I'm often asked to recommend ‘books for us to read together at bedtime that aren’t picture books.’ (Sometimes parents in the know add, ‘Please, save me from the
Fairy books.’)
Recommending books is tricky, but it's also one of my favorite parts of my job. It relies on the parent's interests, the child's interest, and the family culture. What level of emotional intensity are they comfortable with? What parts of life have they talked about? What literary style does the family like? Fast-paced? Reflective? Linguistically rich?
In addition, I always want to know what gender the child is (more about gender and books in a later newsletter) and if there are siblings.
With all this in mind, I thought I would share a few of the titles I’ve recommended lately to show the breadth of possibilities, and a few of my mental notes about each title. You'll notice that my comments aren't about the plot so much as the 'look and feel' of the book.
Among the classics:
Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
Feisty girl, younger sister, dated (first published in 1955!). Funny. Lots of sequels. Likely parents have already read it and have feelings about it from their childhood. Parents sometimes don't like it because the siblings fight.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Plot and characters familiar to almost every child everywhere in the world, kids usually know more about it than the parents. High adventure, a little scary. Pretty much all children will read it eventually.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Old-fashioned, long with more complex language, dead parents, emotionally intense. Happy ending, no sequel. Likely parents have already read it and have feelings about it from their childhood.
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Hilarious. Poems, not stories, but great thing to read aloud, perhaps in conjunction with a chapter book. Likely parents have already read it and have feelings about it from their childhood. Lived here in Sausalito!
Among the upstarts:
Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
Fantastical elements, illustrated, angry at mother, girl character. Funny. Great author.
The Haunted Library by Dori Hillestad Butler
Lighter-fare, boy ghost, series. Very popular whenever recommended, especially with early elementary girls. Brand-new series.
I Survived: The San Francisco Earthquake, 1906 by Lauren Tarshis
Adventurous, popular with boys, series. Nice bridge to independent reading: if the kid likes this title and they might be inspired to keep reading on their own.
Magyk by Angie Sage
Magic, epic in vaguely-Medieval world. Funny. Great stories, long series. Also a good audiobook.
Ones you might not have thought of:
D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths by Ingri D'Aulaires
The myths can be racy/bloody, so choose among them, but great stories and illustrations. An easy way to learn myths.
Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Holden Averill
Old-fashioned tale, main character = cat. Sweet.
The Mouse and His Child by Russell Hoban
Very dramatic. Toys and animals set up their own world, epic. One of my favorite read-alouds from childhood.
Tales of Uncle Remus by Julius Lester
Classic American tales, beautiful illustrations.
The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps by Jeannette Winter
Don’t forget biographies! Good one for thinking about science and the natural world.
