Sometime in between my shy elementary school years, my awkward middle school years and now too-old-and-decrepit-to-do-anything-fun years, I used to be an actress. OK, I wasn’t like a great actress. But I was in a {really great} play in college, I did a few church plays and every week played a character for a skit in children’s church (Usually a boy. Why did I always have to be the boy?!). Once I even played a princess at a week long kids’ program at our church and the local news came out to film us…of course, a story about pigs took our place. But still! I was acting to a camera!
And in all that, I used to do some pretty decent accents.
Of course being from Georgia, I can do all forms of southern accents–the redneck, the genteel socialite, the hick and the southern belle. And if you didn’t know, Southern accents and British accents are connected so I can do a fair impersonation of the King’s English.
The only time my inner actress comes out is when I’m reading books to the kids. And because I finally went to the library and paid my double digit late fee, I thought I’d share with you my
FAVORITE KIDS BOOKS TO READ WITH A REALLY FANTASTIC ACCENT!
1. Sixteen Cows
We got this one at the library today and I loved it from the first sentence. You can’t help but slip into your best country western drawl with this one. The names of the sixteen cows are mooosic to my ears: Mudskipper! Sassafrass! Mazie Bell! Honeydew! Suzy Q! I practically want to read this one to myself for fun!
Come on, you get to say “Chiuahua Cheese and Crackers” and “bumblebeeto bandito”. How can you not break out a Hispanic accent with that? And my Mama June Bug Jones leans heavily into Alfre Woodard in Heart and Souls.
I think I like this one a smidge more than Skippyjon Jones. It’s about the sheriff of Dog City and his friends–Miss Kitty (a cat), Buffalo Gal (a buffalo), Wild Bill Hiccup and Wyatt Burp (twin pigs) and Billy the Kid (a goat). How much do you love that?! It is SO funny.
We read the third one, Ten-Gallon Bart Beats the Heat where Bart goes to Alaska. And oh, if I could do a good Alaskan accent it would be perfect!
This is one of the first picture books I ever bought for Lydia. And I bought it at a library for 10 cents. All the pages are half torn, the cover is coming off but I just love the story! It’s all rhyme and counts up to 12. There are only a few “voices” in it–buzzing bees, a platoon of ants and a squeaky moth. But my favorite is to let Miss Spider, a gracious tea-party loving hostess be as sugary and sweet tea as anyone from Georgia could ever be.
I just read this book to Becky‘s kindergarten class for Read Across America. She said I was the best reader of the day! And I owe it all to my pirate accents! I can’t help it–the captain Braid Beard in this book is just so fun and written so wonderfully! He says things like, “Down the hatch, me hearties!” and “Pirates don’t tuck!”. Plus “scurvy dog”. Tell me you aren’t doing an accent in your head!
This is also one of our favorite books because Staci gave it to me at Asa’s shower and all my friends and family signed it for him!
6. I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato (Charlie & Lola)
My mom gave me this book when Lydia was a baby because I WILL NEVER NOT EVER EAT A TOMATO. *shudder* Lydia loved this book more than any other. I remember on our flight to California when she was like 9 months old, I read it to her 12 times in a row and she never got tired of it. I didn’t do my British accent on the plane, of course. But at home–I’m not afraid!
7. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
OK, so Moo and Quack aren’t accents. But if I don’t do a REAL “moo” or “quack”, my kids are on me! Moo is pronounced, “Mooooooooo!” and Quack is at least a 3 syllable word. And don’t even get me started on Thump, Quack, Moo.
8. Harry Potter Audio Collection
Well, I can’t really do all the accents for the eleventybillion characters in these books. But Jim Dale can. And he does! I’ve never heard so many dialects come from one man. He’s simply amazing. If you’re into accents, he’s the best to try to imitate. Not that I ever have, of course.
9. {I’m stumped. All the kids books are upstairs. Can I get back to you on this one?}
10. Which book makes your inner actor shine?
Link up your Top Ten list and join in the Top Ten {Tuesday} fun! All you have to do is WRITE a top ten list, PASTE itΒ below, LINK back to me in your post & then start LOVIN’ on the rest of the participants with facebook likes, stumbles, comments and tweets! For better and more succinct guidelines see my Top Ten {Tuesday} page!
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Tiffany @ No Ordinary Homestead says
Wow! I actually managed to be first π
What a fun list of children’s books! We’re in the market for some new entertainment around here because we’ve read One Fish, Blue Fish for the millionth time (really starting to let our inner actors out on this one now). π
Thanks!
Staceemaree says
I love the accents, and yes, I was doing them in my head as I read your book list. I can certainly see why the kids love it when you read to them … it’s not the books … it’s you!
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Allyson @ a Heart for Home says
Oh, I loved your list. Many of those frequent our shelves often or have taken up permanent residence, but there were a few new ones that I’ll need to look into. I think our little ones would love Sixteen Cows.
My current favorite for a British accent is Dr. Suess’ There’s a Wocket in My Pocket. Well, I attempt a British accent, but only when I’m the only adult in the house π
oh amanda says
I realize how thick MY accent is when I read Dr. Seuss…there’s one about “get wet” and in the South those 2 words do NOT rhyme!
The Messy Mom says
I need to check out some of those books. They all look so great. I personally feel like I should get some kind of award for how I read Dr. Seuss’ Mr. Brown Can Moo Can You?
oh amanda says
Totally! I love that one!
Dianna says
I’m going to blame you, when my arms cannot carry any more books home from the library!
WE LOOOOVE Skippy Jon Jones … that series is hysterical!
I’m off to check out more on the list. My kids will love you!
First time participating in Top Ten Tuesdays – thanks for this great linkup!
ICStarzz says
Out of this list, lil man really likes Skippyjon Jones, these are all great books!
Bozs says
The reason why most of the mhonts are not links is because the plugin didn’t find any posts in them. Did you exclude any categories in the settings page?You can hide the empty mhonts by adding this line to your style.css theme file: .emptymonth{display:none}In resume: i want that the post of the current month will be grouped as a month link and none as a year link.I’m sorry, I don’t understand.
Herlat says
Thank you for pointing that out Josh I hadn’t aclatuly forgotten it, I just didn’t have a chance last night to change it (it’s a teeny bit more work than a five second style sheet switch). I might keep a variation of it, i.e., Bright Meadow went/supports Pink for October , I’m not sure.To be truthful, it’s the least of my worries. Nuking the pink was my main concern!
Jamie @ Six Bricks High says
What a fun list…makes me miss the days of read-alouds and library trips.
I’m joining in for the first time. Thanks for hosting!
Olivia says
You gotta love The Gruffalo!
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Jeni says
I love Love LOVE kids’ books. I think I could happily be a children’s librarian. (Wonder if my library is hiring…) It doesn’t involve accents, but we really get into it when we read “The Gruffalo,” by Julia Donaldson. It’s one of our favorite read-alouds, and reading all of the animal voices is really fun!
Leigh says
Ooo – Skippy Jon Jones is a favorite for accents around here! We just got “A Bedtime for Bear” by Bonny Becker out of the library this week, and it lends itself to a british accent… Also a fav, “Shoeshine Jackson” is written with a wild west twang, and it’s impossible for me to read it plain…
Joules says
This list rules! I have never actually thought to do accents when reading to my son. What kind of mommy am I?! I do do all the animal noise and have a real affinity for the rythym of Dr. Suess, but we have Skippyjon Jones and tonight he will sound true to his heritage, or at least as close as I can get him;)
Jania says
Glad you like it. :)a link below each month allowing the vsiotir to go back to the top where they can choose the next month or year or whatever.That’s an interesting ideea.is it possible to nofollow the links to each post in the archives?No, it’s not possible directly, but why would you want to nofollow links to your own posts?
Rachel says
I don’t really read books with accents, but with rhythms. Books like Chicka-chicka-boom-boom. It starts off slow and meandering and then I get faster and faster. Then the story slows down a little and I slow down. Most rhyming books and counting books have good rhythm. 10 Little Ladybugs & 8 Spinning Planets are two faves in that category.
Although I wll never forget that time in high school. My church had hosted a group from South Carolina and some of the members of the group stayed with my family for the weekend. In the week after they left, I read “The Monster at the End of the Book” to my little sister. When Grover started yelling, I busted out with that South Carolna accent I’d heard all weekend. (unintentional – but it worked!) Now, I can’t read that book without the accent.
oh amanda says
Oh yes, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom! The kids do that one with pats and claps, too!
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Sara @ Happy Brown House says
Oh, how I love to read Skippyjon Jones, too! When I taught kindergarten, the other teacher would always get me to come read it in their class because I had so much fun with the accents. I also taught in an inner-city school where half of my class spoke Spanish. They couldn’t understand the whole story, but they thought it was hilarious that tried speaking like them. The kids loved it!
Kelly says
I love this post! If you don’t mind, I am going to make my own top 10 accent books! LOVE IT! And, as always, thanks for hosting!
Miranda says
My daughter is still quite young and doesn’t have the patience to sit through a whole story. Right now, we sing a lot of songs but I’m sure when she’s older, I’ll get to try out all my amazing accent ;).
Have a blessed day, Amanda!
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Kristin Cherwinski says
I have always read to my kids with exagerated voices! Much more fun that any other way of doing things.
Fun list… was hoping you had recorded something for us… Click Clack Moo’s Amanda Version I would love to hear!
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Kelsey says
How fun! I’m not too dynamic when speaking in front of grown ups, but in front of kids I’ll do very silly things to make them laugh!
Betsy (Eco-novice) says
This is a wonderful post. I’m not that great with accents (except the Hispanic one, which I am VERY good at), but my kids love it when I read with lots of EMOTION. I have been reading Owl at Home to my little boy, and when I read Tear-Water Tea, I read the words in a sobby voice. If I don’t sound sad enough, my son makes me read it again and again until it’s up to his standards. He’s basically my director.
Kari says
Oh yeah! Skippyjon Jones is the best for practicing our Spanish accents! Love your list, and I love making fun voices, too. Another of our favorites is the “Hank the Cowdog” series. I talk like cowboys, and I give Drover (Hank’s particularly unintelligent sidekick) a dumb surfer’s voice. Such fun!
Pam says
I just linked up my first TTT entry. I’m excited to see everyone else’s entries! VERY excited. I had so much fun putting mine together. It took me a while to to because I posted a picture with each item. But I think that makes it even more fun.
I look forward to sitting down and seeing the other entries.
And can I just say that the picture of your little guy in the next entry about going to a new church totally made me smile from ear to ear.
Off for lunch and then gonna visit some TTT blogs. I look forward to the visitors to mine as well.
Have a good one!
Pam
Sara @ Embracing Destiny says
What a fun list! Mommies wear many hats and great acting skills at reading time is a fun part of that! ;0)
Mohammed says
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Terry Elisabeth says
I love love love that list!
I become an actor when I read “De la petite taupe qui voulait savoir qui lui avait fait sur la tΓͺte” (it’s a title!), “Les monstres de la jungle” and “Full, Full, Full of Love”. Not because of accents but because of rythms and sounds I get to make.
Emily says
I love these books, especially, “How I became a pirate.”
I use my inner actor everyday! Currently, I have a position as a “Storytime Lady.” I love it! I get to ham it and even wear costumes. Here are my favorite read-alouds
1. I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont
2. Punk Farm by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
3. Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard ( I do a mean Ms. Viola Swamp)
4. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems. (My Pigeon has a New York Accent)
5. She’ll be Coming Round the Mountain by Philemon Sturges
Love your blog!
Have a great day!
Emily
oh amanda says
Ooh, yay! I can’t wait to check those out—and oh, Pigeon w/a NY accent. I’ll have to practice…
Jodi at Tinkerella says
Wow so many comments on this one! I’m glad to know that I”m not the only crazy mama! Whew. All my accents and silly voices have really paid off for my oldest daughter, Tiff, as she now gets to do them in the Kids Lab on the Disney Dream! AND get paid for all that fun lol. She does a pirate, Lidia from the south, Fifi fondu who cooks up the cookies, and Professor Makes a Mess! Oh too fun.
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zawieszki z drutu says
I hardly write comments, however I browsed a few of the comments on this page Accents & Kids Books: Top Ten {Tuesday} | ohamanda.com. I actually do have a couple of questions for you if you do not mind. Is it only me or does it give the impression like some of the comments come across like they are left by brain dead people? π And, if you are posting at other sites, I’d like to keep up with everything fresh you have to post. Could you list of every one of all your public sites like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?
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Brittney says
Try gator gumbo and petite rouge riding hood. They both have an awesome Cajun accent.
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