Children’s Books and Living Literature

Moominland Midwinter is the darkest and most philosophical of Tove Jansson’s Moomin books — and arguably the richest family read of the series. Here is why it deserves a place on your winter shelf.

Moominsummer Madness is chaotic, funny and surprisingly moving — a Tove Jansson novel about theatre, freedom and finding your place. Here is why it makes an excellent summer read aloud.

Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić is a masterpiece of Slavic folklore, sometimes called the Croatian answer to Tolkien. Here is why it belongs on every family’s shelf.

Danny, the Champion of the World features a father who breaks the law and teaches his son to do the same. Here is why, controversy aside, it is one of Roald Dahl’s most valuable books for children.

The Wind in the Willows is a book about friendship, belonging, the pull of home and the lure of the open road. Here is why it rewards reading aloud — and re-reading — at every age.

Many parents hesitate over fairy tales — the darkness, the violence, the moral ambiguity. Here is why those hesitations may be misplaced, and what children understand about stories that adults often forget.

The children of Noisy Village wear plain clothes and play with simple toys. They do not have any screens to keep them entertained, and they do not have access to enrichment activities. In fact, nobody cares to keep them entertained as in this old-fashioned world it is children who are responsible for their own entertainment, so they have to create it on their own.