books Archives - Page 7 of 9 - Hopeful Homemaker

Illustrated Gettysburg Address

February 12, 2010 jennifer Children's picture books, Out of Print books, President's Day

While this book wouldn’t likely be classified as children’s literature, it is today’s designated reading in our home.
For today is February 12th. Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.

And this book is hauntingly beautiful. I cannot read it without feeling humbled, reverent, grateful.

I saw this book for the first time during my senior year in college. It was for sale at the university’s bookstore, and I loved it. Whenever I had a minute, I’d go look at it. We were newlyweds, and I was pregnant with our first baby, so purchases were a big deal. As soon as I’d scraped together enough cash, I snagged this copy, and it’s been one of my most beloved books since.

This book is probably unlike any you’ve read before.
Sam Fink has brilliantly illustrated the text to Lincoln’s address given at Gettysburg, with a phrase or two on each page, used as part of the drawing. Let me give you a peek inside.

The first page, with Fink’s declaration of his intent, and the entire text to the Gettysburg Address inscribed in the Liberty Bell.

A couple of segments of the speech:

The tenderness of this page tugs at my heart.

For me, Sam Fink’s black and white illustrations are the perfect match for the message of Lincoln’s speech, and they also seem to reveal Lincoln’s heart.

Each of these drawings are on the right hand page only. The left hand page is blank except for a small illustration and quote in the upper left hand corner of the page. These quotes are either words spoken by Lincoln or words spoken OF Lincoln, many of them after his death.

A few that I love:

The book ends with the quote: “Now he belongs to the ages.” I’ll let you read it to see the incredible illustration that accompanies it.

This book really is incredible. Reading it this morning has set the most wonderful mood in my heart, one of respect and awe, and also gratitude and joy. What a man! What a time. What a privilege simply to remember him.

If you’re interested in acquiring a copy for yourself, there are some available here.

2 comments abraham lincoln, books, history

The Complete Tales & Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh

January 29, 2010 jennifer Children's chapter books

Oh, there is so much to be said about A.A. Milne’s classic stories about the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh. Such a wonderful, funny, happy book.

There are a lot of things I love about these stories, and several poems that are fabulous (Now We Are Six being my favorite), but what I want to focus on is Chapter Six: In Which Eeyore Has A Birthday And Gets Two Presents.

You see, Piglet came to my rescue today, and EVERY parent of young children should know that Piglet can come to their rescue, too.

Someone popped my three year old son’s balloon. There were tears. Many tears.

But not for long, thanks to Chapter six. Many years ago when I read these stories to my children for the first time, we read this chapter and laughed until we cried. From that time forward, a popped balloon has always merited a re-telling and a re-reading of this chapter. So that’s what we did today.

Let me share.

The chapter begins with Pooh, who finds out that it is Eeyore’s birthday. Pooh leaves in a hurry to go find a present for Eeyore so his day can be a happy one. Pooh arrives at his house and finds Piglet there (Pooh does a funny thing here, but that’s not the story I’m trying to tell you) and tells Piglet about Eeyore’s big day. Piglet remembers that he has a balloon left over from his own birthday and runs to get it to give as his gift.

Pooh then goes to Owl, who attempts to write “Happy Birthday” but instead writes something that makes us all laugh when we try to sound it out.

Piglet gets his balloon and is running along to find Eeyore when he steps in a rabbit hole and falls down flat on his face with a big BANG!

What Piglet thinks next makes me laugh just to write about it. He lays there, wondering what happened. Let me quote, “At first he thought that the whole world had blown up; and then he thought that perhaps only the Forest part of it had; and then he thought that perhaps only he had, and he was now alone in the moon or somewhere, and would never see Christopher Robin or Pooh or Eeyore again. And then he thought, ‘Well, even if I’m in the moon, I needn’t be face downwards all the time,’ so he got cautiously up and looked about him.”

At this point, the watery eyes have gone from crying to laughing at Piglet’s train of thought. But I digress; let me continue:

“He was still in the Forest!

“‘Well, that’s funny,’ he thought. ‘I wonder what that bang was. I couldn’t have made such a noise just falling down. And where’s my balloon? And what’s that small piece of damp rag doing?”

Well, as you can guess, the “damp rag” is what’s left of the big, beautiful balloon. Let me assure you, every child knows what those damp rags look like but A.A. Milne found words for it all. At this point in the story we are always laughing.

Piglet decides to go ahead and take what is left of the balloon to Eeyore as his gift. It is so funny to hear Eeyore ask questions about his gift like, “What color was my balloon when it was a balloon?” Sooo funny.

Ultimately Piglet’s mishap pairs well with Pooh’s mishap and Eeyore has a very happy birthday, delighted with his gifts.

Every list of classic books for children will have this book on it, and for good reason. I just thought I’d let you know that one of the best side effects of reading it will be a lifelong cure for the tears that follow a popped balloon. Totally worth reading for that reason alone!

With just a little bit of animated re-telling, you can even get them happy about finding the damp rag. Which is what we did today. Thanks, Piglet!

2 comments books

I Kissed the Baby

January 17, 2010 jennifer Children's picture books

If I had to choose just ONE book to read to my infants, it would be this one.

This board book by Mary Murphy is an ABSOLUTE GEM. It’s perfect for little ones.

In black and white illustrations with large, fun print, we see different animals exclaim about their experience with the baby. Each page is completely black and white with a border of bright color somewhere.

Animals talk about seeing the baby, feeding the baby, tickling the baby, singing to the baby, and at last about kissing the baby. And when it comes to kissing the baby, the mother duck says, “Of course I kissed the baby, my own amazing baby!” (What mother doesn’t know that feeling?)

The book ends with another kiss from mother duck, and the baby duckling responding with lots of excitement.

I once handed this book to my mom, along with one of my infants, and told her that this book was my baby’s favorite. My mom, who has raised 8 children of her own, read the book to my baby and then came back to say “When you said this was her favorite book, I thought that a baby really doesn’t get into books, but she REALLY likes this!” I’m telling you, it’s perfect for little ones. The colors, the simplicity, everything.

Here is my own baby playing with it yesterday.

If you’re looking for a book for your little one, or a gift for any little one, please consider this wonderful little story. You won’t regret it, and reading it will make sure you sneak in a few more kisses, too!

As I said, it’s an absolute gem. My all-time favorite first book for a child.

Hopeful Homemaker