Little Tikes learning about the Hudson River Valley

Off to adventure through the Hudson River Valley with the littlest members of your family? Looking for some books and other resources to start exposing your kids to the unique wonders of the Hudson River Valley?

You might want to check out some of these fabulous reads for your kids ranging from birth through pre-school:

• The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge
  by Hildegarde H. Swift
  
  A story about a very proud little lighthouse that protects boats as they maneuver the Hudson towards New York City.  We meet different ships as they navigate the jagged rocks where the lighthouse sits, as well as the faithful lighthouse keeper who ignites the light and rings the bell when fog rolls in to worsen sailing conditions.  Soon concrete and steel are built around the lighthouse- the George Washington Bridge is overhead!  The jolly lighthouse feels very small in its shadow, but a dark and stormy night proves that even the smallest light can shine out and save the day. 

• The Headless Horseman (Step-Into-Reading)
  by Nathalie Standiford
  
  This easy-reader version of Washington Irving’s classic spooky story is adapted with simplified text and color illustrations.  Hudson Valley schoolmaster Ichabod Crane falls in love with Katrina, much to the irritation of the town brute who is also smitten with the farmer’s pretty daughter.  Will Ichabod win Katrina’s affections, or will a run-in with the legendary headless horseman drive him out of town?

• One Day in the Woods
  by Jean Craighead George
  
  Rebecca ventures out into the wilderness of New York’s Hudson Highlands, determined to spot an elusive bird.  Rebecca’s day of exploring takes readers right into the woods with vivid details and descriptions.  The adventure through the woods serves as a vehicle to teach young readers about different plants and animals in these deciduous forests.  Short chapters and occasional illustrations make this a great narrative of outdoor exploration for readers of chapter books, but even better as a nighttime read aloud. 

• Faerie Tale Theatre: Rip Van Winkle
  dir. Francis Ford Coppola
  
  This telling of Washington Irving’s classic tale is directed by Francis Ford Coppola and adapted for young audiences.  Surreal sets connote mysticism in the Hudson Valley while silly characters lighten the mood.  Annoyed by his nagging wife, Rip van Winkle flees his house and become bewitched by ghosts in the Catskills.  Upon returning to home he finds his family has changed and his country on the verge of independence.  What happened to Rip, and what will he do now?

• A Hudson River Portfolio
  by New York Public Library
  http://www.nypl.org/research/hudson/
  
  19th century travelers didn’t have a GPS on their ships, so to help navigate the Hudson, a 138-mile route from Albany to NYC was engraved, printed and sold to travelers in 1845.  Use a digital copy of the map to view towns along the water from the east or west; click on highlighted areas to see historic drawings of noteworthy buildings and landmarks up close.  Links to additional histories and pictorial collections make this a comprehensive website for all things Hudson River. 

Share what your family's favorite books, movies and websites are...