Person
Every book Bruce Handy recommended on podcasts
Bruce Handy appears on literary programs as an insightful critic and reader with a profound appreciation for children's literature, middle-grade fiction, and classic storytelling. When discussing his enduring favorites on The Book Review, Handy singled out Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham as the ultimate children's book that he could read repeatedly without ever growing tired of it. He also championed Beverly Cleary's Ramona the Pest, hailing it as an amazing and standout masterpiece of middle-grade literature. Beyond his top recommendations, Handy reflected on how his perspective on Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are shifted dramatically when he revisited the book as an adult rather than as a child. Similarly, he shared his adult discovery of Margaret Wise Brown's classic Goodnight Moon, noting its long-standing presence in print despite him missing it during his own early childhood. Handy's commentary on these works underscores a deep critical engagement with children's literature, highlighting how foundational books evolve in meaning and resonance when encountered across different stages of life.
Books recommended by Bruce Handy
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Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham with 12 Silly Sounds!
Dr.
Recommended“I could read again and again and I think it's probably maybe literally the only children's book I could read again and again and never get sick of was was green eggs and ham”
Where to get it
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Green Eggs and Ham
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr.
Recommended“I could read again and again and I think it's probably maybe literally the only children's book I could read again and again and never get sick of was was green eggs and ham”
Where to get it
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Ramona the Pest
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary is a classic children's novel following the energetic and strong-willed Ramona Quimby as she navigates the trials and tribulations of starting kindergarten.
Recommended“probably my favorite my favorite sort of middle-grade book would be Ramon of the past which I just to me is just an amazing Masterpiece”
Where to get it
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Goodnight Moon 60th Anniversary Edition
Goodnight Moon 60th Anniversary Edition by Margaret Wise Brown is a classic bedtime picture book featuring a little bunny bidding goodnight to everything in the great green room.
Discussed“well yeah absolutely I mean good night moon was a book I didn't know as as a as a kid it it's um been in print”
Where to get it
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I Am a Bunny
Discussed“I a bunny oh I don't know that one oh Richard scary did this book I am a bunny”
Where to get it
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Where the wild things are
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a celebrated children's picture book depicting a young boy named Max who sails to a fantastical land of wild creatures after being sent to his room without supper.
Discussed“it was when the the film of Where the Wild Things was was coming out and it really made me reflect on that book”
Where to get it
Books Bruce Handy wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Joys of Children’s Literature | The Book Review | 2024-07-18 | 10 |
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“or Lucy is in the line of the witch in The Wardrobe she's yeah they're playing hide-and-seek”
“or Lucy is in the line of the witch in The Wardrobe she's yeah they're playing hide-and-seek”