"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
What I've Been Doing Since Last I Blogged
1) Made it up to NYC with my family though it took longer than it should have thanks to the usual mess at the George Washington Bridge.
(And it would have taken a lot longer if the Man had been driving. But he wasn't, ho-ho-ho..................)
2)Left the kids with my parents and gone out with the Man for a fabulous Italian dinner at the restaurant where we got married, twelve years ago come next January.
They did the same for us last year. One of the best Christmas presents ever. Yum, yum, yum, yum, YUM!
3) Gone with my parents, the Man and the kids to Brooklyn to my brother's plush townhouse for a Christmas Eve lunch and gift exchange.
4) Driven the Man down to his parents in Manhattan so he can attend Midnight Mass with the family. I'll go down with the girls tomorrow.
5) Made JR take a bath and hair wash that she didn't want because she doesn't like my parents' tub--and it IS harder to use their tub, because they don't have a wonderful removable showerhead like we do at our house!
6) Dealt with a NASTY little splinter in SC's foot. Much histrionics, soakings and <bleh> poking with a sterilized needle before the durn thing came out.
I hate, hate, HATE hurting my kids.! And naturally it happened when the Man wasn't here--he's much more deft at such things than I am!!!!
7)Enjoyed some of the best latkes my mom has made in years. Or maybe it's just that hers are MUCH better than mine...
8) Gotten the girls to bed, filled the stockings and wrapped whatever presents still needed to be wrapped.
9) Discovered I CAN get a wireless connection here at my folks--it works in the kitchen, so I can blog tonight .
10) Concocted a cheesecake to take to my in-laws tomorrow, which is now baking (at 1 AM) which is why I am up and blogging now.
Soon it will be done and I will be off to bed. And I KNOW I am going to be sleeping well tonight. Even on my parents awful sofabed. Even if <sniffle> the Man isn't here.
I'd better. It's Christmas tomorrow................................................................
