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Well, it has been some time since I started a series on books and reading. One minor home renovation later, here, finally is part two.
Trying to narrow down our list of favorite books has proven
to be quite a challenge! I’ve been
puzzling for the last month or so over which books to include and which to
skip. In an effort to save space and
avoid being redundant, I will skip some of the more obvious classics which
nearly everyone loves (The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, The
Secret Garden, Good Night Moon etc.) and try to present some of our less well
known favorites.
Board Books
I love board books for their durability and the fact that
you can read one to your child in just a few moments. So without further ado-
·
Fifteen Animals (and just about anything else) by Sandra
Boynton. “I have a cat named Bob, and a
dog named Bob and two fish called Bob and Bob.”
Meet one little boy’s pets in this cute book. Boynton’s lively pictures and clever stories
make her books enjoyable – fun even for parents to read over and over.
·
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam
McBratney. Little Nutbrown Hare tries to
express his love for Big Nutbrown Hare.
“I love you as high as I can jump” said Little Nutbrown Hare. But Big Nutbrown Hare can jump higher. How can Little Nutbrown Hare measure his
love? This is a very sweet bedtime
story.
·
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathman. Another great bedtime story about a zookeeper
who is putting all the animals to bed.
This book has very few words, but the pictures speak volumes.
·
Hug by Jez Alborough. A little chimp is lost in the jungle, and a
pair of elephants helps out. A sweet
story, perfect for cuddle time – accompanied by lots of hugs.
Picture Books
Most children love to look at picture books. But even the most dedicated parent will admit
that some books get really old after you read them a hundred times. And so a few favorites that even I enjoy
reading and rereading and rereading and…
·
Should I Share My Ice Cream by Mo
Willems. This is not your average book
about sharing. Gerald gets an ice cream
cone, and then agonizes about whether or not to share with his best friend, Piggie. The solution to Gerald’s dilemma is anything
but expected. The other books about
Gerald and Piggie are just as enjoyable.
These books are suitable as a read –aloud for young children or as easy
books for beginning readers. Also check
out Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct, Leonardo the Terrible
Monster, and other books by Mo Willems.
·
You Can’t Move a Hippo by Michael
Catchpool and Rosalind Beardshaw. On a
hot, lazy afternoon in the jungle a sleepy hippo is lying on the bridge, and he
is in the way. The efforts of the other
animals to push, shove and bounce the hippo out of the way are quite amusing. This is a great book for story time, and the
little lesson on politeness goes over well.
·
Who is Melvin Bubble? By Nick Bruel. Meet Melvin Bubble as described by … his dad,
his mom, his teddy bear, and many others.
Fresh and funny, I really like how each person adds a new perspective on
Melvin Bubble. Boing! by the same
author is also a good read.
·
Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester,
illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. Tacky’s
friends, Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly and Perfect are model penguins. Tacky is a bit of an odd bird. From marching to diving to singing penguin
songs Tacky doesn’t quite get it. But
when hunters come with maps and traps and rocks and locks, it is up to Tacky to
save the day. Humorous, and with four or
more sequels, even I don’t get tired of reading these.
Read-Alouds
Many of the books on this list could be read and enjoyed by
older children, but some books are just meant to be read aloud. If you have ever shared a favorite story with
your child, you know that the connection goes deeper than the words on the
page. I still listen in when my husband
or one of the grandfathers reads with the kids.
Some of these books contain references to other religions,
or light use of magic which not every parent will be comfortable with. For our own family, we feel it is more
beneficial to teach them to discern right from wrong and good from evil. Books are a good, safe place to expose our
children to teachings that oppose our own, and to guide them toward the
truth. Perhaps we will discuss the use of magic in literature at more length in the future. For now, I
encourage parents to read the book before reading it to their children in order
to make their own decision.
·
Old Mother West Wind by Thornton
Burgess. A collection of animal tales,
including “Why Grandfather Frog Has No Tail”, “Reddy Fox Goes Fishing” and “Johnny
Chuck Finds the Best Thing in the World”, these are delightful stories. Although the animals are given human
qualities, each behaves true to its animal nature. The chapters are just the right length for
reading aloud – not too long, not too short.
This is a great book for younger children.
·
The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis
McGraw. Set in Ancient Egypt, the Golden
Goblet centers on Ranofer, a young boy who aspires to be a gold smith. When his father dies, Ranofer is forced to
live with his abusive half-brother, Gebu the stone cutter, and become his
apprentice. This is a beautiful story of
friendship and determination. It would
dovetail well with a study on ancient Egypt, or enjoy it for the story
itself. Be aware that as with any
authentic story, the religion of the time and place plays heavily into the
story, so you may want to discuss this with your kids.
·
The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall. Muggles is just an ordinary Minipin. She wears a green cloak, she goes about her
duties quietly, and she definitely does not paint her door vibrant colors. But one discovery in a dusty cellar will
change Muggles’ life forever. Our family
has enjoyed this book for two generations.
·
Puck of Pook’s Hill by Rudyard
Kipling. Two children perform a scene
from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in a cow pasture on Midsummer Night’s
Eve. Mischievous Puck appears, and
throughout the course of the summer introduces them to men and women who lived
on the land long before they did. What a
wonderful way to learn British history! Don’t
miss the sequel, Rewards and Fairies.
·
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne
Jones. Sophie Hatter lives a quiet,
boring life until she refuses to sell a hat to the Witch of the Waste. Turned into an old woman, and unable to tell
her secret, Sophie sets out to find a cure for her curse, and stumbles upon the
moving castle. Inhabited by an unusual
array of characters, Sophie must help them so that they can help her. Although this book does contain some magic,
it is not at all dark, and the story itself is hilariously funny.
I will leave you with those for now, and pick up again soon
with chapter books for personal reading.
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