I have begun a list of 'not to miss children's books' for my children to read. Would you be so kind to list, just off the top of your head 5-10 books that you would place on this list. That would be so cool.Now I'm assuming you mean Aussie books, Sarah. You see I have just purchased 1001 Children's Books You must Read Before You Grow Up. To narrow that list to just ten would be hopelessly unachievable, I suspect.
Selecting 10 Aussie books to place on the list was pretty near impossible for me too.
Still, at risk of being totally lambasted, here are my ten:
Dot and the Kangaroo Ethel PedleyIt is a hopelessly incomplete list I know. What about Pastures of the Blue Crane? Tangara? Blinky Bill? Stradbroke Dreamtime? Are We There Yet? Where are Mem Fox and Shaun Tan? Australia has some incredibly terrific literature - that's what my blog is all about - telling you about it, and encouraging you to read it to your kids!!
Tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie May Gibbs
Animalia Graeme Base
My Place Nadia Wheatley
Magic Pudding Norman Lindsay
Seven Little Australians Ethel Turner
Silver Brumby Elyne Mitchell
Storm Boy Colin Thiele
Ash Road Ivan Southall
Picnic at Hanging Rock Joan Lindsay
Anyhow, I'm going to toss Sarah's question over to you. What would you add to my list? What would you omit? Do share. The only hitch is this. Sarah asked for 10 books max. In order to add something to my list you must remove something else to fit in your choice. Sound fair? One more thing: Sarah said, "off the top of your head". Don't spend too much time researching this - I didn't.
Can you tell?
Well, I don't like The Magic Pudding so I would put Pastures of the Blue Crane in there instead. I love that book! I love blue cranes. The Green Laurel [Eleanor Spence] instead of My Place ~ which I also didn't like much. And one really should have some Mem Fox. *sigh* Don't know what else I'd take out though. So many great books; so little time. It's really not fair to make me choose. ☺
ReplyDeleteWow...this is terrific! I really appreciate this, look forward to what others would put in this list!
ReplyDeleteCheers, x
Hi Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteI can't add any books because I wouldn't want to remove any of the books in your list. :P They're GREAT and well-written literary masterpieces!
Blessings,
Jillian
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So sorry I can't help here as my dd is only 5 and I'm still learning about all the great Aussie books out there.
ReplyDeleteI think Mem Fox and Jackie French deserve a spot as well. (Maybe if we make it 10 books for different age groups!) I love Pastures of the Blue Crane too. When I read it as a teenager I wanted to move there - imagine my disappointment to discover that everyone else wanted to move there too and half of them already had!
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard one... so many choices!
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to weed out our book cases and some of those titles have come through my hands today. My older daughter loved horsey stories, but I am boxing up a lot of those girlie type books. I have a (step) grand daughter who might enjoy them one day. It is quite nostalgic going through books which have not been opened for years.
I am enjoying reading to the new additions now. The older kids say I use the same voices I did when reading to them.
"I do love you, Koala Lou. I always have and I always will."
Aahh. Books are such a good topic.
have a great weekend, Jeanne and family!!!