Book of the Week: May I Bring a Friend?

Our book of the week is May I Bring a Friend? by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers, illustrated by Beni Montresor, and winner of the 1965 Caldecott Award.  Yes, that says 1965.  We're going straight up old school today.

But, as we all know, beautifully written and illustrated stories are timeless.  

The King and Queen

Invited me

To come to their house

On Sunday for tea

I told the Queen 

And the Queen told the Kind

I had a friend

I want to bring.

The King told the Queen

"My dear, my dear,

Any friend of our friend

Is welcome here,"

Sp I brought my friend...

The King and Queen are the most gracious hosts imaginable to each and every unexpected friend the boy brings to tea (and breakfast, and lunch, dinner, apple pie, and Halloween).  I love the rhyming text, it's playful and fun and repetitive, a wonderful story to read aloud.

We spend so much of our time looking for great new books for our children, it's nice to take a moment to appreciate some of the classics.  Do you have any favorite 'lost' classics?