What are your favourite children’s books?
People ask me that a lot. It’s a hard question to answer, isn’t it? There are so many favourites! So where do you begin?
Well, maybe with the classics.
What makes a children’s story a classic? I think there are at least 3 qualities.
1. They stand the test of time. They’re stories you want to return to again and again—whatever age you are, whether 2 or 102.
2. They are living. A good children’s book tells the truth, whether or not it actually happened. Scroll to see a few examples of beautiful true things in some classic children’s books.
3. They can be enjoyed by an adult and a child together. There is nothing snuck in to appeal only to an adult or simply to keep the adult’s attention. Nothing happens behind the child’s back. It is a story that is generous and true and good enough to keep everyone’s attention.
As one of my favourite quotes goes: “There are good books which are only for adults, because their comprehension presupposes adult experience, but there are no good books which are only for children.” – WH Auden
Beautiful True Things from Classic Children’s Books
OK. Your turn. Which of these marvelous books have you yet to read? Which one is your favourite? If you think I’ve missed any (and yes, of course, I have!) please add your favourites to the list by submitting your comment below.
And do you want some adult picks? Here are mine!
Dr. DeSoto by William Steig.
About a mouse dentist and his wife who accepts a fox as a patient, to replace a rotting tooth. Kind and clever, those DeSotos. “I never treat criminals, but for you I’ll make an exception.”
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
And
The Hobbit
I read all of those books!! I also love The Velveteen Rabbit, Diamonds and Toads, The Scarecrow: A Fall Book for Kids, The Passover Guest, This Very Tree, The Wind in the Willows, The Hobbit, and many more.
Here are a few of my top favourite children’s books:
The Lord of the Rushie River by Cicely Mary Barker
Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Island Boy and
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
My Farm by Alison Lester
All the Little Bear books by Else Homelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak
The Useless Donkey by Lydia Pender and Judith Cowell
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski and P.J.Lynch
Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox and Julie Vivas
Can anyone help me with the name? A student recommended a book about a rabbit/bunny maybe Edward something(?)it was wonderful, I think a long title but I cannot recall.
The miraculous journey of Edward Tulane – Kate DiCamillo!! Found the title- this is a classic also
Some other favourites of mine are Peter Rabbit, Paddington Bear and The Muddleheaded Wombat (an Australian children’s classic)