Petunia

With the conviction that "he who owns books and loves them is wise," Petunia the silly goose, upon finding a book, sets off on a mission to help all her friends on the farm with her new found wisdom.

"If I take this Book with me, and love it, I will be wise, too And no one will call me a silly goose ever again," she concludes.

A series of slapstick calamity ensues and somewhere in the midst of all the mishap is the moral that it is "not enough to carry wisdom under my wing. I must put it in my mind and in my heart."

Roger Duvoisin wrote many other children's books in addition to creating the Petunia series. Interestingly, he liked to intertwine characters from one story into another, thereby weaving a number of cameo appearances of Petunia in his Veronica books and vice versa.

While some of the Petunia tales are out of print, fortunately, this vintage classic is still in print! I picked up my copy from a used bookstore some years ago and it warmed my heart to see that it was also a Weekly Reader Children's Book Club edition. Although I didn't originally receive it as part of my subscription as a child, it is a glad addition to my book club books collection.

Petunia
words & pictures by Roger Duvoisin
© 1950 Alfred A. Knopf

Miffy at the Zoo

Dick Bruna is quickly becoming one of our household's favorite author/illustrator. He was set to inherit a family publishing business but instead decided to branch out on his own as a graphic designer and maker of children's books. Bruna defined his own style through his Miffy series, a repertoire of eponymous stories about a little bunny. His drawings are so distinctive that Miffy has become a brand of her own, especially embraced by a large Japanese following.

A design aficionado myself, I love Miffy's aesthetic nod to Hello Kitty and other assorted kawaii (cute) characters. In fact, over the past year, I have made a concerted effort to collect as many Bruna books as possible, finding a few at bookstores and the rest at random sources such as library sales, thrift shops, and even the Punahou Carnival.

From our modest stash of Miffy books, Wa-wa's favorite is Miffy at the Zoo.

While it is a pretty straightforward story, the prose has a nice rhyming pattern like a poem. Miffy's father takes her to the zoo and they visit all kinds of fun animals. They even hop on a train to get to the zoo, and while it is not the plot's highlight, any book with a train is a winner with Wa-wa. Miffy is such an adorable little bunny that she is sure to win over many hearts, little boys included. 

Miffy at the Zoo
words & pictures by Dick Bruna
© 1963 by Mercis Publishing, Amsterdam, Netherlands
© 2003 English translation by Mercis Publishing

A Long Piece of String

One of the most fun types of children's books are ABC books. They can be as common as a basic primer or as special as sought-after collectibles. While getting your hands on vintage alphabet books can be difficult and expensive, fortunately, there are plenty of wonderful contemporary editions around.

A Long Piece of String is a stunning example of making the old new again. Thanks to a recent reprinting of this 1963 classic, this wordless picture book will have you and your little one eagerly turning the page in anticipation of the next letter's surprise.

William Wondriska expresses his graphic designer's touch through bold, playful icons of an animal, place, or thing, that are all connected by a continous string (hence the book's title). The string gets longer and longer then tangled, twisted, and tied up as each symbolic letter of the alphabet are successively threaded together.

Remember how pictures are worth a thousand words? This book is an exceptional example. The deliberate absence of words only adds to its literary delight as it will peak curiosity and opportunity for interactive reading. I have found this book a great way for teaching new words to my Wa-wa because of Mr. Wondriska's eclectic choice of objects in representing each letter of the alphabet.

  

















A Long Piece of String is definitely one of the most unique, creative, and beautiful alphabet books around and is a definite must-have for any personal collection or shelf. More over, despite being sans words, this book is far from silent. Mr. Wondriska makes the alphabet sing off the pages and I love the way he added a new twist to the ABC song's ending: A B C D E F G . . . W X Y and Z. Now I know my ABCs, next time won't you guess with me?

A Long Piece of String

pictures by William Wondriska 

© 1963 by William Wondriska, reprinted © 2010 by Chronicle Books

I am a Bunny

Many fields and forests away from the world of busy town, on the outskirts of a nearby countryside, lives a little bunny named Nicholas.

Nicholas is the child in all of us. He likes to chase butterflies, watch the frogs, and blow dandelion seeds into the sky.

The theme of seasons and the beautiful changes that mother nature cycles through are vibrantly illustrated by veteran children's book illustrator Richard Scarry. And here's a sweet (but unverified) tidbit: Author Ole Risom must have written the story for his son, who is named none other than Nicholas.

The details in the illustrations—from the splash of rain drops and fiery autumn leaves to the intricate patterns on butterfly wings—are so vivid yet dreamy enough to capture the gentle tone of Nicholas's world. There is also an innocence about Nicholas and his days playing outside and interacting with the natural world around him that I appreciate.

Last year, I had the privilege of meeting a Portland filmmaker named Meg Merrill who screened her latest film PLAY AGAIN in Honolulu last year. She shared that since the onset of the digital "revolution," today's kids spend most of their time indoors, behind screens (tv, computer, video games, cell phone) than they do playing outside, unplugged. Statistics average it to a boggling 7 daily hours per child, which is almost a work day! I know as adults, most of us are engaged in important, world-saving tasks when behind a screen (ahem), but these are children! How productive and healthy can their virtual habits—in some cases, addiction—be?

Perhaps it's time to go back to the basics. 

Play outside, go bare feet, feel a ladybug crawl on your arm.

Simplicity is sublime.

And don't forget to read a real book, the kind with pages where you feel its weight in your hands. Even that book with the old musty smell. Sometimes, those books have the best stories inside.

I am a Bunny
words by Ole Risom
pictures by Richard Scarry
© 1963, renewed 1991 by Random House/Little Golden Books

The Longest Journey in the World

This book was one of those accidental finds in a pile of used books at a resale section of a baby store. While this book is certainly not considered an antique yet, I love how the title page credits a Ray Barber for doing the "handlettering," which means the words were actually drawn (rather than printed or typeset by mechanical means) on to each page along with the illustration.

In our modern day when cursive writing is considered an elective and practically on its way out of schools, I am so amazed at Mr. Barber's skill. I looked up hand lettering on the web and there is relatively sparse information about it—it's sad to see that hand lettering is practically an obsolete art form, though I did encounter two distinctive sources on hand lettering here and here.

In this simple story, a little caterpillar begins his day by going on a long journey. He crawls and crawls and crawls, encountering all sorts of interesting landmarks along the way.

Such as a high mountain

and a deep valley

Some parts of his journey are arduous, like when he has to go across a wide river or a high wall.

While other times he coasts past a castle or a sleeping dragon.

At the end of the day the little caterpillar marvels at his accomplishment of having traveled his many steps as he enjoys the sun set.

It is in this story's simplicity that a child's imagination will be sparked to see the world for more than it always is. This book is a perfect beginning to transition toddlers from board books. The words are minimal but laden with poetic meaning. And of course, the gorgeous illustrations! There are also important themes to explore with your young reader here: perseverance as well as recognizing one's accomplishments, even for small creatures as a caterpillar (or children).

All in all, a beautiful and sophisticated children's book, one that does not insult the intelligence of budding readers and is engaging for the parent too. There are days when Wa-wa wants this book read to him over and over again in one sitting!

The Longest Journey in the World

words by William Barret Morris

pictures by Betty Fraser

handlettering by Ray Barber

© 1970 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.

A Day on the Farm

With the exception of that initiation period into parenthood when we couldn't manage anything beyond the diaper changes and feedings, I am happy to realize that my husband and I have made reading together with our little boy a household tradition since he was two months old!

A Day on the Farm is a favorite read that started since Wa-wa was in fact, in utero. Our copy is a bona fide vintage Little Golden Book as it belonged to my husband since he was a little boy. This book has been so loved and well-read that the cover is long gone and the title page had to be taped back in place.

Follow Farmer Brown around his farm as he feeds the animals in the morning.

"Cluck, cluck, cluck!" says the old red hen.

This happens to be Wa-wa and Baba's favorite page: The pig likes to have his back scratched with a stick. "Oink, oink," he grunts. He is very pleased.

While Farmer Brown works outside, his family gets ready for a full day ahead too. Sally and Sam go to school while Mrs. Brown bakes a chocolate cake because Aunt Alice and Uncle Tom are coming over to supper. 

The cake is so delicious that Uncle Tom eats three pieces!

After everyone goes home it's time to go to bed. Tomorrow is another busy day.

This book is a gem in our collection for its sentimental value more than anything else. After all, there are lots of farm and country living tales out there to choose from. I do admit, however, to an almost obsessive penchant for Little Golden Books, especially the ones that depict wholesome stories from the days of yesteryear. I would love for my little Wa-wa to enjoy such an idyllic childhood as Sally and Sam, and we try in our own way here in sunny urban paradise (beach, anyone?)

A Day on the Farm

words by Nancy Fielding Hulick

pictures by John P. Miller

© 1960 by Western Publishing Company, Inc.