margaret wise brown

Review of Big Red Barn

By tyroneslothrop on 5/4/10 8:38pm
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Big Red BarnBig Red Barn

Most children are familiar with the farm. It’s a default setting for children’s stories, as it provides a place to talk about animals, people, and farm equipment. However, Margaret Wise Brown, in her story Big Red Barn with pictures by Felicia Bond, chose to focus solely on the animals (and one big red barn, of course), starting with a little pink pig. In fact, the only human-esque figure to appear in the story is “an old scarecrow…leaning on his hoe” in a farmer’s field. And it’s better that way.

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Review of Two Little Trains

By tyroneslothrop on 5/4/10 7:38pm
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Children often quickly come to understand how confusing that moment between awake and asleep can really be. Sadly, it is often the case that they find out the difference between dreams and the real world the hard way: by waking up, sweat drenched, from a terrible nightmare. But if a parent thinks ahead, they can get their child to think about that line between asleep and awake, or that hazy line between make believe and real. How, you may ask? By reading Two Little Trains, by Margaret Wise Brown with illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon.

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Review of Goodnight Moon

By tyroneslothrop on 5/4/10 5:00pm
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All adults really need to hear is, “In the great green room, there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of—…” Chances are, they will remember Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown, and illustrated by Clement Hurd. Treading through childhood memories, they catch a hint of that fabric softener that their mothers used to use especially for their bedding. They remember how much the stars in the windows looked like those designs on grandma’s highball glasses. But most of all, they recall the quiet and peaceful ending that this indispensible story provides.

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Goodnight Moon

By sarajean on 6/29/09 7:17am
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Written in 1947, Margaret Wise Brown’s classic children’s bedtime story is a timeless starter for sweet dreams, perfect for children anywhere. It’s no wonder the book is a bestseller, having sold more than 4 million copies. As the little bunny says goodnight to all of the things in his or her room, the storyteller can softly reduce his or her speed, slowing to a whisper at the end, creating a feeling of peace in a child’s bedroom.

Since the story is told in poetry form, it’s very easy to read, with an almost singsong quality. Moving from illustration to illustration, each gentle, soft picture also provides a soothing effect to end the day smoothly. As the story continues, the room gets darker and darker, depicting a natural bedtime progression.

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