Retro Children's Books
12 Retro Books From Your Childhood That Are Still Totally Cool
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My mom didn't save a lot from my childhood, so I was surprised when she started presenting my 5-year-old daughter with books she'd stocked away from when I was a kid. Not only do they each bring back tons of happy memories of her reading to a tiny me, but the stories and retro-cool graphics also totally stand up today. Although I love a modern children's book as much as my daughter does, there's something even more gratifying about watching her enjoy these timeless tales the way I did when I was her age.
Which one was your childhood favorite?
1 The Giant Jam Sandwich
The tale of the town of Itching Down's wasp infestation and their inventive and silly solution, The Giant Jam Sandwich ($7) features lyrical, rhyming text and detailed illustrations my daughter loves.
2 Corduroy
Every child needs a copy of author Don Freeman's classic Corduroy ($7). The story of a department store teddy bear who craves a child's friendship was first released in 1968, but almost 50 years later, it still holds up.
3 The Magic School Bus
Bestselling science series The Magic School Bus was first published in the 1980s and became a TV show in the '90s. Both follow the antics of Ms. Valerie Frizzle and her class, who board a very special school bus that takes them on field trips to impossible locations, including the solar system and, my personal favorite, the human body ($5).
4 Where the Sidewalk Ends
I'll never forget first reading Shel Silverstein's collection of poems Where the Sidewalk Ends ($11) in second grade and being fascinated by the boy who turns into a TV set, the girl who eats a whale, and Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout, who will not take the garbage out. The poems are just as funny and meaningful today as they were then.
5 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
I skipped the Steve Carell/Jennifer Garner movie a few years ago, but the book version of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day ($8), originally published in 1972, still makes me laugh with its run-on sentences and silly situations. It's great for kids of all ages who occasionally have their own very bad days.
6 Jamberry
Jamberry ($8) is made to be read out loud. The story of a boy and a bear who set off on a delicious adventure through Berryland, frolicking in strawberry fields forever, rambling in blackberry brambles, and toppling their canoeberry with blueberries, features silly rhymes and a musical beat. My favorite line: "raspberry, jazzberry, razzmatazzberry, berryband, merryband, jamming in Berryland."
7 Franklin in the Dark
Sweet, practical, and relatable, Franklin in the Dark ($6) tells the story of a turtle who, like many children, is afraid of the dark. However, the darkness he fears is inside his own shell, inspiring him to go on an adventure to find similarly afflicted creatures.
8 Frog and Toad Are Friends
The amphibian buddies in Frog and Toad Are Friends ($3) show what true friendship really means as they hop through five stories, looking for lost buttons, waiting for mail, and waking up after a long hibernation.
9 The Monster at the End of This Book
No matter how many times we read this silly book, my daughter always laughs at the surprise ending. Grover may beg you not to turn the page in The Monster at the End of This Book ($4), but it's impossible not to.
10 The Little Old Man Who Could Not Read
One of my personal favorites, The Little Old Man Who Could Not Read ($19) tells the story of a stubborn gentleman who finds that his resistance to learning to read comes at a hunger-inducing price. It's a great way to introduce the importance of reading to young children.
11 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
We love the animated movies, but the charm of the original Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs ($6) can't be beat. Who wouldn't want to imagine the awesomeness of living in the town of Chewandswallow, where the weather is edible.
12 Fantastic Mr. Fox
As quirky and cool as the 2009 movie starring George Clooney and Meryl Streep, the book version of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox ($8) tells the story of the scheming, stealing Mr. Fox; the three nasty farmers, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean, who join forces to try to stop him; and the fantastic ways he outsmarts them.
