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Friday Five--Classic picture books
Feb. 5th, 2010 10:35 amDon't worry, this won't be my only picture book post--I know there are wonderful ones being published all the time. But today we're doing five that my five kids have loved so much that we've had to either buy it so someone else could check it out from the library, or we've owned multiple copies due to wear and tear, or we can still recite all the words many years later.
1.
Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak. I still haven't seen the film (I know, my bad), but the book encompasses all the wild in a kid, plus the need to come home and be where "someone loved him best of all."
2.
Hop on Pop, Dr. Seuss. This is great for kids who can't yet hold a whole story in their heads. They can laugh at the spread about not hopping on pop, or Mr. Brown being out of town (well, they probably won't get the humor of that one yet) and go on to the next thing. And, when they get to be about five, the book comes back because now it's perfect for just-beginning readers.
3.
Go Dog, Go, P.D. Eastman. For some reason our family quotes this one all the time. "Go dogs, go! The light is green now!" Or, "Now it is NIGHT. Night is not a time for play. Night is a time for sleep. Sleep dogs, sleep." "Do you like my hat?" "Yes! I like that party hat!" If you agree that toddlers speak Basic German Shepherd, then maybe you can see why this one is a winner...
4.
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, by Al Perkins. This may not have won a Caldecott or anything, but the book is copyright 1969 and it's still in print. Does that tell you something? I LOVE the language on this one. It's like a rhythmic song, and the kids just can't get enough of it. If you have a toddler who grooves on rhythm, this is the book!
5.
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, by Mem Fox (ill. by Helen Oxenbury). I know, it's new. But the author and illustrator have been publishing forever, and since every single time we went to the library, PMB ripped it off the shelf with loud squeals of ownership, we went ahead and got our own copy so we could continue reading without overdue fees. Lovely repetition, lots of babies (which is what toddlers like to see, right? I can't tell if they see themselves, or if they see how much bigger they are.) Just a beautiful book that has tons of kid appeal. Plus, I personally love how international the babies are. Most attempts at diversity stop at black and white. This has not only caucasian, Asian, black kids (from various countries), but also Eskimo, Arab, etc.
What about you? Any classics you'd like to add? They can be modern, but generally speaking, ones that have huge kid appeal that get read over and over and over and over.
1.
Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak. I still haven't seen the film (I know, my bad), but the book encompasses all the wild in a kid, plus the need to come home and be where "someone loved him best of all." 2.
Hop on Pop, Dr. Seuss. This is great for kids who can't yet hold a whole story in their heads. They can laugh at the spread about not hopping on pop, or Mr. Brown being out of town (well, they probably won't get the humor of that one yet) and go on to the next thing. And, when they get to be about five, the book comes back because now it's perfect for just-beginning readers. 3.
Go Dog, Go, P.D. Eastman. For some reason our family quotes this one all the time. "Go dogs, go! The light is green now!" Or, "Now it is NIGHT. Night is not a time for play. Night is a time for sleep. Sleep dogs, sleep." "Do you like my hat?" "Yes! I like that party hat!" If you agree that toddlers speak Basic German Shepherd, then maybe you can see why this one is a winner...4.
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, by Al Perkins. This may not have won a Caldecott or anything, but the book is copyright 1969 and it's still in print. Does that tell you something? I LOVE the language on this one. It's like a rhythmic song, and the kids just can't get enough of it. If you have a toddler who grooves on rhythm, this is the book! 5.
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, by Mem Fox (ill. by Helen Oxenbury). I know, it's new. But the author and illustrator have been publishing forever, and since every single time we went to the library, PMB ripped it off the shelf with loud squeals of ownership, we went ahead and got our own copy so we could continue reading without overdue fees. Lovely repetition, lots of babies (which is what toddlers like to see, right? I can't tell if they see themselves, or if they see how much bigger they are.) Just a beautiful book that has tons of kid appeal. Plus, I personally love how international the babies are. Most attempts at diversity stop at black and white. This has not only caucasian, Asian, black kids (from various countries), but also Eskimo, Arab, etc. What about you? Any classics you'd like to add? They can be modern, but generally speaking, ones that have huge kid appeal that get read over and over and over and over.
