Published: 2000 Theme: Adjusting to Loss Best for: 10 and up "I wondered if the same was true of children, that sometimes you can't control things and sometimes you have to let go. Maybe you even have to let go of your parents." This is a simple and beautiful children's book that deals with a difficult situation: a child losing her parents in an accident...
Published 1979 Theme: Being Different Best for: 11 and up "Belladonna had always been a white witch...Flowers sprung up where she walked, ... and from the age of 6, there had always been someone nesting in Belladonna's golden hair." This is probably the most unlikely children's book I would have ever expected to find myself recommending. Especially after writing a blog post saying...
As I read through each of the suggested books that readers have offered, I have to make an important decision: Does this book belong on the list of Literature for Children? I admit this is extremely subjective. I've already run across two books where my decision of 'no' was the opposite of trusted friends' opinions,…
As you can tell from this website, I'm into books, and rarely watch movies. But when I do... wow. What can I say about a movie where every 10 minutes, I find myself wiping my tears away? This documentary is a real treasure, whether you know anything about chess or not. It's the true story…
Published: 1902 Theme: Be Careful What You Wish for! Suitable for: all ages Five Stars From the very opening pages, Nesbit has us, the reader, firmly in her grip. Right away, you picture the children so eager to be free of the confines of their city life, and you know something interesting will happen...
Published: 1972 Theme: Light over Dark Best for: 11 to 12 year olds The second in a series of five books, The Dark is Rising is an exciting, somewhat complex fantasy about the battle of the dark vs. the light with references to Arthurian legend, as well as Celtic and Norse mythology. Compelling writing...
Published: 1942 Theme: Adventures of Childhood Best for :9-12 The four children's books of The Melendy Quartet: The Saturdays, The Four-Story Mistake, Then There Were Five and A Spiderweb for Two, are a wonderful and timeless collection. The children of the family are folks you'd definitely like to meet...
Published 1970 Theme: Friendship; Easy Reader Best for: 5- 8 This is one of those books that is important not because it is great literature, but because it is possible for children to read it on their own, love it, remember it, imitate it, and feel the magic that comes from learning to read...
First Published 1910 Theme: Resilience Best for: ages 9 - 12 Five Star "Of course, there must be lots of Magic in the world, but people don't know what it is like or how to make it. Perhaps the beginning is just to say nice things are going to happen until you make them happen." The power of nature to heal, the power of friendship to encourage, and the power of determination all combine in this classic...
Published 1922 Theme: Power of Love Best for: ages 5 to 9 Five Stars That night, he was almost too happy to sleep, and so much love stirred in his little sawdust heart that it almost burst." I feel any list of great children's literature which omitted this book would be quite remiss.
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