My kids were raised on Kipling, Dickens, Stevenson, and everything there was in the old Childcraft books, from the 40's. They loved those so muhc, that I found extra sets in used book stores and bought them each a set. They had a lot of the classics in them, from narrative poems like Hiawatha to stories from other lands to tales such as the Lad who went to the North wind to the little nursery rhymes like the one you quoted, Joe.

We had a lot of classics when I was growing up and that is what I had around for my kids, but I suspect one of the books my son will say he got the most out of was a copy, which just conveniently ended up in his bedroom, of Everything you wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask!

Lots of poetry. I have my greatgrandma's Home Book of Poetry from Christmas of 1885. It has some grand old, long poems in it which I would read to them once in awhile auch as Bingen on the Rhine, Napoleon & the Soldier and a few others.

We had mysteries, too, esp A. Conan Doyle & A. Christie, as well as the classic ghost stories of M.R. James, and others.

Books rule in our house, so the kids were exposed to just about anything and everything and my son still asks me to send him books I am done with as he devours several a weeek. My girls are almost as avid, except that with one year old twins, Kyrsten has her hands full and doesn't always find the time like she used to.

I guess you can tell by now, you've hit upon one of my favourite subjects nad I love to read. My dad once told there isn't any human situation that a person can't understand and perhaps solve by reading Kipling, Scott, and a couple of others, esp. Quentin Durward by Scott.

Thansk for asking, Joe!