okay my friends, here's a chance for all of you wonderful readers (or dare I say it for some of you, nice but quiet lurkers) who read my blog . . . to offer your two cents. My question is: what were your favorite books as a child and/or what are your favorite books for your own children or nieces, grandchildren or book-loving shorties in your life? I challenge you to keep it to 5 books (or less). I am taking a bonnie blog poll of sorts and would love to share my findings soon. So comment with abandon. Or cautiously. Whatever works for you. Just type in your thoughts in the "Comments" section at the end (or you can e-mail me directly at wordparty@yahoo.com).
I have been completely in love with books as far as my memory can stretch back. I can remember "reading" Richard Scarry before I could, in fact read and then being crazy into the books once I could. Even when things were really tight money-wise when we lived in the mountains and I was in 5th-7th grades, my mother always allowed me to buy one paperback book at the magical (and independent!) Little Yellow House bookstore. Once we got to know the owner, my mom would actually drop me off at the bookstore while she went to the laundromat and I would snuggle into a cozy old chair and the caramel-colored golden retriever would come curl up at my feet and I would be so sucked into the heaven of reading freely and comfortably that the time just zipped by. My mom would come, the back of the car loaded with soapy-smeling, warm, impeccably folded clothes. And I would keep my nose in my book all the way back up the mountain. This is the bookstore where, at some point in my girlhood, I discovered Judy Blume. And those of you who know what that means, well, you just know.
Anyhow, back to the point. Here are my five favorites as of this past Sunday. My list is super fluid and constantly changing. I definitely have a fondness for old books and I also fall in love with books that have delicious illustrations. And what's up with mid-century children's books authors having super cool names like Munro, Tibor and Ilo (and Garth)?
Anyhow, here's my list (and I am basing it on what Sam likes too, so this isn't a Bonnie in a vacuum list).
1. Richard Scarry's Going Places
This book was mine when I was little and comes in a BIG 4 book series. Sam loves it as much as I did and I get all sappy/misty when I see him sitting on his bed Indian style blissed out flipping through the "big books." If you don't know this book, you travel all over the world and meet completely un-PC cultural stereotypes of the chipper animal kind (Achtung the Chimney Sweeping German Cat and so on) but the drawings are amazing and the stories are fast and in many cases, furious or silly enough to keep the kid engaged.
p.s. Ted thinks that the Canadian Raccoon pictured at the bottom, Sergeant Yukon, is the most confident and rocking little miltary animal ever.
2. Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
I bought this book up at the trusty Antique Mall in Coloma. Michigan when Sam wasn't even yet two. I had never heard of it but loved the yellow red and black graphics. And then of course I came to find out it was my mother's very favorite book from her childhood and my niece Claire ranks it numero uno as well. (It's reprinted now in both cloth and hardbound, our copy is from the early 60s.) Without spoiling the story, let me just tell you it's the ultimate animal pacifist story which includes humor, a bee sting and pretty ladies with flowers in their hair.
3. Spring is Here by Taro Gomi
If you know me and you've had a baby in the last five years, chances are, I gave you this book. Oh how I swoon for Taro Gomi. Oh sure, he got mucho fame from his "Everyone Poops" book (which we own as well and talk about a LOT more these days) but this is just the perfectly quiet, perfect picture book. Go on a Taro Gomi buying frenzy, it will feel so good. (He also has this crazy thick "coloring book" which is so much more for adults than kids. He's like the Japanese Shel Silverstein without the wicked rhymes and Playboy/Johnny Cash past.
4. Choo Choo by Virgina Lee Burton
How can you not dig a good train story? And this one literally has propulsion in it almost the entire time. Ms. Burton (who chose to Americanize her Greek last name, or rather, her editors did) has this genius illustrating talent, using as far as I can tell, only charcoal pencil. And little Choo Choo, well, she's a pistol: a little vain, a little independent, a little naughty, a hard worker . . . sigh. This is also a fun story to read aloud, "Choo ch ch choo choo choo chooooo." If that kind of thing embarrasses you, well then read it aloud when no one is looking or listening.
5. Mister Dog by Margaret Wise Brown
This last Mister Dog pick is kind of a wild card. (It was between this and Maurice Sendak's Nutshell collection.) Margaret Wise Brown wrote Goodnight, Moon which is like the Kleenex of children's books, if I can make that kind of tortured comparison. But Mister Dog, it's a weird book. But weird in a good way. The dog's name is Crispin Crispian and he's very particular about how things ought to be, but then he's also sloppy and eccentric and he loves strawberries. He bumps into a Boy one day and the Boy comes back to live with Crispin Crispian. Garth Williams, (who wasn't ever a country music star) he really has it going on with his lively domestic life-meets-fantasy illustrations. Both Sam and I like the odd humor in this humble little book, we don't read it all the time but every once in a while, Sam picks it out like a tried and true old pal.
OK, so there you have it. I'd love to hear your favorites and maybe your reasons why. The other thing I'd like to share with you is, don't be shy about troving for children's books at yard sales, thrift stores and even massive antique malls. It doesn't mean you are cheap. It means you're open to anything and saving good books from being tossed into a dump. The last three coolest, best illustrated books that Sam has scored came from he and Irma (his Nanny) digging deep at the local Brown Elephant. (Animal Orchestra, hooray!)
Happy reading!
