It has been such a busy week at work, I've barely had time to log on, let alone post! This blogging thing can certainly become an addiction!! I've missed posting. I've also missed reading. I've been working late trying to finish up system testing a change this week. It's pretty bad when you are too tired to READ!
Yesterday (or the day before....who can keep track anyway), Bonnie, my personal buddy from Bonnie's Books asked the question, "What is your favorite Children's Book?" Well....topped with the fact that I took my kids to see Bridge to Terabithia on Sunday made me start looking at all those books I loved as a child. I never read Terabithia. And after seeing the movie it makes me sad to think that I missed such a wonderful book (it has to be good if the movie was fabulous, right??) Here are some questions? Did your parents read to you as a child?? Did you go to the library with them? See....my parents never read to me. My parents weren't really readers at all. Now, my Grandma always had a book in her hand. She used to take me to the Little Professor Book Store (you know....before the days of the big chain stores like Barnes & Noble and Borders). And she would buy me a book EVERY time we went!! Aren't grandma's the best? That's how I ended up with my collection of Nancy Drew's and Trixie Beldens. Grandma loved mysteries. And I was a really advanced reader. I was in the hospital a lot as a child and I had a private tutor. I was so far ahead of the other kids in my class by second grade I was reading Nancy Drews. But I don't ever remember reading good old fashioned picture books and stories!!
The book above is one that my son brought home in first grade and we fell in love with it. I went right out and bought a copy for our home, and it is starting to show some wear now that the 3rd kid is reading it!!! It's called The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau. It is filled with BEAUTIFUL illustrations by Gail De Marcken. It is the tale of a gifted quiltmaker who makes outstanding quilts. She never sells her wares, but gives them away to the poor. A greedy king so loves presents that he has two birthdays a year, and commands everyone in the kingdom to give him gifts. Everyone brings presents till the castle overflows; the king, still unhappy, locates the quiltmaker and directs her to make him a quilt. When she refuses he tries to feed her to a hungry bear, then to leave her on a tiny island, but each time the quiltmaker's kindness results in her rescue. At last, the king agrees to a bargain; he will give away his many things, and the quiltmaker will sew him a quilt. He is soon poor, but happier than he's ever been, and she fulfills her end of the bargain; they remain partners forever after, with her sewing the quilts and him giving them away. It's a beautiful story.
I also love The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. It's about a little raccoon who is going to school for the first time. He is scared, but she kisses his hand and says her love with be with him all the time he is gone! My daughters both love this one.
Do you have any favorite books that you read as a child? As a reader, do you/did you read to your children? Just a few questions to see if anyone is out there!!
Later!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Favorite Children's Books
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6 comments:
I love The Quiltmaker's Gift! There is a companion book for quilters called (duh) Quilts From the Quiltmaker's Gift that has some beautiful, fun, stuff in it.
I don't remember what I read before I read chapter books, but Terabithia is one of my favorites. Also, the Girl with the Silver Eyes, Behind the Attic Wall, At the Back of the North Wind.
My son (who is 23 months) loves Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems more than any other book.
I always read to my boys. They loved Dr Suess and the Eye Spy books especially. We would walk to the library every Friday and they would check out as many books as they could carry home. They are 18 and 16 now, and while they aren't book nuts, (like their parents,) they both have been known to read for pleasure. So, I guess I did my job.
My fave is "Little Women".
And yes, of course, I read to the kid. "Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom" is her favorite this week. She likes when I say, "Skit, skat, skoodle, doot. Filp, flop, flee."
One of my favorite stories from my childhood was The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. I found the most amazing version of it too, it has such beautiful illustrations! Luckily I stumbled upon the website, you should check it out. It's simply a treat.
www.snowqueen.us
Great post!
My mother read to me a lot when I was little. I also went to a great school with teachers who loved to read to us, too.
I remember distinctly the first time I was "wowed" by a book as a child. It was read to me by my 2nd grade teacher, Miss French, in 1974. It was. . . . Charlotte's Web. She also read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe to us as well as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I really believe that's when my love of books started.
I think I read all of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries, and I know I read all of the Little House series. I've read or listened to all of the Chronicles of Narnia books at least 5 or 6 times. Once or twice as a child, and the rest as an adult.
Another one that left an impression on me (just in time for Easter!) was The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes. This one was read to me by my mommy!
I know there are probably many others that I've neglected to mention, but these are the ones I remember off the top of my head.
I don't know the other book, but The Kissing Hand is a favorite in my kindergarten classroom.
I read it the first day of school each year and give each child a heart sticker for the middle of her hand. and an extra one to take home, 'for tomorrow'.
Katharine (from literary fiction lovers)
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