Day before yesterday I stopped into a Barnes & Noble in Maui (where they have an excellent B&N) and discovered that they were running a local holiday fundraiser to support literacy and early readers. At this particular store they were asking customers to choose a Little Golden Book, which would be given away to a young reader. After considerable thought, I chose THE POKY LITTLE PUPPY. But it was a tough call. 
My second choice would have been THE LITTLE RED HEN; but Little Red struck me as a bit of a Huffy Henny when she refused to share her baked bread with the other farm animals (although she certainly had just cause).
Turns out my fave, THE POKY LITTLE PUPPY, is one of the all-time bestsellers. Here’s a link to a list of some titles of the classic favorites in this series. (By the way, I loved wandering around the children’s books section of that book store. Everywhere I looked, there were parents and small children engaged in intense, earnest discussions about books and stories.
Let’s all resolve to patronize physical bookstores as much as possible in 2016. They are so incredibly valuable as venues for introducing children to the magical world of reading!)
Which Little Golden Book would you choose to give to a tiny reader, to best introduce them to the magical world of books and reading?
Oh yes! The Poky Little Puppy wins hands down! I still remember that cover from (cough, cough) many decades ago. 😎
Me too, BK! I had fun looking up articles about the history of the Little Golden Books. The series has expanded and gone in all kinds of imaginative directions since the last time I read a Little Golden Book to my daughter. Some of them are quite informative–for example, HOW DO GIRAFFES TAKE NAPS? I mean, that’s a good thing to know, right? 🙂
As a kid, my fave was always Four Puppies, with their progression through the seasons. 🙂
That was a really wonderful one, Kessie! I seem to recall it included nice story
lines about exploring the world, and not being afraid of new things. I added a picture of the cover to the post. I read that it seems to be out of print, sadly. They should bring all these great kids’ books back!
All I can say is:
🙂
Good reads and better memories ~!
Me too, G. It lifted my spirits last night just looking up the titles and finding images of these great old kiddie’s tales!
A great post to bring back great memories! For a while I was on a mission to collect some of my most favorite books from my early childhood. At the top of that list were two Little Hden Books: “The Paint Kittens” and “The Saggy, Baggy Elephant.”
Thanks, Tricia! There have been so many great titles and covers for these gentle books. Wish I had a little ‘un around right now to read one to!
I used to love to read “Are You My Mother?” about the baby bird that accidentally fell from the nest and got lost. My children asked for it over and over. You almost have to have a hard cover book to sit and read to children. I can’t imagine reading to a child otherwise.
I patronize books stores-I love them. However, I only buy on sale. (shame on me) There’s a large difference between $29 purchase and a Nook purchase price for the same book. I also donate my used books to senior groups and love library sales. What finds!!! Frances
Definitely THE POKY LITTLE PUPPY. No dessert was such a cruel punishment. When a friend had a grandmother shower, I bought two books she could read to her grandson, a fancy new book and the POKY PUPPY.