tokengifts

Reading List

As the kids head back to school, I thought I would do a post about some of our favourite children's books. 

I love poring over books, especially art & design books.  So it is great when this aspect of art & design spills over to children's books.  I am very scrupulous about the books that I actually buy for Alice.  There are so many great ones out there to enjoy.  And I will admit, it's a little bit of selfishness on my part because if I have to read another Disney princess story...well...

Bruno Munari is a favourite. I picked up his copy of The Zoo and fell in love.  Alice would repeat the sentences and in a few reads, she knew the book by heart. 

"The parrot was born on a day with rainbow...

...Flamingos know they are beautiful and strange, and play at symmetry...

...A zebra is an animal in striped pajamas"...such eloquent prose for children.

His illustrations are also beautiful and vivid.  The brushstrokes are broad and colourful.

I know I am going to kick myself for not picking up some hard-to-find copies of Munari's other books that I came across at Kid O in New York in August.  They weren't really age appropriate (but they were so beautifully illustrated) and plus, I was on a mission for a pair of gold ballet shoes for Alice (more on that later).  I'll be back for those for sure.

 

Reading List Continued

There are few out there who are not familiar with Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are.  I distinctly remember the book as a child and the manner of illustration.

I can't wait to see how it will turn out as a feature film.  Oh...to be the set designer on that one!  But more so, I love the illustrations from In the Night Kitchen.

I have a particular fondness for the heavily lined illustrations and all the details of Mickey's kitchen.  Also, I am such a sucker for great packaging - the old-fashioned labels on all the tins and baking supplies. I could picture them all neatly stacked row upon row in an old epicerie, sounds much more romantic than "grocery store". 

Alice received this one as a gift from Pearl, Xenia and Steven.

It has such a fond place in our hearts because of all the trips we've taken with Alice to New York City.

I've really come to dislike these children's books authored by celebrities now-a-days, heavy on the morality and ethics of childhood.  I don't really need a book to teach my child how to go potty or how to share - plus, they never worked. And the last time I checked, I believe that was part of my job description.  Call me  old-fashioned, but give me a book for the pure sake of being entertained, to keep my imagination engaged and my senses inspired.

For those of you interested in children's books, visit Eric Carle's philosophy on children's books.  I still remember the day Alice, at the age of 2 1/2 years, recited, much to our surprise, the entirety of Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  There is a reason many of these books have lasted decades and appeal to such wide an audience.  I'm sure I will be reading them to my grandchildren...many, many years from now!