The Best Children’s Books

The Best Children’s Books by Love travelling family
The Best Children’s Books by Love travelling family

Looking for an inspiration and good children’s books? Here you’ll find the list of the best kids books and stories for kids we’ve read recently.

I must admit, whenever I enter someone’s home and I notice that there are no books there, I am literally scared. I’m scared as I know that no matter how hard I’ll try, this friendship will not last (in 99%). And I’m not talking here about books that are from the family of “yellow press,” I’m talking about books that have a potential to change you. So, you may now understand my concern about books that we buy for our three years old daughter. What is the problem with children’s books? Well, first of all, many of them are simply stupid, stupid, stupid. They don’t teach anything, they don’t bring anything. It’s simply like reading a toilet paper. Second of all, there are books that teach, but they teach totally wrong things. Main heroes are boys and if there is already a girl, she either has no voice or no inspirations apart from waiting for a prince. Those books are based on many stereotypes and their main purpose is to promote manhood and whiteness. Here women are always stupid and none is a person of a color. Last time I wrote about my dislike of princess, I caused lots of anger among mothers who are eager to promote cuteness among their daughters. So, let me explain it. I’m not here to say that girls playing with cars are better than European/American copies of Japanese kawaii style (Of course, privately kawaii increases nausea by me but here is not about what I like) The most important thing is that our kids have a choice, our girls know that they can be whoever they want. But how are they supposed to know it, if female characters in the majority of books are not creative and far away from becoming a scientist???

So, here are the books that show an alternative, that give a chance for our kids to choose. The characters of the books are wild, are black, are dreamers, are immigrants… and the stories go beyond what we remember from traditional stories for kids.

  1. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
    by Elena Favilli, Francesca Cavallo
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, cover
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, cover

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls is a book that no matter if you have kids or not should land on your bookshelf. The book in an easy and inspiring way introduces biographies of the most extraordinary women from all over the world. Women who were / are activists, artists, scientists, politicians, etc. There is a vast variety of characters, so you can read here about Cleopatra and for example Michelle Obama. This book is an inspiration for everyone.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Michelle Obama
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Michelle Obama
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Cleopatra
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Cleopatra
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Irena Sendlerowa
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Irena Sendlerowa
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Nanny of the Maroons
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Nanny of the Maroons
  1. Ada Twist, Scientist

by Andrea Beaty

Ada Twist, Scientist, cover
Ada Twist, Scientist, cover

This book tells us a story about a very curious girl Ada, who had lots of questions (after hearing the title of the book, you’ve already figured it out that questions are not about when the prince is coming) and was not afraid to ask them. The story is well written and it’s a real pleasure to read it aloud to your kid. By the way, it’s the first children’s book, where I read the word hyphothesis and this is already something that should convince you to buy Ada Twist, Scientist. If not, this quote is my final argument in favor of the book:

                             What would they [parents] do with this curious kid,

                             who wanted to know what the world was about?

                             They smiled and whispered, “We’ll figure it out.”

                             And that’s what they did – because that’s what you do

                             when your kid has a passion and heart that is true.

Ada Twist, Scientist
Ada Twist, Scientist
Ada Twist, Scientist
Ada Twist, Scientist
Ada Twist, Scientist
Ada Twist, Scientist
  1. Wild

by Emily Hughes

Wild, cover, by Emily Hughes
Wild, cover, by Emily Hughes

Once upon a time there was a girl who lived in a forest. Her life was full of harmony and happiness, till one day some strange animals appeared in the woods and took the wild girl with them. Those animals where called human. What happened next? Well, I’m not going to tell you 🙂

This book is close to me, as it is not simply a hippie-happy-boho-run-wild manifesto but a story through which you can explain to your kid a much bigger problem of colonization. If you could go in time, I would give this book to Christopher Columbus and conquistador Hernán Cortés, so they could understand that some things are meant to run wild.

 

Wild, Emily Hughes
Wild, Emily Hughes
Wild, Emily Hughes
Wild, Emily Hughes
Wild, Emily Hughes
Wild, Emily Hughes
Wild, Emily Hughes
Wild, Emily Hughes
Wild, Emily Hughes
Wild, Emily Hughes
  1. Swatch: The Girl Who Love Color

by Julia Denos

Swatch The Girl Who Love Color, cover
Swatch The Girl Who Love Color, cover

One more book that teaches us to respect others freedom. The main character-a girl named Swatch-is a color tamer, who later decides to collect all colors and keep them in jars. What comes out of it? You have to find out for yourself.

The book is full of beautiful illustrations and colorful magic.

Swatch The Girl Who Love Color
Swatch The Girl Who Love Color
Swatch The Girl Who Love Color
Swatch The Girl Who Love Color
Swatch The Girl Who Love Color
Swatch The Girl Who Love Color
  1. The Journey

by Francesca Sanna

The Journey by Francesca Sanna, cover
The Journey by Francesca Sanna, cover

The Journey is the kind of book that should be an obligatory reading for all kids. Endorsed by Amnesty International, the book tells us a story about family that had to run away from the war. With the recent debates about immigration going on and on both in the US and in Europe, it is essential to explain our kids why there are people who come to our countries looking for a safe place to stay. This book teaches both kids and parents tolerance and compassion.

The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
  1. A Year Full of Stories: 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World

by Angela McAllister

A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister, book cover
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister, book cover

First of all, I must admit that I’m a huge fan of legends and folk tales. Whenever I get a chance, I’m filling our bookshelves with traditional Armenian, Indian, or African tales. Legends have something magical and mystical in them. They are like the door to a different world. We may sometimes not understand them fully, still they will somehow drag us to those far lands they are coming from. A Year Full of Stories is a beautiful compilation of folk tales and legends from different parts of the world. The book has few stories for each month, which makes it even more tempting to get, as reading can go on for the whole year.

A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
A Year Full of Stories 52 Folk Tales And Legends From Around The World, Angela McAllister
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Post Author: lovetravellingfamily

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