Another one of Leo Lionni's creative and quirky animal books, this one is a little odder then his others, (talking mushrooms?) but still fun to read and listen to. Who can argue with a picture book that includes words like charlatan? Containing a very clear message not to trick your friends, and also that it's better to just be yourself, this book doesn't really have a happily-ever-after ending for the deceitful mouse. It's not an unjust ending, however, and like most fairy tales, children seem to delight in justice being served. The trademark cut-paper illustrations are unique and simple, but accompany the story perfectly.
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Suggested ages: 3-8
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How did I go through my whole childhood without reading this book? I read this for the first time as an adult, and it was an excellent story. A young boy becomes separated from his minstrel father and his dog, and goes on a sometimes frightening journey through medieval England in search of them both. This is a great way to really get a feel for life in the middle ages, an often romanticized but very brutal time. Adam of the Road gives you a very good picture of the era without being graphic and inappropriate. While it is great as a history assignment, it is even better simply as a wonderful story, and I recommend it highly for older children, or as a read-aloud.
Timeless stories of a little boy and his stuffed animals, full of imagination and vivid descriptions of the lovely forest where they all live together. These books are wrote in a style not quite like anything else I have seen and are absolutely entertaining to read aloud. The illustrations are winsome and simple, setting off the story perfectly. Each chapter tells a different adventure, and they are all full of well-cloaked life lessons that your children will understand easily, in the best way possible- through the art of storytelling. This is my all-time favorite book, and we read it aloud several times a year. Be sure to get the original, unabridged books with Ernest Shepard's illustrations.
