"Classic" Children's Novels I Recommend To Patrons and Friends
All of A Kind Family
by Sydney Taylor
First in a series about 5 little girls growing up at the turn of the century on the Lower East Side of New York. I learned a lot about Jewish culture from these books, but above all they're great family stories.
Anne of Green Gables
and all other books by L.M. Montgomery
They are aimed at children, but the picture of life in turn of the century Prince Edward Island is a delight for adults!
Ballet Shoes
by Noel Streatfield
Very English and very charming.
Betsy-Tacy
First of the series, by Maud Hart Lovelace
My older daughter(10) loves these too.
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
First in the series by Hugh Lofting.
Don't settle for the movie messes made of these wonderful books!
Heidi
by Johanna Sypri
This is not that easy for a kid to read--and some may find it saccharine. But it's always enchanted me...
Little House in the Big Woods
first in the series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Another series my daughter loves as much as I do!
A Little Princess
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
There's only been one good version of this on film--a BBC mini series. If you haven't seen that one, you don't know this story!
Little Women
and all other books by Louisa May Alcott.
I read this first in 6th grade, but I didn't understand a lot of it until college..
The Moffats
by Eleanor Estes
A family you'd love to belong to.
Pinky Pye
also by Eleanor Estes
You don't have to be a cat lover to love this, and if you're not, Pinky just might convert you!
Mr Popper's Penguins
by Florence Atwater
The tone is deadpan but the humor is pure slapstick.
A well loved read aloud.
The Secret Garden
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
There have been good films of this, but nothing beats the book, especially with the delicate Tasha Tudor illustrations!
The Trumpet of the Swan
by E.B. White
I love Charlotte's Web , but kids should also meet Louis the mute swan who gains a voice and a love. And if you liked Make Way For Ducklings (another favorite of mine) you'll recognize one of the settings......
The Wind in the Willows
by Kenneth Grahame
Not a young child's book at all,but a beautifully written book about friendship, greed, self centeredness and love.
The best illustrations are by Ernest Shepherd. He was also the first (and only REAL!) illustrator of Winnie the Pooh!
Blueberries For Sal (& One Morning In Maine)
and other books by Robert McCloskey
The Nutshell Library
4 book set by Maurice Sendak
The music to go with the books is on:
Really Rosie by Carole King
Where the Wild Things Are
also by Maurice Sendak!
The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge
by Hildegarde Swift
(A beloved NY landmark!)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
and every other book by Eric Carle
Caps For Sale
by Esphyr Slobodkina
Madeline
by Ludwig Bemelmans
Beloved by little girls long before the toys or the movies!
Yes, I Read "Grownup" Books Too--When They're Worth It!
And These Are:
Silver Pigs
(1st of the Marcus Didius Falco mysteries) by Lindsey Davis
Welcome To Temptation
(and all other books) by Jennifer Crusie
Breakup
(Kate Shugak mysteries)by Dana Stabenow
And Ladies of the Club
by Helen Hooven Santmyer
The Cazalet Chronicles
(4 books) by Elizabeth Howard
Poldark
(the whole series)by Winston Graham
The Mitford Years
(series) by Jan Karon
Stranger In A Strange Land
(& just about any other book) by Robert Heinlein
Another Way to Use Pesto: Mixed Vegetable Salad
I've made this for years, based on a recipe from the Washington Post, but I have changed it in many ways.
The original recipe called for cooking the onions, adding chicken stock, and then adding the other vegetables according to cooking times. But I've found that everything tastes far better if it's cooked quickly without the stock. So I do the beans on the stove and the zucchini in the microwave. I usually use frozen corn and add it to the beans a minute or two before they're ready to be drained.
What really makes this wonderful is the topping. The recipe called for some melted butter and chopped basil, and that IS good. But recently I had a spoonful or two of pesto to use up, and I decided to experiment by mixing it into some olive oil and using it as a dressing on the salad. And it's even better!
Keep the dressing separate and this will keep very well in your fridge. It tastes good eaten hot or cold and is excellent with poultry or any simple made meat or fish. I like to make it as the side dish when we are having Turkey Meatloaf. I also like to eat it all by itself. It's that good!
VEGETABLE SALAD WITH PESTO DRESSING
1 diced sweet onion
1 lb trimmed green beans in 1" size pieces
2-3 cubed zucchini (you can use green or yellow or both)
1 cup corn (frozen corn is fine)
2 cubed tomatoes or diced cherry tomatoes (about 1/2 pint)
1T pesto
olive oil
Saute onion in 2 T of oil for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cook the beans in boiling water for 5-6 minutes. Taste for doneness. Add corn during last 2 minutes or so of cooking.
Cook the zucchini in the microwave in a covered dish. Zucchini will take 3-6 minutes for doneness, depending on the strength of your microwave.
Combine zucchini, beans, corn and onions in a large bowl. Add the diced tomatoes.
In a small dish, mix the pesto with about 1/4 c olive oil to dissolve.
Serve with the pesto dressing on the side and allow diners to add the dressing to their taste.
