Monday, February 18, 2008

"These are a few of my favorite things.."

I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorite Children's books. Not in any particular order and not the only ones but the ones that come to mind right now. To me a good children's book appeals to adults as well as children; much like a really good Disney movie. My parents gave me a set of Winnie the Pooh books as a child that I never really read until one day I picked them up in college! College, mind you. I could not put them down. I cannot tell you how entertaining they were. They were little novels, not alot of pictures but I saw how they could relate on a deeper level to adults. It was a delightful experience. I often read books aloud to children, of course ,as a librarian and there was no shortage of zany, rhyming nonsense type books, however I loved the ones that did have a deeper meaning something that we could talk about afterwards.

Because of Winn Dixie is written in such a lovely way through the eyes of a child. It is quick to read, delightful all by yourself or read it to the bigger than little ones in your life. I have pushed this book on many an unwilling person who enjoyed it nonetheless! ;-) Probably more entertaining for a little older child. It is a book of feelings and perceptions. A young girl befriends "outcasts" in town where she and her pastor father are new residents.

Sweet funny tender book about an old woman who has outlived her family and friends and names ONLY the things around her that she feels certain will outlive her! She refuses to befriend a dog who visits her daily (she feeds him and looks forward to his visits)but she won't name him because she can't let him become important to her since she is afraid to give her heart away. Everyone she's loved has died. But one day the dog doesn't show up at her home and she doesn't know his name and she is devastated. In the end she decides that she has been blessed by all those who were a part of her life and that it is okay to risk loss in order to love.


I love this book because it reminds me of the limitless imagination of a child and how they look at the world differently than adults. Also tender, sweet, rhythmic, interesting. A little boy whose is best friends with an old woman (Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper who has 4 names just like he does) in a nursing home next door to his home and helps her to "regain" her memory.

A twist on the Sleeping Beauty story with someone who is beautiful inside.
Quite humorous! I've enjoyed the rewrites of old classics. You need to read the classic first if the child you are reading to doesn't know it!



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2 Comments:

At February 18, 2008 at 10:47 PM , Blogger Docface said...

My mother gave me Winnie the Pooh to read when I was young and I loved it! He has always been dear to me. One of my favorite children's books is {The Worst Christmas Pageant Ever.} I can't underline on this comment space. How do you do it? Thanks for the great comments on my blog!

 
At February 22, 2008 at 3:25 PM , Blogger Docface said...

Ruth, I don't know how that got there. Maybe Lindsey will be able to help you.

 

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