Gift Books, 1986 : Treats for Kids to See and Hear

Woven into my childhood memories are the books my mother read aloud to me. I recall the uncontrolled glee I experienced upon hearing about Henry Huggins and his multiplying guppies. Curious George gave me courage to try out new adventures. My tears flowed in sympathy for the struggles of Amos Fortune.

The qualities that made those books memorable to me still attract children. The books that children request again and again either touch the heart, tickle the funnybone or enliven the imagination. The following books have one or more of these qualities and will make lasting gifts. The memories multiply when adult and child read and discuss them together:

Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti, illustrated by Michele Lemieux (Morrow: $15; ages 6 to 12). Stunning paintings illuminate the traditional Christmas opera. The Three Kings following the Star stop to rest at the humble home of a poor, crippled shepherd boy, Amahl. There a miracle occurs when Amahl is healed. The text retains the wonder and intensity of the original libretto. Lemieux chose desert tones for her watercolors, which glowingly illustrate the richness of the Wise Men’s robes as well as the stark desert setting. Her illustrations emphasize the vastness of the scene, while subtly expressing the personalities of each character. After you and your child read this handsome book, listen to the opera together.

On a different note, children will find the questions of the chubby rabbit, Max, irresistibly funny in Max’s Christmas by Rosemary Wells (Dial: $7.95; ages 2 to 6). Max wants to know all about Santa and pesters his patient, motherly sister, Ruby, with innumerable questions. When Max stays up to see Santa, their encounter brings laughter to young listeners. Wells’ skill with her pen gives the characters expressive eyes and faces. Bright colors complete the book’s attractive format.

Merry Christmas, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich: $12.95; ages 4 to 9) will both warm the heart and tickle the funnybone. Strega Nona and her bumbling assistant, Big Anthony, are familiar favorites with children. DePaola’s three other books about Strega Nona have established her as a lovable “grandma witch” who heals and advises the villagers of Calabria. In this story, Big Anthony appears to have ruined Strega Nona’s annual Christmas feast. He urges her to use her magical powers to do the work required in preparing it. But Strega Nona says, “No magic at Christmas time . . . Christmas has a magic of its own.” Big Anthony’s surprise for Strega Nona clearly shows he understands this. DePaola’s large, cheerful illustrations make a magic of their own for young listeners.

The hit of this year should be The Jolly Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg (Little, Brown: $9.95; ages 4 to 11). A simple rhyme follows the Jolly Postman on his mail route: to the home of the Three Bears with a letter from Goldilocks; to the Wicked Witch with an advertisement from Hobgoblin Supplies; to the Giant with a post card from the vacationing Jack; to Cinderella with a letter from her publisher; to B. B. (Big Bad) Wolf with a letter from Red Riding Hood’s lawyer; and finally to Goldilocks’ house with a birthday card for her. Each message can be taken out and then tucked back into its own envelope. All have wit and ingenuous humor. For example, Goldilocks writes to apologize for eating Baby Bear’s porridge and promises that her daddy will mend the broken chair; Jack tells of his vacation bought with the Giant’s gold. This is a great way to introduce children to the various types of written communication.

Children who enjoy reading Goldilocks’ letter in the “Jolly Postman” will want to hear Goldilocks and the Three Bears, illustrated by Janet Stevens (Holiday: $13.95; 1986; ages 2 to 6). Stevens’ illustrations of the well-known tale are a visual treat. Her bear family has a rumpled, domestic look, while Goldilocks radiates an impish charm. Their expressive faces aid little children’s understanding of the story. Stevens has arranged the family’s bowls, chairs and beds so that children can easily see the differences in their sizes. Help your child point to the objects belonging to each bear as you read the story to him.

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy Carlstrom, illustrations by Bruce Degan (Macmillan: $11.95; ages 1 to 5) has the most fetching combination of text and pictures of any new book for the very young. Carlstrom’s graceful and lively verse follows Jesse Bear through the day’s routine. Degan splashes the pages with bright colors that show an animated, adorable small bear and his loving parents. The repeated phrases will be echoed by children who love the verse’s bounce and verve.

The Baby’s Good Morning Book by Kay Chorao (Dutton: $11.95; ages 6 months to 5 years) is filled with more verses that children will love to hear and repeat. Warm, sunny illustrations of cuddly animals, lovely scenes and rosy-cheeked children are framed on each page by soft-colored borders. Chorao has selected 26 familiar poems and rhymes about the morning. Start a new routine--snuggle in bed first thing in the morning to savor together the cheerful verses and illustrations that celebrate the beginning of the day.

The exuberant humor of text and pictures in Pecos Bill, retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg (Morrow: $13; ages 5 to 12), injects new life into the tall tale about the Texas cowboy hero. Bill’s adventures begin on the front endpapers and continue at a “rough and tumble” pace. Kellogg’s far-fetched, lively pictures expand on the legend, making it even more enjoyable. The richly colored illustrations are skillfully drawn and arranged. Linger over the pictures to fully enjoy each funny detail. This book and its companion, Paul Bunyan, are read-aloud treats for the whole family.

More rollicking humor is in store for children who hear Beats Me, Claude by Joan Lowery Nixon, pictures by Tracey Campbell Pearson (Viking: $10.95; ages 5 to 12). Tall, lanky Shirley and her short, pot-bellied husband Claude think they have found a peaceful place to live in their Texas cabin. But Shirley “hanker(s) for someone else to talk to” and Claude wants an apple pie like his mama used to make. When Shirley, who was never a very good cook, makes her apple pie, things start happening. First, a fake preacher comes to call. Then some robbers burst in. And finally three AWOL soldiers try to hide out in the cabin. All of them are driven away by her awful pie and a hilarious series of mishaps. In the end, Shirley gains the companionship she longs for, and Claude gets a delicious pie. The amusing story is matched by Pearson’s zesty animated pictures of food flying through the air, a spectacled moose head dropping on a robber’s head and an inquisitive armadillo poking into everything. This is a book that must be read aloud so the whole family can share the fun.

The Dallas Titans Get Ready for Bed by Karla Kuskin, illustrations by Marc Simont (Harper & Row: $11.95; ages 6 to 12) is another book for the whole family to enjoy. The successful writer/illustrator duo that teamed up to make “The Philharmonic Gets Dressed” has created another celebration of a mundane routine. A football team, the Dallas Titans, has won the big game, yet Coach Dutch Scorch cuts short their celebrations by ordering them into the showers and home to bed to get ready for the next big game. The players commence to remove their many-layered uniforms. Kuskin focuses on the foibles of different players and enlivens the text with word pictures that Simont humorously sketches. Finally, when all the jerseys, pads, tape, gloves, T-shirts, socks and shoes have been removed and described in glorious detail, the team takes to the showers, then goes home to bed. Kuskin arranges words with poetic skill; they demand an oral reading. Simont’s pictures extend the fun.

Not So Fast Songololo by Niki Daly (Atheneum: $11.95; ages 4 to 8). The setting for this tender story about the loving relationship between a young boy and his grandmother is in South Africa. Malusi helps his grandmother, Gogo, by accompanying her on a shopping trip to the city. Malusi is especially solicitous of Gogo’s needs. When her shopping is over, Gogo buys some new red tackies (tennis shoes) for Malusi to replace his worn-out hand-me-downs. Even though some of the words may be strange to youngsters, Daly holds their attention with her warm, universal story with its big, brightly colored illustrations.

Flossie and the Fox by Patricia C. McKissack, pictures by Rachel Isadora (Dial: $10.95; ages 4 to 11) is about a quick-witted slave child. McKissack continues her grandfather’s storytelling legacy by sharing this sprightly story with children. The grandfather’s rich and colorful language makes the story pleasurable oral reading. Flossie is asked by Big Mama to take a basket of eggs to Miz Viola, whose “chickens be so scared they can’t even now lay a stone.” The source of the chickens’ terror is a troublesome fox. Flossie “disremembers” ever seeing a fox, so when she comes up to the bushy-tailed critter in the woods, she is most polite to him. The critter claims he is a fox, but Flossie says she doesn’t believe him. As she continues her trip to Miz Viola’s, the fox tries to convince her that he really is a fox. Children chuckle over the fox’s frustration and Flossie’s cleverness in turning aside each of his claims. Flossie keeps the eggs safe and doesn’t admit he is a fox until she has reached the protection of the neighbor’s hounds. Sunlit pictures set off Flossie’s bright brown face. Children will be challenged when they are asked to compare Flossie to Little Red Riding Hood.

The following books have a picture-book format even though they are nonfiction. They impart a wealth of information both in words and pictures.

A Tournament of Knights by Joe Lasker (Crowell: $12.89; ages 8 to 13). Lasker describes the pageantry, risk, carnage and perils of jousting tournaments in the Middle Ages. The talented author/illustrator communicates his facts by telling the story of Lord Justin, son of a baron, who fights in his first tournament. Lasker packs his pictures full of riveting details about the tournaments and medieval culture. A glossary aids in understanding terms. Children will be caught up in the suspense and actions of the story, shown in the vivid watercolors. Lasker’s Merry Ever After: The Story of Two Medieval Weddings makes a companion book which will increase children’s knowledge of the period.

Nov. 16-22 was National Children’s Book Week, but for a child who gets the right books at the right time, book week lasts all year.