On this ‘Halfway to Halloween’ day, the sun is shining and the wind is whistling. Next to me sits my second mug of coffee (a must for today due to a few days with not enough sleep), and as I once again edit this post I am pleasantly surprised by how many books I managed to read in April. I’ve found myself drawn more and more to classics, to gentle stories, to quiet writing. I’ve begun reading Freckles, by Gene Stratton-Porter, and I can tell it’s going to be another savour-as-you-read book, one I hope to finish in May. Below are some of the books I’ve been reading this month; note that the following may contain spoilers:

The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame – I’ve both listened to an audio recording and read this heartwarming story and I cannot recommend it enough. This classic follows the adventures of Water Rat, Mole, Otter, Badger, and Toad, among other friends. It is pure fantasy and sings of the English country, of simple pleasures, adventures, and of friendship. Considered a children’s classic, it would be a great read aloud, yet it is also one to read slowly and savour in quiet moments. It brings laughter and peace and exults in a simple life.

The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh, by A. A. Milne – This collection of four books, two chapter books and two poetry books, is delightful and each is worth its own recommendation. Oftentimes I see the two chapter books without the two poetry books, but reading all four in publication order, as listed below, creates and broadens the world. At the beginning of each book there is a sort of introduction, each highly amusing. Although typically pushed as a children’s series there is so much humour an adult will better understand and appreciate. These are great read alouds.

• When We Were Very Young introduces the reader to Christopher Robin and his friend, Edward Bear. The poems focus on the simple things such as watching the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace with Nanny.
  
• Winnie-the-Pooh focuses on the adventures of Mr. Edward Bear, now named Winnie-the-Pooh, and his and Christopher Robin’s friends Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit (and his friends and relations), Kanga, and her young son Roo. Included are stories about discovering the North Pole and a hungry bear using a balloon to try and trick bees into giving him honey.
  
• Now We Are Six is a book of poetry showing how young Christopher Robin is growing and introduces the reader to other characters such as a boastful knight.
  
• The House at Pooh Corner is a fitting ending to this series of books and introduces the reader to the last forest friend, Tigger. This story teaches the reader about Pooh Sticks and reminds one that one does end up, at some point, growing up, but that imagination and friendship are always needed. (I suggest having tissues close at hand whilst reading the final pages of this book.)

The Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling – The first of Kipling’s two Jungle Books introduces the reader to the Asia of the 1800s when English colonialism was prevalent. Full of poetry and short stories that include characters such as Mowgli the Frog (or Man-Cub), the mongoose Riki-Tiki-Tavi, the white seal Kotick, and the elephant Kala Nag, I was surprised at how quickly the first story moves. Although arguably the most famous stories have become the ones about Mowgli, I found myself enjoying more so the ones that focused on the animals, namely ‘Riki-Tiki-Tavi’ and ‘The White Seal’. The language seems a bit stilted at times, many characters using ‘thee’, ‘thou’, et cetera, but nevertheless all the stories are enjoyable and I think make this a good read aloud.

The Grey King, by Susan Cooper – The fourth in The Dark is Rising Sequence finds Will Stanton in Wales visiting family whilst recovering from a bad sickness. He goes through a number of trials, the largest of which is losing his memory of who he is and what he must do. His lone quest he must complete in order to fend off the Dark’s rising seems almost impossible at times. This book, more than the first three, rings with Arthurian legend, and I find myself wanting to read those enduring tales. There are many Welsh phrases and an explanation within the story of how to say some Welsh words (very helpful for those of us who don’t speak the language!). There is some bad language, but not a lot. I think this would make a good read aloud.

The Treasury of Children’s Literature, edited by Clifton Fadiman – This three volume series is excellent! Published in the mid-1980s, it holds some of the best poetry, short stories, picture books, and selections from chapter books I have seen, all excellent read alouds.

• Volumes I and II are full of poetry, fables, myths, fairy tales, picture books, some short stories, and selections from chapter books. The first volume has an introduction entitled ‘Let’s Talk’ which explains why the editor chose to compile this collection as he did. Both volumes have the Table of Contents and indexes for the two volumes.
  
• Volume III has some poetry but mostly consists of chapter book selections. This one has its own Table of Contents, an introduction entitled ‘To the Reader’, and its own indexes. At the end of this volume there is a section entitled ‘For Grown-Ups Only’, a delightful essay on the importance of children’s literature.