American children's books

[Twims]

My sister is soon going to be moving over to America and thought it would be a good chance to get some new books for my collection - I am a nanny and have bookcases overflowing with books to read to the children I care for.

Obviously books are books, wherever you are but I wondered if there were any American classics or even just some books that American moms are enjoying reading to their children at the moment, that I could note down and make her buy when she goes over.

Thank you

The Wizard of Oz - Frank L Baum. Subtly different to the film, but a great read.

Oh dear, it's hard to think when you're on the spot. We have so many books...

No David was a big hit with both of mine at around 2

Is Dr. Seuss considered "American"? I mean yes, he was but I've always thought they were universal classics...

The Giving Tree

My Daddy is a Pretzel

When Granny went to Market

Ooh I'm loving No David and My Daddy is a pretzel looks good too Have put wizard of Oz on the list too as have never read the book!!

Annual awards (called Newbery) are given to children's books for storyline/illustration. Background information here:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newbery_Medal

List of past winners here:

www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal.cfm

I'm sure you'll find some interesting titles, though wish the website was a bit more compelling!

Harold and the Purple Crayon is a good one

Where the Wild Things Are

Kitten's First Full Moon has lovely illustrations

And one that ds really loved but is very, very old - Katy and the Big Snow

Skippyjonjones by Judy Schachner is fabulous. (If you can find a version with a CD of someone who can do a spanish accent reading the book, even better).

There are some Maurice Sendak books - Pierre, and Chicken Soup with Rice, which I haven't seen in the UK which are great.

Agree with Katy and the Big Snow and also Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by the same author.

Goodnight Moon (Margaret Wise Brown) is a real classic for young children which I haven't seen in the UK. And the Runaway Bunny by the same author.

Mo Willems has written lots of great books - the Elephant and Piggie series for beginner readers, Knuffle Bunny (the sequel, Knuffle Bunny Too, is better), and the Pigeon books which are very funny.

I'm sure I'll be back with more suggestions, I found so many great children's books since moving to the US.

Earlybird, have you read If you give a mom a martini? I know one of the people who wrote it but haven't read it myself.

Oh, also the Curious George books by H A Rey. You need the original books, not the TV-spinoff ones.

And the Lyle, Lyle Crocodile series by Bernard Waber.

Oh, yes great suggestions by earlybird and alarkspree! All of those are favorites at our house.

Are the Eric Carle books popular in the UK? It seems as if we read at least one a week atm.

Must look for If You give a Mom a Martini

alark (glad to find another 'bird' here! ) - I haven't read it, or in fact seen it. Just heard about it, and the title alone made me laugh.

The if you give a mouse a cookie looks fab

Have read Goodnight moon to my american family and again thats gone on my list.

Oops that was me

robert munsch books are great,my mum sends them

Oooh Robert Munsch looks great

robert munsch is fab

we have all the if you give a mouse a cookie etdc etc books would LOVE to see the grown up one!!

When DS was born, my US colleague sent us Grandfather Twilight and The Napping House as books her grandchildren love, and they are really nice.

Click Clack Moo, Dooby Dooby Moo, and Duck for President are books I have bought in the US and are popular

choo choo charlie another fav-have read this about a billion times

With Alarak
Maurice Sendak is great as is Goodnight Moon.
Also, Charlottes Web, Stuart Little Etc.

There is also a lovely haunting book called 'When the sky is like lace' which I adored as a child. Not sure of author.

There are also books with 'Lola' in it who is a hamster/guinae pig type thing, which are really nice. my dd age 4 loves those.

check out the best sellers on amazon.com as well - might get a few ideas

this looks fab

Anything by Sandra Boynton, the best are Moo, Baa, La, La, La and Barnyard Dance. For older children try Penny From Heaven by Jennifer Holm. You could also ask for any of the American Girl historical collection series - a classic in every girl age 7 pluses mind and surprisingly well written and informative! They have their detractors though!

Ramona, of course, and her more modern counterpart Junie B Jones.
The Little House series - you can get the original ones here obviously but they have spawned a whole industry over there - the Caroline years (Laura's mother) etc intrigue me, though I haven't got them yet.
Harriet the Spy.
Nancy Drew (the original ones).
The Bobbsey Twins.

My DH's family lives in the US and Canada and these are some of the gifts that have gone down well:

The Berenstein Bears
Shel Silverstein poetry
Curious George
Goodnight Moon
Robert Munsch (fabulous!)
Encyclopaedia Brown
Not books, but magazines - Zoobooks - my MiL bought the DSs a subscription. There's a different animal each month, great photos and diagrams www.zoobooks.com/default.aspx?n=246583