Another one I didn't get to give, but some really classic books.
Sam and the Tigers
Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
ISBN: 0803720289
A delightful and joyful all-are-welcome rendition of the fraught Little Black Sambo by two of America's best.
I can't believe I have not reviewed this book here before. Little Black Sambo has a great story, but also has some - issues. Lots of issues. There is really no reason to show little kids that sort of racist representation (and please note I'm talking about as a storybook, for entertainment, for very young children). I had resigned myself to just never sharing that particular story, until I came across this joyful retaking of the heart of the story.
Sam lives in Sam-sam-sa-mara, and everyone human is named Sam, and all the animals (of which there are many, and they are a full part of the ecosystem and society) are all named Mr or Mrs Animal-Name (so, Mr Tiger and Mrs Ostrich). Sam is off to buy his new school wardrobe, and his dad Sam and his mother Sam are in agony over his - let's go with unconventional - choices of clothing. But Sam (the child - try and keep it straight!) is delighted, and heads off to school the next morning with stars in his eyes and a skip in his step. Until the tigers show up, of course. The rest of the tale is totally familiar, but seamlessly stripped of nastyness and stereotype, until all that is left is a beautiful trickster tale of the triumph of the weak but witty over the strong and bullying. I use it as often as I can.
The Little Engine that Could
Originally by Watty Piper, illustrated by Cristina Ong, and heavily abridged for board-book format.
ISBN: 0448401010
Short and sweet, this abridged version is shaped like a train, and keeps the flavor of the original well.
Nine times out of ten, I'd tell parents and teachers and storytimers to avoid abridged versions. I don't think it's fair to the original, I think often the ideas are better suited to the longer original format (and therefore to an older age that can sit through the length) and personally, it feels like cheating.
However, I love the story of the Little Engine that Could, and the original is hellacious long, and in my normal set-up of three books, I could never present it. This tiny little board book is a perfect little summary of the story, and serves as a lovely short introduction to kids who may not be familiar with the original. The board book is 5 spreads long, with 2 full spreads and the others as page-panels, and the story is condensed greatly: train is full of toys and dolls, train breaks down, little blue engine is the only other train in the book, and no failures occur on the way up the mountain. Still, the idea of the story holds up, and the inclusion of the original illustrations do much to paper over the missing narrative.
Don't Touch My Hat
James Rumford
ISBN: 9780375837821
Originally reviewed here.
I had the hardest time finding a final "nursery tale" style hero story, but I was pretty happy with this one. The pay-off at the end with the hat reveal is great fun, and little kids always like cowboys.
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