"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
Cooking Thought For The Day + A Corn Muffin Recipe
When baking, no matter how much of a hurry you're in, DON'T forget the baking powder!
I made a batch of corn muffins last night, forgot to add it, and got doughy things that are unfit to eat by my standards.
The Man has lower standards, so he's taking them to work. A few years ago he took a failed yellow cake to work and told people it was pound cake!
"Well, they TASTED good, and people ATE them!" he said.
I am a very good baker, according to all who've eaten my stuff, so I'd prefer to trash my rare failures. But being brought up by parents from a Third World country (and survivors of WWII), the Man thinks differently!!!!!
The whole thing is pretty ironic considering one of my favorite stories to tell is "Sody Salleratus", all about a little boy going to the store to get "salleratus" so his grandma can bake biscuits. And I always explain to the kids what salleratus does, and what happens if you DON'T put leavening in your baking!!!
Anyway, I got up this morning, made a fresh batch of muffins, and the girls had them for breakfast. These are fast to make--I mixed them up in about 5 minutes--so here's the recipe.
Just don't forget to add the BAKING POWDER!!!
CORN MUFFINS
Combine in a large bowl:
2 C Yellow Corn Meal, 1 C All Purpose Flour & 1T BAKING POWDER
(The original recipe called for 2 c flour and 1 of corn meal, but we like cornier muffins!)
In a small bowl:
Beat 2 large Eggs, then blend in 1/4 c Brown Sugar
(white sugar will work fine too and dissolves more easily)
Add:
1 c Milk, 1/3 c Maple Syrup & 4T melted Butter/Marge or Oil (I use oil)
Pour the liquid mixture over the dry mixture and blend till thoroughly moistened.
Spoon into muffin tins (grease or use liners)
Bake at 350 degrees F about 25 minutes.
