Honey for a Child's Heart

Honey for a Child's Heart
Gladys Hunt
Zondervan
2002

This book is a must for Christian parents. Hunt gives a marvelous rationale for why we should be reading to our children--and what we should be reading to our children--in the light of Scripture. Fully half of the book is her philosophy of reading and her encouragement to us to read to our children.

The second half of the book is comprised of lists--suggestions of what to read to your children that meet her standards given earlier. The books are divided up by age and category. I use these lists often to put books on reserve at the library. I'm rarely disappointed. This is one of the few books I think is definitely worth owning.

But a print-based book inevitably falls behind. While there are truly wonderful books published in the past that shouldn't be missed, there are also new, truly wonderful books being published all the time. I suppose what Megan and I hope to do here on this blog is direct you in one of two ways: to books we think are truly wonderful and shouldn't be missed (both past and present)--in the spirit of Honey for a Child's Heart. The other direction is to critically evaluate some of the new books that are bestsellers or garnering praise from the biggies in the publishing/library worlds (sources such as Horn Book, Scholastic, ALA Awards, etc.).

A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls
Patrick Ness, inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd
Jim Kay, illustrator
Candlewick
2011

From the book cover: An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.

That about sums it up, folks. I'm not sure how to describe this book, except to say it is NOT a book to simply hand willy nilly to the avid young reader in your life without first looking into it yourself. I'm not sure it's a kid's book (or that it's an adult book).

Literary Favorites: Beginning Readers

My friend Brandy has a great little category on her blog titled "My Favorite Things." She regularly posts on her favorite (something) in literature, most recently her favorite literary mothers. I love this idea--such a great way around the inevitable (and totally unanswerable) question posed to bibliophiles: "What's your favorite book?" I mean, really. Who can answer that? So, to start off our own favorites section here and to highlight an oft overlooked category of children's literature, I'll list my favorite Beginning Reader series. These are so worth seeking out and, unfortunately, (as Brandy and I were bemoaning today) you'll have to head to a library. The "beginning reader" category at the big box bookstores usually stars pop culture remakes that are worthless as far as actual literature goes. But these books are the first ones a child actually reads and they will remember these books. These books will help shape their future literary experiences, so make these early experiences good ones! Great stories! Well-crafted text! Well-executed illustrations (which must walk that fuzzy line between illustrations that help carry picture book texts and merely subtle illustrations occasionally in a chapter book).

A truly great beginning reader series is a work of art. Any author who can craft a well-written (and often well-illustrated) book for this reading level is a genius. Try writing a story someday using such a limited vocabulary and make it something even a grownup wants to read. Try... just try. In the meantime, here are some to look for in your library (in no particular order):

1. Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel (OK, I lied. These are my faves. And my all-time favorite Frog and Toad is Frog and Toad Together; the cookies story is especially appropriate as Girl Scout Cookie season approaches....)
2. Little Bear by Minarik (and illustrated by Sendak; my all-time favorite and the best read aloud of this series is Little Bear's Visit--especially the goblin story)
3. Elephant and Piggie by Mo Willems (and his single story Amanda and her Alligator)
4. Poppleton and Friends by Cynthia Rylant
5. Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant (and the ones about Henry's cousin, Annie and Snowball)
6. Cat in the Hat and other Seuss beginning readers*
7. Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin (single book, not a series) 
8. Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hof (incidentally, this was the very first book I read on my own--I still remember the experience vividly... it was the page with the monkeys on it where the letters suddenly coalesced and became meaningful and I've never been the same!)
9. Are you My Mother? and The Best Nest by P. D. Eastman (just for the record, Go, Dog Go! drives me crazy)
10. George and Martha by James Marshall (and I can't even pick a favorite here--they're all awesome!)**

*The most phonetic and approachable for new readers--still, after all these years!
**The George and Martha books are not as phonetic as the others on this list, just so you know.

Lost and Found and Up and Down

Lost and Found (2005)
Up and Down (2010)
Oliver Jeffers
Philomel

I discovered one of these books at my friend Brandy's house a few weeks before Christmas. I was instantly captivated by Jeffers's illustrations--charming! The storylines are just as good. These books make wonderful library check outs and potential gifts/books-to-own.

They chronicle the developing friendship between a boy and a penguin. Illustrations and text are simple and direct--yet full of depth. Stories are appropriate for young children, but older children will enjoy them as well.

Keeping Short Accounts

One of my "themes" for this semester (or, maybe the whole year!) is to "keep short accounts." To finish what I start in a timely fashion, to not take on new projects until I've finished what I've already started, and get caught up on the current open-ended issues (Megan should be chortling heartily about now--she and I are two peas in a pod when it comes to taking on new projects... or, at least, dreaming them up).

At any rate, what this means for my reading is twofold:

-potentially not as much (after all, the children do need to be fed, the house cleaned, the homework done, and the clothes cleaned)

-to read the books in my own house that I haven't read yet!! Therefore, fewer "new releases," as it were, and more "old favorites" (I have stacks of books that have been loaned to me and/or picked up at thrift stores and are still unread....). I truly can't bear to part with books that I haven't even read yet! Must read at least part in order to determine if the book  needs to vacate the premises or earn a spot on the already, over-crowded shelves.

Hopefully, I'll catch up by summer and can start tackling new releases again.

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great (The Knights' Tales)
Gerald Morris
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
2008

I flew through this book on my Nook and chortled the whole way through. I thoroughly enjoy Morris's irreverent take on the Arthurian legend. Kids who are bored with the usual romantic treatment of this era will appreciate Morris's wry authorial intrusions throughout; in describing a fight scene, he often makes comments such as (not a direct quote), "I won't describe the entire fight in detail since fights are always more interesting to watch than to actually read about."

Sir Lancelot quests and adventures his way through this short, illustrated volume, rescuing damsels in distress, fighting jousts and duels, and learning a bit about character development along the way. Prose is perfect for newly independent readers; I think struggling older readers would appreciate these books as well.

Recommended for elementary and up

Sir Gawain the True

Sir Gawain the True (The Knights' Tales Series)
Gerald Morris
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
2011

A tongue in cheek, witty portrayal of one of the most famous knights of Arthur's round table. This book is perfect for newly independent readers who have a basic familiarity with Arthurian England (you know, knights in shining armor rescuing damsels in distress and fighting gallant jousts/duels for the sake of their honor and their king). Morris's prose is pitch perfect and gives readers a great feel for Sir Gawain and his world. Small line drawings appear throughout the book as well. (The same author wrote Sir Lancelot the Brave, and I can't believe I never reviewed that! Stay tuned....)

Recommended for elementary and up (or read aloud to younger folks).