Personal Childhood Favorites: Picture Books #1

Books have always been an important part of my life. I have many happy memories of childhood that are associated with books. I hope to inspire the same love of reading and appreciation of good literature in my own children. The following were my personal favorites as a child. These are the books that I returned to time and again until the pages became soft they were so worn. I hope that you and your children will enjoy them as much as I did, and still do.

The Story of Ferdinand
Author: Munro Leaf
Illustrator: Robert Lawson
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-8 years

Unlike all the other bulls, whose dream it is to be chosen for the bullfights in Madrid, Ferdinand just likes to sit quietly and smell the flowers. One day, due to some unlucky circumstances, and much to his surprise, Ferdinand finds himself in a cart headed to Madrid. Everyone is scared of such a large, powerful-looking bull. What will happen to Ferdinand when he meets the Matador?

I think I enjoyed this book for two reasons. First, as a young child, Spain seemed so exotic and I was intrigued. Second, as an introvert, I was able to identify with a character (even though he was a bull) who preferred to sit quietly apart and just observe the world.

Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present
Author: Charlotte Zolotow
Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-8 years

A little girl is searching for a gift for her mother's birthday and she asks Mr. Rabbit for help. After much discussion, they are finally able to produce the perfect gift.

Some adults (like my husband) may find this story too repetitive to be enjoyable. I have always found the rhythm of the book to be rather soothing. The illustrations are absolutely wonderful!

The Velveteen Rabbit
Author: Margery Williams Bianco
Illustrator: various
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 5-9 years

More than anything, the Velveteen Rabbit wants to be real. The wise Skin Horse tells him, “Real isn’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens when a child loves you.” The Velveteen Rabbit learns from experience that the process does not always look nice and that sometimes it even hurts. Ultimately, however, none of that matters because the love of a boy makes him real and beautiful.

This heart-warming tale has been a favorite since its publication in 1922. As a child, I particularly enjoyed listening to The Velveteen Rabbit on CD narrated by Meryl Streep with musical accompaniment by George Winston.

The Big Orange Splot
Author and Illustrator: Daniel Manus Pinkwater
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-8 years

Mr. Plumbean and his neighbors live on a “neat street” where all the houses look the same, and they like it that way. One day, a seagull drops a can of bright orange paint on his house. The neighbors are surprised when, instead of painting his house to look like theirs, Mr. Plumbean redesigns it to reflect his dreams. What will the neighbors do now?

As a child, I think what I liked most about this story was its humor and hyperbole. I also admired a character that was willing to defy the status quo.