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In honor of Read Across America Day on March 2, the staff of All Kinds of Minds compiled a list of their favorite children's books. From classics to new arrivals, every child – and adult – is bound to find something to enjoy!
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
“I loved living vicariously through Harriet’s adventures. Also, she was always writing in her notebooks, which inspired me to want to write. I loved the fact that she was so superbly confident even though she was ‘just a kid’ and she made me want to emulate her.”
“As a child my favorite books were the Madeline series by Ludwig Bemelmans. I remember where the books were shelved in the library in my hometown. I liked Madeline because she was spunky and not afraid to be different than the other 11 girls in the ‘old house in Paris all covered in vines.’ My own Madeline is now 15 years old!”
“My daughter's favorite book is Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi and Ron Barrett because it is so silly.”
“My son's favorite book is How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague because he loves acting out the bad (and good) habits of the dinosaur.”
“Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was my favorite as a kid. I must have read it ten times the year I was in sixth grade. I knew it was one of my mom's favorite books - though she had read it in Spanish (Mujercitas). But I wanted to be just like Jo March. She was beautiful, brave, outspoken, fiercely loyal to family and friends, and loyal to herself. She knew what she wanted, and was willing to take huge risks to accomplish her dreams. I've recently bought myself a copy of the book en español, and though I haven't had time to open it yet, I am so looking forward to rereading it, and reading it with my own kids when they are ready!”
“Two favorite books from childhood come to mind. I had a great fourth grade teacher who introduced them to me.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Detectives in Todas by Henry Winterfield”
“I've always liked The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It's a story you can appreciate at any age.”
The Legend of the Ladyslipper by Margi Preus, Lise Lunge-Larsen, Andrea Arroyo.
“It is a wonderful Native American folk tale which has a wonderful message about a little girl's caring, perseverance, and courage. It is beautifully illustrated and incorporates some of the native Ojibwe language into the telling of the story.”
“My six-year-old daughter's favorite series of books is currently The Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne. This series follows two children, who happen to be ‘Master Librarians,’ through time and distant lands, all through the magic of books. Lots of fun and kids learn about science and history as well. We love reading them as a family.”
Danny Meadow Mouse by Thornton Burgess.
“Simple lessons in life. Read to me by my Dad.”
White Fang by Jack London
“This book had a great story of animal-human bonding. I thought the idea of a guy befriending a wolf in a hostile environment was very appealing. What better companion in the cold northern reaches than a wolf? The story had action, friendship, and an ending that didn’t make you sad (although you thought it might).”
“My son, who is now 32, always seemed to be in trouble when he was little, and I hated the thought that he might feel different or ‘bad.’ So we often read Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. I always seemed to soothe his tears and to give him the sense that he had control over something as the little boy controlled the ‘wild things.’ I have since given copies of it to all of my grandchildren and they love the creatures.”
“I would have to say for the entire family, the books that we all fight over are those in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. We are at a point where we have to buy two copies of each new book when it comes out. All five of us are voracious readers with very different tastes in reading material, so it's nice that there is something that we can all read together and talk about. Everyone likes the mix of fantasy with the fight between good and evil. The characters are fascinating and well developed. The language is so rich that you can really imagine what's going on, and the different plot lines and connections between characters are always surprising. Of the six books in the series, the favorite seems to be number three, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.”
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.
“The boy, Milo's, journey through the tollbooth and into the "Lands Beyond" is akin to Alice's journey into Wonderland. Milo's adventures, though, all relate to learning: visits to the cities Dictionopolis (where at a feast all the guests literally eat their words) and Digitopolis (where all dine on an unsatisfying subtraction stew), navigating the Forest of Sight and the Valley of Sound, jumping to Conclusions (an island), and braving the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the banished princesses Rhyme and Reason. I first read this book when I was in 4th grade and can hardly wait to share it with my sons in a few years.”
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
“After 25 years, this is still my favorite book of all time. Sendak is best known for Where the Wild Things Are, but this book deserves some attention. The illustrations are whimsical, and the story is engaging. It's easy to get pulled into Mickey's dream world. A great book for the imagination.”
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff and Felicia Bond
“This book gives an amazingly accurate, light-hearted peek into what life is like when you struggle with attention.”
The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
“This book was read to me frequently by my father and provided encouragement to “never give up.” Whenever one of the family was encountering a challenge, you would frequently hear someone say, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” I believe it was first published in the 1930s, so perhaps it had been a childhood favorite of his, too (his mother was an educator). Carrying on the tradition, I continued to read the book to my own children in their early childhood.”
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Suess.
“As the shortest person (always) in my elementary class, I loved when Horton defended his vigilence protecting the Whos: ‘A person’s a person no matter how small!’”
Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary.
“Oh, sibling rivalry. And both were very interesting girls. One of my first reading experiences where I really got what it meant for an author to focus on good development of characters.”
Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus and Jose Aruego
“Two parents watch over their little lion cub who just doesn't seem to be developing like the others. Dad is over-anxious; mom, a bit more patient. It's all about coming into your own on your own timetable. Every time I read it to my special education class, or re-read it to my daughter, I tear up on the last page.”
Frank and Ernest by Alexandra Day
“They are now hard to find, but Frank and Ernest are two friends (animals) who assume different occupations and have to learn the unique colloquial speech that goes with the business. They run a diner, take over a minor league baseball team, and become long-distance truck drivers.”
“My daugher's favorite book is Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor. The character in the book is very fancy, but her family is not. So she gives them lessons on how to become fancy using accessories, etc. It describes my daughter to a tee. Everything she does has to be fancy.”
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
“This was one of the first books that I used to learn how to read. I particularly liked (and still like) the illustrations of the "purple crayon" throughout the book and my first "boy-crush" was on Harold!”
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
“A quintessential classic. A book that I learned to read from, I particularly liked (and still like) the book because of its nonsensical-ness and abstract ideas.”
Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson
“This (translated) Finnish story, over 40 years old, is filled with imaginative characters undertaking splendid adventures. The descriptions are lush, rich, and steeped in summer. A delight for 7, 8, and 9-year-olds (and adults).”
Any book by Roald Dahl.
“Who else but Roald Dahl could tell moral tales with such hilarious, exciting, and gross plots and characters? Young children will enjoy the silly parts as older children – and adults – will enjoy the irony. Two favorites are Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG.”
Other favorites:
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd
The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg
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