A florilegium, if you recall, is a literary bouquet – a bouquet of books, you could say.
Though the kids and I have read far more books this month than I’ve listed here, these are the ones that belong in our florilegium, the ones truly worth sharing with you.
Once A Mouse… by Marcia Brown
This is a fabulous book, an old Indian story story about big and little and the importance of gratitude, without being a bit pedantic. Brown’s tri-color woodcut illustrations are captivating. The characters’ facial expressions alone are worth reading the book for.
Sable by Karen Hesse, illustrated by Marcia Sewell
A sweet story about a girl and her dog. As I read it aloud to Jane, Jack of course joined us, the lure of the sofa and a book to listen to being pretty much irresistible to him. Though it’s a middle grade novel, for the young end of that range (ages 7-10), Jane followed it easily, and while I doubt Jack would have read it on his own (he’s more of an action-adventure kind of guy when it comes to the books he reads himself), he enjoyed it as a read-aloud.
Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall, illustrated by Barbara Cooney
I love this book. I have to read it every fall, and I make the kids listen. More than once. They don’t seem to mind. Donald Hall’s poetry is beautiful, and Barbara Cooney’s illustrations complement it perfectly.
Tumtum and Nutmeg by Emily Bearns, illustrated by Nick Price
Oh, my. We’ve fallen in love with a new series. This volume contains the first three Tumtum and Nutmeg books, illustrated novels about the eponymouse Mr. and Mrs. Nutmouse and their various adventures. Jack and Jane beg me for “just one more chapter pleeeeeeease,” and at one point in the first book, they laughed so hard Jack fell off the sofa. Need I say more?
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall
You didn’t really think you’d get to read a book post without my mentioning the Penderwicks, did you? Our family read-aloud for several weeks, we all loved this book (of course). I hope my boys grow up to be like Jeffrey, my girl like whichever of the Penderwicks she chooses.
A Grain of Rice by Helena Clare Pittman
This wonderful little math story was a Jack-requested re-read for us. A math story? you say. Oh yes, a math story, a love story, a rags-to-riches story, all rolled into one. When Doug saw the book lying on the sideboard the morning after I’d read it to the kids, he said, “Oh, I love this book!” Then he sat down and read the whole thing. Made himself late for work. It’s that good.
Redwoods by Jason Chin
I’m not much of a non-fiction reader, especially of picture books, but if more non-fiction read like this book, I surely would be. Beautiful illustrations and an element of fantasy create the narrative structure for this fact-filled and fascinating book about redwood trees.
And I have to mention one last book, the first book my boys have ever sat through while I read every word: the colorful Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle.
Ben keeps bringing me this book to read to him, and he actually sits through it. Every time.
There is hope for my future.
