Tell Me the Tales: Children's Classics

[Janga]

Island Girl’s initial request for a list of recommended children’s books was connected to reading aloud to her children, so I am going to start the list with some of my favorite read-aloud books, beginning with titles for the youngest and moving up to twelve or so.

Toddlers (Infants too in some cases) and Pre-Schoolers

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown was published in 1947, so for sixty years, very young children have loved the sound of the simple rhymes and found comfort in the little bunny who bids goodnight to all the things in his world. I suspect more children have memorized this book than any other. It is one of those books that become a ritual bedtime read for many.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a couple of decades younger than Goodnight Moon, but it too is a classic. Part of its popularity at our house is that Max’s naughtiness and his being sent to his room are familiar to our little ones. They love the “wild things” Max tames and the rumpus creating, but they always sigh with satisfaction when Max smells his supper and returns home “where someone loves him best of all.”

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen may be too recent a publication to qualify as a classic, but it is another book that small children and those who read to them will love. All of Yolen’s dinosaur books are popular with the grands, but this is the favorite. The illustrations are great, and our pre-schoolers love identifying the types. They are better at it than I am. Dinosaur bedtimes evidently go much more smoothly than human ones. “How does a dinosaur say good night when Papa comes in to turn off the light? Does a dinosaur slam his tail and pout? Does he throw his teddy bear all about? Does a dinosaur stomp his feet on the floor and shout: 'I want to hear one book more!'? DOES A DINOSAUR ROAR?" Well, of course not.

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, published in 1922, is another classic tale. This one has great appeal for any child with a beloved toy and/or with an imaginative streak that makes them suspect toys do become real—and for any unabashedly sentimental adult. I confess I still shed a tear when the Skin Horse says to the Velveteen Rabbit, "Real isn't how you are made. . . . It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

If I Found a Wistful Unicorn by Ann Ashford is less well-known that the other titles in this group, but I include it because I am doing the list and it is my favorite. Ashford poses a series of rhyming questions that delight the heart of the child and the child-like. Some of our favorite questions include: “If my rainbow were to turn all gray and wouldn’t shine at all today, would you paint it?”; “If my obelisk came tumbling down and fell in pieces on the ground, would you pick it up?”; If my pet turnip turned on me and bit me fiercely on the knee, would you bandage it?” The children love to shout an enthusiastic “Yes!” to all the questions, and two generations of ours have memorized it. The final line, "If any of these things you'll do, I'll never have to say to you, 'Do you love me?'" may be more than the little ones understand, but in my experience, it is always the signal for big hugs, a great way to end a story.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst has been a favorite for thirty-five years. Children and adults alike feel a kinship with Alexander from the opening lines: "I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day." My family loves this one so much that it has become a part of our vocabulary. I had breakfast last Saturday with two of the grands. The three-year-old had a ferocious frown on his face, an uncommon site. When I looked questioningly at his mother, she shook her head and whispered, “Boo’s having a very Alexander day.” I have Alexander days too. Don't you?

I will add titles for other ages as I can.

_________________
Let me walk through the fields of paper
touching with my wand
dry stems and stunted
butterflies....
~Denise Levertov, "A Walk through the Notebooks"

http://justjanga.blogspot.com/

[Luv2read]

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

When the Sky is Like Lace--pic bk

Most anything by Jan Brett--pic bks

Sign of the Beaver

Hatchet

Lily books by Kevin Henkes--pic bks

_________________
Deb

[Luv2read]

GRRR! I can't get the right things underlined...Sorry.

_________________
Deb

[Melissa_Lynn]

I highly recommend the Junie B Jones series by Barbara Park. Both boys and girls love to hear these funny stories about a kindergarten girl with lots of energy and goofy adventures. My second grade students love them and my own 6 year old boys beg me to read them at bedtime!

_________________
Melissa Lynn

[Luv2read]

I, myself, don't like Junie B. Jones. Just my opinion. I think Amber Brown books are much better.

_________________
Deb

[Em1066]

I always like Dr. Seuss when I was little. My favorites were: Horton Hears a Who!, If I Ran the Zoo, and Wacky Wednesday.

_________________
"Look at those cavemen go..."-Bowie

[santasmbslt]

'Chicken Soup with Rice' by Maurice Sednick

'The Butter Battle Book' by Dr. Suess (a classic cold war epic - brilliant)

'The Loring' by Dr. Suess

'Guess How Much I Love You' - I forget the author

'If You Give A Mouse A Cookie'
'If You Give A Pig A Pancake'
'If You Give A Moose A Muffin'

That's all I can think of off the top of my head and yet we have two bookshelves, my son's bureau drawer, my daughters' night stand filled with books. That's not counting my oldest daughter's collection of books scattered all over the house. You know, in case any of them want to read something on the fly.

Huh, I wonder where they get that from?

_________________
"Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience." - Victoria Holt

[KeiraSoleore]

Little Smudge by Lionel Le Neouanic
Hattie Gets a Haircut by Jenna Glatzer
Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird
Jamboree Day by Rhonda Gowler Greene
There's a Billy Goat in the Garden by Laurel Dee Gugler and Clare Beaton
Everything by Enid Blyton

_________________
Aspiring Writer
Medieval & Regency Historical Romances
http://keirasoleore.com
http://keirasoleore.blogspot.com

[Luv2read]

Jan Brett pic books---her illustrations are totally awesome!

BECAUSE OF ANYA---anyone heard of it?

_________________
Deb

[Janga]

Guys, I am delighted to see you adding titles to this thread. It is sorely lacking in recs.

But the thread itself--and all the other book rec threads in this forum--should be limited to recommendations. It is helpful if you provide a brief summary of the book and something about why you like it, but title and author will suffice if you are reluctant to add more. If you want to discuss the recommended books, please start a new thread here or in Books and Bulletins. These lists get pretty extensive use as references for what-to-read-next seekers, and we want to limit the lists to the recommendations.

Thanks (and please forgive me if I am coming across as Janga with the ruler). That is not my intention.

_________________
Let me walk through the fields of paper
touching with my wand
dry stems and stunted
butterflies....
~Denise Levertov, "A Walk through the Notebooks"

http://justjanga.blogspot.com/

[Loriawrites]

My nephews loved It Was a Dark and Silly Night. I picked it up while in the UK. All the stories in the book start with the book's title and several writers I love contributed stories.

[Louise]

If you are still looking for books to read to children I recommend

One Fine Day by Nanny Hobrogian, is a classic award winner using the old classic ploy of adding a phrase to each task a fox must achieve before he gets his tail back.

Pinkerton Behave, A Rose for Pinkerton, Tallyho, Pinkerton and any other book by Steven Kellogg. The three named are picture books with enough humerous story in the pictures (not playing down) to delight the younger set and engage the readers.

And if your children lean to the adventurous and romantic, you might still try The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes. The old Childcraft books have a deliciously illustrated version that I recall from my childhood.

_________________
Louise