"Do you know," Peter asked "why swallows build in the eaves of houses? It is to listen to the stories." --J. M. Barrie, Peter and Wendy

Sir Phillip Sydney once said that literature's role is to delight and instruct. This is profoundly true in children's literature; the best children's literature instructs through delighting and engaging a child's imagination.

When selecting stories and books to review, I do not look for morals, right sentiment, and black and white rigidity--rather I look for something that is delightful, and hopefully a little silly. I focus on the artistic and literary merit of each book primarily, and it's moral message secondarily. Obviously, these three things go hand in hand, but a good children's book can be this close to nonsense, like Mother Goose, and still be wonderful. Edifying and educating are bonus points, in my mind.

Now the disclaimer: I will only recommend books I truly admire and enjoy--and if I have any reservations, I will make them known. But, not having children of my own, my standards are untested.

So I can only make this plea: like all things you give your children, the parent should read these books first!

Alice laughed, "There's no use in trying", she said. "One Can't believe in Impossible Things!"

"I dare say you haven't had much practice", said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as Six impossible things before breakfast!"

-- Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

God knows all about the way little boy's imagination works (He made it, after all).

--C. S. Lewis, Letter to "Laurence"