Oct 13 2008
Great Stuff for Storytime
With holidays approaching, I thought I’d devote some space to a few of my kid favorites. If I had unlimited funds and unlimited space, I’d buy unlimited kids books–but then I’d want unlimited kids to read to, which presents another problem entirely.
The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown, (author of classic board book Goodnight Moon) is a classic, never out of print, and always fun to read. The little bunny decides to run away and mother bunny says she’ll go after him, with the escape and rescue becoming more ridiculous each time. This is for little ones through about pre-school age.
Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam Bratney, is along the same line, but it features a daddy and his little bunny, upping the ante on who loves the other more. Very cute illustrations and silly scenarios.
Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney, is a book that was given to me as a gift by one of my friends, that also happens to be a wonderful children’s book. It is the tale of an old woman whose goal in life is to make the world more beautiful and to share that vision with others. I just discovered that there are notecards inspired by the illustrations in this book, as well. It is recommended for ages 4-8, but makes a lovely gift for all ages.
One of my all-time favorite children’s authors is Australian Graeme Base. He creates clever, creative books with over-the-top illustrations that are so much fun to share with kids. My favorite is The Sign of the Seahorse, which is an underwater tale of crime, drama and intrigue, written like an opera in acts and verses. My second favorite is The Eleventh Hour, a mystery with clues to be followed and solved. Kids as young as kindergarten will enjoy the stories, but they will grasp more of the humor and innuendo as they grow older, which also makes storytime more fun for the grown-ups.
Good reads for the tween set still to come…
