Keep in mind these books are suggestions for gifts, I'm not saying you should all rush out and add these to your own libraries. I know how hard it can be to come up with a good baby/child gift every now and then - and having been a mother longer than there has been dirt, I am very familiar with a whole host of kids books. Kids books are published at an unbelievable rate, but they are not all treasures.
Fritz and the Beautiful Horses (you knew there had to be a pony book in there somewhere, right?), written and illustrated by Jan Brett - is a special one to us, you'll see why in a bit. If you are not familiar with Jan Brett's work, she has written a bunch of good ones and frankly any would make a great gift (On Noah's Ark, The Mitten, Annie and the Wild Animals, Trouble with Trolls, The Wild Christmas Reindeer and bunches more). Her art has a Nordic flare (remember I love folk art so books illustrated in a folk art style tend to catch my eye), is done in bright water colors. As required by almost any children's book I would recommend, the illustrations are simply gorgeous - they make you want to either fall in or pick up some colored pencils and give it a try yourself.
Fritz is the story of a pudgy little pony (not unlike my own) who lives in a town where there are many beautiful, high spirited and silly horses who are pampered and decorated to the extreme. He wants to be just like the big beautiful horses but of course we are what we are and he is a rolly polly pony. His sure footed bravery saves the day by rescuing the town's errant children one by one when the horses all refuse the steep climb and rushing water between the children and their parents. Then, of course, Fritz the hero is beloved by all and pampered himself.
It is a sweet, beautiful children's book - but mostly I like it because Fritz reminds me more than a little of my own Rolo. Though I am particularly fond of this one, any of Brett's books would be worth the price of purchase, and I own several - yup me, they are my books not the kids books. But I do share, sometimes.
Rolo
Fritz and the Beautiful Horses (you knew there had to be a pony book in there somewhere, right?), written and illustrated by Jan Brett - is a special one to us, you'll see why in a bit. If you are not familiar with Jan Brett's work, she has written a bunch of good ones and frankly any would make a great gift (On Noah's Ark, The Mitten, Annie and the Wild Animals, Trouble with Trolls, The Wild Christmas Reindeer and bunches more). Her art has a Nordic flare (remember I love folk art so books illustrated in a folk art style tend to catch my eye), is done in bright water colors. As required by almost any children's book I would recommend, the illustrations are simply gorgeous - they make you want to either fall in or pick up some colored pencils and give it a try yourself.
Fritz is the story of a pudgy little pony (not unlike my own) who lives in a town where there are many beautiful, high spirited and silly horses who are pampered and decorated to the extreme. He wants to be just like the big beautiful horses but of course we are what we are and he is a rolly polly pony. His sure footed bravery saves the day by rescuing the town's errant children one by one when the horses all refuse the steep climb and rushing water between the children and their parents. Then, of course, Fritz the hero is beloved by all and pampered himself.
It is a sweet, beautiful children's book - but mostly I like it because Fritz reminds me more than a little of my own Rolo. Though I am particularly fond of this one, any of Brett's books would be worth the price of purchase, and I own several - yup me, they are my books not the kids books. But I do share, sometimes.
Rolo
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"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
The Missus can spend hours sitting on the floor in the children's section of bookstores, looking for just the right books to add to our collection. I bet the two of you would have a grand old time together.
I'll be over in the sci-fi section. Catch ya later for coffee...
;-)
My students and I love the Jan Brett books..."The Mitten" is probably their favorite.
Yeah, I should have said that her books are heavily populated with animals - not so many people - and a good many trolls too.
Oh, lovely! Another one for my list...!