Just buy lots and lots and you should be OK
random thoughts Send a noteboard - 11/02/2010 05:24:23 AM

I am starting to buy books for my grandson as most of the ones my children grew up with are falling apart. But I am sure there are new books or books that I missed somehow the first time that I would add if I knew they existed.
The first book I bought was "Shrek". It had to be as that is one of the coolest children's books ever. This morning I bought several Dr. Suess books but only the ones I remembered enjoying. Some just bored me to tears.
What do you think are the best books for babies?
I tended to buy my daughter two different types of books at this age. Books that were meant to be read out loud and books that were meant to be eaten. For the out loud books go with something readable like Pooh or The Little Prince. For books that are going to be chewed I tended go with sturdy ones with thick pages.
The best books for children learning to read?
Dr Sues is good for early readers but anything with small similar words that can catch the kids attention is good. By the time they start reading they should be able to tell you what kind of books they like.
The best books for older children?
My boys loved The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit and Goosebumps. Depends a lot on the kid, my oldest son liked books with sharks and whales while my younger son really like adventure books or scary books.
Books that you read over and over and never seemed to tire of?
Dr Sues does a pretty good job there. I have read Green Eggs and Ham probably a 100 times in my life but it still comes in second to Hop on Pop for most read. Fox in Sox is fun to read out loud and can get some giggles. Oh the Places You Will Go is another.
I have read Pooh at least three or four times all the way through and still love it.
Books that actually taught something?
At that age all I want to teach them is love books and stories.
My daughter loved 10 hungry caterpillars and she liked counting them. Right now she is learning a lot with her sticker activity books and love doing it so much we can use it as a reward.
Most importantly, what books instilled a love for reading in you?
My parents never read to me that I can remember but I was always drawn to books. The hobbit and the "He went with___ " books were early favorites and I read a lot of comic books.

Tash
(Johnny is four months old now but has a definite interest in all things visual.)
When my daughter was very little she loved book with texture or with shiny things. Now she is four and we buy a lot of condensed illustrated classics. She loved Anne of Green Gabbles and Black Beauty. Right now we are ready The Secret Garden and she is very eager to find out who Mary hears crying down the hall. They are not really as good as the complete books they are still much more readable then Disney movie books.
What books would you consider essential to a children's library?
10/02/2010 08:25:07 PM
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It's difficult because "children" are "children" from age 0 to roughly 12.
10/02/2010 09:10:16 PM
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I loved "Cars, Trucks and Things"
11/02/2010 06:26:01 PM
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A few random suggestions for younger kids...
10/02/2010 09:12:54 PM
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Thank you for the suggestions and for adding your children's ages.
11/02/2010 06:29:33 PM
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Now there's a good question.
10/02/2010 09:47:39 PM
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I can see now that this is going to be one of those posts that I actually copy out the answers on
11/02/2010 06:44:19 PM
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Since most of the names mentioned elsewhere are unfamiliar to me, that seems logical.
11/02/2010 09:33:12 PM
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Like I would let my kids or grandkids touch that book?!
11/02/2010 10:29:13 PM
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I pulled those books out a year or two ago to see if it was as beautiful as I remembered. It was.
12/02/2010 02:40:20 AM
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Steven King!!!
10/02/2010 10:20:27 PM
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When do you think I should introduce him to The Green Mile? I am not sure he will catch all
11/02/2010 06:50:28 PM
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Madeleine L'Engle
10/02/2010 10:27:38 PM
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I have not heard of it. I will be watching for it in the antique section. Hehe
11/02/2010 07:05:45 PM
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A Wrinkle in Time is worth reading just for yourself. It's one of those books. *NM*
11/02/2010 10:17:10 PM
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Thirded, fourthed, or whatever number follows how many people have nominated this.
12/02/2010 10:57:58 PM
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Peter Pan.
10/02/2010 10:34:42 PM
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Sounds like children's books don't have national boundries.
11/02/2010 07:25:04 PM
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Sounds like some of them do.
11/02/2010 08:11:36 PM
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Yeah, I really wouldn't classify Asterix as children's books particularly...
11/02/2010 09:24:15 PM
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Multi-level is the best way to describe them.
11/02/2010 09:38:38 PM
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Asterix? OH! I do have one of those!! Now I recognize it by your description!
11/02/2010 10:32:18 PM
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For "older" children definitely Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. *NM*
11/02/2010 01:11:09 AM
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Oz books! Oz books!
11/02/2010 05:04:42 AM
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Mmmm. That reminds me. We have one of the first of those books upstairs in my mom's library.
11/02/2010 07:32:34 PM
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Just buy lots and lots and you should be OK
11/02/2010 05:24:23 AM
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I hope I kept my condensed classics. But the problems with those were that they were too memorable
11/02/2010 07:48:45 PM
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Ohh, grandson.
11/02/2010 01:20:44 PM
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Shel Silverstein!
11/02/2010 01:30:46 PM
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Shel Silverstein is great (even if iirc I only ever read her in translation). *NM*
11/02/2010 01:33:14 PM
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He's a boy. You should listen to him read some of the poems.
11/02/2010 01:50:16 PM
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I am going to have to check Siverstein out. Children's books <b>and</b> A Boy Named Sue?
11/02/2010 07:46:02 PM
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~peruses shelves~
11/02/2010 02:19:11 PM
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nuh uh.
11/02/2010 02:22:35 PM
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Shoulda known, really
11/02/2010 02:24:25 PM
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I read some of my dad's L'Amour books when we went on a cross country bus trip when I was eleven
11/02/2010 07:40:30 PM
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Re: What books would you consider essential to a children's library?
11/02/2010 03:28:01 PM
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Those were good. I think I have all except for the Paddington so I will keep my eye out for it.
11/02/2010 07:43:27 PM
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Re: Those were good. I think I have all except for the Paddington so I will keep my eye out for it.
11/02/2010 08:09:59 PM
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So I am familiar with some of his work if not his name. BFG definitly qualifies as an essential.
11/02/2010 08:30:50 PM
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A few for different ages
11/02/2010 04:23:22 PM
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I don't remember the first three. I will watch for those. Or the last ones either. Feel free to add
11/02/2010 07:55:09 PM
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Oh god, I could go on and on. You see...my mom teaches 1st grade...
11/02/2010 08:04:04 PM
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Another vote for Babar!
11/02/2010 09:36:19 PM
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Babar is very universal. Hasn't everyone read Babar? I can still see the pictures. *NM*
11/02/2010 10:33:58 PM
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An answer of a different sort
11/02/2010 09:52:51 PM
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Give a child the gift of reading and you give them a gift for life
12/02/2010 11:21:25 AM
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Well, my favourite "Young Adult" books have always been the Redwall series *NM*
18/02/2010 06:07:18 AM
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Re: What books would you consider essential to a children's library?
26/08/2010 10:00:03 AM
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