Once Upon A Time

These days, it seems like everyone and their uncle is coming out with a new children's book. And many of them are perfectly sweet stories. Madonna's book about the really pretty girl who always felt left out definitely had its audience. Of course, nobody at the age of twelve actually realizes that they're a pretty girl, so it may be a somewhat unconscious audience, but still. It has a message, and it's not "dress more scantily." It's a start.

But some children's books really have an impact that can affect people for their whole lives. I truly believe that the children's books that I read again and again at a young age have sculpted the person that I am. My shelves were loaded with deeply moving books about growing older and change, and these issues still touch a nerve in me like nothing else. So as the holidays near and you are starting to think about gifts for those little people in your life, consider carefully the children's books you select. They may return to them, decades later, your faded inscription still gracing the inside of the front cover.

One of the most moving books I've ever read is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. We all know the story, but when you think about the important lesson that comes with it, it can have deep impact on young readers. The tree and the boy start out with this symbiotically loving relationship, and as the years pass, the boy gives less and less and takes more and more. And yet, because of her boundless love, the tree is always happy to give. It's a love story, told in the innocent context of a tree and a boy. At the end, children walk away understanding the joy of giving and the generous nature of love.

Another acclaimed children's story with a powerful lesson is Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. It tells the tale of a little girl who wants to be like her grandfather, who traveled the world over and then lived by the sea. "That is all very well," said her grandfather, "but there is a third thing you must do... You must do something to make the world more beautiful." Miss Rumphius goes on to grow up and follow her own path, which leads her on a beautiful, solitary journey. She ends up in her little house on the ocean, wondering how she can make the world more beautiful. And, of course, as illustrated so beautifully by the author, she does.

Now One Foot, Now the Other by Tomie de Paola teaches children about loss and rebirth in a touching, tender way that empowers them. Little Bobby learned to walk under the careful instruction of his grandfather, Bob. But when Bob gets sick and Bobby has to return the favor, that's when he really learns to take major steps of his own.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak awakens the adventurer's spirit in children, while giving them a compass to return home. Max may have been a wild thing, but in his heart he knew the place where someone loved him best of all.

And if you're trying to give young readers a sense of their own community, Duckhampton, written by Dan's Papers columnist Christian McLean, tells the tale of a duckling who loses his way en route to the Hamptons. The pages are packed with gorgeous illustrations by Amelia Haviland. One of the pages, which depicts an intricate map of Long Island, offers an excellent opportunity to explain where New York City is in relation to the East End. With a detailed rendering of the North and South Forks and Shelter Island, it gives kids an idea of local geography as they remain embedded in the story, which addresses the transcendence of social barriers.

This holiday season, if you're looking to give a gift with significance that will literally last a lifetime, check out the children's section of your local bookstore. And by the way, good children's books are not just for children.

- Emily J Weitz

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