These books are aligned with Waldorf Education curriculum and principles. For more information on what I mean by that, please visit this page: What is Waldorf-Aligned?
Published: 2012 Theme: The Fairy Worlds Best for: 9 and up "The Way was real, and the puck-boy had come through it, and maybe the lovely woman from her dream had come through, and her own father had gone through it, gone away forever." Memorable characters, good writing, and an exciting plot make both of these children's books worth spending time with...
Published: 2010 Theme: Fairytale Best for: 9 and up "My name is Zita, and I am the thirteenth of thirteen princesses. My twelve sisters have become the subject of legend, even in faraway kingdoms, but I am sure that you have never heard of me." Thus begins a wonderfully written children's book, with an entrancing retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, one of the Grimm fairytales...
Published: 1993 Theme: African-American History Best for: ages 8-11 Sarah looked at Addy. "You is coming to school, ain't you?" "Momma say I can go," Addy answered. "That's good," said Sarah. "We learn to read and write...You gonna like school. You'll see." Written in dialect, an African-American girl's journey from slavery to freedom unfolds in this series of historical fiction children's books.
Published: 1992 Theme: Equality in Relationships Best for: 5 and up "You will become ruler when I die," the old king said, "for that is the ancient law that cannot be changed. But you will not wear my crown until the day you marry a woman who is your equal in beauty and intelligence and wealth." This story has all the classical elements of a great fairy tale: an impoverished girl, tending her goats, who outsmarts a conceited prince, and in the end, rules happily ever after.
Published: 2006 Theme: Belonging Best for: 8 and up "Never attack another duck unless. That's the first rule." She waddled in a circle around us. "Actually, the first rule is: Don't get eaten. The second rule is: Never attack another duck unless." In this lovable version of an old tale, we discover what life is like for the Ugly Duckling when he has to fend for himself.
Published: 1976 Theme: Myths and Magic Best for: 9 and up "Something was coming, Peter knew it, and he was pretty sure he was going to be involved in it. Against his skin the Key felt hot. There was no vibration as yet but... Peter was afraid and yet he couldn't take it off.. he was drawn to it." This is a challenging book to read, but it is worth putting the effort in, as it takes us into the myths and magic of the Welsh people, traveling back in time, and merging with the present...
Published: 1996 Theme: Self-discovery Best for: 12 and up "She was not much in the habit of thinking, only of howling her bitter, lonely anger at her exile from all she knew and understood- her homeland, the Folk, and their paths crisscrossing the moor." Neither the human world nor the fairy world is perfect; in this profound book, you get to see both their flaws, and their glory...
Published: 1938 Theme: Growing Up Best for: 8 to 11 "When she had reached the highway, her anger began to turn into a feeling of excitement. Eric's stories of hitchhiking were still fresh in her mind. I'll try it anyway, she thought, and stopped at the roadside." This book is a great antidote to today's cries of "I'm bored, there's nothing to do." We experience the olden days on a farm...
Published: 1992 Theme: Folk Tale Best for: 5 to 8 "Rich you will surely be," answered the fortune-teller, staring into the crystal ball on the table. "On one condition: that you earn large sums of money." In this beautifully illustrated children's book, we laugh aloud as a naive man becomes a fortune teller. The illustrations of Africa are superb.
Published: 2008 Theme: Finding yourself Best for: 11 and up "The big deal is that we'll be living in the middle of nowhere! There will be NOTHING around us for miles and miles. No people. No restaurants. No stores. No movie theaters. NOTHING. Who lives like that?" In this very thoughtful children's book, we watch two teen girls, and a teen boy, go through terrific transformation, discovering who they really are...
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