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nicole-amdg
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| Posted: April 25 2007 at 11:17am | IP Logged
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I've been skimming old threads for an answer to this one.
We borrow a lot of books at the library, and we've been trying to build our family library. Buying books is usually easy: either we know it's a great book from a recommendation or personal experience, or I don't buy it. But sometimes I let my kids make selections...
And then, at the library, when I do a key word search and a whole slew of material comes up...
What can I use to decide whether it's worth my kids' time?
I've been going on instinct, since I have noticed that books that I love usually turn up on some trusted-one's booklist or other. Sometimes I have misjudged a "good one"--like when early in my motherhood I didn't see the point of "Goodnight Moon"  And I'm worried about missing the boat as my oldest branches out more--I'm thinking of two titles in our library right now that were not deliberate additions.
Anyone want to share their rules of thumb?
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asplendidtime
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| Posted: April 25 2007 at 3:09pm | IP Logged
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Have you read A Landscape With Dragons by Michael D. O'Brien? I try to use what I learned from his book about fiction and the root worldview of the work. That there is indeed a Christian form of storytelling.
Anything about a toilet or underpants, is for sure twaddle!  My sister in the last year bought my children one book about a girl locked into a bathroom, and a book for my son called "Captain Underpants", I mean, oh my!  Obviously appealing to a little boy, but I don't want him to remain a little boy. KWIM? And I don't want to give him a taste for such childish things.
Does the story promote higher virtues? Will it encourage or undermine what you are teaching to your children. Will it undermine the child's faith? Will it confuse the holy with the profane?
I am careful about the undercurrent. I think that it is easy to write something that will appeal to the flesh and make it a "good read" but I think all the more masterful the storyteller, who doesn't need to use the flesh to appeal...
Maybe this is not what you were thinking of. And you are likely looking at literature in much the same way as I am, so sorry if I have just repeated some real basics for you. 
P.S. So in the same vein a book which promotes wonder of the natural, points the child to the wonder of creation... and thus the Creator. Living books should promote and foster a creative curiosity, a wonder of what God has made or a heroic tale of virtue... As opposed to an "I'm okay, you're okay" philosophy.
I am a beginner, so I will look forward to reading what others write too.
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helene
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If it is a book written about a single subject by a single person who has a special interest or passion for that subject, it is usually spot on. Your instincts sound really good to me. I used to have heartache because I was financially unable to just buy buy buy all the lovely books I wanted and put them in neat baskets all over the house as I have seen done so beautifully. But I decided to try and bloom where I was planted....near my local library....and we have found such wonderful things there! I now have the luxury of buying only when I KNOW a book is excellent and will be very much used by the family in future years. Good luck to you and God bless!
P.S. My favorite part of Goodnight Moon has always been the way the pages get slightly darker with every turn....
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nicole-amdg
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| Posted: April 26 2007 at 10:26am | IP Logged
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Helene,
I know! My favorite pages are the gray starscape and the last page with the moon in the window brightening the sky! And of course my kids love the little mouse...
We heavily favored Kolbe's reading list for a few years. We checked out almost all the books we read from the library system, and then the ones we really liked went on a wish list that I used at Christmastime! It also, I think, helped me refine my sense of literary quality a little bit.
Nicole
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nicole-amdg
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| Posted: April 26 2007 at 10:27am | IP Logged
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Rebecca,
I keep meaning to check out A Landscape with Dragons! I'm going right now to put a hold on it if my library has it. Thanks for the suggestion!
Nicole
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: April 26 2007 at 11:09am | IP Logged
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nicole-amdg wrote:
| Sometimes I have misjudged a "good one"--like when early in my motherhood I didn't see the point of "Goodnight Moon" |
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Me too!
nicole-amdg wrote:
| We heavily favored Kolbe's reading list for a few years. We checked out almost all the books we read from the library system, .......It also, I think, helped me refine my sense of literary quality a little bit. |
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Nicole-
I would say that doing this is what helped me the most. I just put books on hold at the library from:
Honey for a child's heart
The Read-Aloud Handbook
Ambleside Online
Listmania recommendations from Amazon
...and other CM-type booklists that I found on the web.
Ditto to what Rebecca said above.
I'm a big one for beautiful pictures. Not cartoon-nonsense. Of course, there are exceptions....a great story that the kids love, with cartoon-y pictures. But, the beautiful illustrations in picture books are truly works of art and how great that kids nowadays get to stare at such beauty while listening to a story.
ETA: I loved Landscape with Dragons, too. I bought a copy because I have referred to it often inthe past couple of years. Great topic, PLUS he's such a wonderful writer!
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marihalojen
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| Posted: April 27 2007 at 7:31am | IP Logged
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A book my library has is How to Get Your Child to Love Reading: For Ravenous and Reluctant Readers Alike by Esmé Raji Codell. The book is hefty and gives lots of book recommendations by subject, level, theme, idea; she even has a listing of books for children who are ill - Gesundheit!
It's a fun read and if I'm stuck in the library banging my head on the stacks trying to remember that one book on that one topic I really wanted to find I can pick this book up and flip to that subject and even if it doesn't have my book listed it usually triggers my memory enough to find it.
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Mary G
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marihalojen wrote:
A book my library has is How to Get Your Child to Love Reading: For Ravenous and Reluctant Readers Alike by Esmé Raji Codell. The book is hefty and gives lots of book recommendations by subject, level, theme, idea; she even has a listing of books for children who are ill - Gesundheit!
It's a fun read and if I'm stuck in the library banging my head on the stacks trying to remember that one book on that one topic I really wanted to find I can pick this book up and flip to that subject and even if it doesn't have my book listed it usually triggers my memory enough to find it. |
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I second this recommendation ... and her web site has wonderful resources too...some of her picks I don't like but at least you know the story and potential problems.
I did a blog post about books about books ... there are some suggested titles there you also might want to try. But one of the best, with great synopses and comments is Valerie and Walter's Best Books for Children.
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nicole-amdg
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| Posted: April 27 2007 at 11:46pm | IP Logged
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Mary G.,
I found a book called Books That Build Character by William Kilpatrick that looks good. I'm going through it now. Have you seen that one?
Nicole
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: Discerning--good stuff or twaddle?
