Old, But Not Forgotten
By Carrie Silberman, Head of Children's Library
For many of us, nothing evokes more vivid memories of childhood than revisiting a favorite book. As a child, I must have read All-Of-A-Kind Family, by Sydney Taylor at least a dozen times over the span of a few short years. I cried when Sarah lost a precious library book and worried that her weekly visits to the Library Lady might come to an end. Even though money was tight for an immigrant family living on New York’s Lower East Side in the early 1900’s, I longed to share the everyday adventures of Ella, Charlotte, Hennie, Sarah, and Gertie. My favorite moments included the spirited sisters exploring their father’s basement in search of treasures, buying penny treats, enjoying holiday meals, and rejoicing in the birth of a baby brother. These lively sisters even made sharing a bed and performing chores look like fun.
So many children’s books evoke strong visceral memories when rediscovered years later. Below is a list of some treasured titles that you may fondly recall. If any of these titles are new to you, I invite you to pick one up and experience the magic of a great old-fashioned tale. Enjoy…
Old Mother West Wind | Thornton W. Burgess | Tells the adventures of Peter Rabbit, Johnny Chuck, Reddy Fox, the Merry Little Breezes, and all their companions in the fields, the woods, and the streams.
Return of the Twelves | Pauline Clarke | In his new home, a young boy finds twelve old wooden soldiers that once belonged to the famous Brontë children.
What Katy Did | Susan Coolidge | Twelve-year-old Katy Carr wants to do so many things with her life, but her mischievous nature and quick temper make it difficult.
Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates | Mary Mapes Dodge | A Dutch brother and sister work toward the goal of winning the competition for the silver skates.
The Saturdays | Elizabeth Enright | Four New York City siblings decide to pool their allowances so that each can do something special on her own Saturday.
Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon | Ruth Gannett | A compilation of three tales relating the fantastic adventures of Elmer Elevator and a flying baby dragon.
The Mousewife | Rumer Godden | A house mouse who thinks there must be more to life than looking for food and caring for her family befriends a lonely, caged dove.
The Reluctant Dragon | Kenneth Grahame | When a boy discovers a friendly dragon, he must convince the frightened villagers and St. George the Dragon Killer that there is no cause for concern.
The Peterkin Papers | Lucretia Hale | A collection of tales about the respectable yet incredibly silly Peterkin family.
B is For Betsy | Haywood, Carolyn | Betsy experiences an interesting first year in school and looks forward to summer vacation at her grandfather’s farm.
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski | Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer and her family struggle to create and maintain a strawberry farm.
The Magic Pudding | Norman Lindsay | An adventurous koala bear meets up with a sailor, a penguin, and their magic pudding, which is in danger of being stolen by pudding thieves.
Betsy-Tacy | Maud Lovelace | Tacy Kelly moves into the house across the street from Betsy Ray, and the five-year-olds become inseparable friends.
The Light Princess | George MacDonald | Deprived of gravity and the ability to weep, the Light Princess can’t take anything seriously.
The Story of the Treasure Seekers | E. Nesbit | The Bastable children try to restore their family's fortune using a variety of schemes.
Tom’s Midnight Garden | Philippa Pearce | A boy makes a strange and wonderful discovery while visiting his relatives' small apartment.
Swallows and Amazons | Arthur Ransome | The Walker and the Blackett children meet on Wild Cat Island and have a series of adventures involving sailing, camping, fishing and exploring.
The Rescuers | Marjory Sharp | A trio of mice heroically rescue a Norwegian poet from the dungeon of an invincible prison.
