I
hope that all your loved ones are safe from harm. This past weeks
just seem so unreal. Every time I close my eyes, I can see those
brutal images flickering with the back of my mind as the drop. Daniel
is too young to comprehend what he sees on TV. He thinks it's a movie.
I can't decide whether I should let him know, and if I do, how much details
I should go into. For some reason, I feel the need to read the familiar
fairy tales to Daniel before he goes to bed at night. They seem so,
timeless. Hans Christian Anderson, the Grimms. Some of these
stories actually do not have a happy ending, or at least an ambiguous ending,
such as the Little Mermaid and the one about the Prince and the
Pigeon. Could you recommend a collection(s) of stories by Anderson and/or
the Grimms with illustrations for little kids? Nothing Walt Disney-y,
of course. :-)
I have many to recommend, of course. But let's start with the real,
complete and uncondensed:
Anderson, Han Christain. The Complete Fairy Tales.
Wordsworth Editions, 1997. Huge trade paperback with 158 stories,
1140 pages, and black and white illustrations. F. $12
The Brothers Grimm. The Complete Fairy Tales. Wordsworth
Editions, 1997. Huge trade paperback with 210 stories, 830 pages,
and black and white illustrations. F. $12
This
generation has a new version of Richard Scarry. Not that Scarry is
replaceable or that these are necessarily better, but the immediacy and
modernity of these photographic catalogs of objects grab kids' attention
and curiosity. So of course you'll have to have both Scarry and Wilkes.
Because learning to identify objects with words is part of growing up,
and good books make the job fun. Just ask Molly. She thinks
this is a great book.
Wilkes, Angela. My First Word Book. DK Publishing, 1999. New Hardcover, $17
Hannah
likes gymnastics, ballet, and horses. She also likes a good book,
and this qualifies as a good book. Great rhymes, easy to memorize
(and recognize words), funny pictures, and a nice rollicking tune (if you
sing the book). Besides, it's silly. Isn't that what life's
all about?
Wood, Audrey. Silly Sally. Harcourt Brace, 1992. New Hardcover, $16. New board book (for babies or for the beach), $7.
Hi!
Here's Richard's three favorite books. We couldn't name just one.
Takes after Mom, I guess. Titles are followed by Richard's explanations
about why each book is really cool.
Shields, Carol Diggory. Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp. Illustrated by Scott Nash. Candlewick Press, 1997. "This one has dinos. There are stegosauruses, triceratops, and meateaters. It rhymes, too, and I have it memorized: "Word went out across the prehistoric slime. Hey dinosaurs! It's rock and roll time. Slick back your scales and get ready to romp on Saturday night at the Dinosaur Stomp!" New Hardback, $16
Carle,
Eric. The Grouchy Ladybug.
HarperCollins Publishers, 1996. "The
ladybugs eat aphids. The nice ladybug had some of those aphids to
eat and the grouchy ladybug had the rest of them to eat after she flew
all over. That's what I like about it. Mommy likes the clocks
and the pictures." New paperback,
$7. New Hardback, $17.
Stott, Carole. I Wonder Why Stars Twinkle: And Other Questions About Space (I Wonder Why Series) Kingfisher Books, April 1997. "It's good because it has the earth in it, and it explains how the earth has gravity. That keeps you down on the ground. And it tells about Jupiter and all its moons and about astronauts. It's a cool book to read." New Paperback, $8. New Hardback, $12
Saphire,
Sharon's niece, was painted as Blue, the dog, when she got her picture
taken on top of this dinosaur. She came for the weekend when we celebrated
the Larchmere Antiques Fair (balloons! books! sunshine, la la!)
and she went home with the whole series of Ann Martin's California
Diaries. They look like such fun to read: each is handwritten
like the personal diary of one of a group of friends, so when you read
the whole series, you get different perspectives of each person.
The series continues with more diaries from each of the major five characters.
Cool.
Martin, Ann M. California Diaries: Dawn. Scholastic,
1997. New paperback, $4
Martin, Ann M. California Diaries: Maggie. Scholastic,
1997. New paperback, $4
Martin, Ann M. California Diaries: Sunny. Scholastic,
1997. New paperback, $4
Martin, Ann M. California Diaries: Amalia. Scholastic,
1997. New paperback, $4
Martin, Ann M. California Diaries: Ducky. Scholastic,
1997. New paperback, $4
Flint
is expecting a baby brother in about six weeks. In preparation, he's
been gearing up big brother tactics with books about big machines (domination
theory) and nonsense verse (communication techniques). Here
are some of those books, and other selections of that ilk.
Hoban, Tana. Dig, Drill, Dump, Fill. Greenwillow,
1975. Full bleed black-and-white photographs of construction machinery;
no words.
Barton, Byron. Big Machines at Work. Little
boy styled drawings of big machines that make big noise. Currently
out of stock.
Peet, Bill. The Whingdingdilly. Houghton
Mifflin, 1970. Scamper the dog longs to be a horse, but Witch Zildy
has a better idea. Wonderful and out-of-print.
Tripp, Wallace. Granfa' Grig Had a Pig and Other Rhymes
Without Reason from Mother Goose. Little Brown, 1976.
This
is Andrew. He comes into the store often and indulges in the good
books. Richard Scarry is one of his particular favorites. Here
he is, making the most of the rugs and books at Loganberry!
Scarry, Richard. Cars and Trucks and Things That Go. Um,
Andrew bought this one.
Scarry, Richard. Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy World. Golden
Press, 1965. VG. <SOLD>
This
is Ben, the following spring. He seems to like water, doesn't he?
Mom says his current favorite toddler choices are Hickory Dickory
Dock and Other Nursury Rhymes (Ill. by Carol Jones), Babar
(the orig, first one), and Will You Be My Friend? (Eric Carle).
Ah yes, good choices, Ben, I say.
Carle, Eric. Do You Want to Be My Friend?
Putnam, 1988. Mini book, $6. New board book, $8. New
paperback, $7.
de Brunhoff, Jean. The Story of Babar. Random
House, 1933. New hardback, $14
Jones, Carol. Hickory Dickory Dock and Other Nursury Rhymes
Houghton Mifflin, 1992. Out-of-print.
Time
flies... Baby Ben's mother used to work for Dede (not just a good
salesperson, travel enthusiast, but also the best schlepper ever).
We just got a new picture of Ben, and I haven't posted this one yet!
So, here's to the passage of time. Ben's favorites at Christmas time,
as Mom reports, were Good Dog, Carl and Goodnight Moon.
Both perfect baby books. Stay tuned for Ben's favorite toddler picks!
Day, Alexandra. Good Dog, Carl. Green Tiger Press,
1984. Used hardback, missing title page. $4. New hardback,
$13. New paperback, $5.
Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Moon.
Harper & Row, 1947. New hardback, $16. New paperback, $6.
New board book, $8.
Jessica
likes adventure stories. And here's one for every adventure afficianado:
the story of thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson going to visit his divorced
father, when the pilot of the single-engine plane he's in suffers a heart
attack. Brian manages to land the plane in the Canadian wilderness,
but then what?
More than a survival story, Hatchet is a tale of tough decisions. When all is stripped down to the barest essentials, Brian discovers some stark and simple truths: Self-pity doesn't work. Despair doesn't work. And if Brian is to survive physically as well as mentally, he must discover courage.
Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. Econo-Clad, 1999. New hardback, $12. New paperback, $6
Here's
a beautiful story of a boy and his two dogs, of legend and mystery, adventure
and loyalty. What better saga to rivet the imagination of a boy?
Billy loved it, not only because the hero of this book is a boy not unlike
him with the same name. Are you ready for the adventure? Are
your dogs?
Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows. Bantam, 1961. Used paperback, $3. New paperback, $6. New hardback, $17
Miranda
is still quite fond of the Babar books, I picked up a few at the
otherwise dismal Cleveland Heights library sale. But she has acquired a
new favorite--The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. All the
snow has excited her and yesterday we built a snowman--a rather small one,
it was more work than I had remembered. She also has somehow learned who
Harry
Potter is. I don't know how, I have the books but never read them aloud
to her. She picked one up one day and said--"oohh, Harry Potter." I think
it is proof that the books are enchanted.
de Brunhoff, Jean. The Story of Babar. Random
House, 1933. New hardback, $14
de Brunhoff, Jean. The Travels of Babar.
Random House, 1934. Used hardback, worn at edges, G+ $10
de Brunhoff, Jean. Babar the King. Random
House, 1935. Used hardback, spine worn, G $10
de Brunhoff, Jean. Babar and Father Christmas.
Random House, 1934. Used hardback, worn at edges, G+ $10
de Brunhoff, Laurent. Babar's Mystery. Random
House, 1978. Used hardback, VG $12
de Brunhoff, Laurent. Babar's ABC. Random
House, 1983. Used modern hardback, VG, $10
Briggs, Raymond. The Snowman. Random
House, 1989. New hardcover, $17
and of course the Harry Potter books... I have those
too!
Flint's
mother writes me:Flint has several books he is fond of, but probably the top picks of the moment are: Suess's Mr. Brown Can MOO! Can You? (if Mom is reading to him) and Berenstain's Bears on Wheels (if Dad is reading to him).
Seuss, Dr. Mr. Brown Can Moo!
Can You? Random House Bright and Early Book, 1970.
New copy, $8. New board book, $5
Berenstain, Stan and Jan. Bears on
Wheels. Random House Bright and Early Book, 1969.
Used copy, VG, $6. New copy, $8
Suzie's
mom says that she doesn't have one particular favorite book, in part because
she has so many good books, and because Mom doesn't want to read
the same old book every night. See what Loganberry Book Club can
do to a girl? :-) But Mom did send in this tidbit:
You can list Suzie's current favorite book as Put Me in the Zoo. It's neat that it was once your favorite book, too. And Suzie has been heard to comment that "Barney can't go in the zoo either. He's too special."
Lopshire, Robert. Put Me in the Zoo. Random House, Beginner Book, 1960. Used copy, good shape, $6
Well,
we already knew that Kenneth liked Byron Barton (see the twin's pick further
down this page). But listen to this saga from his mother upon discovering
a new title by Barton:
We were having such fun, and then a package arrived from Loganberry with more Barton. We are delighted! The Three Bears is a big success, and The Little Red Hen, well, I just wish you could see Kenneth with it. One of those things that "Mom" can't explain... he goes looking for it, sorting through the stack of books. He sits quietly for a while, turning pages, always returning to one of the first spreads simply of the duck, cat, pig and red hen. Then he comes to find me, book in hand, opens it to that particular page, and we play a label-pointing game. It is fascinating how they fasten onto particular objects, and The Little Red Hen is at the top of the list. You have provided hours of enjoyment, and we all thank you.
Barton, Byron. The Little Red Hen. Harper Collins, 1993. New board book, $8.
Well,
with a name like Hannah and a book about a little girl who's mother can't
remember her little girl's name is Hannah (she keeps calling her things
like buttercup and sweet pea), how could she not like this book?
It's been a personal favorite for years...
Williams, Suzanne. Mommy Doesn't Know My Name. Illustrated by Andrew Shachat. Houghton Mifflin, 1996. New paperback, $6.
Morgan
has a Grandmother known as the "Book Lady." Here's a favorite they
both share, about a little house who begins life in the country and watches
a town grow up and turn into a city right around her. And then she's
transplanted back to the country, ah, the sweet quiet countryside....
a children's book classic.
Burton, Virginia Lee. The Little House. Houghton Mifflin, 1942. Caldecott Award Winner. Still in print! New Hardcover, $15. New paperback, $6
Molly has been a book club member practically since her birth, so she should
know plenty about what books are good. And this is her current favorite:
a brightly colored tale about Oliver Tolliver and his efforts to make his
"little old tumble-down house" into an hospitable place for Peggotty Small,
the cat, and a host of other friends. Molly has moved twice in the
past year too, so she knows well what it means to create a living environmant
and to furnish it so that it feels like home not only to yourself, but
to your family and friends who share the space.
Hoberman, Mary Ann. One of Each. Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. Little Brown, 1997. New Hardback, $16.
Aysun
spent the day at Loganberry last week (her mother was working for Dede,
and Aysun came along too). She spent most of her time playing with
Lydia, and carrying her around like a limp rag (Lydia must have been half
asleep). When I could distract her from Lydia for a while, I asked
Aysun to pick her favorite book and she said somewhat nostalgically:
I like The Little Bear because he's cute and he's funny. He goes outside - yeah, I remember this part - I like the surprise in it. That's basically it. It's one of my favorites.
Minarik, Else Homelund. The
Little Bear. Pictures by Maurice
Sendak. HarperCollins, 1957. An I Can Read Book.
An American Library Association Notable Children's Book. Used copy,
VG. $4
Minarik, Else Homelund. Father
Bear Comes Home. Pictures by Maurice
Sendak. An I Can Read Book. HarperCollins, 1959.
Used copy, VG. $4
Minarik, Else Homelund. The
Little Bear's Visit. Pictures
by Maurice Sendak. An I Can Read Book.
HarperCollins, 1961. Used copy, VG. $4
My
friend Lin says:On another note, did you ever notice how some old children's books are kind of out of date? I don't know how you feel about this. But have you read Curious George lately? A friend came to visit us this past weekend and brought some of her old books for Daniel. One of them is Curious George. She was horrified from the very beginning when the book shows the man captured Gerorge and sent him to the zoo. On their way there, George was smoking a pipe and was put in jail! When I was reading it to Daniel, I quickly changed it to, George was blowing bubbles and was sent to timeout for doing something naughty. But the "room" for his timeout was disturbingly dark, gloomy and small!
Shannon, David. No, David!
Scholastic, 1998. Caldecott Honor Book New hardcover, $15
Cuneo, Diane. Mary Louise Loses Her
Manners. Illustrated by Jack E. Davis. Doubleday,
1999. out-of-print
The
twins' favorite author/illustrator happens to be Byron Barton.
I don't know why, neither does their mother, but they fight over the Barton
books, and recognize new titles immediately. Their favorite is Zoo
Animals, but that one is out of print currently. However,
there's lots in print, including some nice board books like Planes,
Trains, and Boats. My personal favorite is
Buzz
Buzz Buzz, but the twins seem to like the board books best. Very
bright, very simple, and yet characterized drawings seem to be what makes
these books successful. Try them out on a toddler near you!
Barton, Byron. Planes.
HarperCollins, 1998. Board Book. $6.95 new.
Barton, Byron. Trains.
HarperCollins, 1998. Board Book. $6.95 new.
Sharon's
niece Alicia just celebrated her tenth birthday. We had a slumber
party in her honor, complete with pizza and ice cream cake, a walk around
the lake, musical instruments, and the Natural History Museum & Planetarium
on Dog Day. She got some books too, including Beverly Cleary's
Socks.
But the book she was most excited about was Our New Puppy,
the first book she ever learned to read. It was subsequently damaged
and taken our of circulation at her library, and has been sorely missed.
Now she owns her very own copy.
Barry Moser is a world-famous illustrator of over a hundred books (including an edition of The Bible). These books were created with his granddaughter Isabelle and feature his home life with many grandchildren and animals, with absolutely gorgeous luminous paintings..
Harper, Isabelle. Our New Puppy.
Illustrated by Barry Moser. Scholastic,
1996.
Harper, Isabelle. My Dog Rosie.
Illustrated by Barry Moser. Scholastic,
1994.
Harper, Isabelle. My Cats Nick and Nora.
Illustrated by Barry Moser.
Scholastic, 1995.
