"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
Mrs White, Come Home!
"Mrs White" is my car-- the white Mazda Protege that used to be the Man's car before we got "Cosmo", our blue Matrix.
JR named my car. She is the sort of kid who does things like that. "Cosmo" got his name because Toyota refers to his skin color as "Cosmic Blue" and because my girls watch wayyyy to much "Fairly Odd Parents".....
A week and a half ago, I took Mrs White to our mechanic because she was due for inspection, including an emissions test.
Mrs White's check engine light has been on for over a year and a half. After failing to find anything wrong with her, my mechanic had told me to ignore the light--the car was fine. But that was before the fair Commonwealth in which we live instituted a new computer system to run the emissions tests. It refuses to pass the car if the "check engine " light is on.
We knew there was a minor problem that needed attending to, and my mechanic fixed it. But the light wouldn't stay off and the car couldn't pass the test. Meanwhile they'd also discovered another problem and couldn't get to it that day, which was Friday. So the car had to wait until the following Wednesday.
Wednesday was the last day of the month and my registration stickers were expiring. They did the work, but Mrs White STILL couldn't pass the test.
This went on until last Friday. My mechanic didn 't want to drive the car on the street because of the expired tags. The computer kept bringing up more problems. Finally, Friday, my mechanic told me he'd have to keep it for the weekend. He also said not to call--that he'd let me know when he'd resolved the problem--and he would.
So I've been driving a rental car the last few days. This would be okay but the damn thing has the weirdest gear shift I've ever seen--you have to push it sort of sideways on a track to get to "R" and then sideways again to get to "D". And it doesn't have power locks at ALL--and when you have to keep shuttling the kids to school, little do-dahs such as power locks come in handy!
As does an ice scraper. The rental car doesn't have one, mine is back with Mrs White and suddenly we're having morning frosts again...
I didn't call, because my mechanic said "don't". He'd call me when he had resolved things. And this AM, Mrs White finally passed the emissions test!
I got the tags from the DMV. But Mrs White is still at the garage because my mechanic is making SURE I am never going to see that damned "check engine" light again before he turns her back over to me. Hopefully, I'll get her tomorrow night.
I want her back. She's a good little car.
But one thing is for sure. Sometime in the next 2 years, I am going to be getting a new car.
Because I am not going through this again!!!!!!!!!
