Animals and magic in the great early chapter books

Dear Aunt Debbie,

Your breadth of book knowledge makes me so happy. Now I'm excited to read more of the books you recommended for 13-year-old Jack!

Today I'm responding to another reader request. Chloe, a friend from college and mother of Jackson, writes:

Jackson (nearly 5) has finally been showing interest in beginning chapter books -- we've been reading Winnie the Pooh (which he seems to tolerate) and at school they just finished Charlotte's Web (which he loved). What are the great early chapter books -- that have ZERO Ninja Turtles in them -- that we can read to him? He can't read yet on his own. He is that classic boy-kid who loves superheroes as much as he loves animals...ok, maybe superheroes a little more.

Chloe, you're at a fabulous point!

Our pages of book lists (over there on the right) are a good place to start. Check out Early chapter books and the sections on "Diaper bag books" and "Short chapter books" on the Learning to read books page.

Aunt Debbie has already pointed you to My Father's Dragon, by Ruth Stiles Gannett, and some thoughts on the transition to chapter books, with its possible pitfalls (the Stuart Little problem!).

Knowing the intense love of animals going on in your house, a few specific recommendations:

The Doctor Dolittle series, by Hugh Lofting. The veterinarian Doctor Dolittle can speak and understand animal languages -- not through any kind of magic, but because he pays attention, bonds with the animals, and is open to learning from his parrot, Polynesia. Some books are narrated by 9-year-old Tommy Stubbins, who becomes Doctor Dolittle's apprentice. Bonus: chapters are short, and the animal characters are all well-drawn.

Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame. The version we love is slightly abridged, but gorgeously illustrated by Inga Moore -- pictures on almost every page. Mole, Water Rat, Mr. Badger, and the indomitable Toad of Toad Hall are vivid companions.  Right now the girls and I are reading Inga Moore's version of The Secret Garden (first time for Isabel, a re-read for Eleanor). Moore's illustrations break open books that would otherwise be inaccessible to most 5-year-olds.

The Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden, might also be a hit. The animal characters are wonderful, and, like Doctor Dolittle, it has a nice young boy as protagonist. (Also like Doctor Dolittle, there's some unfortunate racial stereotyping -- see blog posts linked above.)

Let's throw in a little magic:

The Amazing World of Stuart, by Sara Pennypacker, was one of Isabel's favorite early chapter books last year. In it, 8-year-old Stuart makes himself a cape out of 100 ties, and suddenly gains superpowers. The catch: he has a different power each day, and doesn't know what it will be.

Half Magic, by Edward Eager. This has become one of my favorite gifts to give kids in the 5-7 age range. Four siblings find a magic coin, which grants wishes -- but, it turns out, only half of what they ask for, so they have to get creative. Eager's writing is totally engaging and terribly funny. If you and Jackson like this one, he has several more in the series.

Isabel's love of superheroes has found a natural extension in the Narnia books and D'Aulaire's Greek Myths and Norse Myths. (As you may have noticed, we're on a real mythology kick over here.) If you're up for some graphic novel action, I can't say enough good things about George O'Connor's Olympians series.

Then there's always Roald Dahl, who tosses in fine sprinklings of magic and makes for a gripping read-aloud, though the undercurrent of misanthropy always turns me off a little.

Finally, two more that don't fall into either the animal or superhero/magic categories, but which we've loved as entry-level chapter books for their depiction of kids:

Jamie and Angus, by Anne Fine, focuses on the relationship between a boy (Jamie) and his stuffed Highland bull (Angus). It is fine and tender, with a nice British flavor.

Anna Hibiscus, by Nigerian storyteller Atinuke, is also wonderfully warm, and provides a window into life in an African city. Lots to enjoy and discuss.

Do let us know if any of these are a hit with Jackson!

Love, Annie

My Father's Dragon: one of the greats

Dear Annie,

I realized, with Holly's lovely post on map books, that we haven't sung the praises of the My Father's Dragon trilogy enough.  They were our family's introduction to chapter books, and they're classics in that category.

Published in 1948, My Father's Dragon tells the story of a boy -- referred to throughout the book as "my father" -- who goes to a magic island to rescue a baby dragon who's being held prisoner there.  The boy packs his backpack with a variety of objects: rubber bands, lollipops, boots, a comb, brush and ribbons, chewing gum, an so on.  When he gets to the island he meets a succession of animals (each in a separate chapter) who want to stop him.  Despite the many threats aimed his way, the boy always reaches into the backpack and pulls out something with which to outsmart his opponents.

My father looked at those seven hungry tigers, and then he had an idea.  He quickly opened his knapsack and took out the chewing gum.  The cat had told him that tigers were especially fond of chewing gum, which was very scarce on the island.  So he threw them each a piece but they only growled, "As fond as we are of chewing gum, we're sure we'd like you even better!" and they moved so close that he could feel them breathing on his face.

"But this is very special chewing gum," said my father.  "If you keep on chewing it long enough it will turn green, and then if you plant it, it will grow more chewing gum, and the sooner you start chewing the sooner you'll have more."

The tigers said, "Why, you don't say!  Isn't that fine!"

The boy sneaks past them as they watch each other's mouths for the color change.  This goes on through a lion, a rhino, crocodiles and more -- all disarmed by a different object in the pack.  The book ends with the boy and dragon flying away together.  In Elmer and the Dragon, we learn the boy's name. On the way back to Elmer's home, they are blown off-course and end up on Canary Island where various adventures ensue -- including digging for buried treasure.  Elmer and the dragon become fast friends.

The middle one is the weakest of the three, but as with many sequels, it's a pleasure to be spending time with beloved characters. The third, The Dragons of Blueland, expands to some wonderful new ones.  The dragon had left for his own home, but returns when he discovers his sizable family has been captured by bad guys who plan to sell them to zoos.  So Elmer goes off again to rescue the family.  In this book, we learn the dragon's name, and those of all his siblings.  Lizzie's beloved stuffed bear was re-christened when we read the list below.  Since about 1993, her bear (currently in summer storage at college) has been named Eustacia.  Here's the crowd:

The books focus on the resourcefulness of Elmer acting without benefit of parents.  He has adventures and is brave and smart.  And he and the dragon have a lovely friendship based on helping each other.  A wonderful way to launch one's lifetime of novel reading.

Love,

Deborah

Guest blog: Map books

Dear Aunt Debbie,

I have so much more to say on the little-people/dollhouse thread.  Here's my promise that I will go right back to it as soon as I get through my end-of-semester portfolios.

In the meantime, here's Holly, mother of Eleanor's good friend Ian, on one of their current preoccupations:

The other day in a local cafe Ian came across a Disney-fied Winnie the Pooh and immediately turned to me with the map asking where the Six Pine Trees were. Nowhere to be found.

We are always on the look out for books with maps. They tend to be adventure books, questing books, which is right on target for what Ian wants and what I’m happy to read to him. They make me think of Tolkien -- the first time I can remember really following characters along a journey by map, as if I were travelling along with them in a whole different world.

Ian’s first and favorite map books were My Father’s Dragon, Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland (collected in one volume as Three Tales of My Father's Dragon), by Ruth Stiles Gannett. The maps are very personal: “my father doesn’t know what’s on this side of the island,” “clump of tall grass where my father slept and left more tangerine peels.” It makes you want to make a map of your own life and explorations. Ian loved to follow the story as Elmer journeyed through Wild Island from animal to animal, wondering where he would go next. 

I couldn’t resist buying Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air, by Stewart Ross, illustrated by Stephen Biesty. It’s a terrific book with pull out maps and descriptions of the journeys of explorers like Marco Polo, Cook, Livingstone, Zheng He, Hillary, and even, yes, Buzz, Michael and Neil’s journey to the moon. It’s still on a high shelf waiting for the right moment, but I’ve been enjoying it myself.

Something for us to look forward to, too!  Thank you, Holly.

Love, Annie