When I was invited to write a 10th anniversary article for the BRC, I felt like a child standing in the middle of a brimming toy store, trying to decide what my friends would like to receive as a birthday gift. What criteria for choosing? How could I possible choose ten from my hundreds of favorite books produced in the last ten years? Finally because I have been writing about family issues for over half of the BRC's ten years and because I have raised my family with the support of the BRC, I decided to choose the ten books that have mattered most to us as a family. So here they are in a rather random order of remembering!
I still remember my son rolling around on the BRC floor during a class, so enchanted with The Babies Book of Babies that every other mother in the class flocked to the book store to get their hands on this spiral-bound book. Author Sabrina Withall bought every book in the world for her baby and all the child wanted to do was to stare at the babies on the diaper bags. So, wisely, she put together a series of photographs of baby faces of all races, colors and temperaments. The black and white photographed book sits up easily and may be the first thing that your child will want to crawl to. Ages 6mo-2yrs. (HarperCollins, 1983)
Every full moon became a "Mama Moon" and we waited every day for the moon's rise after our family shared Barbara Berger's Grandfather Twilight, the story of a mystical grandfather who lives among the trees and walks each night with a pearl. The pearl grows with every step until at last, it becomes the moon above the silent sea. Then, this magical man goes home to sleep. Berger's luminous illustrations create a character and story that live. In my house, my children wait, nightly, for Grandfather Twilight to walk. Berger personifies a symbol of last light for a child to take inside them and guard against the fears of dark and at the same time, eases the transition to evening. Ages 1- adult. Available in paperback and hardcover. (Philomel, 1984)
Jeanne Titherington's A Place for Ben came to live at our house when Emily's crib was moved into her brother Ben's room. In the story, older sibling, Ben, feels he doesn't have a place of his own anymore when crawling Ezra is moved into his room. I thought this warm and reassuring look at how one can reach out after establishing oneself was magical because of our situation until Ben's friend Kian, who was a younger sibling with an eight year old sister slept with this book for months. It's been a special volume for many families, another friend of mine hung the cover on a large cardboard box with a door, creating a place for her older sibling . A perfect balance of a minimal text beautifully extended by the illustrations. Ages 2 and up. (Greenwillow, 1987)
I'll always remember being disarmed by belly-laughs in the middle of a book store when I picked up The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR by local author-illustrators Don and Audrey Wood. Being drawn to the emotive, singing quality of the book and viewing the center illustration wherein little mouse who has picked forbidden fruit, hides it beneath Groucho-glasses. Never has the concept of sharing been so convincingly portrayed. I'll always remember my son at four sharing this book and strawberries and posing, every one wearing his or her Groucho- strawberry mask. Ages 1-adult. (Child's Play, 1984)
Another volume in the books-we-have-shared-and-giggled-over category is Witches by Roald Dahl. In the most fun read-aloud ever, Dahl tells the story of a grandmother and her grandson-turned-mouse who foil the plot of witches who threaten to do in the child population of the world. (Ages 7-12; Viking, 1985 ).
Betsy Byar's The Not-Just-Anybody Family has given us just as much fun. In short, cliff-hanger chapters we see the story of an unusual family whose Mom rides rodeo, Grandpap recycles to earn a living and youngest child is a wild inventor. The humor doesn't end with characters, it continues with the mad-cap situations Byars creates. (Ages 7-12; Dell, 1987 )
In the books-we-have-shared-and-cried-over category are Martin and Archambault's Knots on a Counting Rope the story of an elderly Native American grandfather who is trying to teach his young blind grandson to tell his own story. The brave boy is very willing to face his own disability, but is not ready to face his grandfather's eventual demise. (Ages 4- adult; Holt, 1987 )
Mem Fox's Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge tells the story of a young boy who lives next to an old folk's home and his best friend, Miss Nancy Alison Delacorte Cooper who is losing her memory. By collecting things that bring up feelings in him, Wilfred is able to evoke memories for Miss Nancy. Illustrations by Julie Vivas add whimsy and play to a tender story. (Ages 4-adult; Kane/Miller, 1985 )
Patricia MacLachlan's Sarah, Plain and Tall is a short novel that takes place in the ninteenth century. The young female protagonist is delighted by her father's mail-ordering Sarah as a bride and yet she fears the sea-loving woman will desert her because of the boredom of the praries. Evocative images fill the pages of this more-is-less story. ( Ages 5- adult; HarperCollins, 1985)
My favorite cry-buckets young adult novel, Michelle Magorian's Good Night Mr. Tom, the story of a young abused boy evacuated from WWII London to the home of a reclusive man who's lost his wife and son in childbirth. The horrors of the story are great, but just as strong are the loving reasurrances which balance. Ages 12 and up. (HarperCollins, 1981)
Of course, my top ten favorite books might change tomorrow or even in the next minute for I've suddenly remembered the book that I've recommended to the most number of families, our favorite holiday book, the most-often-read book by my son and by daughter, the first book they both read aloud unassisted, the most-compelling picture book of the decade... but I guess those will have to wait for the next anniversary! Until then, I offer you happy wishes for the continued growth of your families. I, for one, am looking forward to the fiftieth anniversary of the BRC when the numbers shouldn't make the choices quite so difficult!