Friday, 27 August 2010
Children's Classics - Cliche or quintessential?
When you do a quick poll amongst parents of their favourite children's books, the same names often come up again and again. By now books like Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury's timeless "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" have probably sold a ridiculous amount of copies and have become classics - but are they good books? Does "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" deserve the plaudits and credit it gets? How about "Each Peach Pear Plum"?
There's no easy answer, but the three books mentioned are absolutely superb and are definitely three favourites amongst Charlotte's ever-growing book collection. Talking to parents though, what comes across more than anything (and it's something I'm guilty of too) is that a lot of people like their toddlers and children to read the stuff they found entertaining as a kid, and there's no greater pleasure than finding out that even books that are visibly "of the age" they were written and illustrated in, are still enjoyed by toddlers who no longer express surprise when a toy sings at them or plays a tune.
What are the classics of tomorrow? What books will you pass on to your kids? Write and let me know in the comments box below.
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