to-us books—bedtime includes two each night, so we (my husband and I, mostly) crave the variety. It’s something we started doing recently because, while I love adding to our children’s library, I don’t have space to store much more! So we buy certain forever-keepers (“Where the Wild Things Are,” “The Cat in the Hat,” “Goodnight Moon”), but we’re loving our rotating selection of borrowed books just as much.

But I have a problem. I’m a historically indecisive person, and the library has so many darn books, it’s hard to sort the worthy from the “I could have written that better” books. I know a handful of children’s authors whose books we’ve loved, but one memorable read doesn’t necessarily lead to another (you know who you are, Laura Numeroff). So, I’ve embarked on a project to choose one book of the seven or eight we borrow each visit and award it with the Drake Top Tot Book Award (OK, we’re working on the name and taking suggestions). Our first time winner? “The Art Lesson” by Tomie dePaola.

Part of dePaola’s autobiographical works, the story reveals how all of his friends had certain talents, and “Tommy” loved to draw. He was psyched about having a real art teacher in school, but disappointed when she asked him to copy a picture—you see, real artists don’t copy—and tells him he has to use boring school-issued crayons instead of his cherished box of 64 from home. So Tommy works out a deal with his art teacher that if he copies the Pilgrim man and woman with the school crayons, if there’s still time, he can do his own picture with his own crayons. “And he did/And he still does.” Part of me sees my little Haley as a budding Tomie, so I sneakily picked this one on purpose. And she loved it. Especially the last page where the author/illustrator includes a drawing of Strega Nona, another of our keeper books. Haley thought that was pretty cool. At first she pointed to it hesitatingly, like she wasn’t sure about it, but after I confirmed, “Oh, that’s Strega Nona!” it became her favorite part of the book. Such a gently sweet book. It kind of has it all: heart, soul, a message, a little insider joke and, of course, fabulous art.

Tomie dePaola’s website has more about him and his work. He’s such an interesting guy, I was rather engrossed there for a little while. He even has artwork for sale.

Open, modern and eye-catchingly airy, Michigan Avenue’s Spertus Museum sheds light on Jewish history and culture

Seven hundred twenty-six pieces of triangulated glass form the three-dimensional facade of the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies. … The thoroughly modern look may seem a surprising juxtaposition for a cultural center that’s based on one of the most ancient religions in history. But, in fact, it’s the perfect complement.

Check out 8 of the city’s quirkiest sites

We’re all about Chicago’s tried-and- true tourist destinations, but sometimes you just need to take a break from the beaten path. Want to get out of the ordinary? Just get a load of these one-of-a-kind Chicago spots.

The now-shuttered legendary Prairie Avenue Bookshop: gone, but never forgotten

“He’s an architect; I had it for breakfast,” Marilyn Hasbrouck says. She’s referring to her husband, Wilbert Hasbrouck, who chuckles and nods. We’re at the Prairie Avenue Bookshop, the venerable architecture bookstore they own in the Loop, in the shade of the overhead El tracks. I’m sitting between them at the head of a giant bankers table from Scotland, circa early 20th century (designer unknown), whose ivory-colored, high-backed chairs dwarf Marilyn and me, but suit the 6-foot-plus, gray-bearded “Bill” just fine. I don’t tell him, but he reminds me a bit of a tall Colonel Sanders, in suspenders instead of a string tie.

Jane Kaczmarek talks about Milwaukee memories—and her undying love of Polish sausage.

With roles ranging from harried, wise-cracking mom Lois on “Malcolm in the Middle” to the voice of Judge Constance Harm on “The Simpsons” to her current spot as Judge Trudy Kessler on “Raising the Bar,” seven-time Emmy- and three-time Golden Globe-nominated actress Jane Kaczmarek has earned her Hollywood stripes—but at heart, she’s still a down-to-earth Polish girl from Milwaukee.

Stroll through one of Chicago’s oldest cemeteries

Whoever said you can’t take it with you has clearly never seen the final resting places of some of Chicago’s original movers and shakers. Buried among the majestic maples and elms of Graceland Cemetery in Lakeview, you’ll find plots for the Marshall Fields, the Potter Palmers, the Pullmans, the Gettys and many others whose names now grace Chicago streets and cultural and commercial institutions.

It may be below freezing out there, but downtown Chicago still offers plenty of outdoor activities for hardy souls unfazed by the January chill. One of our favorite ways to get in a winter workout is to take a spin at Millennium Park’s McCormick Tribune Ice Rink (Michigan Avenue and Washington Street, 312-742-5222), a gleaming, 16,000-square-foot facility where kids and adults alike can twirl to their hearts’ delight free of charge. Facilities include skate rental, warming lobby, restrooms and public lockers; the on-site Park Grill restaurant has a great burger, and a great view of the action. Learn about 15 more ways to beat the cold and have a blast in Chicago during the winter