Today, I'm putting a different spin on the third installment of "Building The Well-Read Child's Library." Instead of giving you recommendations for a number of books, I'm going to talk about series books and the role a particular series played in my childhood and ask YOU for your recommendations.
Many of you may have grown up with Nancy Drew, The Bobbsey Twins, Anne of Green Gables, or even Beverley Cleary's Ramona Quimby. I myself grew up with Trixie Belden, and Candace Ransom's article about Trixie Belden in February's edition of The Edge of the Forest, a monthly online children's literature journal, has inspired me to write about my own childhood experience with this series.
When I was a young girl, I think around 7 or 8, a family friend, Leanne, who knew I loved to read, gave me a box of books she had read when she was a young girl. In the box were a number of books in the Trixie Belden series. Little did she know that a couple of decades later, I would still remember this and remember how such a small gesture impacted my life.
Trixie Belden is a freckled-faced tomboy who lives with her parents and three brothers on Crabapple Farm in New York. In the first book, The Secret of the Mansion, she meets her rich new neighbor, Honey, who soon becomes her best friend. Before you know it, they've embarked upon their first mystery when they notice something strange going on at the old, abandoned Frayne mansion. Who is the boy sleeping in the house? Who is he running from? What will happen to him?
After reading this first book, I was HOOKED on the series and immediately fished the second book out of my box. The boy in the first book was Jim Frayne who becomes a central character in subsequent books in the series. Wherever Trixie and Honey go, a mystery awaits them, and they soon form a gang, The Bob-Whites, with their close circle of friends, who solve all kinds of mysteries in the 39-book series.
Why did I love Trixie and her friends so much? I loved the adventures, the stories, the down-to-earth characters. I longed to have Di's violet eyes and admired Trixie's intelligence and integrity. Honey had what I didn't have and what her friends didn't have, yet she was generous and kind. I had a crush on Trixie's smart and handsome older brother, Brian. In short, I felt I KNEW these characters. I was drawn into their world, and I looked forward to reading the next book to see what they were up to next and to see how they progressed. I was so excited to learn through Candace Ransom's article that Random House has re-released the first 13 of the 39 books in the series. Now a new generation of children can get to know Trixie and her friends.
Good series books draw readers into the lives of the characters. We care about them. We get to know them. We want to know what happens next. We can't wait until the next book comes out. One book is not enough. We. must. have. more. Take the Harry Potter phenomenon. Kids and adults (I was one of them) stayed up until midnight so they could get their hands on the newest book in the series as soon as it came out. We were entranced by J.K. Rowling's words and stories. We wanted to know what would happen to Harry and Voldemort. Who would live? Who would die? Would Ron and Hermione fall in love? Would Harry ever find happiness? Would Hogwarts be destroyed?
That's the magic of series books and why I love them and think every kid should get the opportunity to get hooked on a series.
So now I'm appealing to you...I want to build a list of the best series out there. What did you enjoy as a child? Why? What does your own child love?
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By: Jill,
on 3/6/2008
Blog: The Well-Read Child (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Jill,
on 2/27/2008
Blog: The Well-Read Child (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I absolutely love reading new books--new stories, new characters to fall in love with, new illustrationsm, but there's nothing like pulling out a story that I read when I was a child and reading it to my daughter. It brings back so many memories, and even though she can't quite understand them now, I am eager for the day when she will be able to. Some books are simply magical, can withstand the test of time, and can be enjoyed by many different generations.
Here are ten classic picture books that you may have read when you were young and that you will enjoy sharing with your child all over again.
Madeline by Ludwig BemelmansThis story, first published in 1939, introduced us to a charming little character from France who appeared in many many more stories afterwards. While many say it's better suited for girls, I think little boys will also like the stories rhymes.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
This classic story of the mischevious little bunny who gets into a heap of trouble in Mr. McGregor's garden is sure to be a hit with children. I remember associating Peter with my own little brother who always seemed to get into trouble and somehow manage to wiggle his way out of it.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice SendakI admit that I didn't read this book until I was an adult, but once I did, I knew it was something I would have loved when I was little. Little Max gets sent to bed without supper, but fortunately for him, a forest full of wild things is waiting for him. It celebrates a child's imagination and will be enjoyed by girls and boys alike.
The Story of Babar by Jean De BrunhoffA classic tale of a little elephant who loses his mother, goes into the city, and becomes the talk of the town. I loved Babar and all of Jean De Brunhoff's funny illustrations.
The Complete Adventures of Curious George by H.A. Rey 60 years ago, children were introduced to this lovable monkey and the Man in the Yellow Hat. This first book sparked the creation of numerous books that continue to make the little monkey a familiar character in households today.
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael BondA nice British family, the Browns, meet a nice bear at a Paddington station with a sign around his neck that says, "Please look after this bear." So begins the story of a bear whose humor and whimsy have won the hearts of children for decades. When I was a child, I was drawn to Paddington Bear's charm.
Corduroy by Don FreemanAnother story featuring a bear as a character, Corduroy, a toy bear, comes alive and goes on a fun adventure in a department store at night when everyone has left. When I was a child, I used to imagine what it would be like to have the same experience as Corduroy and made up my own little stories in my head.
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee BurtonWhen technology like gasoline and diesel threaten the livelihood of Mike and his steam shovel, Mary Anne, they travel to the tiny town of Popperville to find work. This is one of those books that boys who love machines will really enjoy, but girls will also be interested in the story.
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett JohnsonAnother book that celebrates a child's imagination, Harold goes for a walk in the moonlight with a big purple crayon in his hand. He uses the crayon multiple times along the adventure to help him out and then to get him back home. Kids who love to draw and who like a little bit of magic will love this book.
Stone Soup by Ann McGovernAnn McGovern first retold this Chinese folktale in 1968. The story of a hungry young man who tricks an old woman who initially refuses him food into making a hearty soup. The first ingredient? Stones of course.
These picture books were just a few of my favorites when I was a child, and I look forward to sharing them with my daughter. What were some of your favorites?
By: Jill,
on 2/20/2008
Blog: The Well-Read Child (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I’m happy to be presenting the first installment in my new weekly feature, “Building the Well-Read Child’s Library,” where I’ll give you 10 recommendations for books that will help you build the foundation of your child’s library. Read more here.
Today, I’m recommending 10 board books for your baby’s library. I can’t begin to tell you how much I love board books. Those of you with infants and toddlers know that “gentle,” is not in their vocabulary…just ask my poor dog who kindly puts up with my daughter’s ear pulling and pouncing. Books are no exception—give babies a book or magazine, and it will be covered in drool and be missing pages in mere seconds.
Thankfully, someone out there came up with an idea to bind books on sturdy cardboard that could withstand the abuse of not-so-gentle children—pure genius I say. The best part is that many childhood classics are available in board book format to make these stories more accessible to younger children, and many bookstores have their own sections just for board books.
Here are 10 board books that we love in our house and that I think would give you an excellent start to building your child’s library.
On the Day You Were Born
by Debra FrasierThis is the book that inspired me to start The Well-Read Child and the first book I wrote about. Read my story here. The book describes how the sun, moon, animals, and spirits of the earth prepared themselves for the birth of the baby in the book and welcomed her/him into the world. It would make a wonderful gift for expectant parents, and kids will love to hear about the day they were born.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Eric Carle’s classic story of a caterpillar who eats a number of foods, builds a cocoon, and emerges as a butterfly, is available in board book format. This is a favorite in our house, and since my daughter was a tiny little thing, she’s been fascinated with the big yellow sun near the beginning of the book. Now, she enjoys poking her fingers through the holes the caterpillar makes in all of the food items.
Guess How Much I Love You
This book never fails to give me the warm fuzzies as a father and son pair of rabbits proclaim their love for each other. My favorite line comes at the end when the little rabbit says to his father, "I love you right up to the MOON.” This is a great book for a father to read to his child.
Where Is Baby's Belly Button?
I’m a big fan of Karen Katz’s vibrant illustrations and cherub-faced characters, and this interactive book is no exception. A peek-a-boo book of sorts, it encourages children to lift flaps and find the baby’s body parts (hands, toes, belly button). This is a fun way to introduce body parts.
Moo Baa La La La
I love Sandra Boynton’s whimsical illustrations, and this very entertaining board book features animals and the noises they make, but which animals say, “La la la?” You and your child will have so much fun making the different animal noises, and it’s a great way to teach your child about different types of animals.
Good Night, Gorilla
This book is just way too cute, and your child will get a kick out of it. A watchman at a zoo bids goodnight to a gorilla who pickpockets his keys, unlocks his cage, and follows the watchman through the zoo. As the watchman bids goodnight to all of the animals, the gorilla lets them out of their cages, and they all follow him home.
Daddy Kisses
I apparently have a weakness for daddy and baby affection, and I love this adorable book that features a number of father animals kissing their babies. With lots of opportunities for kisses, you and your child will have a lot of fun with this book.
Mommy Hugs
I can't leave mommies out! A perfect companion book to Daddy Kisses, Mommy Hugs explains how a variety of mommy animals hug their babies. For example, “mommy cat hugs her kitten with a nuzzle.”
Goodnight Moon
A classic book about a little bunny rabbit who is getting ready for bed and says goodnight to everything around him. Parents who have trouble getting their little ones go to bed swear by this book. One mom I know reads the book to her son and then walks around his own room saying goodnight to everything in the room.
Baby Cakes
This book is very cute and gives lots and lots of opportunities for you to interact with your baby, from kissing him/her on the nose to a smooch on the toes. This is a great book for quality bonding time, and a perfect way to send your little one off to sleep.
Board books are a wonderful way to help you instill the joy of reading in your child from a very early age. They give babies and toddlers the opportunity to explore books without the risk of ruining them.
At 11 months old, my daughter LOVES her board books. Just last night, she sat down in the floor for 30 minutes and was flipping through them, biting them, and “talking” to the pages.
Copyright 2008
Jill Tullo, The Well-Read Child
By: Susan Mitchell,
on 5/14/2007
Blog: It's A Whimsical Life (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Update on Madame Tutli-Putli
A little while ago, I blogged about a fantastic stop-motion animation called Madame Tutli-Putli that is coming out soon. Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski are the sculptors and animators who created this magical world and Jason Walker did the wonderful work of bringing so much soul to the puppets. Jason sent me a link to his site where you can learn more about this amazing process: Jason Walker and here is a link to the trailer if you have not already seen it: Madame Tutli-Putli
Laurie Maher is the actress behind Madame Tutli-Putli. She has a website but I think it is pretty new and not quite up and running yet: Laurie Maher
By: Susan Mitchell,
on 5/4/2007
Blog: It's A Whimsical Life (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Madame Tutli-Putli
I can't wait to see this. It is absolutely captivating and I can't stop watching the trailer.
Madame Tutli-Putli
I think I have to read the Trixie Belden books now! I had the paper dolls when I was little, but wasn't much of a mystery-series reader. The Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace were my favorites, but I also liked the All-of-a-Kind Family series, Anne of Green Gables, and What Katy Did. I'm sure there's more! but those stand out.
My daughter loves these:
Ivy & Bean
Judy Moody
Just Grace (& sequel!)
BabyMouse
Judy Blume's Fudge books
Junie B. Jones
Polk Street School books
Clementine
When my son was younger:
Magic Tree House
Dragonslayers Academy
Secrets of Droon
Animorphs
Now that he's older:
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
The Alex Rider series
Maximum Ride (James Paterson)
Eragon trilogy
As a teacher and parent, I really believe in the value of series books, even though they're criticized sometimes. Series provide emerging readers (and older readers, too) with a comfortable place to begin reading. There's no awkward "getting to know you" stage on page 1. A great series lets you spend time with old friends, something we'd all like to do more often.
Anamarie,
I completely forgot about Betsy-Tacy. I've never heard of the All-of-a-Kind Family Series...one more to add to my growing pile of books to read. Thanks for your input!
Kate,
Wow...looks like you've raised two wonderful readers. Congratulations! I feel the same about the value of series books. Most of them may not be what we call great literature, but they engage kids and make them excited to read, which is really what turns them into lifelong readers. Thanks for sharing your suggestions!
When I was little I read every Beverly Cleary book as well as all the Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon books by L.M. Montgomery.
My little 6 yr old has really loved the Wizard of Oz books. We made it through about 8 of them before I burnt out of reading them and asked if we could read something else. At the moment we are reading the shoe books by Noel Steatfeild. And of course we have read the Chronicles of Narnia.
Sea Star,
Thanks for stopping by! I was definitely a Beverly Cleary fan and Anne of Green Gables fan, too. My grandmother bought me the boxed set of Anne of Green Gables, and I read them over and over again.
I haven't read all of the Wizard of Oz Books or Noel Steatfield's books, but the Chronicles of Narnia were one of my favorites. If only I could read 24/7.
I think the best series to come around in the last 10 years or more (sorry J.K) is Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Kids enjoy the sarcastic, wry, dark tone and the underlying message that kids don't need adults to survive. I just think they're terrific, although I know some people absolutely loathe--a word which here means "hate"--them.
As a child, I remember trying to be the first in line to go to the school library because of "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. We loved this series because the reader got to pick which turns they wanted the story to take (i.e. If you answer the phone, turn to page 53. If not, turn to page 30.). After disappearing, they're making a comeback and have been reprinted and are sold in bookstores everywhere. I think they would definitely stand the test of time and would be terrific for readers in grades 2-6, especially reluctant readers.
What a great topic. There's a bunch more I'm forgetting, but I have to give credit to these two faves!
The Little House series.
The Ramona series by Beverly Cleary. The Chronicles of Narnia by Lewis.
The Anne series by L.M. Montgomery
The Emily series by L.M. Montgomery
The Babysitter's Club by Ann Martin
The Gymnasts series by ??? (If only I could go back in time and stop myself from giving them away.)
The Sunfire Romance "name" series
The above were all from childhood pre-teen years.
Of the current series, I love love love the Percy Jackson series. The Bartimaeus (sp??) trilogy is also fab. The Fablehaven series is great too. And I love the Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley. Love them.
B.C.- Lemony Snicket's is another one I haven't read...boy am I missing out ! I loved the "Choose Your Own Adventure Books" too, and I recently saw a few on immigration from Capstone Press. The were called "An Interactive History Adventure," but the it was the same concept as "choose your own adventure." I'm glad they're making a comeback because I think they're good choices for "reluctant readers." Thanks for commenting!
Becky,
Oooh...some great ones there, and your mention of the Babysitter's Club triggered Sweet Valley High in my memory--definitely not "great literature," but fun reading. I've been meaning to check out the Sisters Grimm for a while. Thanks for the recommendations!
Oh, I ADORED Trixie Belden! I had every one of her books at one time- they were just wonderful. I actually remember the plots to several of them because I re-read them so many times. One series I haven't seem mentioned yet is The Boxcar Children. I got hooked on those in elementary school when my teacher read the first book.
Jenny,
Yay--another Trixie fan! I haven't read The Boxcar Children series...so many books, so little time. Thanks for writing in!
I liked the Great Brain books, the Chronicles of Narnia, and Anne of Green Gables series.
My students liike the Minnie and Moo, Berenstain Bears, Junie B. Jones, and Magic Tree House books.