I've always loved to read. I'm sure this was fostered by my own parents reading to me. Here are a few pictures of us kids enjoying stories being read by either Mom or Dad. I was discussing with a woman named Ruth the titles of good children's books. So I thought I would create my own post regarding this subject. What are the best children's books out there? I want to hear some of your favorites.
I really enjoy Kevin Henkes. He is the author of Chrysanthemum, Sheila the Brave, and Wemberly Worried. He's written quite a number of others that I like as well. Ruth and I both like Shirley Hughes too. She's the author of all the Alfie and Annie Rose books as well as David and Dog (or Dogger depending on which edition you are reading)
Feel free to add chapter books to the list as I have older children. I always seem to enjoy the Roald Dahl books and my children do too.
So...how about it? What are your favorites?
14 comments:
Shirley Hughes has been one of my favorites for years. Her pictures are great and I think illustrations are important when reading to very little people. Another favorite has been the Oliver and Amanda Pig books by Jean Van Leeuwen. We bought them at one of our library book sales. They are so much like my own children. A favorite chapter book is Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John. Wonderful story with plenty of Christian values and lessons.
I've been reading Heidi, Heidi Grows up and Heidi's children to my older boys at night.....Heidi is surprisingly Christian, and a really lovely story.
My boys like Roald Dahl too, but he so often paints adults in a peculiar way.
I've also read some George McDonald to the boys - The Princess and the Goblin; Curdie and the Princess....At the back of the north wind.
We love the Narnia books too.
With children's books - I also enjoy Jez Alborough - not sure that's how its spelt - he wrote 'hug' and the bear books....lovely lovely illustrations.
My boys and I are also very into AA Milne poetry - when we were very young...so full of classic poems.
I see Martha beat me to it, but for read alouds, Patricia St. John books are the absolute best! I can't say enough good about them!!! I don't know about the 'revised' editions that are out there now, but the originals were awesome! Especially Treasures of the Snow, Tanglewood's Secret, Star of Light, Twice Freed (which is for older kids - like teens), The Runaway, and Rainbow Garden. These are VERY Christian and yet not at all preachy. The kids in the books face very real issues such as forgiveness, anger, etc.
I have to also agree with Ruth - Heidi is a GREAT book!!
Now you got me going...
We also enjoyed Black Beauty. My sister, however, thought it was slow and boring.
For older children or as a read aloud gotta love Christy! :)
My kids enjoyed Homer Price and of course Beverly Cleary books - The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Henry Huggins and Ramona.
Ahh, yes! My kids and I love Beverly Cleary too, especially when it involves Otis Spofford. We also liked Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink and The Not-Just-Anybody Family by Betsy Byars.
My favorite children's book is probably The Little Fur Family but anyone who knows me knows I am also a big Dr. Suess fan. Another favorite will always be Disney's Uncle Remus, pre-1980's, before they tried to make it politically correct. The stories just aren't the same without the old black dialect. I loved them just the way they were!
Michael really enjoyed the Little House series, and the Star Wars series. It's funny because they're SO opposite! He and Steven both enjoy Judy Blume's books about Peter and Fudge Hatcher, they're pretty funny. They have also both read some of the Boxcar Children books. Some of the ones you guys have mentioned, I've never even heard of. I'll have to get them!
I always loved story time before bed when we were kids. Dad always read with such expression, and really captured my attention. The infrequent piggy back rides to bed were nice too!
I never read Judy Blume to my kids, although I would have liked to. I know she has some books for older teens that are not so nice, so I was hesitant to introduce her...
I loved stories before bed too and so have all of my kids. It's a wonderful memory and I can't imagine growing up in a house without books!
Thank you all so far for your suggestions. I will definitely be trying out some of these books.
I was just looking at these three pictures. Mom looks so young...especially in the bottem picture. Two kids later and she looks quite a bit more haggard. I guess Rachel and I really did her in! LOL!
Yes, I thought Mom looked more stessed in that picture too. I doubt it was you and Rachel though. You never know, maybe we had just gotten back from a vacation. Parents always have to recover from those, you know.
Oh, I love books! Especially kids books! Like Harry the Dirty Dog, Otis Spofford, I LOVE Homer Price, Pollyanna, Little House books, Lentil, and yes, my favorite book of all was The Little Fur Family. I liked The Popcorn Dragon,The Boxcar Children, Bill Peet books (we read all the ones the library carried!), I could go on and on if I had a better memory... Everyone listed so many good books that were so delightful to read or to have read to me.... Lovely memories books do have. I always had my nose in a book when I was young... much to my fathers dismay. He was always telling me to get up and do something... that's how often you could find me reading. I hardly read at all anymore though... not much time for it or at least not much patience... What a shame.
Beth, I always keep a good book on my nightstand. Even if it takes me awhile to read through it. Don't stop reading! Make the time.
Don't forget all the great Bible stories that kids love, Jonah and the Great Fish, Daniel in the Lion's Den, The Ten Lepers, and David and Goliath (just to name a few).
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