Children's Book Monday

In the foreward to this book, our dear Margaret Wise Brown is quoted as saying,

To write well for children, one must love... the things that children love.

I would venture to say that what Ms. Brown accomplished (Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, Mouse of My Heart, Christmas in the Barn, and so much more!) was because she retained that childlike delight we tend to lose as we become older, wiser(!), and our eyes see things that darken that spirit. Oh, let us rediscover those things that children love- the delight our Father never intended for us to lose! There is true wisdom in that trait, I believe.

Give Yourself to the Rain: Poems For the Very Young
by Margaret Wise Brown
illustrated by Teri L. Weidner







Harvest, rain, rest, colors, memories, mail... the poems in this book cover such a simple but vast array of subjects! It is best left at a lower level, where little hands may pick it up to carry to Mama for a quick read; we keep ours on the nature table, sandwiched between books about winter and spring.

Remember and never forget
Remember this
Your first snowstorm
White
And quiet in the night.

Teri L. Weidner, who also illustrated Jan Karon's Jeremy, The Tale of an Honest Bunny, does a marvelous job translating the poetry into picture; for Remember and Never Forget, a little one stands in an open doorway in her nightgown, clinging to her blanket, her dimpled hand on the doorknob. Soft snowflakes fall, bright white against the dark sky. The colors are soft and simple- rarely are there more than three or four hues in each illustration. It is enchanting to children, the simplicity of word and color carries the story along in their imaginations.

Give Yourself to the Rain, the poem which inspired the title of this book, is my personal favorite.

Listen to the rain
Again- through sleep
Dream of it
Brace nothing against it
Safe in your bed
Listen
And give yourself to the rain
When it falls down. (an excerpt)

And when the title of this book says "Poems for the Very Young", it is correct. Even Gideon hushes when I quiet my voice to the pitter patter of raindrops, or happily trip along to In the Sugar Egg.

To these poems, simply add *you*, and your little ones will hush in wonder.

Yes, for the very young, indeed. And for the very young at heart.

And please, visit my friend Anna's review, who has exquisite taste in children's books, with four little ones of her own!

Happy Reading!