Title: The Children of Noisy Village and others
Author: Astrid Lindgren
File Under: Naughty Antics, Kids' Problems; Read-Aloud
I could be wrong, but I think we won't be starting a movie list anytime soon. Just a little matter of so many irons on the fire being a few too many. Probably shouldn't have brought it up. I feel like the parent who forgets to spell out C-A-N-D-Y and causes a ruckus.
But it's worth thinking about what a young child's imagination needs. I keep going back to G. K. Chesterton's invaluable reminder that a child, unlike an adult, finds everything intense, fascinating, and amazing.
…when we are very young children we do not need fairy tales: we only need tales. Mere life is interesting enough. A child of seven is excited by being told that Tommy opened a door and saw a dragon. But a child of three is excited by being told that Tommy opened a door. Boys like romantic tales; but babies like realistic tales—because they find them romantic. (The Ethics of Elfland, in Orthodoxy, which rates a post of its own.)
A child (say, 6 and younger) has no need for special effects, mind-numbingly complicated plots, desperate situational scenarios, or other ploys to capture his attention. He doesn't even really need fairy tales of the kind we sometimes discuss here, but rather, nursery tales like Jack and the Beanstalk (a favorite of Chesterton's).
Day-to-day dilemmas are so very overwhelming to him. What he needs most are stories that assure him of a few things.
First, that he's not alone — others miss the school bus because they can't tie their shoes in time (well, that is a 20th century problem, maybe, now that we have velcro and homeschool) or get into trouble for forgetting to lock the chicken coop door.
Second, that within himself he will find the answers to these seemingly insurmountable problems that the adults in his life find such a source of impatience. This is what growing up is all about, pretty much. (That and figuring out that others have their needs and point of view and, in short, exist.)
Most of you probably already know about the Pippi books, and I'm fine with them. They aren't my favorites — the antics somewhat take over, and she's so very detached from others that some children get anxious (our Sukie couldn't handle the father separation, touchingly).
What are really worth getting, though, are Astrid Lindgren's other books, especially the Noisy Village ones, Emil's Pranks and the other Emil books, which seem to be out of print, Karlson on the Roof, and many others. You can read about Lindgren and see her books on this site, where I got the image below.
Lindgren's books are rollicking good fun for everyone. I just think we'll do a better job of giving our younger children what they need, developmentally, if we are all having fun doing it! Everyone will enjoy listening to Emil in the Soup Tureen. I guarantee it.
Keep these two points in mind — the fact that children's problems are (or should be, if we are doing our job) little — little to us, big to them — and that they mightily enjoy seeing children overcome their own little-yet-big problems. That's a good standard by which to consider whether a movie is appropriate entertainment for them.
In books and movies alike, the subject matter is best for little kids when it's about the kind of antics and naughtiness that kids get into, all in a setting that projects the idea that adults are taking care of them, after all.
The best of these will also give the adults food for thought. I've often pondered the value of Swedish village life while reading Emil out loud — where the family is a safe place for a child, even if the parents get angry, and the neighbors keep an eye out for kids running on roofs.
I talk about videos for little kids in this post, and there are some good suggestions in the comments as well. But we're not going to talk about movies right now 🙂
Here's one (not Lindgren but similar in feel) that will appeal to the 4-on-up range (I love it, myself):
Annie says
I love that passage from Chesterton! Also, what age group is Lindgren for?
Rebekka says
Her books are suitable for different age groups – the Lionheart Brothers and Ronja are for older kids. The Noisy Village books remind me of the first Little House books, textwise (ie, not-too-complicated text with some illustrations). The Emil books are short tales – here in Denmark you see them occasionally in “I can read!” versions for young readers. As read alouds maybe as early as 3 or 4 depending on the child and his attention span.
Elizabeth says
Oh, Lindgren has always been my favorite since childhood and she is very much loved here in Europe. Many of her books have been made into great movies for kids. The director of most of them is called Olle Hellblom, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0375224/
Wikipedia has a more extensive list of the books she wrote, including the English translations of her books: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrid_Lindgren
Some of her books are geared towards older children, for example The Lionheart Brothers can be too exciting and sad for younger children (both die in the end). I remember watching the movie and not being able to sleep!
Betsy M says
When we purchased our acrage last year we were unaware that our good friends, and their seven kids, lived just a bit down the road. Later on in the year, when I ran across The Children of Noise Villiage, I was picturing my little crew of kids added with theirs, and the extra friends that always show up and could not pass up purchasing the book. My kids ended up just loving it and the goings on in the families. We just picked up another book of Lingren's from the library yesterday, Springtime in Noisy Villiage. The illustrations in there are perfect. I will be keeping my eye out for more of her books.
Terra says
I missed reading Lindgren books, they sound charming and just right for children. I like your ideas in this post, and Chesterton's too.
Rebecca says
…and along the “child competently deals with child-like challenges (I didn't intend all that alliteration!)” we LOVED The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook by Joyce Lankester Brisley. Milly-Molly-Mandy is a little British girl who lives in a “nice white cottage with a thatched roof” with her extended family. The original publishing date is 1928 but I bought our copy new when my big girl was little.
Carrie says
I love Astrid too, in fact I wanted to name my first daughter after her, but hubby put the ixnay on it. So she's Ilana instead. 🙂
By the way I love your library project. Our tastes in kid's books is similar. In October I am focusing on read-aloud every day. I'll link to your project posts this month since it's relevant. I would love it if you mentioned this to your readers! http://naturalmomstalkradio.com/blog/31-days-of-r…
stephaniesgates says
We loved Pippi Longstocking this summer. Thanks for the suggestion – we'll pick it up soon.
I wonder if you could recommend an age range for books? My 6 yr old is a good reader, and my 5 yr old has a huge imagination and really loves stories and books, probably the most of anyone in our family. Both boys, both predictably active. I'm considering when to introduce things like The Magician's Nephew – I love that book, but I've seen from experience that the right book at the wrong time becomes a chore, and I don't want to leave them with a bad taste for Narnia.
PS Recently we've been reading Peter Pan, and my 6 yr old, like Sukie, hates the separation. When he realized Peter's mother had closed the window, he cried. Sweet-hearted kids.
stephaniesgates says
Also, a collection that's not quite as “classic” as what you've been discussing, but that my children LOVE, is Beverly Cleary. Especially Henry's character. They love hearing about “old-fashioned” life and you're right, they do love to see kids get out of a jam.
Rachel says
Agree 100%! The only thing better than reading Beverly Cleary is listening to Stockard Channing read Cleary on an audiobook. She GETS Cleary, and Ramona, and teachers, and parents, and pesky older sisters…we love to listen over and over.
We read Children of Noisy Village a few months ago. Half of mine liked it (the girls); half of them did not (the boys). But that may have been due to the fact that the boys found out Astrid is a girl's name. :/
Pippi says
Lindgren's Lotta books are lots of fun, too — both my 6 year old and my 3 year old enjoy them for read alouds. I wish they would get some better translations done, though. I remember them being even funnier when I read them in Norway. I liked the new Tiina Nunnally translation of Pippi and I've got my fingers crossed that she'll do more!
Anne-Marie says
Similar in feel, though in a more recent and less rural setting, are Edith Unnerstad's books “Little O” and “The Urchin.” Perfect as read-alouds for the 5-8yo set, and the sequel “The Saucepan Journey” could be a read-aloud or a reader for 8-11 yos. Unfortunately, her books are all OOP, at least in English.
Stephanie S says
Love Astrid Lindgren. Also love other European writers Erich Kastner-Emil and the Detectives, Meindert De Jong- The Wheel on the School, Antoine De Saint-Exupery-The Little Prince and Johanna Spyri-Heidi. I love their illustrations too especially when the pictures tell half the story eg Ludwig Bemelmans-Madeline and Alf Proysen-Mrs Pepperpot. Imho Maurice Sendak's illustrations for The Wheel on the School are more beautiful than any he did for his picture books.
For six year olds, our favourites were/are the Paddington stories -Michael Bond, poems and Pooh stories by AA Milne, Tomie DePaola's memoirs starting with 26 Fairmont Ave, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Green, and Rumer Godden's The Doll's House, Miss Happiness and Miss Flower and The Kitchen Madonna. Again, the illustrations of these books carry magic and atmosphere which is so memorable.
This is an interesting article from the Guardian Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil…
It was a good reminder to physically keep visiting libraries. We have acquired so many books now -usually second hand- that our need is not the same as when our first child came along. Also I've got in the habit of downloading and buying online a bit. But I think Neil Gaiman is right, if we don't (frequently) support libraries, they may not be there for us in the future.
Rain says
I just read this same article and loved it. Esp. the Albert Einstein quote “if you want your children to be intelligent read them fairytales. If you want them to be more intelligent read them more fairytales.
Christine says
You've featured another one of our favorites. 🙂
Kathy says
I purchased this book for my daughter just this year, and she loves it. I plan to read it aloud at some point but I thought is would be a good introduction to a love of independent reading – and it has!
I am also loving your library project!
Madeline is one of our favorite movies, we love the books too – even recently named our two kittens Madeline and Genevieve (if the 2nd had been a boy, it would have been Pepito or Bad Hat)
Christina says
We consider this book indispensable. Now my olders read it to the youngers…and the picture books of “Christmas in Noisy Village” and “Springtime in Noisy Village” are essential as well, and really round out the understanding of what their life looked like in all the spaces because of the beautiful full color illustrations on every page.
Books aside, however, I think you make an excellent point when you say, “Second, that within himself he will find the answers to these seemingly insurmountable problems…” I think in our culture we do WAY too much in the way of giving the kids the answers and hovering around so as to solve every problem for them. If children are going to find the great courage to solve the problems they face with the knowledge and skills and virtue that they have inside, they need to be LEFT ALONE sometimes to play! Notice that in this book the kids are ranging all around sans grown-ups! That's how they have all their fun, and that's how they do all of their growing. I'm convinced we need to give kids more chances to find out just what they're made of, to test their mettle so to speak. They can't do that with a hovering adult. I hope new readers will find inspiration in this book to let their kids loose a bit.
Monica says
This has been on my wishlist for a while, time to get it! Another that might fit into this category is Nesbit's Railway Children. It's another story of kids finding solutions to ordinary and less ordinary problems of all kinds.
The self-assurance and resourcefulness of these kids just strikes me as being more healthy in terms of modeling behavior than any book whose title includes words like “wimpy kid” and “fourth grade nothing”. I've never read the books in these series, and don't intend to. A better modern series featuring brave, intelligent children is perhaps A Series of Unfortunate Events, but this series makes the mistakes of painting all adults as idiots.
Phyllis says
I know you said that you're not talking about movies now, but the Emil movies (TV series?) are my very favorite of all there is to watch with my children. I almost never say anything like this, but I think they're as good as the books. But then… I don't know if they're available in English. Still, the cuteness might even carry over, if you could find short clips on YouTube or something.