Time after Time

Happy Monday, Friends! 
I'm back from a week in sunny California visiting my parents. While we were there, my mom pulled out a book that used to be my absolute all-time favorite, Katy No-Pocket. I've been thinking about how wonderful kids' authors and illustrators seem to really understand childhood--they are able to capture and recreate what it means to be a kid; the emotions, understandings (and misunderstandings) about how the world works, and things that are universally mysterious or humorous to all kids.The classics are so clearly delineated from other kids' books; while the former seem timeless and have stories or word patterns that appeal to kids (and adults) generation after generation, the latter seem dated and out of touch within a few years (or months) of being published, and generally don't appeal to adults at all. We'll deal with newer classics later, but for those of you searching for new (old) bedtime stories, here are just a few folks who I think will appeal to both you and your child(ren). Not that you need your own kids to enjoy these works. I've included links to online booksellers, but be sure to support your local bookstore or library when you can (online, you can shop here or here)!

H.A. Rey
Rey's wife, Margaret, wrote the stories for Curious George, and Rey illustrated them. I think we can all agree that the old Curious George is so much more appealing than the new one (I'm not even going to post a picture of the new one here). 

 

Left: Katy No-Pocket;Right: Unpublished drawing of Curious George 

Ezra Jack Keats

Oh my gosh, these books. They are gorgeous. Keats used collage and painting to illustrate his books, and sets his stories against an urban backdrop. I have a soft spot in my heart for The Snowy Day, since being from California and not seeing snow fall until I was 21,  it was this book that taught me about snow.

Left:  The Snowy Day; Right: Whistle for Willie

Leo Lionni
Lionni was an ad man, apparently, and only published kids' books later on in life. His books have wonderful lessons, and are good fodder for conversations about values and priorities. 

Left: Fish is Fish; Right: Frederick

Maurice Sendak
I know, I know, you may be Sendak'ed out from the Where the Wild Things Are movie (which I loved, by the way--the blog that went along with the movie is also awesome, as is Lance Bangs and Spike Jonze's documentary about Sendak). But hear me out. Sendak wrote and illustrated other stuff, too. All of which is fantastic and fantastical. How wonderful and rich are these illustrations? I spent hours as a kid pouring over his books; I am betting Emi will do the same.

In the Night Kitchen

Left: Little Bear (also a case in which the re-do doesn't do justice to the original); Right: Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present, by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Sendak

I've left so many out in the interest of space and brevity, but I would love to hear: what are your favorite classic kids' books?

Comments

[Meg Blocker]

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs is way up there on my list. I also love everything Maurice Sendak has ever touched, especially In The Night Kitchen. The Velveteen Rabbit is so sad and so good. Skewing a bit older, I was and continue to be obsessed with From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

[Meg Blocker]

I'm so ashamed of the fact that I forgot about Eloise that I've come back to leave another comment. So, yeah: Eloise.

[ME*]

All great suggestions! I love Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs.