Originally posted by Evil Dynovac
MOFO.......... What is the best children's book you've every read?
THANK YOU for asking me about something other than sex, fashion or teh ghey.
There are a few gems.
Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis - 5th grade novel about a little Afghani girl living under the Taliban rule who is forced to pose as a boy to be able to go out of the house to work, fetch food and water. Wonderful portrayal of daily Afghani life and lets Western kids have an understanding what other kids are going through on the other side of the world.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Classic love story with old-fashioned symbolism and archetypes. A boy falls in love with a tree and vice versa. Boy grows up and leaves the tree alone but ends up returning to its first love. Teaches us not to take things for granted.
The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss. Two towns separated by a wall. One town butters their bread on one side. The other town butters their bread on the other. A fight breaks out and each side tries to outdo the other in weapons and warfare. In the end? Death and destruction. A really intelligent allegory to the romanticism of historic wars but also a moralistic story about the evils of racism. A book that should be sent to all world leaders participating in an arms race. A brilliant study of hate.
Captain Underpants by Pilkie. Gotta read it to believe it. Fabulously fun and captivating. Lots of sardonic humour.
Paper Bag Princess, Mortimer Mortimer, Thomas' Snowsuit, 50 Degrees Below Zero. All by Robert Munsch. If you can read it well, kids (and adults) will stop in their tracks to listen.
