The Best Children's Literature: A Parent's Guide

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive well-organized guide to children's literature
Review: "The Best Children's Literature: A Parent's Guide" is an excellent reference book for both parents and teachers who are looking for books appropriate for children from ages 1 to 14. The list is compiled by Ellen Trachtenberg, a former classroom teacher and language arts specialist who has worked in the book industry for over a dozen years providing services to children's librarians while also serving as a consultant to children's authors. This book includes descriptions of more than 1,000 recommended books for kids, including both "entertaining fiction" and "enriching nonfiction." Trachtenberg begins with an introduction that covers how to choose the best books for your children, a developmental timeline for reading readiness, activities that encourage reading, as well as hints on how to use this guide.

The chapters of the books are devoted to different categories of books: (1) Infant/Toddler Books, which are primarily board book editions that can survive drool and repeated tossings from highchairs; (2) Picture Books where the illustrations are of primary importance and are intended mainly for preschoolers; (3) Story Books that introduce other cultures, foreign lands, and far flung fictional landscapes appropriate for children well into early and middle elementary school grades; (4) Easy Readers that are intended to boost reading skills, including series titles such as "Magic School Bus" and "DK Readers"; (5) Nonfiction organized by cultures and categories intended mainly for children across the elementary school grades, with additional titles for middle school students; and (6) Juvenile Fiction/Chapter Books intended for children who are able to read relatively smoothly and which includes the classics from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" to "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Indices break down these hundreds of books by title, author, topic, and awards, including Newberry and Caldecott medal winners.

One of the things I value most about this reference book is that Trachtenberg repeatedly recommends additional books for many of those listed here. This includes not only sequels or other works by the same authors, but also similar stories by other authors, which, for example, has helped me track down version of Cinderella and other familiar fairy tales from around the world. There is an emphasis on mutliculturalism, including folk and fairy tales. Several works are noted as being Parent's Guide Choice Award winners so that you can get an idea of which of these books are the best of the best. You will also find interviews with parents and children about their favorite books, featured author profiles, and developmentally appropriate recommendations.

Just being able to browse through these titles and just read about what these books are about. Some of them are familiar titles from our own childhood, others ones that you have heard about but have never checked out, while many are totally unknown and just waiting to be discovered. In a few choice sentences Trachtenberg gives us enough information to inspire us to check them out for not only our kids but for ourselves.

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive well-organized guide to children's literature
Review: "The Best Children's Literature: A Parent's Guide" is an excellent reference book for both parents and teachers who are looking for books appropriate for children from ages 1 to 14. The list is compiled by Ellen Trachtenberg, a former classroom teacher and language arts specialist who has worked in the book industry for over a dozen years providing services to children's librarians while also serving as a consultant to children's authors. This book includes descriptions of more than 1,000 recommended books for kids, including both "entertaining fiction" and "enriching nonfiction." Trachtenberg begins with an introduction that covers how to choose the best books for your children, a developmental timeline for reading readiness, activities that encourage reading, as well as hints on how to use this guide.

The chapters of the books are devoted to different categories of books: (1) Infant/Toddler Books, which are primarily board book editions that can survive drool and repeated tossings from highchairs; (2) Picture Books where the illustrations are of primary importance and are intended mainly for preschoolers; (3) Story Books that introduce other cultures, foreign lands, and far flung fictional landscapes appropriate for children well into early and middle elementary school grades; (4) Easy Readers that are intended to boost reading skills, including series titles such as "Magic School Bus" and "DK Readers"; (5) Nonfiction organized by cultures and categories intended mainly for children across the elementary school grades, with additional titles for middle school students; and (6) Juvenile Fiction/Chapter Books intended for children who are able to read relatively smoothly and which includes the classics from <i>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" to "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Indices break down these hundreds of books by title, author, topic, and awards, including Newberry and Caldecott medal winners.

One of the things I value most about this reference book is that Trachtenberg repeatedly recommends additional books for many of those listed here. This includes not only sequels or other works by the same authors, but also similar stories by other authors, which, for example, has helped me track down version of Cinderella and other familiar fairy tales from around the world. There is an emphasis on mutliculturalism, including folk and fairy tales. Several works are noted as being Parent's Guide Choice Award winners so that you can get an idea of which of these books are the best of the best. You will also find interviews with parents and children about their favorite books, featured author profiles, and developmentally appropriate recommendations.

Just being able to browse through these titles and just read about what these books are about. Some of them are familiar titles from our own childhood, others ones that you have heard about but have never checked out, while many are totally unknown and just waiting to be discovered. In a few choice sentences Trachtenberg gives us enough information to inspire us to check them out for not only our kids but for ourselves.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Resource
Review: This book is very organized and helpful for finding good children's books. I enjoyed going through the book finding all the books I read as a child and seeing how they were reviewed. This book also gave me ideas on what books I should have my children read when they grow older. I definitely recommend this book.