Laurie’s Picks of Children’s Literature

I think it is fair to say that most books that are written for adults have little appeal to children.  But the corollary is simply not true.  Indeed, I believe that children’s literature is something everyone can enjoy. 

Think about Goodnight Moon, or Alligator Pie; think about Alice in Wonderland, or Anne of Green Gables.  Wonderful classics all, that teachers, parents and grandparents alike relish reading to or with the youngsters in our lives.  All of us -- children and adults alike -- read at our own ability level and interest, and those can vary tremendously, especially among children. 

I strongly believe in letting children read at their own level and their own tastes; nobody forces us as adults to read what we don’t want to.  I have heard many parents complain that all little Johnny reads is “Captain Underpants” and they would rather he read nothing.  However, I believe that as long as children are reading let them read what they want and trust little Johnny won’t be reading “Captain Underpants” when he is thirty.

One more thing --  the best recommendations about books come from you, the readers.  So, please, share your thoughts with us and we’ll pass them along to other readers.  Send us an e-mail at lauriesbookcompany@shaw.ca and we’ll post What YOU Think.

Babies and Toddlers (Birth to 3 years)

Little hands need little books with bright pictures and not too many pages. It helps if they are durable and/or washable for the very youngest readers. I do recommend beginning to read with babies as soon as they can see and be held in a lap (probably around 3 months old).  This way, children's very earliest memories will be of warmth and the soothing rhythms of a voice as well as pages turning. 

    

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is a book every baby should have. Repetition, bright colors juxtaposed with black & white drawings somehow manage to capture every youngster’s attention.  Having been in publication for decades, this classic is available as a board book, paperback and hardcover (one to chew, one to save!).

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. is also a classic (as are most of his works).  Babies see an array of animals and colors in wonderful rhyme.

Any and all books by the talented Eric Carle are favorites of mine, perhaps especially The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Bright pages, simple words and holes that grow larger or fireflies that light up at the end of book bring amazing responses from young readers.

CLOTH BOOKS AND BATH BOOKS are also very popular among the youngest crowd.  Many of Dr. Seuss’s books are available in cloth editions that can be thrown in the wash when baby has had enough “reading”.  Bath books are fun as well and transport reading into another venue associated with fun.  Scholastic publishes board books complete with hand puppets for real action.  My favorite is the farmyard animals but there’s also “This Little Piggy” and a Christmas one (quite a lot of fun for everyone!)

Picture Books (ages 3 years to 8, but adults are also allowed to read & enjoy!)

It is hard to believe I grew up on Noddy and Nancy Drew yet became the avid reader I am. The choice today is so much greater for children’s books; it never ceases to amaze me what will come next.  Picture books are one of my great loves and I read aloud to both my children’s classes for almost ten years and the students estimated over 1,200 books. It was the most satisfying experience for so many reasons.  I got to know my children’s teachers and friends and when I came into the schoolyard the children would yell “It’s the Book Lady” and run up to see what I would share with them.   It was the most wonderful feeling and to this day, many people still greet me as “The Book Lady”.

As my children grew up and cut me off from reading aloud in junior high school, I used the bookstore as my own private picture book library. I would take home a huge box of new picture books and plant myself on the couch and usually within minutes one or both of my daughters were there, reading and laughing along with me.  Here are just a few of my favourites:

Ferdinand the Bull by Munro Leaf was one of the first books I recall loving as a child.  Ferdinand is a peaceful bull who doesn’t want to fight; he’d rather stop and smell the flowers.

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney is one of my all-time favorites and I always stocked it in both paperback and hardcover. I often give it to adult friends as a gift.  It tells the story of a world traveler, Miss Alice Rumphius who shares her adventures at story-time with her niece and teaches her to leave something beautiful in the world.

        Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel is probably the funniest alphabet book ever written and the illustrations are fun for both adults and children.  From nonsensical foods, kitty’s bad behavior, foods kitty likes and then atonement, this lively book manages to work through the alphabet several times for new learners.

Scaredy Squirrel by Montreal author Melanie Watt is the funniest and sweetest picture book to come along in a while. I just fell in love with this obsessive-compulsive squirrel who is afraid to leave his tree, until he learns he’s a flying squirrel.  There are now a number of books in the series as Scaredy discovers the world (albeit tentatively).

Chester -- also by Melanie Watt -- is a book that makes books come alive.  As Melanie tries to write her story Chester the cat keeps interrupting and writing his story in red felt pen, with many hilarious results between the dueling authors. 

The Boy from the Sun by Canadian author Duncan Weller is almost dream-like, beginning with the sparsest drawings and elevating into something truly wondrous.  Three young children sitting near a large factory are surprised by a boy with a yellow head who descends to earth and teaches them to run, play and enjoy the beauty of the world all around them.  This book was winner of the Governor General’s Award for Illustration in 2007.

Middle Readers (ages 8 to 12)

        For beginning readers who want to make that big step up and start reading their own chapter books, a very successful series (and at this age children love to follow a series and keep track of the number they read) is the Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne.  Every time a young boy and girl enter their magic tree house they are transported to another time or place or even visit exotic animals.  I like this series for its short chapters, they still have illustrations, and they are easily geared to children’s interest.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White was a book I read 247 times (approximately!) and never tired of.  I know I have cried my head off every time I read about the spider Charlotte and her friend Wilbur the pig but it has never stopped me from reading it again. 

I like the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary that follows Ramona from preschool through several years, as she goes to school, learns to ride a bike, has a brother, all the things young children may find themselves facing. Cleary makes these everyday events in the hands of Ramona the Brave (or Ramona the Pest) a lot of fun.

What child won’t love Charlie & the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl?  In fact, most children get hooked on all of Dahl’s books for his great sense of humor and adventure.  As an adult, I love and often give as gifts his books The Twits and Revolting Rhymes.

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket have proven to be bestsellers every time one was published.  Following the adventures of the Baudelaire orphans trying to escape their evil Uncle Olaf, the thirteen books in this series promise the reader that nothing good ever happens, this is about unfortunate events.

The Daring Book for Boys and The Dangerous Book for Girls are two of my favorite non-fiction books for this age group in along while.  Lamenting the loss of old-fashioned fun and basic knowledge, this book offers great stories of exploration and courage, history facts and genealogical tables, how to build a tree house or a go-kart.  There are no household chores in the girl’s version (I checked immediately) but does include stories of great women in sports and history.  Designed like an old-fashioned almanac, this book should prove to be a keepsake on many a bookshelf.

You will note I don’t add the Harry Potter series in my list (I think it is a given) and also because I believe the true magic of Harry Potter is that the books got parents reading with their children and that is the key to giving your child the lifelong gift of reading.

Young Adult Readers (13 years & older)

This age group may be one of the hardest to choose books for.  Not quite ready for some of the themes and language in most adult fiction, but tiring of historical and/or science fiction and fantasy, sometimes young adult readers feel stranded.  Also, many novels being published these days for the teen market focus on very pertinent but sometimes painful issues that affect them including divorce, drugs, sexual experiences and preferences, suicide, eating disorders etc. Sadly, the list goes on.  It also seems to be an age where once avid readers in elementary and junior high schools seem to drop off from reading. 

Do not despair (hormones, peer pressure, etc), this shall pass.  Once again, the key is to keep books around that may interest young adult readers and do not be afraid to let them choose what they want.  In my personal experience, I found that hounding kids to read had the opposite effect, so I just kept reading and laughing in front of them, sharing books I thought they might like, and all turned out well. 

FOR THE NOT SO AVID READER:

Alive: The Living Breathing Human Body Book is a multi-dimensional wonder that looks at all the body’s systems, including a heart that beats, a pop-up skull, and a 3-D eyeball.  Full of scientific facts, even a non-reader will ponder over this book for hours.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer is a book I recommend quite often, especially for a teenage boy who doesn’t want to read.  It is a true life adventure story of a climb up Mt. Everest that is so real you’ll feel like you were there.  This genre is an excellent way to convince non-readers that reading non-fiction still counts (and it can be quite exciting and educational).

FOR THE MORE AVID READER:

The Story of Cirrus Flux, Matthew Skelton’s new novel, takes place in 1780's and involves an orphan named Cirrus who seems to have all sorts of sinister people after him - a mysterious Madame Orrery, a fire-breathing bird and a wee man with an eye that can see all throughout London are just some of the wonderful characters. Ostensibly written for a young adult audience, I am a huge fan of Matthew's books. A great read for everyone!

Endymion Spring by Edmontonian Matthew Skelton is one of my personal favorites of late.  Starting in Gutenberg’s home as he is about to make the first book and flashing forward to Oxford where a book practically jumps out at a young reluctant male reader, this historical mystery about books and reading is awesome.

After Hamelin by CBC Radio host Bill Richardson is a great book for teenage girls.  The story is narrated by a woman who was 11 when the Pied Piper came to Hamelin and she was the only child not to hear him and was thus saved.  She is now 90 something and her comparative views of this tragic event are great reading.

Christopher Paolini was only 16 when he wrote his first book Eragon which would grow into The Inheritance Trilogy.  (Second in the series was Eldest in 2006 and in September 2008 Brisingr completes the set).  Follow the classic plot of good vs. evil as a young man and his dragon face a world full of perils. Maybe because Paolini was a young adult himself when he wrote these, he was able to captivate both boys and girls with his magical tales.

The Once and Future King by T.H. White must be one of literature’s long-abiding classics.  Enter the fantasy world of Merlin, Camelot, the sword in the stone and other great King Arthur Legends. This book has all five volumes that White wrote in one book, the way he had planned it and I think it is a book that everyone should enjoy.

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