Welcome back to the Children's Classics monthly post, where our focus for the rest of 2010 is on award winning books that dazzle our kids with amazing illustrations, beautifully crafted stories and meaningful messages. Last month, I focused on several of the Caldecott Medal winning picture books that we're fortunate enough to have in our personal library. This month, I turned to the John Newbery Medal, and I was thrilled to see my son's shelves filled with many of these gold-stamped books! While he's been reading some of them this summer, I tackled one specific selection on my own. Currently checked out from the library is A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (2002 Newbery Medal winner), and although it hasn't been read yet, ...
Category Archives: Children’s Classics
Children’s Classics Award Winners– July
Welcome to the first installment in our Children's Classics Award Winners Challenge! From now through December, we'll be asking you to share your love for those children's books that have been honored by the powers that be with the shiny stickers that indicate outstanding writing and illustrations. In my family, this past month has involved extended out-of-town visiting for me and the kids (to be away from our house which is under some serious DIY renovations), which translated into zero trips to the library and a whole lot of exploring the scads of books on our own shelves. I found it to be a lovely experience discovering how many award winners we're fortunate to have in our collection. For July, I'd like to focus on a few picture books that my four and two year ...
Children’s Classics Mystery Challenge – June
Well, it's finally here! It's the end of the Children's Classics Mystery Challenge. What did you think? Did you have fun with it? I know I had a great time re-reading some old friends of mine and I'm glad to have spent a little time in my past. Children's Classic mysteries really encouraged me to read when I was just getting into chapter books and I have a certain affinity for them. I thrilled over Nancy's cases and wished myself in New York to traipse about with Trixie and the Bobwhites. It was just fun reading - and that's what the last six months were about: having fun! I hope that this challenge spurred you on to take some time out just to enjoy a simple mystery or two. I'm ...
Children’s Classics Award Winners Challenge
Now that you have spent the last six months reading and solving mysteries, we're happy to announce a new direction for our Children's Classics monthly feature- Award Winners! If your kids are anything like mine, they've astutely noticed the silvery or bronzed or golden seals on the book covers at the library, asking you to explain what they mean. Are you familiar with the honors yourself? In the reading world that I share with my two youngest children, one that is dominated by picture books, the Randolph Caldecott Medal is held in high esteem because it recognizes outstanding illustrations in picture books. My oldest son has graduated to paying more attention to the John Newbery Medal winners, acknowledging the best of the best in American literature for older children. Rounding out the ...
Children’s Classics Mystery Challenge – May
This is the next-to-last month for the Children's Classics Mystery Challenge. From January through June, we purposefully set out to re-read some of our favorite children's detectives. It's been a fun journey, checking back into the worlds of Cherry Ames, The Dana Girls, Nancy Drew - 1939 ed., and Trixie Belden. There was one mystery-lovin' boy though that I had never made the acquaintance of in my growing up years. A number of you were revisiting him during this challenge and were egging me on to read him for myself. This month I am happy to tell you that I have corrected a reading deficiency of mine -- I read Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective. I am also happy to tell you (and my husband both!) that ...
Children’s Classics Mystery Challenge – April
Yup. I know! It's that time again! Where does the time go anyway? I keep asking that question because I still don't know the answer. It's unnerving, that's what! This month I finally got around to re-reading the first book in the Trixie Belden series. Do you know Trixie? Well, as Jennifer re-descovered last month - Trixie is a fun loving thirteen year old. If you recall, I kicked off this challenge by reading Robin Kane who is also 13 years old, but Trixie is infinitely more tolerable than Robin! Trixie is smart. She has a good head on her shoulders. She is respectful of authorities (most especially her parents!), is a good friend, likes to have a good time and loves horses as I'm pretty sure every young girl has at some point in time during the course of ...
Children’s Classics Mystery Challenge – March
Read on to find out about the giveaway attached to this post As of this month, we're half way through our Children's Classics Mystery Challenge here at 5 Minutes for Books! Have you gotten to everything you wanted to? Do you still have books and friends you want to revisit? Perhaps you have a new friend or two to make yet - I know I do! Last month seemed to be the month of Encyclopedia Brown and he's a guy I've yet to meet. I'm hoping to spend time getting to know him soon. This month, however, I caught up with some old pals of mine, the Dana Girls. Bluestocking also mentioned The Dana Girls a few months back and I'd encourage you to go read her post as she gives a good introduction to them. Actually, I'm going to ...
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Jennifer Donovan
Managing Editor -
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