7 votes

To build a delightful library for kids, start with these ninety-nine books

6 comments

  1. [3]
    cmccabe
    Link
    Thanks for posting this. My three-year-old and me are on a book marathon and are always looking for new titles. I am really surprised not a single Dr. Seuss book is mentioned; or is that only...

    Thanks for posting this. My three-year-old and me are on a book marathon and are always looking for new titles. I am really surprised not a single Dr. Seuss book is mentioned; or is that only because they’re too obvious? Another author I found surprisingly missing was Julia Donaldson. But as I’ve been reminded by going to the kids section of the library at least once a week recently, there are so many great kids books that it would be a big challenge to ever make a top 100, 1000 or maybe even 10,000 list.

    Also, this list is mainly fiction books, and I think that’s a pretty common way people think about kids books. But there are some fantastic non-fiction, even for the 3-and-under crowd. We found a great one this fall on why leaves change color.

    5 votes
    1. [2]
      asteroid
      Link Parent
      If you're checking out books for little kids, I should indulge my friendship with the author of this best-seller (we've been friends since high school), Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly...

      If you're checking out books for little kids, I should indulge my friendship with the author of this best-seller (we've been friends since high school), Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs https://amzn.to/3hejzWW

      2 votes
      1. cmccabe
        Link Parent
        Will do! I see that they do have it at my local library so I’ll probably be able to pick it up this week.

        Will do! I see that they do have it at my local library so I’ll probably be able to pick it up this week.

        3 votes
  2. [2]
    DanBC
    Link
    Buying books for children can be hard. My tip is to look at a good children's book award (for example, YOTO Greenaway for illustration, YOTO Carnegie for prose) and then look at the long lists and...

    Buying books for children can be hard.

    My tip is to look at a good children's book award (for example, YOTO Greenaway for illustration, YOTO Carnegie for prose) and then look at the long lists and short lists. And then when you've done that, look at the other books by the same illustrators and authors.

    4 votes
    1. PantsEnvy
      Link Parent
      It's only hard if you are not the parent :) If you are the parent, it's as easy as a trip to the local library.

      It's only hard if you are not the parent :)

      If you are the parent, it's as easy as a trip to the local library.

      5 votes
  3. vord
    (edited )
    Link
    A decent list, but lacking many favorites of ours. A few suggestions, especially for the under 8 crowd: A good number of Chris Ferrie books. Some of the "Baby's First" are oversimplified to the...

    A decent list, but lacking many favorites of ours. A few suggestions, especially for the under 8 crowd:

    • A good number of Chris Ferrie books. Some of the "Baby's First" are oversimplified to the point of wrong, but I especially like the ABC's.

    • Everyone Poops.

    • Almost Everybody Farts

    • Seuss is always good, but "The Lorax" is the best.

    • Princess in Black is a fantastic early chapter book series.

    • Pets Rule, after reading first book, shows promise as another great early chapter book.

    • Stinky Cheese Man, a true classic!

    • Sandra Boyton books and music are fantastic for the tykes!

    • The Pout-Pout Fish, linking to a teaching guide (tho the first does have a slight air of telling a depressed person "Just be happy!")

    • I forget the name of it (borrowed from library), but there was a great kids illustrated "Choose Your Own Adventure" style book that went through many fairy tales. And for the 7+ crowd, any/all Choose Your Own Adventure.

    • Anything and everything relating to Ada Twist

    • Naked! by Michael Ian Black

    • Niko draws a Feeling

    • Anything relating to Pete the Cat

    • Zinnia and Dot

    • Five Little Gefiltes

    • Dahl books, BFG is a good intro as a read-to-me.

    • Moomin books have caught interest from my 5-8

    • Elephant and Piggie are great for starting readers.

    • Not Quite Narwhal

    • The Dot

    • Goodnight, Little Monster (great for "afraid of monsters" phase)

    • Nibbles the Book Monster

    • Pirates Don't Change Diapers

    • 8+, Goosebumps by R.L. Stine. Ray Bradbury, especially Marian Chronicles and Farenheit 451.

    • At 13+ I would expect them to hit library on their own, but have some Orwell, Huxley, Dick, and King lying around.

    4 votes