FIVE CLASSIC BOOKS YOUR CHILDREN SHOULD READ

(guest blogger Paul Taylor)Think back to your childhood and youprobably remember spending nights snuggled up next to your parents as they readto you, or huddled under covers with a flashlight far past bedtime, sneaking ina few more pages of your favorite book. Many parents look back fondly on thebooks they read growing up, in a time that was far removed from the technologycrazed society we live in today. However just because video games and TV showshave become the social norm doesn’t mean our children should go to sleep devoidof bedtime stories. These five books will appeal to children of varying ages,and are classics from previous generations that continue to make their mark oncurrent ones:

       The Velveteen Rabbit – This story follows astuffed rabbit that is the companion of a young boy and has hopes of becomingreal one day. The rabbit learns that the only way he’ll ever be real is throughthe unwavering love of his owner, and the love shared between him and the boygives him hope that he’ll one day be real. One day the boy falls ill, and oncerecovered is told he has to burn all of the toys that he had contact withduring his illness, including the rabbit. Before he is thrown into the fire therabbit is granted his wish of becoming real, and he goes on to live in thewoods with the other rabbits. 

           MakeWay for Ducklings – This book begins as amother and father duck hunt for places to raise ducklings. They travel allaround Boston searching for a suitable place to raise a family, and pass byseveral famous landmarks in the process. The ducks molt their feathers and areunable to fly anymore, and during this time have eight ducklings. They then aretasked with crossing the highway to reach the place that they eventually wantto settle down; however none of the cars will stop for the family of ducks tocross the street.  Finally a policemansets up a crossing for them, and police all around town station themselves atrisky points to make sure that the ducks get home safely. 
                Where the Wild Things Are – In this troubled tale ayoung boy is sent to bed without dinner after running around his house causingmischief while dressed up as a wolf. As he sulks in his room he soon finds hisroom transforming into the Land of the Wild Things, and he faces the monstersand creatures that inhabit the land. He eventually proves that he is King ofthe Wild Things, and runs around the forest with the creatures, and they wreakhavoc together. Finally the boy realizes he doesn’t fit in with the monsters andfinds himself homesick. When he gets home his mom has left supper in hisbedroom for him. 

        ToKill a Mockingbird – Set during the GreatDepression, this story follows young Scout Finch, her brother Jem, and theirfriend Dill, as they try to figure out their mysterious neighbor Boo Radley.The Finch children’s father, Atticus, is a lawyer who is hired to defend ablack man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman.Despite provingTom’s innocence, Tom is still executed. Though Atticus told the children not tocome to the trial, they sneak in anyways and witness this betrayal of thejustice system. From there, controversial events continue to unfold, and thestory offers some insight into what life was like before there was theresounding equality we enjoy today. 


5       TheAdventures of Tom Sawyer – The Adventures of TomSawyer is a book about a young boy – Tom – who is quite mischievous and alwaysgetting into trouble. The book follows Tom as he gets in trouble for skippingschool and is forced to whitewash a fence, tricks his peers into whitewashingthe fence for him, falls in love with a girl and convinces her to kiss him sothat they’re engaged, witnesses a murder, runs away to become a pirate with twoof his friends, finds out that the town thinks that heand his two friends have died, and appears at his own funeral to the pleasureof the town. Several other adventures ensue, and the book segues into The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. These books have been held near and dearto the hearts of many, and will continue to make an impression upon ourchildren if we make sure to expose them to these great works. Classicliterature is something that will slowly fade away in the wake of technologyunless we do everything in our power to ensure that it does not.
Guest bloggerPaul and his wife Julie both spend quitea bit of time coming up with ideas, blogging, and researching all thingsrelated to childcare. They take care of all the necessary information relatedto “babysittingjobs.com/”. Hepersonally thinks his blog will help finding information on all things relatedto a babysitter.