Kid Tested, Librarian Recommended: Kids classics

For those of us who are warm weather lovers the absolute best place to be at this time of year is curled up inside some place warm. It’s the perfect time for a classic fiction book. New titles are wonderful and exciting, but I find classic stories are a little like a favorite blanket. They make you feel warm and cozy, and make you want to come back to them again and again. 

Holes by Louis Sachar 

Stanley Yelnats found himself in trouble again thanks to the family curse brought on by his “no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather.” He is sent to a detention camp called Camp Green Lake. Every day the boys dig holes to precise measurements, five feet wide and five feet deep. While the boys are told they are building character, they know they are really looking for something but only the warden seems to know what that is. Stanley plans to find the answer to the question: What are they really digging for? 

While this was my first time reading this novel, I understood why it stands the test of time. I enjoyed the characters and found it compelling to continue one more chapter at the end of the night. 

"A dazzling blend of social commentary, tall tale and magic realism." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Old Yeller by Fred Gibson 

We follow Travis as he meets the old yellow dog that steals his family's side of pork. While Travis wants to get rid of the dog, his younger brother has found a new friend and raised such a fuss that the dog gets to stay. Travis lives in Bird Song Creek alog with his ma and pa and his little brother Arliss.

While families in the area are mostly self-reliant, the one thing they need is cash. To get cash, the men decide to take the cattle 600 miles away to Abilene, Kansas, where they can be sold in a fresh market.

At 14 Travis is proud of his new responsibilities as man of the house but discovers it is a lot of work as well. With all his new responsibilities Travis learns to appreciate and even care for the yellow dog they call Old Yeller. The dog becomes a big help on the farm and even rescues the family in several situations. Travis learns some lessons of love and life in this classic book. 

Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls 

Billy is a boy with a dream. He dreams of puppies, not just any puppies but a pair of coon hound puppies. This type of puppy costs more money than the family can afford, but Billy is determined. For two years he works and saves all his money until he finally has enough to order his puppies. Billy names them Old Dan and Little Ann and trains them to be coon hounds.

Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Stories of their great achievements spread throughout the region, and the combination of Old Dan’s brawn, Little Ann’s brains, and Billy’s sheer will seems unbeatable. But tragedy awaits these determined hunters and friends. Billy learns hope can grow out of despair, and that the seeds of the future can come from the scars of the past. While this book is definitely a tearjerker it is a nice story with a lesson of love and family.