1001 Children's Books

[thestrangequark]

A couple of books I want people's opinions on whether they should be in this list or not

1) Fahrenheit 451
2) The Hound of the Baskervilles

Older children are quite capable of reading these books but I wouldn't call them children's books

3) Twilight - Stepenie Meyer. I have never read it but it seems to be the book that has drawn the most criticism for being in the list.

I read Hound of the Baskervilles when I was 9, but I agree with you in that I wouldn't class it as a children's book. Fahrenheit 451, however, I would definitely classe as a children's book -- for older kids, 10-16ish. It's a great book, so don't get me wrong, but it's not very sophisticated. I think it's an ideal book for getting kids of that age thinking.

 

[ZMistress]

What about "The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende? Sadly enough it seems outside of Germany hardly anyone knows the book (only the movie) but it was and still is a favorite of mine.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

What about "The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende? Sadly enough it seems outside of Germany hardly anyone knows the book (only the movie) but it was and still is a favorite of mine.

We've got a copy of the book at home somewhere. I hope someone hasn't given it away or something...

 

[thestrangequark]

What about "The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende? Sadly enough it seems outside of Germany hardly anyone knows the book (only the movie) but it was and still is a favorite of mine.

We've got a copy of the book at home somewhere. I hope someone hasn't given it away or something...

I love that book. And the movie left out the whole second half!

 

[Zulu Romeo]

What about "The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende? Sadly enough it seems outside of Germany hardly anyone knows the book (only the movie) but it was and still is a favorite of mine.

We've got a copy of the book at home somewhere. I hope someone hasn't given it away or something...

I love that book. And the movie left out the whole second half!

I understand that the second movie features story elements from the second half, although I haven't seen it.

The less said about the third movie, the better.

 

[thestrangequark]

^I didn't even know they'd made a second one!

 

[Miss Chicken]

What about "The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende? Sadly enough it seems outside of Germany hardly anyone knows the book (only the movie) but it was and still is a favorite of mine.

The Neverending Story is listed.

I read Hound of the Baskervilles when I was 9, but I agree with you in that I wouldn't class it as a children's book. Fahrenheit 451, however, I would definitely classe as a children's book -- for older kids, 10-16ish. It's a great book, so don't get me wrong, but it's not very sophisticated. I think it's an ideal book for getting kids of that age thinking.

I will take your word concerning Fahrenheit 451. I think it must be at least 30-35 years since I read it so I can't say I am in much of a position to judge it.

 

[Mooch]

Anything by Enid Blyton on the list?

I assume at least one C.S. Lewis is there. What about The Hobbit?

 

[Miss Chicken]

The Hobbit is on the list.

There are two Enid Blyton books, Five on a Treasure Islandand The Adventures of the Wishing Chair. I can understand why her Noddy books didn't make the list but I less certain as to why her Faraway Tree books didn't.

 

[TJinLOCA]

Oh my gosh, I'm getting such happy flashbacks reading all these book names! The older ones I read myself as a kid, and the newer ones I read aloud to my children.

Here are a few of our favorites - some may have been mentioned already.

The Indian in the Cupboard series (they got better as they went on! The Mystery of the Cupboard, which I think was 4th, was absolutely fantastic.)
Ella Enchanted (Best re-telling of the Cinderella story EVER. Ignore the stupid movie!)
Where the Red Fern Grows (saddest book OF ALL TIME)
Two Princesses of Bamarre
My Father's Dragon and sequels - first full-length books my daughter ever read herself.
Redwall ... not all of them as it goes on forever, but the first few were fabulous.
Holes (the movie was great, too!)

Ender's Game - I know it's not really a kid's book, but I haven't yet met a 12 or 13 year old that didn't adore it.

More recently, my kids have loved
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead - lovely time-travel tale! Reminded me a bit of "Wrinkle in Time" in its writing style.
Tunnels (and sequels)

And one of the coolest children's SF novels I've ever read -
Solay by Mark Jonathan Harris ... I don't think I've ever met anyone else who's even heard of it, but we all loved it!

Oh, and for classics that I read as a child and then read to my kids:

Follow My Leader
The Enormous Egg
The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek
The Lost Race of Mars by Robert Silverberg - the very first SF book I read myself.

ETA: And how could I forget: Mr. Bear Squash-You-All-Flat! A favorite of all my kids.

ETA again - how about Half Magic or others by Edward Eager, and
Five Children and It or any by Edith Nesbit?

 

[Miss Chicken]

Of the books you mentioned the following are listed

The Indian in the Cupboard - first book listed. Others mentioned in box at the bottom of page
Where the Red Fern Grows
My Father's Dragon - the first in the series
Redwall
Holes
Five Children and It
Half Magic

 

[Miss Chicken]

I just realised I miss answering something mooch said

I assume at least one C.S. Lewis is there

Three Narnia books are on the list

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Three others are mentioned in a box - The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy and The Magician's Nephew. No mention of The Last Battle at all.

 

[TJinLOCA]

Thanks, Miss Chicken!

I was really glad to see all those classic Australian books in there as well - my husband's family is from Australia and our kids read many of those books, particularly the ones by Mem Fox. Is her Time For Bed included? Or Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, Koala Lu, and/or our favorite Christmas book, Wombat Divine?

I told my 18-year-old daughter I'd responded to this thread, and she immediately started listing all her favorites, picture books especially. Are any of these on the list?

Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures of the Family Lazardo by William Joyce
Martha Speaks (and all the other Martha books) by Susan Meddaugh
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells ... also,
Max's Breakfast, Max's Bedtime, Max and Ruby's First Greek Myth (or any other Max & Ruby books by Wells ... And her Bunny Planet series too!)
But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton (also The Going to Bed Book, same author)
The Great Blueness by Arnold Lobel
Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Berger
Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day (and my favorite, Carl Goes to Daycare)
The Mysterious Tadpole by Stephen Kellogg - and
Pinkerton, Behave!, also by Kellogg
The Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
Space Case by Edward Marshall
Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks (closest thing to a drug trip I've ever seen in a children's book!)
The Magic School Bus (any of them!) by Joanna Cole

And a few more novels -
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Frindle by Andrew Clements
Which Witch (and Dial-a-Ghost) by Eva Ibbitson
A Family Apart (from The Orphan Train Children series by Joan Lowery Nixon

And finally, do they include any of the Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne? My kids were addicted to those for years.

It's amazing how clearly I remember all these - my kids are 14 to 21 now, and I can still quote all those books that we read them nightly when they were tiny.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Only a few of your books are mentioned

Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day (the other books are mentioned in the description of Good Dog, Carl).
Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer


I think many very good English language books have been left off the list because of the editors decision to try to make the list universal. This means that many books written in other languages are included and I am not sure if all of these books have been translated into English. An example of this Rupert the Rapper and Aunt Deep Freeze which is the first in a series of Finnish books. I cannot locate any of this series in English.

I think the 0-3 category is too small (only 37 books). It looks like the 8+ category has the most entries, followed by the 12+ category, then the 5+, the 3+ and the 0-3 last of all.

 

[thestrangequark]

How about Jerry Spinnelli's Maniac Magee? I adored that book.

 

[Miss Chicken]

How about Jerry Spinnelli's Maniac Magee? I adored that book.

Yes, it is on the list.

 

[TJinLOCA]

My daughter will be happy "Hey, Al" made the list - that's one of her very favorite books. It's hilarious and bizarre!

I think the 0-3 category is too small (only 37 books). It looks like the 8+ category has the most entries, followed by the 12+ category, then the 5+, the 3+ and the 0-3 last of all.

Oh, that's a shame. There are so many fantastic books out there for pre-schoolers.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Because there are only 37 of them (if I counted correctly) I will list all the books in the 0-3 category below with the nationality of the author.

The Little Engine That Could (American)
Pat the Bunny (American)
Make Way for Ducklings (American)
The Runaway Bunny (American)
The Three Railway Engines (English)
Thomas the Tank Engine (English)
Goodnight Moon (American)
Lavender's Blue (English)
Bedtime for Frances (American)
Miffy (Dutch)
Rosie's Walk (English)
The Elephant and the Bad Baby (English)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (American)
Mr Gumpy's Outing (English)
Meg and Mog (English)
Good Night, Alfie Atkins (Swedish)
Little Brown Bear (French)
Little Spook's Baby Sister (Swedish)
Fly, Little Bird (Italian)
Each Peach Pear Plum (English)
Where's Spot (English)
The Baby's Catalogue (English)
Dear Zoo (Scottish)
Good Dog, Carl (American)
Bathwater's Hot (English)
Tickle, Tickle (English)
Elmer (English)
We're Going on a Bear Hunt (English)
Bunny Bath (Swedish)
Kipper (English)
Maisy Goes to Playschool (English)
Owl Babies (Irish)
Handa's Surprise (English)
Alvin Say Good Night (Swedish)
The Bear Went Over the Mountain (English)
Humphrey's Corner (English)
Julian the Rabbit (Italian)

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The Engine That Could (American)

This is The Little Engine That Could, right?

 

[Miss Chicken]

The Engine That Could (American)

This is The Little Engine That Could, right?

Yes, I hope it is the only mistake I made typing out those books. I have corrected it.