Favorite Children's Books

As a small child I would love to listen to my mother read Grimms Fairy Tales along with so many others. When I could read I had many favorites,especially The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.. Can't forget Winnie-the-Pooh,Charlotte's Web and Mary Poppins.Years ago I would love to take my boys to the Maplewood Library  every week and bring home 10 books.I would read them all aloud to them and we all enjoyed it,especially me.

thanks for reminders!

Earthsea Trilogy - the kid who took to it went on to more LeGuin too

Beverly Cleary - her memoir (more than 1 volume?), though shelved in the children's section, was a joy for an adult

I agree with so many on this list!  I loved The Secret Garden, the Winnie The Pooh stories and A Wrinkle In Time. 

The Hobbit is such a perfect introduction to the world of fantasy fiction. Also my grandmother had a set of abridged versions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy which were great for a younger me. When I read the full versions later it was a whole new experience. 

I’m going to mention another more recent book, Coraline by Neil Gaiman. I wanted to read it to my daughter when she was younger but my wife thought it was too scary. I think it’s terrifying but also fantastic and exciting.  Coraline’s journey from conflict with her mom, the seeming wonderful world she travels to, and then her adventure of getting home and finding strength and bravery despite being terrified is gripping and outstanding. 

Oh and the Narnia books are fabulous to read as a kid. But then read them again when you’re an adult. I swear I was reading different books in my 30s. 

As both a child and parent, I always loved The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde Swift. Both the underdog storyline and beautiful Lynd Ward illustrations blend fact and fantasy. And children who enjoy the book can visit the real thing!

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Lighthouse-Great-Gray-Bridge/dp/0152045732

galileo said:

As a small child I would love to listen to my mother read Grimms Fairy Tales along with so many others. When I could read I had many favorites,especially The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.. Can't forget Winnie-the-Pooh,Charlotte's Web and Mary Poppins.Years ago I would love to take my boys to the Maplewood Library  every week and bring home 10 books.I would read them all aloud to them and we all enjoyed it,especially me.

I was very upset when I read that Charlotte's Web was put on a banned book list.in Kansas. I've been putting together a group of paintings that are part of my animal advocacy projects. I'm doing paintings of loved characters that connect to humane messages. Wilbur and of course Charlotte were to be in the factory farming group and when I heard that the book was banned I got to work immediately.

I am loving this thread. I love children's books. One of my (and my late sister's) favorite was Old Black Witch. It was just so sweet and had a recipe for blueberry pancakes at the end. One day my sister decided we should try to make them before my parents got up, but she mistook baking soda for baking powder. She made me keep trying them, and when I told her they tasted bad, so she added more baking soda, and kept making me try them as she continued to add more baking soda--probably only twice more but it seemed like a hundred times. I feel a little sick thinking about it, and I was only five at the time! Good memories!

KarenMarlowe said:

I am loving this thread. I love children's books. One of my (and my late sister's) favorite was Old Black Witch. It was just so sweet and had a recipe for blueberry pancakes at the end. One day my sister decided we should try to make them before my parents got up, but she mistook baking soda for baking powder. She made me keep trying them, and when I told her they tasted bad, so she added more baking soda, and kept making me try them as she continued to add more baking soda--probably only twice more but it seemed like a hundred times. I feel a little sick thinking about it, and I was only five at the time! Good memories!

I am such a children's book fan and started collecting at about 20. My favorite thing was to go to a bookstore and browse through the children's section. I always left with a few. 

As for recipes, as a fan of Winnie, I bought the Winnie the Pooh Cookbook. I vaguely remember Winnie referring to mastershalums which I believe were nastustiums.

mrincredible said:

I agree with so many on this list!  I loved The Secret Garden, the Winnie The Pooh stories and A Wrinkle In Time. 

The Hobbit is such a perfect introduction to the world of fantasy fiction. Also my grandmother had a set of abridged versions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy which were great for a younger me. When I read the full versions later it was a whole new experience. 

I’m going to mention another more recent book, Coraline by Neil Gaiman. I wanted to read it to my daughter when she was younger but my wife thought it was too scary. I think it’s terrifying but also fantastic and exciting.  Coraline’s journey from conflict with her mom, the seeming wonderful world she travels to, and then her adventure of getting home and finding strength and bravery despite being terrified is gripping and outstanding. 

I muraled a child's room with Winnie the Pooh characters. I have to look for the photos.

Another

dave said:

Another

Is he making the trip from Kowloon to Hong Kong? Is that railing on the Star Ferry?

Morganna said:

dave said:

Another

Is he making the trip from Kowloon to Hong Kong? Is that railing on the Star Ferry?

Almost. He lives on a boat on the Yangze River and wanders to the shoreline to eat before returning to the boat every day. 

An internet protocol, 'ping', is named after him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping_(networking_utility)

dave said:

Almost. He lives on a boat on the Yangze River and wanders to the shoreline to eat before returning to the boat every day. 

An internet protocol, 'ping', is named after him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping_(networking_utility)

I favor stories with non-human heroes. Just looked it up, 1933, I'll add Ping to the list.

Here's a very sweet one. I get a little teary-eyed thinking about it, The Island of the Skog. It rings true.

dave said:

Morganna said:

dave said:

Another

Is he making the trip from Kowloon to Hong Kong? Is that railing on the Star Ferry?

Almost. He lives on a boat on the Yangze River and wanders to the shoreline to eat before returning to the boat every day. 

An internet protocol, 'ping', is named after him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping_(networking_utility)

I remember The Story About Ping. There was another book that came out a few years later called The Five Chinese Brothers. I loved that book, great story.

However, the books were both illustrated by the same person  and have since been criticized for promoting ethnic stereotypes in the illustrations.

yahooyahoo said:

dave said:

Morganna said:

dave said:

Another

Is he making the trip from Kowloon to Hong Kong? Is that railing on the Star Ferry?

Almost. He lives on a boat on the Yangze River and wanders to the shoreline to eat before returning to the boat every day. 

An internet protocol, 'ping', is named after him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping_(networking_utility)

I remember The Story About Ping. There was another book that came out a few years later called The Five Chinese Brothers. I loved that book, great story.

However, the books were both illustrated by the same person  and have since been criticized for promoting ethnic stereotypes in the illustrations.

And Watership Down has male chauvinist rabbits. 

dave said:

And Watership Down has male chauvinist rabbits. 

And Charlotte's Web is on the banned books list in Kansas.

This book was my favorite and I dreamed of visiting each country.  Have made it to many, still working on the others.  I own a copy of the original version which is a tad politically incorrect but that's part of my childhood memories of reading it. 

HudsonBlue said:

This book was my favorite and I dreamed of visiting each country.  Have made it to many, still working on the others.  I own a copy of the original version which is a tad politically incorrect but that's part of my childhood memories of reading it. 

I don't know this book but the illustration is very appealing. I'm going to research it. Thank you.

I was also a Scarry fan growing up. 

HudsonBlue said:

This book was my favorite and I dreamed of visiting each country.  Have made it to many, still working on the others.  I own a copy of the original version which is a tad politically incorrect but that's part of my childhood memories of reading it. 

I had this book as well.  That's a Russian spy reading the newspaper. 

Morganna said:

I don't know this book but the illustration is very appealing. I'm going to research it. Thank you.

This is one of a series of books by the author.  I had several growing up and loved them. 

.

bub said:

I've caught up with a number of classics later in life, including books often described as childens book.  Some aren't.  For example, not long ago I read and enjoyed Watership Down.  Sorry, it's not a childrens book.  I can't imagine elementary school kids getting through it.  

I've been trying to remember a book that I read about the same time as I read Watership Down, finally found it, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien. I loved both books.