Children’s Books You Actually Want to Read

by Chris

The Little Stone Lion

(image from The Little Stone Lion)

Books are a big deal in our house. We have about 150 children’s books on our shelves, I’m always in the middle of an audiobook or two, and Marzi is currently engrossed in the The Twilight Saga. I try to take the kids to the library at least once a week, and even when we’re not there, I typically have at least a half dozen titles on request via their website. With all of that being said, it goes without saying that we’re more than a little excited for the Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival coming up the weekend after next!

As the primary children’s book reader in our house – reading three books a night, almost every night, for almost six years – I’ve become quite critical of children’s literature. There are simply too many amazing books out there to waste your time with the bad ones. So, to help you find the amazing ones, I’ve put together a list of my Top Ten Children’s Books, in no particular order. Enjoy!

Always Room for One More
– Sorche Nic Leodhas and Nonny Hogrogian

The first time I read this 1966 Caldecott Medal winner, I wanted to throw the book out the window, as the Scottish tongue employed is frustrating to the uninitiated. However, the second reading went considerably better and this book has become a favorite of mine, as well as the boys.

The Incredible Book-Eating Boy
– Oliver Jeffers

The Incredible Book-Eating Boy is a highly inventive and visually stunning book that tells the story of Henry who learns to stop eating his books and to start reading them. The kids never seem to grow tired of the surprise at the end.

The Little Stone Lion
– Kim Xiong

This gorgeously illustrated and romantically written tale of a small village’s stoic guardian is one we’ve yet to purchase ourselves, but it is a frequent library check-out.

The Hello, Goodbye Window
– Norton Juster and Chris Raschka

I immediately fell in love with this 2006 Caldecott Medal winner after my first read. While I’m not a huge fan of the illustrations, the story is written from the innocent perspective of a child and is undeniably adorable.

Leonardo, the Terrible Monster (Ala Notable Children’s Books. Younger Readers (Awards))
– Mo Willems

Leonardo was gifted to my oldest by Miz Big herself, and quickly became one of our favorites. While it is less popular than Willems’ other stories, it is our favorite of his by far.

The Gardener
– Sarah Stewart and David Small

This 1998 Cadelcott Honor winner is the touching story of a young girl with a green thumb during the Great Depression. Told via letters to her family, The Gardener is both sad and triumphant and always a joy to read.

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime
– Bob Shea

Dinosaur is victorious in every battle he faces, but will he defeat his arch-nemesis, Bedtime? Unlikely. As someone who was a teenager during the “fighting game” fad of video games in the ‘90s, I love that this book lets me do my best ring announcer imitation. The kids just love the dinosaur.

Snow (Sunburst Books)
– Uri Shulevitz

This 1999 Caldecott Honor winner’s story builds slowly from a drab, grey city in which everyone is in denial about the oncoming snow storm, to a playful, white city in which a boy and his dog are most content.

Silly Street
– Jeff Foxworthy and Steve Bjorkman

I am NOT a fan of Jeff Foxworthy the comedian, but Jeff Foxworthy the children’s book author is always welcome at story time. I think I literally rolled my eyes when this book was gifted to one of our boys, and I put off reading it for a long time. However, Foxworthy’s style is an amazing combination of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein and I can’t wait to get my hands on his other books.

If I Had a Robot
– Dan Yaccarino

If I Had a Robot was the first Yaccarino book we ever read, and is still our favorite. It is the story of a young boy who dreams of employing a robot to do all of the tasks that he hates to do, like eating his vegetables. However, when he learns that eating his vegetables himself will earn him the world’s biggest piece of chocolate cake, he quickly changes his tune.

And there you have it. Of course there are other favorites that could have easily fallen into the Top Ten, like The Sneetches and Where the Wild Things Are, but those books a no-brainer to any parent. I hope with this list you found something that you can’t wait to run out and buy (or check-out) and read to your kids!

{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Pragmatic Mom October 7, 2010 at 4:11 pm

this is a great list. Would it be possible for me to repost on my blog, linking back to you and crediting you, of course.

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2 Chris October 9, 2010 at 6:30 pm

Thanks, I’m really glad you liked it and found it useful! You can definitely repost it on your blog if you want!

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3 Your loving sister October 8, 2010 at 5:44 am

Nice job brother! We’ll have to try some of these with Libby – she loves to have stories read to her – and is really trying to read harder stories herself. Unfortunately, we didn’t read to her as much as to Lily and Duncan – so she struggles with reading more than they did. These books look like a great place to restart!

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4 Chris October 9, 2010 at 6:39 pm

Thanks Sis! Definitely check some of these out for Libby…she’d love them! I highly recommend The Gardener and the Hello Goodbye Window, as the protagonist in each is a little girl.

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5 Richard Green December 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm

Hey Everyone I am looking for some help.. there is a book out there i used to be read to as a child on manners but i can’t remember who wrote it or what the title was…here are a couple verses i remember:

1. Be kind to that new baby, i know it’s not much fun
she doesn’t joke won’t play games and can not even run

She occupies your mother when she can be doing things
like cutting out, sticking down or pushing you on a swings

be kind to that new baby i know it will pay off in the end
as that nagging little bundle may turn out to be a friend

2. Little artie at the partie, eat up every single smartie
after that i seen him take the biggest piece of chocolate cake

3. Audrey Evans the most awful fuss pot
was always telling her sisters they must not

Thats all i remember from the book.. i’ve looked everywhere if anyone could help me i’d really appreaciate it

monkey_designer AT hotmail DOT com

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6 leanne dodd November 16, 2012 at 12:03 pm

Hey, I remember this book too, it was me searching little arty at the party that led me to this site and your comment, if you ever find it, let me know! i remember the picture of arty, he was wearing tight pyjamas! and another line in that poem, ‘late that night,his tight Pyjamas,show us too much food can harm us!’ i’m wondering if my mum still has that book? it was a pale blue hardback (the one we had) xxluvleaxx

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7 leanne dodd November 16, 2012 at 12:03 pm
8 Chris December 14, 2010 at 7:53 am

Hey Richard – Thanks for the comment! I fear you’ve stumped me on that one! Google was no help either…sorry!

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9 John Pepper October 24, 2011 at 7:44 pm
10 Richard Green November 27, 2012 at 5:08 pm

Hey Everyone

I really appreciate the all of you right now. I would not have been able to find this book if it wasn’t for your help.. I’m ordering it off amazon now!

Its great to feel that there are good people in this world willing to help.

:)

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11 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 3:48 pm

on the Bat-Signal. Another showed

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12 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 3:54 pm

Lightfoot giving a seven-day weather

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13 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 3:55 pm

utlook, with the forecast just showing

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14 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 3:57 pm

home.” Another had her holding a

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15 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 3:59 pm

Pennywise balloon at the Red Line

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16 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 4:00 pm

station. (Pennywise is the main antagonist

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17 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 4:02 pm

in Stephen King’s horror novel It.) Another

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18 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 4:03 pm

showed Lightfoot inside an empty

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19 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 4:04 pm

Edward Hopper “Nighthawks” diner

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20 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 4:06 pm

Nighthawks” is the 1942 oil canvas

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21 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 4:07 pm

painting by Hopper that shows

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22 Optimum May 13, 2023 at 4:08 pm

four people in a downtown diner late at night

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