"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
Great Fantasy Books For Kids: #1--"Charmed Life" by Diana Wynne Jones
Okay, having slammed the new Harry Potter as too intense for your younger kids and mocked "Eragon" and its forthcoming sequel as the hunks of junk they are, don't I have anything GOOD to say about kids books?
Of course I do. So here is the first in an occasional series of wonderful fantasy books that are not only great reads, they are excellent for younger readers who really need an alternate to Harry Potter.
I'll start with a book that came out long before JK Rowling ever put pen to paper. And while (much to my horror) JK Rowling has declared she has never read ANY of the Narnia books and hasn't bothered to finish "The Lord of the Rings", you can bet all your Chocolate Frog cards that she read a couple of books by Diana Wynne Jones!
Either that, or she somehow magically absorbed her influence through some potion or another. There's just too much in the Potter books that smacks of Wynne Jones!
Diana Wynne Jones was turning out well crafted, often funny, always intelligently written fantasies long before Jo Rowling sat down in that famous cafe with her scraps of paper to pen her first book. "Charmed Life" is the first of her Chrestomanci novels and the best way to introduce a young reader to Wynne Jones' books.
"Cat" Chant and his sister Gwendolyn are orphaned and come to live with their uncle Chrestomanci and his family in their castle.
Chrestomanci is a powerful wizard, and Gwendolyn, a gifted witch, intends to have Chrestomanci teach her to use her powers.She doesn't want much--she just wants to rule the world! But Chrestomanci has no intentions of helping her, and Gwen rebels. It looks as if shy, harmless Cat will have to stand by and watch while his sister wreaks havoc. But there's more to Cat than meets the eye.......
Like all of Diana Wynne Jones' books this is is filled with humor, well drawn characters and always a little more going on than meets the eye of the casual reader! Older readers could also try "Howl's Moving Castle"--now in release as a Japanese made animated film, but of course far, far better as a book!
Another of my favorite YA books by Jones is "Year of the Griffin", about a school for magic--and magical creatures--far far different from Hogwarts. The food is lousy, the teachers incompetent, and it's up the the students to save the day!
So there's book #1 (plus 1A and 1B). Coming next:Some may call it ersatz Harry Pottery, but "Midnight For Charlie Bone" is well worth reading.............
