"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
Enlighten the Goyim # 14: Good Yontiff!
I live down the hill from a synagogue and for the past 2 days I have had to drive a different route home in order to avoid the traffic in that areaThis is not usually the case. But this is the time of the year for the Jewish equivalent of what a dear Catholic friend's priest referred to as "Easter Eggs and Christmas Balls--the people that roll into church twice a year" to attend High Holy Day Services.
Rosh Hashanah (ROHSH hah SHAH-nuh; RUSH-uh SHAH-nuh is the Jewish New Year. You can get a full description of the holiday and its customs at http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday2.htm. It is followed by a ten day period called "The Days of Awe" and ends with Yom Kippur (YOHM ki-PAWR), the Day of Atonement. This is a sunset to sunset period of fasting, prayer and repentence for all sins of the previous year.
It irks me no end to see people who break most of the Ten Commandments the rest of the year, but attend services on these days, so they consider themselves to be good Jews. They look down upon people like my mother (a Jewish atheist) and my dad (raised Orthodox but non-observing since he married my mom 45 years ago) who don't attend such services.
Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of truly devout Jews, just as there are truly devout Christians. My mother-in-law is a fine example of someone who lives by her religion (Catholic) in the best sense of the word.
But praying twice a year and saying the words doesn't mean a thing.
My parents brought me up without religion. But I think they gave me a fairly good sense of right and wrong and ethics to live by. That, to me, is what religion SHOULD be about, and what I want to give to my daughters.
But being Jewish is not just about religion--it's my ethnic heritage. So I try to pass a little of my heritage down to my daughters through traditional foods.
At Rosh Hashanah it is customary to eat things like honey cake, or apples dipped in honey to ensure a sweet New Year. Bakers shape challah (a sweet egg bread) dough into round loaves, to represent the circle of the year, and this is dipped in honey as well.
I bake challah year round, and we always like it with honey. But at Rosh Hashanah I always bake plenty of challah rolls--some to go to school with the girls for their teachers, some to go to work to share with the staff, and some to eat at home.
It's simple to make and delicious to eat. If you'd like the recipe it's here.
Bake some, share it with your family, and have a sweet season, regardless of whether or not you're celebrating the holiday.
Gut Yontiff (Good Holiday!) and until next time, abei gezunt!
