Little d and I were happily bombarded with many children's books for Christmas gifts and baby showers. Gee, I wonder how everyone knows she's going to be a reader... oh yes, of course. Anyway, we we're reading Harold and the Purple Crayon and it made me think of my favorite books as a tyke which were the Curious George series by Hans Augusto Rey and Margret Rey. d's favorite was a colorfully-illustrated collection of Mother Goose nursery rhymes.What is your pick from childhood? I'm looking for many suggestions, starting from the pre-reader stage all the way up, to continue building on the kid's section of our library.
27 comments:
David, I love Mother Goose. I think my fave book has to be Heidi, but I won't turn down a good Grimm tale. Of them, The Elves and the Shoemaker tops the list.
Mother Goose and Dr. Seuss. You can't go wrong.
Mother Goose is off and running as an early favorite. Yes, Dr. Seuss without a doubt.
I got into comic books pretty young, though I think the ones from my youth were better suited to young readers than most of what is out there today. As for books, I really got into a series that included Big Red, Irish Red and Outlaw Red. They were all written by a guy named Jim Kjelgaard. I read several more of his books as well. I'm thinking about picking them up again.
http://tinyurl.com/24ut8eo
You really can't go wrong with Gary Paulsen's books either; Hatchet in particular. I know these sound like books for boys, but I wouldn't hesitate to give them to a young lady either.
You have to remember i'm an old geezer. The first book I can recall was THE POKEY LITTLE PUPPY. A little research shows me that book, first published in 1942 has sold fifteen million copies.
Younger - Dr. Seuss; Harold; Curious George
Older - The Three Investigators; Hardy Boys;
I've since learned a bunch more as a parent. One of the most entertaining is the Olivia books by Ian Falconer. Dry wit and minimalist illustrations. These can be laugh-out-loud funny.
The Little House and Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton - both written in the 1940s (I think) and both are wonderful historical snapshots.
Excellent choices, Chris (and new to me). I want my little girl to read Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys when the time comes.
Randy, Some of these older books are where the gold is. They may be hard to track down but well worth it. Thank you
Scott, I loved the Steam Shovel and Olivia books by Ian Falconer sounds like a winner. When I buy books I think I am going to be reading this over and over and over again. So dry whit that ages well will be a bonus.
I remember my dad being tired of Curious George and at one point marveled at how I could recite the entire series (before I could read) word for word. He got a big kick when I told him I still wanted him to read the stories.
My absolute favorite childhood book is for very young readers and its called "Pagoo." It's about a hermit crab, and is by Holling Clancy Holling. She did others too but I never knew about them until I was an adult. Pagoo knocked me out.
Curious George. Broke my toddler heart when the man with the yellow hat had to take him to the hospital because he swallowed a puzzle piece.
After that harrowing tale I read everything placed in front of me.
We enjoyed the duck and cow books by Doreen Cronin, especially CLICK, CLACK, MOO (Cows that Type). And the IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE...series is a neat way of teaching cause and effect.
Everything the other commenters have named plus Roald Dahl and Shel Silverstein. Winnie the Pooh, esp AA Milne's books of children's poems. Also for when he/she is still a pre-reader, Goodnight Moon and Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
There is such a wealth of wonderful children's books, I rather envy you.
"Pagoo." Got it. Thanks, Charles.
Dan, I think I remember that choking me up as well. My favorite was when he flooded the house and had to get it clean before The Man With the Yellow Hat returned.
Rich, All new titles for me and appreciated.
Naomi, Roald Dahl and Shel Silverstein were so darn good, Silverstein is a writer I discovered as an adult and marveled at his storytelling.
Don't forget about Narnia! Or Charlotte's Web.
Reb, Charlotte's Web has already been given to us. What a classic piece of storytelling and the animated film was quite the tear-jerker. And yes to Narnia. A must.
David, I have so much to impart to you...this will have to be an entire blog post!!!
Be on the lookout!
I used to have a blast with Richard Scarry's stuff when I was my daughter's age.
Definitely was into Curious George (and not because I share the same first name).
Funny that I didn't read that much in the way of children's books when I was young. Used to ramble over to the adult section by the time I turned 13.
But the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew mysteries would be a good intro to the mystery genre, and the Encyclopedia Brown series is also an excellent teaching device as well.
Alyssa, Well look at you! I'm standing by... or rather sitting by.
G, Busytown! Yes, Richard Scarry is a fine choice.
David, you have a wealth of info here. I remember my childrens favorites but not my own, funny.
Winnie the pooh is a must, Dr. Zuess, "Are you my mother" was worn out. Clifford the big red dog and K & K both loved Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes. We have bookshelves you are welcome to, just could not give them away.
Ha..spelled Seuss with a Z. too early for me to be blogging.
If K & K both liked Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes than it is a must.
Thanks, Mates.
Checked with my daughter who recommends all the following from her childhood:
Narnia, Harriet the Spy, The Mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Cricket in Times Square, Stuart Little, The Little Princess, A Wrinkle in Time, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Westing Game, Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH, Island of the Blue Dolphin, Rebecca's War, Where the Wild Things Are.
Hope this helps.
I grew up on Grimm Brothers, Mother Goose, Hans Christen Anderson, Greek Mythology, Suess, Bible stories, astronomy, & Roman history. Your family will find your own loves. I will have to give an extra nod to Good Night Moon for babies and toddlers.
And this book, my goodness, I love this book. It is newer, from '92 and harder to find. But it will amuse your child and leave you in tears! Kind of one of those tongue in cheek tales for children and parents. It is called "The Lady with the Ship on Her Head" http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0152435263/ref=nosim/librarythin08-20
Ron, Harriet the Spy would be perfect for a young lady and The Mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler sounds intriguing. Thank your daughter for me.
Jodi, Bible stories will be a definite addition to our library. "The Lady with the Ship on Her Head" sounds like a winner.
MIXED-UP FILES is an excellent novel. The two film versions less good.
As a kid, I went fairly systematically through the Newbery Award winners and shortlisters, and liked or loved most, though a few were disappointing. One of the 1963 runners-up, THE LONER by Ester Wier, was my favorite book in earliest adolescence, just as Anne Clymer's MY BROTHER STEVIE had been a few years before. I certainly didn't restrict myself to Newbery shortlisters, but a wide range of the books cited so far, including most by Scheer the Younger, are on those lists. And the ALA also awards the Caldecott to picture books, for beginning readers.
I certainly read Seuss, Little Golden Books (such as THE POKEY LITLLE PUPPY), easy reader Grimm's and other limited-ability books when I was four and five...along with my first comic books and at least one pulp-reprint sf story. And Kjelgaard (BIG RED was a Newbery winner, iirc) wrote a fair amount of adult material for the better pulps and slicks, as well. Native-Am and Greek mythology engaged me at an early age, too, and I spread out from there...and read as much adult-oriented material as I could find that looked interesting from about age 8 onward.
Todd, Thanks for joining in. I've already bought several Little Golden Books for her and THE LONER by Ester Wier is now on the list.
I might look for this MIXED-UP FILES over the weekend.
I loved Harold and the Purple Crayon too. If you are looking for more modern classics, our daughter loved Red is Best by Kathy Stinson and our son loved the Tom and Pippo by Helen Oxenbury.
Thank you, Sarah. Both have been added to this wonderful list everyone here has helped me put together.
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