Classics

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe --
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.

So begins this beloved lullaby poem, so beautiful and so certain to sooth children (and their parents!) off into peaceful dreams on a smooth sea.  In this edition, we are treated to the complete text of this luminous poem and illustrations that simply warm the heart.  Here Wynken, Blynken and Nod are dear rabbits come to fish the starry seas, returning to sprinkle their sparkling catch over a child's bed, a covering of soft sleep.

For children of all ages.  Very highly recommended.

Blueberries for Sal

Blueberries for Sal of my all-time favorite children's books.  We read it when our children were young so many times that I had to repair the binding to hold the pages together.  There's not a much better fate than that for a book, falling apart from so much love.

Out in the rural countryside, Mother and Sal go to Blueberry Hill to gather blueberries to can for the winter.  Sal picks her blueberries and drops them one by one, kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk, into her small tin pail.  She wanders off, picking and eating more than a bit of what she picks and comes upon a mama bear who is also gathering berries to prepare for the coming winter.  Meanwhile, Sal's mother happens upon a little bear, eating along the berry bushes.  One does wonder, will the mothers take the right child home?

Of course, in this warm and wonderful story, everyone finds who they are looking for and both parents and their children head to their homes, filled with blueberries and love.  The sweet pictures carry this warmth on every page.

Unbeatable for ages 4 and up.

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

I think this classic story, one which I grew up with and then shared with my own now-grown children, has a special meaning for our very modern, fast-paced times.  Here is a portrait of a wholesome parternship between a human being (Mike) and the machine that allows him to earning a living building things that help other people (Mary Ann, the steam shovel).  As they work together canals, roads, and skyscrapers are built that allow people to do an share with each other.  But then new, faster machines come along it looks as though Mary Ann is destined for the scrap heap.  But Mike and Mary Ann's other friends transform this looming sad fate into a joyous reinvention of Mary Ann's purpose, carrying Mike into a new, still-helpful life as well.

Children have loved this book for almost 80 years for its warm-hearted way of showing how the modern world doesn't have to be a heartless one.  I think the time has come for Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel to be dusted off and read again to a new generation that needs to hear its story.

Very highly recommend for ages 3 and up.

Saint Francis and the Wolf

One of the most beloved tales of St. Francis is that of the Wolf of Gubbio. This gently illustrated retelling of the story is exquisite in its grace and warmth, and it's voice is just right for such a story.

The great wolf of Gubbio was a ferocious creature who terrorized the town and was slowly reducing its people to penury and starvation. In nearby Assisi, Brother Francis heard of their plight and came to their rescue. Unbelievingly, the villagers watched from the ramparts as Brother Francis called to the wolf, tamed it with his tenderness, and made it pledge that if the people of Gubbio would care for him, he would do them no harm. The great wolf took the pledge and lived in harmony with the citizens of the city until its death.

Included also as inside leaves is Francis's Canticle to the Sun.

This is altogether a lovely book - for children ages 5 and older.

Just So Stories

Kipling's Just So Stories were among my most favorite books when I was growing up. First, my mother read them to me, then, just as soon as I was able, I would get the book from our library and read them to myself. From start to finish, they always brought laughter, giggles, and wonder that such tales could be told. They even inspired me to make up my own Just So Stories - I regaled my cat with them for days and days on end (not that the cat ever bothered to wake up from his nap to listen, but nonetheless . . .). I just loved them - still do, in fact, and can think of no happier book to share with children.

For children ages 6 and up.

A Family

These paintings by Carl Larsson were such a warm part of our own families early days that it is a heartfelt pleasure to be able to share them with you. Between the covers of this book lies a journey through the love, joy and sorrows of family life, seen always through the prism of beauty. A wonderful gift for all members of any family.

A Home

Another gift for the heart by Carl Larsson. Larsson himself had a very difficult home as a child and thus loved all the more the good home he and his wife created for their own family. These paintings are symphonies of that love and a beautiful, warm addition to any home.

A Farm

Carl Larsson's books about the life on his farm, Spardarvet in western Sweden, were some of the most sparkling jewels on our bookshelf during the time when our children were growing up. They are so filled with life and beauty, and the portrayals of family and farm life in those days are so wonderful that we spend hours and hours just pouring over them, talking about what the people were doing, what certain things in the room were, thinking about family and home and life.

I can't recommend these highly enough - they are the sort of books that are pulled from the shelf time and time again, to be looked at anew by everyone, regardless of age.

The Story of the Snow Children

Poppy is gazing out of the window at the snow when, all of a sudden, she sees that the snowflakes are really little Snow Children dancing and whirling in the garden. Soon, they whisk her away to the Snow Queen’s wintry kingdom.

From the author of The Story of the Root Children, here is another classic children’s story with beautiful illustrations.

(Age 3–5)

The Story of the Root Children

The perfect book to follow the seasons! Join Mother Earth as she awakens her Root-Children in the spring and gently guides them through the seasons of the year. Beautifully told and illustrated. For children of all ages, especially 3-7!

The Story of the Root Children

The perfect book to follow the seasons! Join Mother Earth as she awakens her Root-Children in the spring and gently guides them through the seasons of the year. Beautifully told and illustrated. For children of all ages, especially 3-7!

The Last Little Cat

Meindert DeJong, a Newbery Award-winning author, published The Last Little Cat nearly four decades ago. Now it is back in print to delight us all.

The last little cat was born in a kennel, surrounded by dogs and dog cages and dog noises. The little cat was always half cold and half hungry - until the day it fell into the cage of hte old, blind dog.

Then, for a while, the last little cat was warm, and the last little cat was well fed. But how could such a small cat know that the barn doors are closed at night and that there are people in the world who do not want to help a helpless kitten?

This story of how the last little cat found a home, not just any home but a perfect home, is one that any child will love. It can serve as an early "long book" reader (late 2nd grade, or thereabouts, depending on ability) or a warm and loving "read-to-me" (age 4 and up). A true book for the heart.

Grades 2-4.

The Velveteen Rabbit

A story great enough to last a child a lifetime! A gift of love from a child carries life itself to his favorite stuffed bunny.

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real. It doesn't happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But those things don't matter, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

Ages 4-9.

Pooh's Library

Before Disney Studios turned Winnie-the-Pooh into a characature of himself, these stories, illustrated with warmth and love by E. H. Shepard, filled children's and parent's heart with a glowing delight. Fortunately, the originals are still in print and you can discover them, too.

These are the books I grew up on and still love. Whenever I reflect on any of them, I break into a smile and (I'm told) am inclined to begin humming or singing. This is what I hope your children will find, also - a lifetime of delight. Whether they are captivated by such dancing poetry as "James James Morrison Morrison; Weatherby George Dupree; Took good care of his mother; Though he was only three." or whether they giggle their way through Pooh and Piglet's attempts at capturing a Heffalump, it is my belief that such joy will last them a lifetime. "Sing Ho! for the life of a bear!" An essential classic.

The Giving Tree

It’s probably a good idea to read The Giving Tree first - before looking at the photo of the author on the back of the jacket. Shel Silverstein is one of those people who enjoys presenting the world with a clear invitation to see beyond the surface - in this case beyond his hard-core rocker exterior - and into. . .well, we think Shel is probably the warmest hearted, delightfully creative, generous children’s author on the planet. If you haven’t already read this classic, you are in for a treat. We won’t tell you the story so you can discover it yourself, but we will give you a hint: The Giving Tree in the story is exactly like Shel, without the rough exterior. Ages 3 and up for read-aloud; age 7 for read-alone; adults for a gentle reminder of what life is really about.

The Chronicles of Narnia

Our children went to Narnia more times than we can remember and lived and played in that realm for years. It is a wonderful, invigorating journey, filled with high adventure, good friends, and the Beauty that is Truth. This all-in-one book makes it easy to travel the land for as long and as often as you want. Recommended without reservation!

For children of all ages, especially ages 5 and up.

The Apple Cake

A rich and beautiful story, this one. An old lady sets off to market to buy some apples for her cake, taking a basket of plums to trade along the way. As she travels, she meets one person after another to whom she gives what she has brought and from whom she receives a gift in return. At last, it is too late to reach the market - besides she no longer has the plums to trade! How she comes to have apples for her cake is a story that will inspire warm faith in the goodness of the world. A warming, inspiring story for ages 5-8. Includes a recipe for a delicious apple cake!