MotherReader

Here in the midst of SLJ's Top 100 Children's Novels countdown - and by the way, do not miss it! - I'm waiting for some of mine to show up on the list. As I said in an earlier post of three of my selections, I was surprised how "classic" I went with my own suggestions. I've read so many fantastic books over the last ten years, and yet when faced with picking ten favorites, I go old school. In a way, it goes to show the problem with these lists when sentiment is so hard to overcome. Maybe we should start by having equal representations from different age groups so that their nostalgia will be, you know, current.

Winnie-the-Pooh
by A.A. Milne
It's obvious that the nostalgia factor is so high on this title, though perhaps the years of Disneyfication of Pooh may be taking a toll on this impeccable, imaginative classic. After years of making the characters preschool fodder, the original stories have all been lost in the shuffle. Kids who are finally old enough to appreciate the sophisticated language and nuance, have tossed aside Pooh as baby books. It's a crying shame. The only advice I have for new parents, is to own the classic set and ban any and all Disneyfied versions with a fierceness usually reserved for smoking near the baby. Do it for the children.

Alice in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
Here's a book that is entirely about imagination, and by that I mean one that gives the reader's imagination a complete workout as she visualizes the worlds and events of the story. It's one of the reasons that I see it as a perfect one to read aloud to a younger child who can freely imagine the scenes in this fantastic adventure without working through some of the harder text. ('Twas brillig, and the slithy toves...) There will be time later to come back and work through the annotated books to learn of the political implications of the verses and all that grown-up stuff. But for childhood, it's just fun to follow the white rabbit and see where he leads you.

The Bad Beginning
by Lemony Snicket
It is a stretch to put the Series of Unfortunate Events as a classic, but I think it's just a matter of time. This title is where the Baudelaire children first become orphans and are placed with Count Olaf, who will soon become the villain in their long tale of woe. The wit and wordplay in the books bring in the fans, along with the ever-more-complicated mysteries that grow deeper with each title. What I still find interesting about this book over ten years, is that it tends to get a love it or hate it reaction. While the Amazon ratings for The All-of-a-Kind Family were overwhelmingly five stars with a handful of low ratings, the ones for The Bad Beginning come in at about a 6:1 ratio for the book. Unusual for a book of this caliber.

Along with my top ten picture books, I submitted my top ten chapter books for the SLJ's Top Children's Novels poll. Since I have some write-ups, I thought I'd share a few of my selections today. Again, I was surprised that I wasn't finding the love for newer titles, but was going back to my own childhood books as favorites. I think I have some attachment issues to work out.

All-of-a-Kind-Family
by Sydney Taylor
A classic about a poor, immigrant, Jewish family living in New York City in the early 1900's. The book is about the everyday - chores, market trips, make-believe games - mixed with a helpful and healthy dose of Jewish traditions. It's historical fiction at its finest, putting the reader in the world while celebrating the time period. As for why love this book, well, it's because the joy that the girls had in choosing what to spend a nickel on outweighs most of the excitement I could imagine then or now. It made me crave a dill pickle from the barrel, which is just crazy.

Little House on the Prairie
by Laura Ingalls Wilders
While this title is not actually the first book in the series - that would be Little House in the Big Woods - this is the one that really kicks it off, letting the reader get to know Laura, Mary, Ma and Pa as they travel and set up a homestead on the prairie through difficult times. When I was a kid I loved the first books in the series, finding the other ones boring, but as an adult, I think that the later books are better written, with stronger characterization and plotting. The early books have extensive descriptions of scenery, food, and house-building, which makes for some slow reading.

A Little Princess
by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Here's a book about triumphing in the face of adversity, and keeping a positive spirit and nature throughout tough times. When I was young, I read it, lost it, didn't remember what it was called, and for some reason didn't seem to ask anybody, but kept looking for the book for years. I remember the joy of finding it again, on the shelves of a bookstore, and going home to read it again and again. Sigh. I loved this book as a kid, but reading it again as an adult I couldn't capture that same feeling. That's okay though, because my childhood memories of the tale completely trump my adult sensibilities and it still feels a little bit magic to me.

The lazy days of summer are a perfect time to bring out some classic chapter books for reading time. These are a few that practically beg to be read aloud, particularly because the reading level is high for the intended audience.

Winnie-the-Pooh
by A. A. Milne
I still hold onto a memory from fifth grade where a teacher saw me reading House at Pooh Corner and complimented me on choosing such a challenging book. These days we think of Winnie-the-Pooh as a preschooler thing, an idea pushed forward by the whole Disneyfication of the characters. It’s a crying shame. The watered-down versions of the classic books ruin our appetites for the real thing. Fight back by reading aloud the true version with its melodious language, gentle illustrations, and sophisticated story-telling.

Jenny and the Cat Club
by Ester Averill
When New York Review Children’s Collection republished this book among other classics, I felt like I had found an old friend. I can’t say that I had been searching dusty old bookshops for a copy. To be honest, I had forgotten all about this book until I saw the cover. And there was Jenny, the shy black cat with the red scarf. Oh, how I had missed her! The story follows a shy little cat who wants to be part of the Cat Club and finds friends, adventure, and courage in their world. This book and the other Jenny books are perfect read-alouds for the younger set because the language and plot are simply — yet wonderfully — done.

Paddington Treasury
by Michael Bond
Paddington Bear has also received the Winnie-the-Pooh treatment in recent years (what is it about bears?) with a ton of simplified boardbooks and adaptations. Again, you need to go back to the original to capture the heart of these stories of a bear found at a train station who goes on to make every day into exciting adventures as he bumbles along. The tales are wonderful for elementary school children, but the old-fashioned language and references can make reading the books a struggle. As a read-aloud, however, it’s magical.

(This post was previously published at PBS Booklights.)