"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
Once Upon A December, Or:A Tale of Two Recitals
JR was a "pink butterfly dancer" in "The Bad Apple"--a production put on by the kids
in the extended day program at her school.
The play was produced by a lady whom extended day hires to teach "dance and drama". She doesn't know a plie from a chasse and her drama skills are nil. Nor does she strike me as extraordinarily well educated.But she is apparently connected, so she works for them.
I have been to preschool plays. I have been to dance recitals, and I have been to SC's arts camp plays. Some of them have been great. Some of them have been pretty bad,
though the kids are always cute of course!
But "The Bad Apple" was just that. The worst "play" I have ever seen!
It was supposed to be "Snow White", so they used the Disney music--but the wrong songs in all the wrong places. There were long gaps between scenes, but instead of filling them with music THEN, they did nothing. The audience just sat there, waiting.
JR had to wear a leotard, tights and "ballet shoes" (slippers) for her role, & managed to not find the tights and shoes where they were--right in her backpack. So she wore her leotard with sweatpants. And they had a skirt, wings and headband for her.She looked really cute.
Did she NEED dance things? Did she dance?
Are you kidding? She WALKED across the stage, put some flowers in a vase & walked back.
WOW!
I should have applauded furiously, like the twitty mothers up front who were applauding everything. But I'm not one of the twitty moms up front. I'm the one sitting in the back and groaning over how bad the whole thing is....
No one danced. The 7 Dwarves (who were very cute) marched up and down the aisles to "Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It's Off to Work We Go".
Only they were coming home from work.But I guess that's being picky of me...
"Snow White"(played by Katie, who is JR's "friend") played her big scene with the poison apple while inside the cute cardboard prop house. You couldn't see her, or hear her, which probably made for a much better performance!
I am being catty here, but after the show JR got all upset. She told me that Katie had said that she looked ugly in her costume with the sweatpants on. Which she didn't--she looked cute.But then JR is a lot prettier than Katie, period.
And that's not mother love talking--even the center director referred to my girl as "Beautiful JR"! So THERE, Katie.....
I know I am being mean here, but I really resent seeing these kids being wasted doing such a bad little show, when they could have done something WONDERFUL. But the after-care people don't get it--and frankly, they're not trained enough to do anything better than they did!
In contrast was the performance we went to on Sunday--SC's dance recital.
Her teacher (and mine) was a professional dancer for many years.
She was also a preschool teacher. In other words, she has the training & the knowledge to work with kids and bring out the best in them.
And SHE used to be the one teaching dance at extended day. But she wasn't connected to the folks running the program. And she wanted to do things the way she wanted to do them. The right way. So of course, they ended her contract......
Even the 2-4 year olds were able to come out on "stage", do a turn and take a bow.
The 5-6 year olds did a dance--not perfectly, but you could see the steps and the simple choreography WORKED.
And then my girl and 3 others did a beautiful dance to "Once Upon A December"--from the animated movie "Anastasia" And though I hate the movie, I love the music.
It was beautiful. Simple, graceful, and well thought out. SC is the only girl to have danced before with Lynn, and they've only worked for 9 weeks!
But it was absolutely wonderful--and really impressed everyone.
JR will stay at extended day. She's not old enough to latchkey, and the care is good at school.
It's just not as good as it COULD be.
Come January, she too will take ballet with "Miss Lynn".
And I'm looking forward to HER first recital.............
