Top Ten Children's Books

As a child, I loved books. I had tons of hand-me-down books from my older sister, as well as garage sale finds and lots of overdue library fees. Little Golden Books were quote popular, but some of my favorites were the Dr. Suess "I Can Read" series. The following is a list of my favorite books as a child, that even today, I am able to pass on to my own daughter to enjoy- clearly, I am not the only one believing they are classics.

Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak

Although the story is pretty short and not too exciting, a boy named Max, full of energy and imagination, finds himself in the land of the Wild Things. Finding himself being put on a pedestal by the Wild Things, he loses interest, and decides to return home to his mother- and the supper that he had earlier missed out on for being too mischievous. The story isn't exactly what has drawn me to this children's book- it is the glorious drawings of the Wild Things. Funny, slightly scary monsters with big eyes, claws, horns, and teeth are abound in this book. The colors are slightly muted, but somehow appealing as well- calming amidst a sea of monsters. Overall, this book has held its appeal for me for over 25 years- I'd definitely say it is a classic.

Richard Scarey's Mother Goose

I always loved Mother Goose nursery rhymes and Richard Scarey depicts them so well with his animal characters. Full of familiar rhymes, this large book is great for younger children, keeping their attention with the large illustrations and the fun sounding poetry. Although the nursery rhymes are not newly created, they keep timeless Mother Goose alive with creative characters that all children will enjoy looking at, and later reading themselves.

The Best Nest, by P.D. Eastman

This was a story that was part of the 'Dr. Seuss I Can Read' books that I used to receive on a monthly basis. This one was a regular bedtime story in our house. The bright pink cover and funny looking birds as the main characters kept us entertained night after night. Written very simply, The Best Nest is a story about Mr. and Mrs. Bird- looking for the perfect home. It is sort of a "grass is greener" tale that has fun illustrations and a quick pace to the story, which is entertaining for children and easy on the parents too.

Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman

One of the best stories of all my childhood- the story of a little bird, who has fallen out of his nest and gone looking for this mother. I don't know what it is, but P.D. Eastman has some great illustrations- not too technical or ornate, but captivating and unique nonetheless. Are You My Mother? is another easy to read book that is a great bedtime story- quick and simple, engaging and fun.

Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Suess

How can a story about a little, somewhat annoying man trying to convince the main character to "try them, try them, you will see"- try Green Eggs and Ham, that is. It is the perfect rhyming, fast paced story that is classic Dr. Suess. The best part about it though, from a parent's point of view, of course, is to see a doubter proved wrong- the main character insisted he did not like Green Eggs and Ham while never actually knowing if he did or did not like them- how can that be!?

Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?, by Dr. Seuss

My parents bought this book for me when I was about 4. It was a soft cover, large book that eventually lost the front and back covers, with the pages ripped slightly at the bottom from being turned so many times. This was one of my favorite books as a child because of the amazing creativeness in pictures and story in general. Multiple pages describe situations that are much more unfortunate that anything that could go wrong in a young child's life. Without being depressing or morbid, Dr. Suess once again puts a fantastic morale tale into an extremely entertaining book.

Oh Say Can You Say?, by Dr. Suess

Clearly, Dr. Seuss was one of my favorite authors as a child. With the beginner reading levels, rhythmic prose and fun illustrations, my mother probably would have been incredibly bored every night reading bedtime stories. This was a book that is a collection of fun tongue twisters, still easy to read, but difficult to say. We used to memorize the different poems and practice them in the car- oh, what a fun way to irritate the parents.

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, by Al Perkins

Al Perkins was another "I Can Read" author that had some great books, but this one was my favorite. A very short, very rhyming, sing-song like "story", Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb is a pictorial of lots of monkeys, mostly drumming and dancing about. This book will most likely interest young toddlers, as it is a great way to start identifying hands, fingers, thumbs, etc- the title kind of gives this one away. Still, it is a fun, fast paced read that beginning readers will also enjoy.

The King, The Mice, and The Cheese, by Eric Gurney

Eric Gurney also happens to be the illustrator for the aforementioned Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb. His simple, pencil strokes give a very simplistic design that still to this day, capture me in a way today's cartoons just don't. I think perhaps it is that 50's-60's retro style that I really like. Aside from the illustrations, however, the story is fun- a King trying to find a way to get rid of a problem, only to encounter more problems- a classic lesson-based children's book that does not feel preachy in anyway- a winner on my list for sure. I still have my copy that I received in my monthly mailers over 25 years ago, so this book may be of limited availability. It's definitely worth checking out on Amazon.com or at your local library for sure.

Hop on Pop, by Dr. Suess

This book was the one that started it all. I still have the copy my parents bought me almost 30 years ago (yow, that's scary). It has the price tag on it from wherever they purchased it, but apparently, that's where they got the order form for the book club and the rest is history. A simple book designed to help beginning readers with simple words, large print, fun drawings and cute rhymes (as per any Dr. Suess), this was one of the first books I ever read and I don't think I ever got tired of it. Amazingly, it's still in readable condition and my daughter and I fawn over it together.

And there it is, my Top Ten Children's Books. Not necessarily the most contemporary, but still standing the tests of time- not only does my five year old enjoy them, but I still do as well, now as the mother reading the bedtime stories instead of the one being read to. The best stories, for me as a parent, are ones that are engaging, well paced (meaning I can speed up my reading without seeming odd to my daughter), and frequently laden with hidden lessons.