Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature
Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell and illsutrated by Jason Cockcroft (Margaret K. McElderry 2004) is a gorgeous animal-themed Nativity story. In this wintery story, the Gentle Ox invites the Old Dog, Stray Cat, and Small Mouse into the warm stable before Tired Donkey and the Baby Jesus join them.
The animals of the stable are often the focus of children’s Nativity picture books, possibly because children tend to love animals and because they are so lovely in illustrations. The image of the babe in the manger, humbly surrounded by gentle animals, is a memorable part of the season. One such book that I love
One of our family traditions is to read the Biblical account of the first Noel. I have found a fantastic picture book the illustrates the Bible verses for families to do so! The picture book The Christmas Story features paintings by Gennady Spirin. These paintings appropriately remind me of Europe and the Renaissance, and I
One of my favorite books for celebrating the Christmas season is a small picture book that my son received for his first Christmas: My First Story of Christmas by Tim Dowley (Moody Publishers, 2004). The illustrations are simple but fun, reverent but childlike. There are a few editorial opinions sprinkled in the story of the
In honor of the snow Chicago is “enjoying,” I found some Winter-related Caldecott-winning books this month at my local library.
I was putting together the list of Newbery Medal winners a few weeks ago, and I saw Gay-Neck: The Story of a Pigeon by Dhan Gopal Mukerji on the list as winner in the 1920s. A novel about a pigeon? I pictured New York City, Central Park. I pictured the “Feed the Birds” scene in
Charles Dickens wrote one book that never appears on his “collected works” lists. That is The Life of Our Lord, a “child’s new testament” that he wrote for his own children for Christmas one year. It was first published in 1934, 64 years after Dickens’s death. In The Life of Our Lord, Charles Dickens retells
Betty Smith expertly recreates the 1912 Brooklyn of 11-year-old Francie Nolan in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Through Betty Smith’s words, I learned of the awfulness of enduring agonizing hunger and dire poverty in the tenements of Brooklyn during a volatile time. But Francie’s poverty is only part of Francie’s story. As Francie grows from
My son is getting better at sitting still for board books! This month, he took control of turning the pages of a few of them, wanting to turn them over and over again. It fun to watch him try to read: I tell him the book is upside down and turn it over for him.
While Mo Willems hasn’t been awarded the Caldecott Medal for his children’s picture books, he has been nominated a number of times. Do multiple Honors equal a Medal? I doubt he’d think so. Nevertheless, I think his simple illustrations are award-worthy and therefore worthy of my review. Here’s a rundown of some of Willems’ books,
My son is musical. As a newborn, his body would instantly start to relax if I started to sing to him. Now, at 13 months old, he doesn’t calm so easily. But if he hears music, he dances. He laughs when he hears any rhythm. His favorite toys make music. He likes to touch the
Time for Bed by Mem Fox and illustrated by Jane Dyer, is a relaxing bedtime book. The go-to-bed phrases have a wonderful rhythm just right for rocking a child to sleep. It’s time for bed, little mouse, little mouse,Darkness is falling all over the house. The richly realistic paintings of animal mothers and babies evoke
Page [tcb_pagination_current_page] of [tcb_pagination_total_pages]
