5 Old Children's Books you should Read

In today's commercialized world, kids tend to gravitate to books with the Paw Patrol or Lego or Barbie on the cover.

But here's a challenge!

The next time you're at the library, check out the shelves for the older gems. The ones with worn covers that are well thumbed. Those stories have entertained generations of kids. There's a reason they're still on the shelves.

Here are just a few of my favourites!

1. It Looked Like Spilt Milk

c. 1947

One of my favourite memories as kid and now as a mom is watching the clouds float by on a lazy day. Such a great bonding experience. This book brings the clouds into your living room and you and your child can take turns figuring out what YOU see in these cloud formations. A great book.

2. Millions of Cats

c. 1928

If you love how hilarious Robert Munsch's outrageous stories are, you will want to read this book from 1928. It is about an old man and an old woman who want to get a cat. But they end up attracting "hundreds and thousands and millions and billions and trillions" of cats. A very entertaining story that has stood the test of time, winning the Newbery Medal Honor book in 1929.

3. What's that Noise?

c. 1989

This is a very sweet book about a bear that wakes up from his hibernation and hears a strange sound. He asks several animals what the noise is, but they never make the correct noise that he hears. Children will love hearing and imitating all of the noise descriptions that are suggested "It is not a squeak-squeak, peep-peep, ribit-ribit, chock-chock or creak-splash noise." See if your little one can guess what his noise sound is before the bear figures it out!

4. Corduroy

c.1968

This book is on many top 100 lists for children's books, and for good reason. Corduroy is an adorable, little teddy bear that lives in a department store who just wants to find a home. It's a lovely story about friendship and loving someone just the way they are, even if they aren't perfect. If this book is a hit with your little one, be sure to check out other books in the Corduroy series.

5. Four Seasons for Toby

c. 1987

Toby is a little turtle who hears about all of the seasons from Grandma Turtle. After she tells Toby that he must wait to experience everything about each season, he gets impatient and leaves the pond to follow the fence posts around the farm yard. The thing is, turtles ... walk ... very ... slowly... so by the time he finds a little chipmunk and asks him where Spring is the chipmunk tells him to look around him. Spring has arrived. Around the farm yard he goes, which takes all year, and he experiences each season. Do you know any kids that are impatient? They will love Toby.

Do you have any other older books you'd add to this list?