Saturday, December 12, 2009

Easy Reader




I have been going to the library lately. I feel so very cultured. I'm not sure why I haven't ever gone. I think I've been to my library twice in the 7 years I've lived here. But suddently I've been reading a lot and taking my kids to the library with me to pick out books. But what I've discovered is that there are a LOT of children's books. And they're not organized by subject or even age group so as to make them easy to pick out for your kids. No, they have 12 year old books grouped in with picture books and everything inbetween. So I want to ask a favor. Those of you who have/have had small children, would you rummage around in your kids' rooms/memory and suggest some titles to me of books that your kids have loved (younger ages)? I want to make more out of our trips to the library. Not that I didn't love Daphne's recent pick, "Bugs And How to Disect Them," but I think Beck was a little grossed out.

Thanks.

13 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I don't EVER go to the library. I don't really read all that much anymore.

alex dumas said...

I always loved Dr Suess. And as I read them to my nieces, it's amazing how much of them I still remember. And anything by Robert Munsch. Classic.

Hildie said...

You have never taken your kids to story time at the library? Seriously?

Ada's favorite these days is "Adele and Simon". Turn of the century Paris. Does she have good taste or what?

All my kids have loved Strega Nonna. York still likes to read it.

Hildie said...

There is also the entire Richard Scarry oeuvre. Everybody loves to look for Goldbug.

Did you know that Arabella calls "Come over to my House" the "Bum bum book", because you can see the bum of a little boy in one of the pictures.

Lyns said...

Never Tease a Weasel--better than Dr. Seuss It makes ME giggle--the kid just looks at me like I'm nuts.

rae said...

OMG STREGA NONA! I freakin' loved that book! Totally forgot about it until I read these comments.

Anyways, here are some of my favorites:
The Art Lesson by Tomie dePaola
Berenstain Bears (the mom morphed into a jerk in later books, but the first few were excellent)
Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Numeroff
Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi

I'll stop now. But there's more.

kado! said...

i LOVE our libary...i went all the time before Nox was in pre-k this year..I thought yeah when he starts school I can browse the isles solo...and relax...hmmm...i have not been back since Sept! I should stop by...but life is TOO busy! Maybe in January!

they have fun nights for the older kids planned at our library...E had a blast at their video-game night! Love that the events are free too!

Nicki said...

The Runaway Dinner by Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingham

Mommy's Best Kisses by Margaret Anastas - we still read this almost every night

Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann - they also have Purplicious (not my favorite) and Goldilicious

Hug by Jez Alborough

Anything by Mo Willems

I don't know if your library has this but ours has these pamphlets that list award winning books for different age groups.

Financial Aid for College said...

LYNS- our family LOVED "Never Tease A Weasel" -- "I've said it to you twice. A weasel doesn't like it, and teasing ISN'T NICE!"

Actually, I don't know if my kids liked it that much, but I read it loudly and repeatedly in front of their father, who was a TERRIBLE TEASE, AND I HATED THAT! (He never caught on.)

I could never LIVE without libraries!

Megan said...

That is sad that your library isn't more organized than that. You can always find the list of Caldecott winner & even caldecott honor books online.. those are great places to start.

Anonymous said...

How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight

Not sure Daphne would like Bakugan anything.

Ben Davis said...

I'd start with all of the recent winners and honorees of the Caldecott and Newberry awards. They are always good.

Seriously though, I think half of the fun is literally sorting through thousands of books to find ones that look good. We've found so many wonderful treasures just by randomly picking books off the shelves. A lot of libraries will also take staff picks out and set them in a display type of area. You might as well just grab all of those right off the bat.

Megan B ♥ said...

Oh, this is right up my alley! I started making lists of other people's faves to improve our library book experiences. Now I have made my own list for just these kind of posts!!

Picture books:
Pickle Chiffon Pie
The Napping House
Where is the Green Sheep?
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The Monster at the End of this Book
Llama, Llama Red Pajama
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear
My Lucky Day
The Quiltmaker's Gift
How do Dinosaur's Day Goodnight?
The Gruffalo
Room on the Broom
Enemy Pie
The Gingerbread Man (Jim Aylesworth)
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
A Bad Case of Stripes
Falling for Rapunzel
This Rabbit Belongs to Emliy Brown
Milli Waits for the Mail


Bedtime books:
Naya Nuki
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Racketty Packetty House
Trumpet of the Swan
Little House
James and the Giant Peach
My Father's Dragon
Treasures of the Snow (strong moral and Christian vibe)

Let me know if you like these and if you need more recommendations!