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Children's Books, recommendations

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NancyBrooke
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Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 160
Location: In a motel 6 by the airport

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:45 am    Post subject: Children's Books, recommendations Reply with quote

Rhapsody wrote:
Oh any book tips for children to read from are more than welcome (especially touch and feel books for the very little ones)

Since there are more than a few new parents, or parents-soon-to-be around here I thought I'd steal Rhapsody's post from Ottis's book rec thread and start up this new one.

So, here goes.

When my daughter was small we read mostly what I guess have become kind of standards, at least in the US: books by Dr. Seuss, Sandra Boynton, Eric Carle, and the always lovely Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown. Many of these come in board books, which is cool if you're like me and can't stand the thought of sticky fingers on nice clean pages. Board books are not indestructible, but they can take a lot of damage and be wiped off, which is nice. She has also grown to like Beatrix Potter books, and the series by Angela Banner of Ant and Bee, which I also read as a child on account of all those British exchange students my mom had in as au pairs (I spelled color / colour 'wrong' for years without understanding why).

Rhapsody wrote:
I am just wondering if there are any books like that out there with a fantasy theme. Can you imagine a book like that for Tolkien characters? Furry hobbit feet, the soft coat of Shadowfax... or the blue fabric of a dwarven hat?

That would be wonderful! But I don't know of many for my daughter's age (4 1/2) so we'll have to wait a bit. Books for little children seem to me a little simpler: imagine what it would be like to be a bee, rather than be a hobbit; exemplifying real life before getting to fantasy life. But there is Alice in Wonderland, in which a lot of wonderful and strange things happen, and also Maurice Sendak, who is a great proponent of children experiencing wonderful and sometimes scary things without their parents around, e.g. Where the Wild Things Are and Outside Over There. I would recommend also Harold and the Purple Crayon, about a little boy who draws his adventures around him as he goes, and About a Night, which is mostly lovely paintings in which something transforms (e.g. moonlight reflected in a lake takes the shape of a procession of women coming out of the water) for stirring the imagination.

David Wiesner and Chris Van Allsburg also have really lovely books powered by really interesting, vivid and wonderful illustrations.

I just gave my friends' 9-year-old daughter the first three books of Lloyd Alexander's the Prydain Chronicles; she has also been mad for Harry Potter, of course. Prydain was, for me, the gateway to Narnia and Middle Earth.

A side note: it has been lovely rediscovering with my daughter many of those books I loved as a child, even some I'd forgotten but remembered immediately upon seeing the illustrations.

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NancyBrooke
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Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 160
Location: In a motel 6 by the airport

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One more thing: when I was old enough to read for myself I read lots of Howard Pyle (Arthurian Knights stories), Greek and Norse Mythologies (Ingri and Edgar Daulaire specifically).

Mythology and Fairy stories were my first fantasy books.

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ghettoelleth



Joined: 06 Nov 2004
Posts: 1804

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is the sweetest, most wonderful book to read to your children when they are getting ready to go to pre-school, daycare or kindergarten for the first time. Of all the books I read my kids, that is the one they have the fondest memories of.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0878685855/103-4660216-4472661?v=glance&n=283155

My daughter's favorite was When I Was Little: A Four Year Old's Memoir of her Youth by Jamie Lee Curtis.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0064434230/qid=1137552686/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-4660216-4472661?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

My sons was Pack 109 by Mike Thaler

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140365486/qid=1137552600/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/103-4660216-4472661?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

My all time favorite has to be Now We Are Six by AA Milne
Some Christopher Robin, A bit of Pooh, but no 100 Acre Woods.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525444467/qid=1137552809/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-4660216-4472661?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Just thought I'd throw some favorites in the pile. But I think The Kissing Hand is a must have for any parent or child going through seperation anxiety.

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ghettoelleth



Joined: 06 Nov 2004
Posts: 1804

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NancyBrooke wrote:
One more thing: when I was old enough to read for myself I read lots of Howard Pyle (Arthurian Knights stories), Greek and Norse Mythologies (Ingri and Edgar Daulaire specifically).

Mythology and Fairy stories were my first fantasy books.


Ugh, that just reminded me, a bit off topic. Saw Tristan and Isolde on Friday...It was marvelous. Could have lived with out the rock and roll soundtrack, but it was still beautifully done.


http://www.tristanandisoldemovie.com/

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AngmarianRose



Joined: 31 Jul 2005
Posts: 27
Location: Texas

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:38 pm    Post subject: my pics Reply with quote

When i was young my favorite books were books about animals. Especially young children love books about animals because they can act out the sounds the animal is making. it really helps to build their imagination, even children as young as 1 or 2. i would also recommend "Pat the Bunny" and for the parents "Pat the Politician"! lol Very Happy
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