A Very Classic Holiday

As we head into December, the traditions of the holidays seem to make us more nostalgic.  When people come into The Blue Bunny for the first time, they often remark on how they are reminded of someplace they remember from their childhoods and how they just feel good being here.  Part of that is the physical atmosphere we’ve worked so hard to create--tin ceilings, hardwood floors, and soft lights.  Part of it has to do with the merchandise.  Our toys have very few bells and whistles, and our books are hand-chosen--and since we know them pretty well, we can usually suggest something for most readers.

Although people have strong reactions to “classics” -- some people are afraid of them-- almost everyone can remember one book, at least, that they loved as a child.  What better time than December, when tradition abounds, to take another look at some well-loved “classics” and introduce them to a new audience.

At The Blue Bunny, our best-selling picture books for the youngest children are most assuredly “classics”-- Make Way for Ducklings,  Where the Wild things Are,  Goodnight Moon, and Pat the Bunny are always in demand.  Some of our other “classic” picture-book favorites are the works of Eric Carle, Leo Lionni, Jan Brett, and the stories of Babar, Peter Rabbit, and Winnie the Pooh.

But, while most customers are eager to give their favorite classic picture books as gifts to the preschool set, it is less popular when buying for intermediate-level readers, who are old enough to have opinions and preferences of their own.  Happily, there are great numbers of well-written and engaging new books for kids that come out every year, but it may still be rewarding to coax those kids to try some time-tested tales.  You might try Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, or The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, books with irresistible characters, great dialogue, and terrific plot lines.  The original Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, or even the great classics of Charles Dickens (try A Christmas Carol to warm up!) also have plenty to catch the imagination.  

If those seem just a bit too "classic-y," there are more recent gems that also deliver beautiful stories with skillful writing.  The classics I remember from my childhood include some wonderful books first published in the 1960s:  The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (1961), Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (1964),  From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (1967), and the groundbreaking novel The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton (also in 1967). Although these are all at or nearing their 50th anniversaries, the characters and plot lines should still feel current enough to engage most kids.  An added idea--use one of these as a read-aloud with your child--it might make it easier to get through any of the language and style that might be unfamiliar, and you get to enjoy an old favorite in a new way.

We invite you to stop by The Blue Bunny this holiday season, and let us re-introduce you to some of our favorite stories.  Try to remember....what were your favorites?  Classic or not, we can help you choose a book to engage any child.  Because everyone loves a good story... everyone!