"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
Men Don't Listen (Part 1,000,000,000,000 or so, but I may have lost count)
Live From Lancaster, PA, a tale worthy of the guys on Car Talk!
We've needed a roof rack for our wonderful Toyota Matrix for some time. Unfortunately, there is no factory option.
So, despite our mechanic's dislike for aftermarket features, and the Man's unfailing pessimism about such things, I set off to get us a rack.
Found one on line. Our mechanic insisted that it was only for skis and the like. He read the directions in Spanish as well as English and swore it said it could only hold 75 lbs or so.
I re-read the directions (though alas, in English only). I also called the company (Thule) and they were most helpful. Yes, it would fit.
So I ordered the rack and it arrived last Tuesday or so. Since we were leaving on our road trip today (Weds), over the weekend, I suggested to the Man, that he unpack it and see how it worked.
Did he? Oh, Gentle Reader, you know the answer!!!!
In his defense, I was out working on Saturday and running errands a good part of Sunday while he was wrangling our girls and SC's friend. But he could've have said something, and I'd have dropped things to take care of the girls.....
So yesterday (Tuesday) he calls me from work, really upset. Seems he'd taken the rack out to work, was trying to install it on his lunch hour, and was SURE our soft luggage carrier wouldn't fit with the rack's set up.
I looked on the web, saw that it said it would work with a soft carrier, and came home with the information.
I dialed the phone for Thule and gave it to him.
After chatting with the technician, he learned, YES, the recommended bags would fit, and how the set-up worked.
He got the bag this morning. This afternoon, he set it up. At first, he thought it would never fit--the bars of the rack were too close together. But I suggested he try moving them further apart (not recommended by the company for skis, but pictures DID show the back in such a position). And it worked.
It's great in fact--no added noise from its being on the roof. It's waterproof, and now that we don't have cords hooked into our car's doors, water doesn't leak on us either!
We loaded the bag, loaded the rest of our gear, put the girls in the car and are off on our road trip. In fact, the girls are (hopefully)now sleeping upstairs in the hotel as I write this.
Moral of the story?
Men don't listen to women. They should. But they never do.....................................
