The best way to tell if a book is worth keeping is to read it! If I want to keep it around, because I think I might like to read it again, that's a keeper! Yes, I still enjoy reading good children's literature. Most of what is out there today, is not good or literature. I have read some books more than ten times, because I enjoy them and it is like visiting an old friend. These books I want to introduce to my children and grandchildren some day, as they are my childhood friends that never grew up. Good books demonstrate good character and encourage us to persevere through challenging times. We want to become like our storybook heroes. If a book is well written it also teaches us, painlessly, what good writing is like. Other old books teach us history before it became politically correct, when it was still OK to be 'proud to be an American'. A good author is knowledgeable about his subject and passionate. When you read a 'twaddle-free' book you learn easily and remember what you read. The author whets your appetite to learn more about the subject. If you come across books like that, keep them and note the authors. Find other things they have written.
I do throw books away regularly if they are not up to our family's standards either in moral tone or writing quality. They are just cotton candy for the mind and can rot our mental teeth just like candy does our physical ones.
If you want to read more about the CPSIA and the lead laws go to www.heartkeepercommonroom and type in 'CPSIA' or 'lead' in the search engine on the left hand sidebar.
In another post I will write about some of our favorite authors that we are always looking for.
Who's your favorite children's author? I love Stephen W. Meader and Lois Lenski.
~Mom
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