Books for the Long Haul
story time
Good books for bigs and littles
Lots of time at home, plenty of rainy weather, and the closure of our beloved public library has had us digging deep for reading options with our kids. This challenge—like so many do—has brought with it the opportunity to try something new. For us, that has meant reading longer books and book series with our kids. Below is our current reading list, featuring some old classics and some new!
Oz - Marvel graphic novel series by Eric Shanower
Reading the Oz books has a loooooooooooong tradition in my family, and it is one that both I and my parents are keeping up with our kids. While my parents are reading more traditional versions to the kids, we were lucky enough to check out a few of the graphic novel versions before our library closed. As with the Bone series described below, these stories are strong enough and the artwork stunning enough that both adults and kids will be captivated. The Oz graphic novel series don’t diverge much from the original stories by L. Frank Baum, originally written in the early 1900s. So at times the plots—such as when General Jinjur leads a revolt because she’s tired of doing chores at home with her mother and in which her army is partially overthrown by giving them pretty jewels—feel dated. But more often the themes are simply entertaining, imaginative, and enthralling.
Bone - graphic novel series by Jeff Smith
Before our library shut down we had begun reading the Bone series by Jeff Smith and so, on the last day they were open, I took my gloves and my mask and checked out every Bone book I could find. By now, we’ve read through many of these a couple of times, but they are just as good on second reading. (Buuut, just for good measure, I hid them after that.)
The Bone series chronicles the adventures of the three Bone cousins in a tale that spans nine volumes and becomes progressively more apocalyptic. There are dragons (good guys) and rat creatures (mostly not good guys), a princess in hiding, and plenty of magical and mystical powers. If you’re not generally a lover of fantasy novels (a club of which I’m a member), don’t be put off. The story line is good enough, and the personalities of the Bone cousins “real” enough, that I never felt like I was nerding out in the back of a comic book shop. These books were as interesting to read as an adult as they were for our kids, though we did stop reading them right before bedtime, since there are some scary things that may go bump in the night.
Little House on the Prairie Series by laura ingalls wilder
A few years back my mom sent me a set of Little House on the Prairie books she’d found at a garage sale. At a loss for something new to read, I recently began reading them aloud with my daughter. I wasn’t sure whether this would be too advanced for my daughter, but she loved it. The language is simple enough and the story, told through the eyes of a little girl about the age of five, still rings true.
There is something particularly pleasurable about reading this tale at this time. Written around 100 years ago about a life lived 150 years ago, there is mingled joy and hardship in the way this family lives. From a historical perspective, it is fascinating to imagine now populous parts of the United States covered in forest and teeming with bears as they once were. It’s interesting to hear about how they lived day to day, from how often they bathed (once a week) to how they rendered homemade cheese (and so much more). In their isolated state, this family is “sheltering in place” as a way of life—they are each other’s company—and so it’s a tale of family life. Its also a comforting reminder, in current times, that hardship is survivable.
Wind in the Willows by kenneth grahame
I still own the copy of The Wind in the Willows, illustrated by Michael Hague, that was read aloud to me as a child. The illustrations in this particular version are wonderful (as are the same artist’s illustrations in The Velveteen Rabbit), so I particularly recommend this version, if available. The Wind in the Willows follows five very anthropomorphic creatures: Mole, Rat, Badger, Otter, and Toad—each his own archetype. The arc of the story is tied to the seasons, as one might expect of a story about animals, in a way that is deeply comforting to read. In the spring they boat down the river and in the summer embark on ill-fated road trips. In the winter they tumble into Mr. Badger’s warren. On one level, The Wind in the Willows is a story about friendship, but I think that on a deeper level, it is about growing up. It’s the story of a young innocent coming up from the ground and learning all about the world—a story that all people, big and little, can relate to.
Miss Maddy’s Story Time
I would be remiss if I neglected to mention that my son’s AMAZING current, and daughter’s former, preschool teacher has also started a YouTube channel: Miss Maddy’s Story Time. Miss Maddy brings her many voices and accents and her indomitable energy to these read-alouds. Check them out and be sure to Subscribe!!
What’s your Stay-at-Home reading material?? Share in the Comments section below.
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