"A nomad I will remain for life, in love with distant and uncharted places." -Isabelle Eberhardt
"A nomad I will remain for life, in love with distant and uncharted places." -Isabelle Eberhardt
The minute I find out a friend is having a baby, I start buying books. I have no children of my own but since my days of working at Brentano’s Bookstore, kids books have been my favorite. I also believe you have to start reading to your kids right away to make them readers. When I was younger, I’d get grounded from reading because I would read instead of getting my chores done. I’m sort of still the same today, only I don’t ground myself! There are a few standards that I buy for everyone, and some I buy depending on the parent or, as the kid gets older, what they are into. I do often wonder how many parents don’t appreciate The Complete Grimm Brother’s Fairy Tales …
First and foremost, the kids need to learn about the real fairy tales. This is probably where parents disagree from me, since the Grimm Brother’s Fairy Tales are quite gruesome! BUT! We cannot let them grow up in a Disney world! For a softer story, Bony Legs is the perfect pick. Bony Legs is the story of Sasha, a young girl who uses her people skills to escape a witch. Life lesson if I’ve ever heard one.
The second must have is a Roald Dahl box set. There are two options here. You can get the Magical Gift Set that has 4 books: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , James and the Giant Peach , Fantastic Mr. Fox and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.
Or, you can go big and get the Roald Dahl Collection with 15 books, which I what I’d suggest.
My two favorite alphabet books are A is for Atom and A is for Activist . I spotted A is for Atom at a gift shop in Palm Springs and nabbed copy for my nephew. It is a mid-century alphabet and includes “D is for drive-in” and “R is for rock-n-roll.” A is for Activist is perfect for the political climate we are currently in; get those kids thinking about their rights!
No kid’s book list would be complete with a little Maurice Sendak. Obvs., Where the Wild Things Are is a staple in any child’s library. However, my personal favorite is Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and Prologue . My grandma had this on a shelf in her bathroom for as long as I can remember. I’ve got a tattoo of the lion and I’ve made art out of the pages. This is probably my favorite children’s book of all time. A lesser known Sendak illustrated book is I Saw Esau , which includes classic riddles and rhymes of school children.
And with that…I conclude Part 1!
“So the lion ate Pierre.”
Also, honorable mention goes out to The Three Billy Goats Gruff , another folk tale classic.
The post The Perfect Children’s Book Library: Part 1 appeared first on The Book Nomad.
