Customer Reviews

Hand That Rocks the Cradle: 400 Classic Books for Children

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4 star:		(1)
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Being a serious bibliophile, I love this gem of a book, and think any parent new or old, who knows the value of good literature in a child's life, will find great value in this book.

The book symbols on page 10 show what to look for with each review, based on the time the story takes place, geographic setting of the story and publication date of the book. As well as 1,2,3 reading level ratings, for language and plot ease, more complex plots and reading levels ages 10 and up and lastly advanced language plots for ages 13 and up. This is a general rule which will vary on your child's maturity level or if they are gifted.

Appreciated the concise description of each book. The author is also honest enough to note on page 10 that his family is conservative and that many books didn't make it to the list. This was my only disappointment since we have a home library of hundreds and hundreds of books of all genre, and age levels.

As an example I was surprised that the Dr. Seuss/Theodor ("Ted") Seuss Geisel books and the Madeline books by Ludwig Bemelmans were not included. And Babar books by Jean de Brunhoff. I note this because I and then my son and now my grandchildren all relish each of these authors who in our family are amongst the classic.

And was surprised that under Mark Twain and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and also Tom Sawyer that a slight warning of a certain word pertaining to blacks wasn't noted.

But because I am a bibliophile and want to encourage parents and others to buy books as gift for children and have a serious book budget, I am recommending this book.

Have you ever found it difficult to find quality stories for your children? Or maybe you've heard of a title but have no idea what it's about or if the subject would interest your child. Perhaps you remember books from your youth but don't know if they'd be suitable for your child's age or reading level. If any of the above apply to you I think you will find "Hand that Rocks the Cradle" by Nathaniel Bluedorn very helpful.

"Hand that Rocks the Cradle" is a selection of 400 classic books for children listed by author. Each title includes a suggested reading level, the time and location of the story, publication date and a brief summary of the book - without spoiling the ending. I found numerous titles I knew and enjoyed listed as well as others I had not read or heard of. It does not list every title by each author, but it is an excellent starting point for those wanting to find good books for their children. Not all authors or titles will appeal to everyone, but there is a wide range of choices to begin with.

I found "Hand that Rocks the Cradle" interesting and informative. I believe parents will find it a helpful reference tool as they search for good stories to share with their children.

This is a wonderful resource for any family who wants to expose their children to good literature. We have read about 45 of the books listed and we have found some real treasures we never would have known about. Each listing has a concise plot summary (the most helpful to me, as I can quickly judge what will interest my children before a trip to the local library) and many have personal comments from the author's experience.

There is also a list by category so that you can read many books on pioneer life if that's what your children are learning about. As a homeschool mom to two children with voracious appetites for books, I am always looking for great books that are well-written, and this book list will take me years to exhaust! The current listing that I am reading to my children has such a rich and extensive vocabulary that we are looking up new words every chapter!

The books listed in this resource offer historical context, incredible vocabulary, moral character, and compelling plots...a far cry from the mediocrity that is published in this day and age and directed at our children.

This is a resource that every parent who has a desire to nurture her child's love for reading should have. I use mine all the time and highly recommend it!

Reading to your children is one of the best experiences that parents and children can share together. Reading GOOD books is even more important! This 110 page book contains reviews of 400 books for children of all ages. The books are listed by subject and author and reading levels are included. Hand that Rocks the Cradle is full of recommendations of wonderful "classic" books ... those books that have been read by children generation after generation.

Page 10 includes an explanation of symbols used in each book's review. These symbols make it very easy for a parent to find good books quickly! You will know in an instant the time period and location in which the story takes place. This makes it easy to match books up with a current history or geographical study. The subject matter listing in the back helps a parent taylor their child's reading to their current interest, too.

The book is small & light enough to stay in a larger purse or tote bag for those trips to the library. Of course, there are a lot more than 400 books for parents and children to read together, but if you are looking to avoid "fluff" reading, Hand that Rocks the Cradle will fulfill that requirement. There are enough choices here to offer quality reading to your children for the 12 years that they are in school!

I purchased an earlier, smaller, edition of this book a few years ago and used it to find some excellent historical fiction to use in reading aloud to my children. Nathaniel Bluedorn begins, "The year I turned five my mother read the Little House series to us kids. That began a long procession of books she and Dad read to us. The pictures I drew in my mind of those stories decorate my childhood memories. They molded me. I want to help you read to your children."

After an introduction about the importance of "Reading Aloud," which discusses why, how, and what literature, the author provides an expanded list of 400 classic books for children, with time and geographic setting of the story, publication date of the book, language level (1 is language and plot are easy-- all ages, 2 is language is more difficult or plot more complex--ages 10 and up; 3 is language is advanced or plot more mature--ages 13 and up), and a summary of the plot, all listed alphabetically by author, with an appendix of the books by subject at the end. Nathaniel wrote, "Reading levels help many parents. My mother didn't stick to these reading levels; I'll forgive you if you ignore them."

This list is drawn from the books that Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn read to their children, plus books that Nathaniel, his brother, and his sisters read for themselves. Book lists can be helpful in choosing appropriate literature for children--for reading aloud to them and for their own reading pleasure. As with any book list, there will likely be many titles that people love but are omitted. The fact is that no book list can reasonably contain every book written for children, even every good book, but if you are interested in locating suitable reading for your children, Hand that Rocks the Cradle is a good start.
REVIEWED BY: Wayne S. Walker

"Hand that Rocks the Cradle" is a complitation of 400 classic read aloud books for children authored by homeschool graduate, Nathaniel Bluedorn. In this handy, convient guide Bluedorn answers the questions "Why read to your children?", "How to read aloud?", and "What books to read?"
The book list contains read alouds in the categories of: Animals, Dogs, Horses, Wildwest, Backwoods and Rough Life, Fairy Tales, Fantasy and Fables, Family Relationships and Family Adventures, Friendship, Humorous, Young Heroine, Young Hero, Maturing Character, Mystery, Middle East and Asia, Pioneers, Science Fiction, Sea, Ancient, Medieval,Renaissance and Reformation, American Revolution, French Revolution, Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Each book listing has a summary of the plot, time the story takes place, geographic setting of the story, publication date of the book, and reading level. The best feature of this book is the size. It measures 4.5 inches by 9 inches, which is ideal for carrying in an oversize purse or library bag.

What's a good way to choose the best books for one's child, with a massive sea of literature in today's market? " Hand That Rocks the Cradle: 400 Classic Books for Children" is a comprehensive guide to children's literature, pointing out the classics through the centuries that today's children will simply adore. A must have for any parent who is unsure of which books to have for or read to their children, "Hand That Rocks the Cradle: 400 Classic Books for Children" is a good addition community library parenting collections.

I have read much material in the past several months written by the Bluedorns, all of which has possesed a unique level of quality. This book is no different. It is a must have for all parents! Reading to your children is the one of the most important tools we have in fostering our childrens' brain growth and development. It is especially important during the formative years.

I have looked at a couple of different reccommened books lists, and this one has been the most helpful for us. There are so many hidden jewels on this list. What a blessing! I thank God for the Bluedorn family.

What a great resource for families! I love to help my children choose their reading material and I really appreciate being able to look up titles in this useful guide. Hand that Rocks the Cradle gives brief summaries that include reference symbols for reading level, time the story takes place, geographic setting and publication date. The format is a handy size - easy to pop in a purse or back pack and take along to the library, book store or curriculum fair.
One thing that could make this book even more usable would be an index by title including page number for the review. It does have an index by subject,but the index does not include page numbers - only the author's last name.
As a homeschooling mom I know that I can rely on this book - written by another homeschooling family - with confidence that they have read these books - not just pulled them from a published "must read" list. I look forward to using this book for many years to come.

Our family has greatly appreciated Nathaniel Bluedorn's list of books! Between my husband and I we have read hundreds and hundreds of books and yet there were many listed here that we had never heard of and many more that we had thought about reading and then after reading the interesting summeries, were more motivated to pursue. We also appreciated that the list was so conservitive. It is difficult to go to the library these days and find books that would be appropriate for your children. Now we are able to request books in using the book list and we have been able to find most all of them in our library system, even the older ones. We highly recommend this resource! A+!