Do You Love Reading Children's Books?

Do you enjoy reading books for children? Not reading children's books to children for their education, entertainment, and enjoyment. But do you - the adult-like reading them?

Several years back, my spouse and I contemplated the idea of writing books for children. We even had ourselves tested to see if we had the necessary skills and aptitude. We were looking for a means of earning income while working from home and caring for our young children and thought this might be a viable solution. The test results were persuasive, so we decided on this path to pursue our financial goals. We will never know if we would have been as successful as the author of the Harry Potter books. After a few manuscript rejections by various publishers, we turned our efforts to more practical, more immediate, income-earning opportunities.

Although no longer interested in writing books for children, I discovered something about myself that I did not know. I thoroughly enjoy immersing myself in children's books. Not reading them to my children or to children, but I like reading them for myself. Yes. It's an indulgence.


Many books for children, adolescents or young adults are about 100 to 250 pages and are a quick read. Those marvelous children's picture books with their exquisite illustrations are even shorter reads; about 25 pages, pictures included. But what a wonderful distraction they are from the daily grind of work, housework, grocery shopping, and other mundane chores. They're so adventurous and other-worldly. Reading children's books actually refreshes and energizes me.


During the course of our failed attempt at becoming children's book authors, I found numerous writers in this field that I wish I had been introduced to when I myself was a child. I had never heard of many of them and yet they were award-winning, outstanding, notable, respected authors. Laurence Yep, Katherine Paterson, Madeleine L'Engle and Jane Yolen are four such writers.

So, if you're wondering what would be a guilt-free indulgence to set yourself free from your daily routine for just a few moments, try reading a children's book. Choose books by the authors mentioned above, or if you don't know where to begin, visit Al's Book Club for Kids. Oprah also publishes a Kids' Reading List. Although these lists were created with children in mind, they are perfect for those of us who want to indulge our inner child.



References:

• Paterson, Katherine. Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1983. Print.
• L'Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1962. Print.
• "Jane Yolen." Fantastic Fiction. Web. 27 Apr 2011.
• "Al's Book Club for Kids.", TODAY.com: Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, TODAY Show Video, News, Recipes, Health, Pets. Web. 27 Apr 2011.
• "Kids' Reading List - Oprah.com." Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Live Your Best Life - Oprah.com. Web. 27 Apr 2011.
• "Author Katherine Paterson After Bridge to Terabithia - Oprah.com."Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Live Your Best Life - Oprah.com. Web. 27 Apr. 2011.
• "FIND A BOOK: L'ENGLE, MADELEINE." Anita Silvey's Children's Book-A-Day Almanac. Web. 27 Apr 2011.

Suggested link: Children who have published books and have made an impact on the world of literature. Click this link to read Literary History: Children Authors. It's fascinating!


Original Source
( NOTE: Full article previously published a YAHOO Voices.  YCN website shut down.  Portions of republished various places around the web. )


Browse books by the authors:
Laurence Yep
Katherine Paterson
Madeleine L'Engle
Jane Yolen

[Children’s Book Recommendation] The Emperor and the Kite by Jane Yolen

Ever notice a small child look up when an adult walks into the room? Especially a very tall adult. Do you ever notice their eyes widen and how they bend their heads back almost to the point that you think they might break their little neck trying to look up in awe at this giant!

Do you wonder what they might be thinking? 

Do they think:

- How does a person get to be so big?

- Will I ever become a giant like that?

- I am so small. Will that big person hurt me?

- They're looking at the wall. Do they see me down here? I could get crushed!  Better move to some place safe like next to my mom.

Now imagine you're a small child in a home filled with giants. A giant father. Giant brothers. Giant sisters. All of them doing gigantic enormous things every day! Always busy all of the time. So busy they never even see you. You're so tiny. So tiny that your family gives you the name that means “the smallest one”. 

You think to yourself:

• Do they call me that because I'm not as big as they are and never will be?
• Or is it because they think so little of me that I might as well not exist? 

Though not her exact words, these were very likely the daily thoughts of Princess Djeow Seow, fourth youngest and smallest daughter of the Emperor of China.

Such was her world. Her brothers were allowed to help her father rule the kingdom. Her sisters brought the food to their father's table.

What was she permitted to do?  Go fly a kite! Literally.

But not everyone disregarded the tiny princess. There was a humble monk who always watched her whenever she hoisted her favorite kite into the air. Each day he would repeat the same prayer to her and each day she would always thank him in the same way. Every day. Each day. Each day. Every day. Except … one day.

Sometimes being “the smallest one” can be a very good thing.

*The Emperor and the Kite by Jane Yolen is suggested reading for 3rd and 4th graders.

Jane Yolen is one of my favorite authors of books for children and young adults.  She has been writing for decades, mainly the fantasy genre.  The sweetness and simplicity of her style is what makes her work so appealing.

Original source

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Ten Plus One Books Worth Reading - Fox's Picks

Borrowed this idea from another blog post. Listing 10 books plus the Book, that in my humble opinion are worth reading. Some of them are books for kids but recommended for adults who still eat sugary cereals when nobody's looking. Picture books, in particular, are quick and easy reads, often fun, and sometimes very profound!!

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• (1)  A Rose in Winter
• (2)  Shannah

Both are historical romance novels by the late Kathleen Woodiwiss.

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• (3)  The World of Steve Ditko
• (4)  Brothers in Arms

If you like biographies.
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• (5)  The Emperor and the Kite

For fans (like me) of Jane Yolen or students of ancient China.

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• (6) The Eagle Are Back

The Phoenix rising from the ashes is a myth. However, the American bald eagle is real and almost became extinct. But now the eagle soars again!

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• (7) Witch Hunt

Urban fantasy is rising to the top of popular book genres.

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• (8)  Shipwrecked: Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds
• (9)  Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World
• (10) Shipwreck: A Saga of Sea Tragedy and Sunken Treasure

Mysteries revealed. True stories of ships lost at sea. (SPOILER: None of them were attacked by pirates.)

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BONUS!  Final suggestion:  The Book aka The Bible.  More specifically?

• The Book of Judges: A Timely Application

Samson and Delilah poster by jamex3
Browse other Lemuel Posters

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