Harold and the Purple Crayon

I remember waking up REALLY early one morning when I was about 5 or 6 years old and not being able to get back to sleep. I had a bunch of my favorite books in a brief case that Mom and Dad had found at an estate sale. Harold and the Purple Crayon was one of the books that I had in that brief case. I remember reading it that morning. I absolutely loved this book. When my brother Pete graduated from college, I gave him Harold and the Purple Crayon as a graduation present. To me, the book represented being able to build a world out of the smallest of resources; in this case, a purple crayon. Pete was surprised when he opened the gift. He told me he had never heard of the book before. I couldn't imagine how that could be...

Bread and Jam for Frances

I had promised my friend Eric he could read Bread and Jam for Frances to my 1st grade class. He wasn't able to make it in the other day and I couldn't hold out reading it to them! It was my favorite story book as a kid, after all! The kids loved it and will love hearing it a second time so I guess I technically didn't break my promise to Eric.

Bread and Jam for Frances

Text is by Russell Hoban

Illustrations by Lillian Hoban

Tikki Tikki Tembo

This was another book Mom read to us as kids. Tikki Tikki Tembo refers to the abbreviated name of the oldest son in the story. His full name is much, much, longer. I read it to my first grade students yesterday and they quite liked it. The Chinese story is retold here by Arlene Mosel. The beautiful pictures are by Blair Lent.

More Bedtime for Frances

I read Bedtime for Frances to the kids at school today. They loved it. Eric, a friend of mine has been volunteering in my classroom recently and when he saw I was going to read it to the class asked if he could read it as it had been his favorite book when he was a kid. I told him no and that it had been MY favorite book as a child! He took it well and I promised him he could read Bread and Jam for Frances when he comes back Friday. Deal.

I Am a Bunny

Richard Scarry wrote and illustrated I Am a Bunny. The beautiful pictures take Nicholas Bunny and the reader through the four seasons.

Bedtime for Frances

Bedtime for Frances is a book I checked out of the library, along with all the other Frances books, a LOT. Frances is an adorable badger that makes lots of life discoveries with the help and guidance of her parents. Here she...

Never Talk to Strangers

Another book I liked and had read to me as a kid is Never Talk to Strangers by Irma Joyce with very 60's-esque illustrations by George Buckett. Many situations in which children might find themselves encountering a stranger are presented and always followed with the advice: "Never talk to strangers."

For example:

"If you're mailing a letter to Aunt Lucille, and you see a car with a whale at the wheel, stay away from him and his automobile. Never talk to strangers."

The book is copyrighted 1967.

The Whistle Bell Train

As a kid I loved the Whistle-Bell Train. The story, by Lee Ryland, is about a train engineer named Big Sam who makes pals with a red, red robin. Mrs. Red, Red Robin build a nest on the steps of the caboose of Big Sam's train. The ticket taker and the station master are not at all happy about the nest being there as they feel it will not have a positive effect on the efficiency of train. Conflict ensues. The charming illustrations are by Frank Aloise. The book is copyrighted 1967.

Animal Train

Another book read to me as a child was Animal Train. The train moves along on its journey with the animals safe and snug inside. The giraffe chews a hole in the roof of her car and a number of the animals climb out and ride on top. A predicament presents itself as the train keeps speeding along. The book by Elizabeth Roberts with adorable illustrations by Ben D. Williams is copyrighted 1952.

Walt Disney's Mother Goose

I love to read and I know this started at a very early age. My mother read to me and my brothers from the very beginning. One of my

earliest books was Walt Disney's Mother Goose. This Little Golden Book was an introduction to reading and to Mother Goose. I'm a 1st grade teacher and find that a lot of kids today don't know these wonderful rhymes. The cover on the left is the actual cover of the copy we had at home (which disappeared a long time ago) and, I believe, dates to 1952. I recently found a copy of the book in a Minneapolis shop which has the cover shown at right. This edition was released in 2004.