HarperCollins Treasury of Picture Book Classics

[cherryblossommj]

We have spent a lot of time collecting treasuries for our library in the last few months and I think this is by far one of my favorites and the one absolutely the best accomplished. This was a Sonlight P3/4 recommendation, and I did end up buying a second copy on accident after acquiring a copy for review, but it's delightful to have one on different ends of the house as it is a heavy book. It is heavy, but my three year old petite daughter can lug it around when she tries - often with my prompting her to just put it down and let me carry it. By the subtitle "a child's first collection" it makes me hope and dream that perhaps HarperCollins will fulfill my wish and make second and third or more collections as they really did a wonderful job in this one.

First off the cover says it all. Each of the books within has a spot on the cover jacket that shows the cover image of the book in question, so my children can see the pictures and point to the ones they would like to read and that makes it half the fun if this is our pick for storytime as opposed to their retrieving a book from the library shelves themselves.

Overall, I think this is an excellent addition to anyone's child library and highly recommend it. Not every single story within is my favorite, but they are all pretty good stories and come highly recommended on many lists that I follow. They are vintage and classic and worthy reads for all children. Getting them in this treasury volume not only saves you money, but also shelf space and on what to grab when you need a good decent selection of choices to read.

The formatting is by far the reason that I absolutely grin over this treasury. Most treasuries abridge the story versions removing pictures (which from picture books, removing pictures to me is pure murder!) and shortening text that is valuable and sorely missed. Some treasuries combine many original pages per page and overwhelm a child with too much to take in and this one does not do that. It is tastefully done and in a very appropriate manner with some images being the full width of the page, and others that are not quite such are bordered with appropriates colors if not white.

The collection includes:
[b:Pete's a Pizza|860744|Pete's a Pizza|William Steig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388718703l/860744._SX50_.jpg|3042367]
The Enginerd told me about this story the other day as he had read it to AppleBlossom, but it was not until last night that I found it. Very amusing I think and just perfect for the times when somebody is moody and needs a bit of a push to giggle. Another one recommended in our Sonlight P3/4.
[b:Caps for Sale|775597|Caps for Sale A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business|Esphyr Slobodkina|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348541342l/775597._SX50_.jpg|954532] - REVIEW to come.

[b:From Head to Toe|79879|From Head to Toe|Eric Carle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388448972l/79879._SX50_.jpg|46681]
I prefer Carle's other books, but it is a fun lead in to singing. This is one my daughter can "read" alone after only a time or two of reading and she loves to do the actions as well, it's a pretty good get up and play story.
[b:Goodnight Moon|32929|Goodnight Moon|Margaret Wise Brown|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1439223893l/32929._SX50_.jpg|1086867]
Goodnight Moon is probably one of the first books I thought of and bought when I started to get books for my oldest daughter as an infant. We bought a boardbook and now, less than thrree years later it is in pretty rough shape. Last month we even bought an omnibus that has Goodnight Moon, Runaway Bunny and My World in it. It is a favorite. We even as big sister gifts and for "school" at 2 1/2 got her Goodnight Moon 123: A Counting Book and Goodnight Moon ABC: An Alphabet Book.

Tonight when we started to explore in our new HarperCollins Treasury of Picture Book Classics and she Goodnight Moon was an option it was an instant request.

The yellow, orange, red and brilliant green are never colors I would have picked but they work so well with this book. The alternating grey pages add a character and conversation piece too. From finding the mouse on each page to relating to "her mittens" or something else familiar this little book finds its way as being a friend. Well known and dear. I wonder how many copies will we end up going through before childhood is at an end.

[b:Harold and the Purple Crayon|98573|Harold and the Purple Crayon (Harold, #1)|Crockett Johnson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327390957l/98573._SX50_.jpg|1285373]
I had never really found an interest in reading this book before recently. By a glance I assumed it was about a boy drawing on his walls with a Crayon. It was by chance that we downloaded a sample book app for the Kindle Fire and my toddler has been able to play with a few scenes. As app it is very neat. Then when we got our hands on Harper Collins Treasury Of Picture Book Classics: A Child's First Collection she saw the book fiver for Harold and insisted we read Harold tonight. In the end I'm glad we did.

Never had it occurred to me when this book crossed my path over the years that it was really a classic from even before my parents youth. It is so simple in color and design that really the entire thing promotes imagination. It proved to be an enjoyable bedtime story and thinking about it I think I just might be able to come up with some go along activities. I definitely will not mind reading this one again.

[b:Baby Says|1316272|Baby Says|John Steptoe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348133130l/1316272._SX50_.jpg|257135]
Probably my least favorite in the treasury, but my daughter loves it.

[b:If You Give a Mouse a Cookie|767680|If You Give a Mouse a Cookie|Laura Joffe Numeroff|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1276046901l/767680._SX50_.jpg|3132746] - REVIEW to come...

[b:Leo the Late Bloomer|225542|Leo the Late Bloomer|Robert Kraus|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386924386l/225542._SX50_.jpg|2802503] - REVIEW to come...

[b:William's Doll|686105|William's Doll|Charlotte Zolotow|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347389247l/686105._SX50_.jpg|672471] - REVIEW to come...

[b:George Shrinks|1113921|George Shrinks|William Joyce|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347510814l/1113921._SX50_.jpg|2454359] - REVIEW to come...

[b:Crictor|1097582|Crictor|Tomi Ungerer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347345187l/1097582._SX50_.jpg|1084436] - REVIEW to come...

[b:Baby Sister For Frances|110604|A Baby Sister for Frances|Russell Hoban|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1408925831l/110604._SX50_.jpg|1505256]
While I did not remember the story, the illustrations of Frances are special from my childhood memories. This is a perfect time to share this new sibling storywith my newly big sister AppleBlossom. I love the illustrations and the text. With a mixture of sing song poetry and prose it is a delightful read. Also there are more words here than you seem to find in more recent new sibling stories so this gives it the cuddle worthy reading quality.