As I Was Crossing Boston Common

My parents read this story to me when I was a toddler, and they urged me to find a copy for my own child. I didn't know much about it beyond that, and I was delighted at the Edward Gorey-like illustrations, the rhythms of the narrative, and the unusual characters. After 30 years, my father still recalled some of the narrative, which he described as "haunting". I learned something about zoology, and my 2-year-old liked pointing out which animals were birds. Its a great book for parents tired of cutsie and overly simplistic kid-lit, and who are looking for something with style and substance. Readers of this book might also like "Peculiar Zoo", which has whimsical poems to introduce its characters.