The Top Five Most Thought-Provoking Children's Books

The lack of intellectual quality in children's television these days is enough to make you wonder if the upcoming generations will be capable of intelligent thought. Programs on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon can be downright asinine at times, and their influence on today's children is apparent. If we want our children to have an awareness of the world beyond Hannah Montana and iCarly, we have to broaden their horizons.

It's slim pickings as far as television is concerned, so you may have to resort to books. Younger children will rarely object to being read a bedtime story, so that's easy so long as you can make the time for it. For older children, I suggest letting them stay up an hour later (as you might do since they're growing up anyway) as long as they use the time to read a book. The content of those books is important too, of course. Here is a list of books that are sure to make them think about their world in new ways.

Dr. Seuss's Oh, The Thinks You Can Think! Seuss is an author who seems to enjoy bending common perceptions about reality. His art is uniquely fantastic and often defies the rules of physics, greatly appealing to young minds. Oh, The Thinks You Can Think! teaches children to go where their minds want to take them, telling them through whimsical poetry that their minds are endless. The rhythm of the book is very catchy, so your child will enjoy reading along with you, as well.

Roald Dahl's Matilda. This book will be for older children, aged around 8 years old. It's a story of a little girl Matilda who is a genius. Unfortunately most of the adults in her life are unintelligent and aggressive, so Matilda is not exactly encouraged to blossom. Faced with solitude and hardship, Matilda discovers a greater power within herself - the ability to move objects with her mind. This book sends a message to children that they are not helpless, they can be their own saviors and wield power unlike anything they've ever imagined.

Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. Meg Murray and her little brother Charles Wallace meet three strange characters and find themselves on a journey through space and time to find their lost father. The "wrinkle" the title refers to is a tesseract, or a way of bending space-time so that travel across light-years is instantaneous. They visit many worlds, some of which are beautiful, and others dangerous. This adventure will take your child's mind out of the room and into the far reaches of the universe, places where they never before thought to go. This is essential reading for stimulating a child's imagination.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The four Pevensie children discover a new world when they step through the doors of a large wardrobe. They find themselves in a land poised for revolution that centers around them. This is Narnia, and the Pevensies must help Aslan the Lion defeat the White Witch and her reign of eternal winter. This is a classic good against evil story that contains many Christian themes. The most important message for children to receive from this story is that their actions have a much larger scope than they realize, and that it's within their power to turn the tides of an era.

His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman. These are actually three books, The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. The scope of Pullman's incredible story is incomplete if you don't follow through to the end of the trilogy. Where the Narnia Chronicles have many biblical references, His Dark Materials has a decidedly anti-religious stance. Lyra and Will are two seemingly ordinary children holding two very extraordinary objects. One is a compass that can give them any answer they please. The other is a knife that allows them to cut through space into alternate universes. It's a primer to the world of quantum mechanics as well as an introduction to the nature of human consciousness. Your child will not be the same child after reading these books.

The power of books is such that, because your child is creating the story in his mind rather than processing whatever is broadcasted on the television set, the messages and ideas of the story have a far deeper influence. So remember to lead with example. If your child never sees you reading, he may never think to pick up a book himself. Read, and broaden your own horizons as well.