One of the perks of being a parent is being able to indulge in children’s books. Whether it’s a simple Pat the Bunny-type board book, a sweet tale of a very literal woman (Amelia Bedelia) or a thick novel of fantastical proportions (the Harry Potter series), a book that both parent and child can enjoy is invaluable. Not only do these bedtime stories allow for parent and child to bond, but they also provide a comforting escape into another world, another family, another culture. These moments – like the books themselves – are precious.
Collection
The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury is a collection of short, unrelated stories, so below are excerpts, one for each reading level Schulman, a long-time children’s book editor and publisher, outlines.
A Red Story for the Youngest Child: I Am a Bunny, written by Ole Risom, illustrated by Richard Scarry (1963)
“I am a bunny. My name is Nicholas. I live in a hollow tree. In the spring, I like to pick flowers. I chase the butterflies, and the butterflies chase me. In the summer, I like to lie in the sun and watch the birds. And I like to watch the frogs in the pond. When it rains, I keep dry under a toadstool. I blow the dandelion seeds in the air…” (pages 243-246).
A Blue Story for the Preschool Reader: Guess How Much I Love You, written by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram (1994)
“Little Nutbrown Hare, who was going to bed, held on tight to Big Nutbrown Hare’s very long ears. He wanted to be sure that Big Nutbrown Hare was listening. ‘Guess how much I love you,’ he said. ‘Oh, I don’t think I could guess that,’ said Big Nutbrown Hare. ‘This much,’ said Little Nutbrown Hare, stretching out his arms as wide as they could go. Big Nutbrown Hare had even longer arms. ‘But I love you this much,’ he said. Hmm, that is a lot, thought Little Nubrown Hare…” (pages 79-80)
A Green Story for a Child 5 Years of Age or Older: Miss Nelson Is Missing!, written by Harry Allard, illustrated by James Marshall (1977)
“The kids in Room 207 were misbehaving again. Spitballs stuck to the ceiling. Paper planes whizzed through the air. They were the worst-behaved class in the whole school. ‘Now settle down,’ said Miss Nelson in a sweet voice. But the class would not settle down. They whispered and giggled. They squirmed and made faces. They were even rude during story hour. And they always refused to do their lessons. ‘Something will have to be done,’ said Miss Nelson…” (pages 99-100).
Criticisms and Compliments
If there were ever a book to buy for your child, this one is it. It contains all of the classics – Goodnight Moon, Stellaluna, Madeline, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, The Story of Babar, The Berenstain Bears, The Story of Ferdinand, The Stinky Cheese Man, Where the Wild Things Are, etc. – and a selection of newer stories (read: ‘90s-era picture books). For parents, thumbing through this anthology is like being reunited with old friends: Marc Brown’s Arthur, Russell Hoban’s Frances, H.A. Rey’s Curious George. And for new readers, The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury contains a whole world of characters and stories and vibrant illustrations.
What’s great about The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury, besides Schulman’s hand-picked timeless stories, is that she organizes them by level of reader; this book is one with which children can grow. As a 3-year-old, a reader may begin parsing Goodnight Moon word by word, item by item. As the reader learns, he or she can graduate to Make Way for Ducklings and eventually to Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury is a fantastic tool and a foolproof collection of tried-and-true tales.
Beware, though: in order for Schulman to fit all 44 stories into one book, many of the accompanying illustrations were resized or removed completely. Enough remain, however, to still give each story some color and life.
Source:
- Schulman, Janet. The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury: Celebrated Picture Books and Stories to Read Aloud. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1998 ISBN 9780679886471
