Part Four: 10 Favorite Picture Books

Wear the old coat and buy the new book. - Austin Phelps

My children and I own many books and I'm always on the look-out for more, whether through bookstores, school book clubs, library sales, or the generous donations of friends and family. There are, however, certain books that my children and I keep coming back to and have read probably hundreds of times. Although narrowing our favorites down to just 10 books was a difficult task, the following list of titles, in alphabetical order, represents our top picks.

Bread and Jam for Frances

Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban (ill.)/ (HarperCollins, 1964)

Frances the badger, like many children, is reluctant to try anything new. Rather than eat the mouth-watering meals her mother prepares, Frances prefers to stick with bread and jam. She says, "I always know what I am getting, and I am always pleased."You'll enjoy Lillian Hoban's attractive illustrations, the gentle humor in the dialogue, and the wise way in which Frances's parents handle the dilemma.

Caps for Sale

Esphyr Slobodkina/ (Addison-Wesley, 1940)

This timeless folktale of "a peddler, some monkeys, and their monkey business" is about a peddler who walks up and down the street balancing caps on his head and calling "Caps! Caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap!" One fine day when he can't sell any caps, the peddler sits under a big tree to rest. He falls asleep and upon waking finds all his caps gone. He spots his caps up in the tree, each one on the head of a mischievous monkey. You;ll love the way the peddler finally-unwittingly-gets the monkeys to return his caps.

Fortunately

Remy Charlip/ (Simon & Schuster, 1964)

This is a wonderfully funny story in which a boy named Ned receives a letter inviting him to a surprise party. Good and bad fortune vie with each other as the story unfolds. Fortunately Ned gets the invitation, but unfortunately the party's in Florida (Ned's in New York). Fortunately Ned's able to borrow an airplane, but unfortunately its motor exploded...and so on. Your child will listen with great anticipation, knowing as you turn each page that Ned's luck is about to change again.

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Crockett Johnson/ (HarperCollins, 1955)

Harold's adventure begins when he decides to go for a walk in the moonlight. There's no moon, so Harold simply draws one with his magical purple crayon. He then needs something to walk on, so he draws a long straight path to avoid getting lost. But he gets lost anyway as his purple crayon takes him from one silly situation to another. Your child will be enchanted by Harold's imaginative adventures and comforted when he finally finds his way home where he "draws" up the covers before falling asleep.

Just Plain Fancy

Patricia Polacco/ (Bantam, 1990)

Naomi lives in an Amish farming community. Her job is to look after the chickens, and she does it diligently. One day Naomi and her little sister find an abandoned egg in the grass. They place it with the other eggs and wait for it to hatch. When it does and the girls discover what's inside, they try to keep it a secret. But their special chick, Fancy, has ideas of his own. What happens will not only amuse you and your child, it's sure to warm your hearts, too.

Madeline

Ludwig Bemelmans/ (Viking, 1939)

Madeline, the fearless little redhead living in a Paris boarding school, has been a favorite character of several generations. In this Caldecott Honor book, we meet Madeline and the eleven other girls who live in the care of Miss Clavel at a convent school in Paris. One night bold, brave Madeline wakes crying and is rushed to the hospital to have her appendix removed. Bemelmans's illustrations of the streets of Paris and his rhythmic prose make "Madeline" one of my favorite read-aloud books.

Owl Moon

Jane Yolen and John Schoenherr (ill.)/ (Philomel, 1987)

This is the story of a girl out with her father for her first owling adventure. It's a very special night, and as you read Yolen's prose, you'll think you're right there crunching through the snow, feeling the cold air, seeing the shining moon, hearing the soft owl cries, and staring into the owl's golden eyes for "one minute, three minutes, maybe even a hundred minutes." This book made me cry the first time I read it, and I enjoy it even more with each reading.

The Rag Coat

Lauren Mills/ (Little, Brown and Company, 1991)

Minna is a young girl growing up in Appalachia in a family so poor that Papa carries her to church in a burlap feed sack because she doesn't have a coat. Minna yearns to start school, but when Papa gets sick with the miner's cough, she stays home to help Mama who "stitches day and night on her quilts to try to make some money." Minna's parents have almost nothing material to give their children, but they and the people in their community pass on priceless lessons on selflessness, resourcefulness, and the value of people. This story will probably make you laugh and cry, and ultimately it will charm you with its message of love and friendship.

The Story about Ping

Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese (ill.)/ (Viking Press, 1933)

Ping is a little yellow duck who lives with "his mother and his father and two sisters and three brothers and eleven aunts and seven uncles and forty-two cousins" on a boat on the Yangtze River. Ping and his family spend their days hunting for food on the river. They return to their boat quickly when their master calls, as the last duck home always gets a spank on the back. One evening Ping doesn't hear his master's call and decides to hide rather than return last to the boat. You'll enjoy what happens next as Ping learns that facing the consequence of a mistake is better than trying to avoid it.

Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak/ (Harper & Row, 1963)

Max is a mischievous little boy who, when he's sent to his room by his mother, imagines he is the ruler of a kingdom of wild things. Adults may feel apprehensive about the illustrations of fanged and clawed creatures, but most children don't find this book the least bit frightening. Sendak's understanding of and respect for children is evident; he reassures readers when, in the end, Max returns to "where someone loved him best of all."