Making the Cut {Picture Books}

Wow! You guys had some great book suggestions that you deemed worthy of "re-reading" - thanks for sharing! Because of your input, I thought of a few more that could have made my list, the main one being George MacDonald's The Light Princess - which also happens to be FREE for Kindle and Kindle Reader Apps (click on the book title). It doesn't get much better than free, right?

Since so many of you had chapter books from your childhood that would make the re-read cut, I thought we'd try this again, but with non-chapter books this time. If you don't have any to add to this list, but you're chomping at the bit to share your adult re-readables, not to worry - I've got a post planned for that as well! Ready?

{1, 2 & 3}

The Butter Battle Book, The Sneetches and Other Stories, Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss

I have a hard time imagining anyone - born within the last 30+ years - who hasn't grown up with Dr. Seuss, but since I'm married to such a person, I know it's possible. Dr. Seuss was a genius, and as a writer myself, I sometimes wonder where he got his ideas. The books shown above are three of my favorites - the ones that I had to read to Peter after we were married because he'd never read them. My great aunt (who taught Kindergarten for 50 years) gave me my copies of Bartholomew and the Oobleck and The Butter Battle Book when we went to visit our family in Oklahoma, and I couldn't get enough of them. I remember spending hours on my mother's lap, begging her to read "just one more" book from the stack. My poor mom - she was in her mid-40's by that time, and oh-so-tired. As you know, Dr. Seuss requires a nimble tongue at the best of times, but after reading 10 or more books, her words would start to slur and then she would get quiet. I'd be looking at the pictures when I'd hear a little snore escape from Mom. It was a happy day for both of us when I learned to read for myself.

{4 & 5}

The Jolly Postman & The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg

Okay, so if you are willing to buy just one (or two) book(s) off of this list, these would be the ones that I would recommend. The Jolly Postman first, because it introduces you to all of the characters, and then if you wanted to add The Jolly Christmas Postman, I'd say "two thumbs up" for that decision. I realize that real mail is becoming obsolete, sadly, but as a child, there was nothing I loved more than getting a letter in the post that was addressed to me. In many ways, it felt like I was always getting mail when I read these books, and I spent hours looking at every detail of the letters inside. I don't know how you could go wrong with these (especially if you're giving them to a girl).

{6}

Over in the Meadow: First Little Golden Book

I'm making the assumption that everyone who is reading this is acquainted with Little Golden Books. I had a shelf full of them when I was little, but stupidly gave many of them away when I became "too old" for such childish stories, and have since had to re-buy them - dumb, dumb, dumb! Over in the Meadow was always a favorite, and also the most difficult to find again. It's based on a classic children's poem, and has the most delightful rhythm to it. I saw some for sale (used) on Amazon, but have yet to find it new. My own copy came from a search on Abebooks, and was worth every penny to have it back in my library. If we ever have kids, this is one book that I wouldn't want them to miss out on.

{7, 8 & 9}

Tawny Scrawny Lion, Tootle & Scuffy the Tugboat

Since we're on the subject of Little Golden Books, let me take a couple of minutes to recommend these three as good additions to your collection. Of the three, Scuffy is probably my favorite (I even have a Scuffy Christmas ornament - thanks to Hallmark). As a child, I watched all of my older siblings leave home and make their way in the big world, and when my last sister was leaving for college, I was the odd 5-year-old who was packing to go with her. I always wanted to be doing what they did, to be bigger than I was - just like Scuffy. And like Scuffy, as I grew older and had more experiences, I discovered that sometimes, there's nothing quite so nice as home.

{10}

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

This is one book that I quote to this day. I have lost count of the times that everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong, and this comes to mind, "I think I'll move to Australia." Oh yes, we all have terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days, but as we grow up, we also learn that they even happen in Australia. I love the lessons that this book taught me - about attitude, about accepting that bad things happen, and about realizing that it's not based on your circumstances or location, it's about your response to the situation.

{11 & 12}

Richard Scarry's What Do People Do All Day & Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You Book

You really can't go wrong with Richard Scarry. I had several of his books as a child (also some that I gave away - kick, kick, kick!), and I still enjoy looking through the pictures and reading the short stories. A kid could spend hours searching through every page, looking at all the details that Scarry put into his drawings - at least, I could! The Please and Thank You Book is great for helping teach manners to children (something that is sadly lacking these days), and I want to go on record as saying that Lowly Worm is my favorite.

{13}

 

Winter, spring, summer, fall (A Gingerbread book) by Sharon Leyland-DiBlasi

You can see why I skipped picture books in the last list, right? I mean, I could go on forever! But this is the last one (for now), and even though it's no longer available new, I'm happy to see that there are several used copies for sale (inexpensively) on Amazon. This is a fun book that helps teach young children about the seasons, and was one that always made the stack for Mom to read when I was little. I loved looking at all the drawings and seeing what each chicken was doing during each season. Fall was, of course, my favorite.

Now it's YOUR turn!

What picture/non-chapter books would make your re-read list?

Any that you wouldn't want YOUR kids to miss out on?