Children’s Literature

I cannot resist. We’re not even to Thanksgiving, but for those who know and love little ones, here are three wonderful Christmas picture books to buy as gifts or check out from the libe: Mr. Willowby’s Christmas tree, by Robert Barry. (Hint: it’s too big, but someone else can use the chopped-off top. But even that is too tall …) Santa’s Favorite Story, by Aoki and Gantschev, in which Santa tells the story of the first Christmas in gorgeous watercolors. Great way to integrate faith and tradition. The Story of Holly and Ivy, by Rumer Godden, ill. Barbara Cooney. A [...]

As my five-installment “Favorite Books from Childhood” list wound to a close, I was careful only to list books I read and loved. Probably my all-time favorite, because I identified with it the most, was Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt. (A sensitive teenage girl becomes a writer.) Now for two final lists: Books I missed until I was a parent, and a surprise … The Books You Recommended! I’m already requesting some at the libe. I’d hoped to include a picture of the bookshelf, which is almost complete, but unfortunately we just painted that room and it’s dismantled. [...]

Below is the fifth and final installment from my “Favorite Books from Childhood” list, and I have two confessions. First, I don’t think I did much serious reading in high school outside of class! I do remember trading romantic suspense classics by Victoria Holt and others. Maybe required reading kept me busy, or I was tired, or playing volleyball or writing college admissions essays. Secondly: though I’m not going past age 18 here, I’ve made an additional list of books I wish I’d read as a child, but only discovered as a parent. I’ll post it tomorrow, as an addendum. [...]

Almost finished with my Favorite Books from Childhood bookshelf! This is the fourth of five installments and I know, I know, I should be posting pix as well.:( Below, the junior high age delineations get squidgy, as I read one or two of these in elementary school. I’m not counting as favorites some school-mandated ones that nevertheless had great impact, like Lord of the Flies, Ethan Frome, and Death Be Not Proud. (My takeaway from the latter: death is horrible, and a brain tumor will eventually push your eyeball out. Ugh. But I still love the John Donne sonnet.) Anyway, [...]

This third installment of my “Favorite Books from Childhood” bookshelf, below, won’t resemble yours. It confirms I was certifiably horse-crazy. (Thanks to my daughter Liz for the new Black Stallion books at Christmas!) At 16 I finally had my temporary fill, at a tiny camp (17 girls, 12 horses) run by a retired British Cavalry captain. By the end of the summer some of us, including yours truly, were jumping a three-foot fence with no reins or stirrups. (PM me if you’re curious how that worked.) Horrible form, but I stayed on. Those were the days, because when I finally [...]