Answers to Go
San Marcos Public Library
625 E. Hopkins St.
512-393-8200
I want my Q.grandchild to read some classics of literature, but do not know where to start. Can you give me some suggestions?
The term “classic” has many A. meanings to different people. Often, librarians refer to classics as “perennial favorites”. Fortunately, the library has many resources to assist you.
The National Endowment for the Humanities produces a terrific list that covers the needs of many people. Their Summertime Favorites list of fiction books for children is found online at neh.gov/news/ summertime-favorites. This list is broken down by general grade areas:
Kindergarten – 3rd grade
4th – 6th grade
7th – 8th grade
You may ask the librarians to print you a free copy of this list when you visit the library. Please ask for it at the Reference Desk. You may also call us at 512-393-8200 and we will mail you a copy.
On these lists, you will find such “classics” as “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White, “Amazing Grace” by Mary Hoffman, “Stone Soup” by Marcia Brown, and “The People Could Fly” by Virginia Hamilton. There is also a list of nonfiction favorites for children, broken down by age. This list has such non-fiction classics as “Family Pictures/Cuadros de Familia” by Carmen Lomas Garza and “Flight: The Journey of Charles Lindbergh” by Robert Burleigh. A list of books for college bound students is also available from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Book awards are also good resources for choosing children’s literature. For example, The Newbery award, as described by the American Library Association, is presented to an author to acknowledge a distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The Newbery award list has many “classics.” There are numerous awards for children’s literature, all described and outlined in the Database of Award Winning Children’s Literature found at dawcl. com/. The information in this database is retrievable by anyone who has access to the internet. It is searchable, meaning that users can narrow down what they want using multiple categories such as age, setting, historical period, genre and keyword or phrase.
Another online resource is the database Book Connections, part of the library’s TexShare databases. The database, accessible from the e-library resources page at sanmarcostx.gov/elibrary, has over 1,500 complete book readings (many from the author) freely accessible to the patrons of the San Marcos Public Library. For a password and instructions to the TexShare databases, just call the library at 512-393-8200 and ask for the librarian.
The library has books on how and what to choose for children. While they may not have the term “classic” in the title, these are carefully curated lists of books for children. Here is a short bibliography: Classics to read aloud to your children, edited by William S. Russell
“1001 children's books you must read before you grow up,” general editor, Julia Eccleshare
“Books children love: a guide to the best children's literature” by Elizabeth Laraway Wilson.
“Twice upon a time: a guide to fractured, altered, and retold folk and fairy tales” by Catherine Bomhold.
“100 best books for children” by Anita Silvey
“How to get your child to love reading” by Esme Raji Codell
“Great books for babies and toddlers” by Kathleen Odean
“Great books about things kids love” by Kathleen Odean
“Laura’s List: the First Lady’s list of 57 great books for families and children” by Beverly Darnall
“Big book of Children’s reading lists” by Nancy Keane
“Black Books Galore: guide to great African American children's books” by Donna Rand
The library is fully open to the public, now. Please come and enjoy your new library.
Suzanne Sanders is the new columnist for the library. She is the Community Services Manager for the San Marcos Public Library and came from the Austin Public Library in 2015 after having served there as a librarian for over 20 years. She gratefully accepts your questions for this column.
