I first learned about author Cynthia Rylant's while browsing Julia's Bookshop, which is a great place to explore the world of children's literature. It then stumbled upon the Cobble Street Cousins Book Series which I found enchanting! I decided to buy them all, for myself and for my daughter to read in the future.
The series consists of 6 books about three 9 year-old girls (Lily, Rosie and Tess) who live in the attic of their aunt Lucy's house. Their parents are ballet dancers and are busy touring the world so they decided to stay together in one house instead of going to boarding school or living in hotel rooms. Each has her own personality and dreams. Lily wants to be a poet. Tess wants to be a Broadway start and Rosie wants a little cottage with flowers by the door. Together they live many happy adventures with their aunt and neighbors.
The books are written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin. Ms. Rylant is a prolific author of juvenile literature, recipient of many awards, and I look forward to read her other books! The drawings by Ms. Halperin complement beautifully the books! I wished the illustrations were bigger and she could release coloring books in the future! The cover pages are in color but the illustrations inside the books are in black and white. There are drawings on every page and very often, it would fill a whole page.
This book series aims for a target audience starting at 7 years-old. The prints are big and the chapters short, which make this series a great introduction to Chapter Books for 1st and 2nd graders.
Here is the list of the books in chronological order:
Here is the list of the books in chronological order:
- In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen
- A Little Shopping
- Special Gifts
- Some Good News
- Summer Party
- Wedding Flowers
What I love about the series is how friendship and love are portrayed via sweet and attaching characters. There is no bad surprise here. It's a light-hearted, happy and optimistic story from beginning to end. Sometimes, it's good to read a Feel-Good book instead of a tense drama or riveting thriller. Especially for children who should be happy souls and not worry-warts after reading dark materials. Let children be children. Let them enjoy the magic of childhood and imagination that books can offer :)
