Ok, most of the suggestions people made were for books we already have (and love). Here is my final list of new purchases. In the end I decided not to get the picture book classics – they’re easy to get in libraries and they’re likely to get a run at kinder and school – I tend to favour books that fill some thematic gaps in my kid’s collection or will give my neices and nephews something new to think about. That said, both of the older kids will be getting classics. The books about festivals are for us to get out at appropriate times of year with the kid.
Suki’s Kimono, By Chieri Uegaki
Dragon Dance: A Chinese New Year, By Joan Holub
Ramadan, By Jonny Zucker
Lighting a Lamp, By Jonny Zucker
Dr. Dog, By Babette Cole
Monkey and Me, By Emily Gravett
Cleversticks, By Bernard Ashley
The Secret Garden, By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Eight Candles to Light, By Jonny Zucker
Huck Finn – audio book
Princess Smartypants, By Babette Cole
Once There Was a Boy …, By Oliver Jeffers
Princess Smartypants Breaks the Rules!, By Babette Cole
April Underhill, Tooth Fairy, By Bob Graham
Iggy Peck, Architect, By Andrea Beaty
Lost Thing, By Shaun Tan
What else have I been looking at? Well I’d like some books with a greater diversity of family types, I’d like to see books that represent families with two mums or two dads or Mum and Granny or parents living apart or whatever without it being the main focus of the story. I’d like my kid to see a wide variety of families represented in the context of a story that’s interesting or fun, not Now Son It’s Time To Talk About Diversity. Because kids don’t want to read stories in title case. Nor do they particularly want to be the topic of a Social Issues special feature. One of the things I love about Bob Graham books is the scruffiness of the families. There are parents in ill-fitting op shop clothes, they have mess, they have trouble putting up the tent, they have an old couch on the porch. It’s nice to see ourselves represented sympathetically. I’d like some books that do the same sort of thing for other families. I’ve made a few suggestions for my local library and added a few more things to my shopping list for the future. Sick days are so productive.
Mommy, Mama and Me (Board book)
by Leslea Newman
King and King (Hardback)
by Linda De Haan
The Boy Who Cried Fabulous (Paperback)
by Leslea Newman
And Tango Makes Three (Paperback)
by Justin Richardson
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September 28, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Cristy
Have been meaning to contribute to this discussion. A couple younger books I’d suggest are: ‘Eddie’s Garden’, Sarah Garland and ‘George saves the world by lunchtime’.
I’ve bookmarked both posts for my future present shopping guidance. Thanks!
September 28, 2010 at 9:35 pm
Martha
Don’t forget about the TickleMe Plant Book. They make it easy to grow the plant that closes its leaves when you Tickle It. Many amazing pictures of the TickleMe Plant and great hints to keep it growing for years and to even make it produce pretty pink flowers. Just search TickleMe Plant Book if you want to excited your kids about gardening, plants,science and nature.
September 28, 2010 at 11:24 pm
di
Ahh, so many good books out there. I tend to pick by repeated, lingering browsing in my favorite book shops (Like Red Door books in Lancefield whenever I’m there). You already have some of my faves in your list- Iggy Peck and Oliver Jeffers books (I gather he has a new one coming out with the boy and the penguin from Lost and Found).
I did a post at sew green with some other garden/environmental/sustainable suggestions http://sewgreen.blogspot.com/2010/06/storytime.html
I would also add to those Wendel’s Workshop (a mouse who is always creating things, but throwing stuff on the scrap heap, until he discovers that the stuff on the scrap heap is actually quite useful!) and Sally Jean the Bicycle Queen (which we found at the library- she builds herself a bike when her parents can’t afford to buy her a new, larger one. A very clever girl!).
September 28, 2010 at 11:57 pm
di
Ooh- I just found out about this book about a different kind of penguin family- with two dads, based on a true story. Might be interesting for you from a family diversity perspective- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_Tango_Makes_Three
September 29, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Sarah
Thank you for posting this.
You do realise that you are THE ONLY STRAIGHT PARENT BLOGGER I HAVE EVER READ who wants to give her kids books with different parents in them!
Sorry about the all caps, just really pleased to hear that straight parents think about their kids seeing different families in fiction.
Such a refreshing change. Especially since there are still people out there using “gay” as a humorous insult on their blogs (I emailed, no reply).
Gosh, just really happy your post.
Another suggestion:
The Different Dragon (Jenifer Bryon) Little boy and one of his mums make up a story about a dragon. The fact that he has two mums is explained but completely normalized and not central to the story. My three year old really likes this one.
September 30, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Rebekka
I really loved (and still love) Patricia Coomb’s series of books about Dorrie, the Little Witch. Her mother (the Big Witch) is a single parent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Coombs
October 4, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Penni Russon
I like Bob Graham’s families too. It’s so hard with the gay parent thing, because sometimes books so often become heavy “issue” books without the lightness of touch, engaging stories and lilting language of say your average Bob Graham. It would be lovely to see more gay families that aren’t “Gay Family Books” if you know what I mean. Incidental gay families (as so often now there are incidental interracial families, like in Oscar’s Half Birthday)
Another book I should have suggested before (on another tack) is Leaf Litter by Rachel Tonkin. http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/Leaf-Litter-Rachel-Tonkin/?isbn=9780207198441 Fred has always loved non-fiction and this one is especially beautiful and thought-provoking. Also we have one about seahorses. Now there’s an unconventional family arrangement!
October 4, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Penni Russon
Oh! Seahorse book! Here it is. It’s lovely, well written and the illustrations are breathtaking. The Dads have the babies and then abandon them in the ocean. Single dads and free range.
http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Horse-Shyest-Fish/dp/0763629898
October 4, 2010 at 8:35 pm
kate
Thanks for all the suggestions folks!
Penni you’ve explained my frustration perfectly. It’s the heavy-handed Issues books I’m trying to avoid. Wanna write one?
October 13, 2010 at 12:27 pm
frog
I may have mentioned Audrey of the Outback for 6- 10 yo girls. I’ve just had a quick scan of the third book and found out that it’s main storyline is Audrey’s secret: helping to hide a young indigenous girl who is looking for her mother after being stolen. It’s a natural extension of the character and the setting (outback SA during the 1930s) and it doesn’t use capitals to Tell The Story.