So, as I stated after Christmas, I want to use this space to encourage myself and others to engage with children's literature. And this post is the beginning of in introduction to British Children's literature that I hope to continue exploring in the coming weeks. Writing this series is helping me to engage on a deeper level with some authors/illustrators who's books have found their way into our home and our hearts.
And where to begin? Shirley Hughes!
I adore Shirley Hughes' books. I love the way she oblates the life of a young child, lifting up what so many would see as very ordinary and recognizing it as extraordinary. Her adventures typically follow a young child (and perhaps a sibling or two) on an adventure. But, these adventures are from everyday life. Alfie slams a door and finds that Mum is locked out, a pipe bursts and he finds it is raining in the Hallway, Tom has a bit of a melt down on Christmas evening and takes a walk with Granddad, a toy is lost, a photo album is explored with Grandma, a pair of new wellies find their way onto the wrong feet (yes, that is the climax of Alfie's feet)...
Hughes understands that for a preschooler everything they encounter is new and interesting. Her stories aren't rushed. She states in many interviews that she thinks children should have time to sit with stories and turn pages at their own pace discovering new things in the illustrations each time they read.
As an author Hughes has been hugely successful. She has won many awards, among them the Greenaway of Greenaways for her book Dogger. (For those of you who aren't familiar with the Kate Greenaway award it is roughly equivalent to the US Caldecott and is awarded to the 'best' British picture book each year, so for Dogger to be recognized as the best of these is quite the award.) I was introduced to Dogger in Vancouver just after Jonah was born. It is a beautiful story about a little boy who looses his stuffed dog. It highlights a beautiful sibling relationship (the older sister ends up trading the teddy she has just won at the fete to get the dog back from a little girl who bought the dog from a rummage sale table where he had been mistakenly placed.) I've often used it when teaching the parables of the lost coin and the lost sheep as it fits so well and draws a child into what it means to lose and look for something dear. (I found our copy of Dogger at half-priced books in Seattle and our Lucy and Tom's Christmas at the Seattle Public Library sale - so they are available in the states if you know to look for them.)
For a mum who wants to keep her family's life slow and simple, Hughes' stories are appealing. The Alphi books especially celebrate everyday simplicity. I have found all of our Alfie books for pennies at charity shops and have been delighted with all of them. I am hopeful that our collection will keep growing. Hughes has written over 50 books for children (and has sold over 11.5 million books.)
If you want to read more on Hughes here and here are good interviews. The first has a photo of Hughes in her London home.
If you enjoy Hughes, she gives her top ten picture book characters (other than her own) here.
And lastly, to prove that kids like her books...
I'd love to know if you've read Hughes and what your favorite books are.
Anyone want to suggest a UK picture book or author for me to look into?
2 comments:
We didn't learn about Hughes until just before we left Scotland. I just looked, and they have them at our library here! I'll have to get some next time we go. We really enjoyed the series of books from Itchy Coo that use the Scots language. They have them in the tourist shops around the country and at Waterstone's, too. It was great fun reading aloud to the kids in Scots! We also enjoyed the Ahlbergs and Helen Oxenbury. Thanks for sharing your books on the blog!
Oh yes! Thanks for this. I'll have to try the Itchy coo stories, we haven't read those. I already have been thinking about a post on the Ahlbergs and Helen Oxenbury is good too.
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