"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!

The Cast Of Characters

The Man (of the House): The love of my life. Severely addicted to books (that take up WAYYYY too much space in our house) and raw garlic. We've been married 13 years, but involved for many more. Long story....

Our Kids:
SC: Age 13. Book addicted like both her parents. Serious, but with a nice sense of humor. Well mannered in the eyes of the world, but at home,it can be another story(!)

JR: Age 8 I think of her as a Disney Princess's evil twin. All the eccentricity of both sides of the family wrapped up in a sweet little body and an adorable smile. People find her a darling. I do too, but I also find her exhausting!

The Beasts: Our 2 cats, both adopted from animal rescue. "Bart" is a big, solid black, total teddy bear of a cat. Our brown tabby queeen "Bella" is in love with The Man, though she seems to like me too!

Me: Children's librarian by day, tired keeper of all of the above by night. When I think of my life, I think of Nicole Hollander (Sylvia)'s immortal line about things that are easier than combining a family and a career. Like swimming the Amazon covered in peanut butter....

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

Oy Vey, It's Saint Patrick's Day!

« H E » LibraryLady :: email

posted Thu, 03/17/05

I am nostalgic on St Patrick's Day for the nearly entirely Irish neighborhood where I worked in the Bronx. Doubtless today most of the neighborhood is doing what they seldom do the other 364 days a year--going into Manhattan. After all today is the St Patrick's Day Parade!

Corned beef however, makes me nostalgic for my childhood. For Epstein's Deli on Jerome Avenue with the traditionally unhelpful Jewish waiters and the bowl of kosher pickles I was dumb enough to dislike as a kid. And for Kibby's, a luncheonette in the New Jersey town where my dad practiced optometry. As a teenager I'd go out to help him with office work and we'd lunch there. He'd always ask Phyllis (the elderly, nylon uniformed waitress) if the corned beef was lean that day. Usually it was, and that meant a heaping sandwich for me. Unfortunately Dad had a heart attack and was on a low fat diet. He usually settled for something healthier like tuna fish, though he always was happy to sample my corned beef!

Corned beef for me, is a quintessentially Jewish food. But since it tends to go on sale around St Patrick's Day, that is usually the time of year we eat corned beef.

Even as we speak, one is cooking in my crock pot. It's easy to do. Just add water to cover, and a chopped onion. If you want the real Jewish flavor use the spice packet usually included, and if there's no packet add 1-2 tablespoons of pickling spices.Cook for 7-8 hours and devour it.