September 13, 2010

I need to have a word with this woman











Beffie (Uncle E & Aunt C's youngest daughter) is taking a class on Children's Lit in college while she's working towards her teaching degree. Yesterday she was telling me about the teacher's requirement that they read a certain number of children's books from certain authors. Since my children live in a children's library, I offered to loan her the books she needs.


A few minutes ago she came by to pick some out with the author list in hand. All I can say is: What is wrong with this teacher?! Sure, she had some great children's authors on the list like Mercer Meyer, Margaret Wise Brown, Eric Carle, and Maurice Sendak along with some newer but just as wonderful names like David Shannon & Mo Willems (if you've missed out on the No David or The Pigeon books, get thee to a Library). But at the same time, she's missed out on the truly important ones like A.A. Milne, Shel Silverstein, Beatrix Potter, and Richard Scarry.

What is Children's Lit without Lowly Worm, The Giving Tree, Jemima Puddle Duck, and Eeyore (you thought I was going to say Peter Rabbit & Pooh, didn't you)?
I'm not saying I want to teach a college course on Children's literature, but I have to admit it does worry me that the next generation of teachers could be limited to The Little Critter books & what ever Hollywood says is "in" right now. Classics are classics for a reason.
What are your favorite picture books from your childhood? What are your current favorites? Is there any book you'd put on the 'must read' list for up coming teachers?

4 comments:

Kork said...

Goodnight Moon, ANYTHING by Richard Scarry, any and all Dr Seuess books (they are so FUN to read with their rhythms), all of Shel Silverstein, A.A. Milne's complete works, the people who wrote Serendipity and the rest of those books about big-eyed, rainbow-hued fantastical creatures with character-building adventures. The Mr. Men, and Little Miss series (who doesn't love Mr. Messy and Little Miss Giggles????)
Currently on our shelves is the Egermeier's Bible Story Book with Scripture taken from the KJV and gorgeous illustrations - it was from when I was little (sigh). We also have the complete adventures of Winnie the Pooh, as well as Beatrix Potter's complete works.

I also think all humans should have to read Alice in Wonderland with the understanding of Lewis Carroll and the reason he wrote the book in the first place.

OH! And add C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia to that list...no matter the age - you should have to read that series at least one time before you die.

Laura Ingalls Wilder.
The original Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries.

Throw in some Choose Your Own Adventure books and you should be pretty well set...until High School anyway...then we'll get into "adult literary classics", whether or not they're banned from anyone list anywhere in the time-space continuum.

FarmWife said...

All of her authors on this list were for kids picture books, but you've mentioned another one I was shocked to find missing: Dr.Seusse. And Stephen Cosgrove is the author of the Serindipity books and Robin James illustrated them. I adore them!

Staci said...

One of my favorite books was called "Thy Friend Obediah". It's about a seagull who gets caught in a net and is saved by a Quaker boy. I have it now, and it's not a particularly happy book, but there you have it.

Other picture books I'd recommend: The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward
Blueberries for Sal and Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Oh! and The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

I could read those books over and over again - Wait - I do just that with my boys... ;)

Anonymous said...

Dr. Seuss, Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, CS Lewis, Can't remeber the author who did the wizerd of oz series.