Recommended Reads for Children

Former TRO Project Worker Marianne Kelly emigrated to Canada last year but we weren't ready to let her go that easily! She now works in the Children's department of an independent bookstore and will be regularly contributing to our brand new series, Recommended Reads for Children:

I am relatively new to the world of Children's Literature. Of course I have some unforgettable favourites from my own childhood that thankfully continue to be published today. It is not until recently, after a combination of having a child of my own and beginning work in the Children's section of a wonderful independent bookstore that my eyes were fully opened to the array of beautiful books waiting to be read to and by children.

We all know the importance of providing a childhood rich with stories.  Stories are key to a child's security and connection with the the world in which they live. Through them doors are thrown open to other lands, to the magical, to the past and the future; emphasising the importance of now while introducing the infinite. Stories can speak of beings and powers well beyond our control, of small kindnesses with enormous consequences, of courage and humor and the wonder of home. In their images, adaptability and possibilities, stories offer both an emotional engagement and release.

I would like to share with The Reader followers my Recommended Reads for Children. The books being reviewed will range from board books for babies to young adult novels for teenagers, not forgetting those timeless classics that still hold a special place for the children in all of us. Please feel free to comment or add your own personal favourites!

Click here to read Marianne's first Recommended Read for Children, Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers.