The book that touched you, the book you remember, the book you look forward to sharing with the kids in your life—that’s all I was asking. I asked my friends to name their favorite children’s book. I didn’t specify picture books, early reader books, or tweenie lit. I just wondered which books—for any age group—left an impression. Some people told me why the book struck a chord, others gave me a title.
What are the chances: lots of folks cherish Dr. Seuss. Other favorites are recognizable classics for a reason: they continue to enthrall kids year in, year out. My favorite? Stuart Little by E. B. White. And on a more contemporary note, one friend mentioned that her one-year-old just loves the classic Pat the Bunny in its new incarnation as iPhone app. Won’t be long before we’ll think in terms of “beloved, classic apps,” but for now, the favorites:
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
The Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace
The Boxcar Children, a franchise created by Gertrude Chandler Warren. “I so wanted to have a fun place that I could decorate and hang out in. Loved that book!”
Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business by Esphyr Slobodkina.
The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Horton Hears a Who, and The Sneetches by Theodor Seuss Geisel, under the name Dr. Seuss
Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
“Anything by Beverly Cleary or Judy Blume!”
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
The Hundred Dresses by Louis Slobodkin
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Averill
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. “This is an absolute given as favorite series (except Farmer Boy—hardly felt like it belonged in the series).”
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Little Mommy by Sharon Kane
The Littlest Witch by Jeanne Massey
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. “The word play is unbeatable (a car that ‘goes without saying,’ a ‘whether’ man. Loved it as a kid. Appreciated it even more re-reading it as an adult.”
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. “Such a celebration of nonconformity and the power of love!”
What’s your favorite children’s book? We’d love to know. Please feel free to leave a comment and tell us here.
