My librarian Grandma was always surrounded by books, the British mysteries she loved to read and the special collection of children’s books left over from her long career.  When I visited as a child, I knew just where to find them… the trunk full of books in the basement, and the bag of her particular favorites always hanging on the knob of her bedroom door.  When it was time to pack up my books to move across the country, I was faced with culling my collection of children’s books.  I just couldn’t give up the books I inherited from my Grandma.  Below, the books that I most clearly remember:

From Grandma’s Bag:

Everybody Cooks Rice, written by Norah Dooley and illustrated by Peter J. Thornton

Herbie’s Troubles, written by Carol Chapman and illustrated by Kelly Oechsli

Dr. DeSoto, written and illustrated by William Steig

…

From Grandma’s Trunk:

It Could Always Be Worse, written and illustrated by Margot Zemach

The Christmas Cat, written by Efner Tudor Holmes and illustrated by Tasha Tudor

With Love from Gran, written and illustrated by Dick Gackenbach