Don't know what that is? Well, according to
Merriam-Webster, a
bibliophile is simply a "lover of books." Ask anyone to tell you one thing that I have lots of, and most will tell you books. I can't ever remember not knowing how to read. And even as I was reading on my own, my parents were still reading to me and my siblings. My mom would read her magazines and romance novels; my dad would read Tarzan and Louis Lamour books. A love of the written word has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
I was looking through my overstuffed Google Reader and came across a post from
Faith, Family, and Fun. It was all about the
Top 100 Children's Novels. She got her list from
SchoolLibraryJournal.com, which conducted a poll and then compiled a list of the 100 most listed books.
When I was going to college, one of my required courses was Children's Literature. I loved it! I still read books that would be considered children's literature. I read those that have been around for nearly 100 years and things written within the last 10 or 20. I love books! I chose a different website for my list of 100 books. I went to
librarybooklists.org, a site I became familiar with when I was taking that college course. There are so many different kinds of lists here that I couldn't choose just one. So, I took a few books off of each of the various lists.
So like quinnschilling at
Faith, Family, and Fun, I have listed my Top 100 Children's Books and Novels. I have read all of these! I can't believe it. In fact, some of these have been read more than once, some many times. I recommend each and every one of these books. Some are for younger children and some are for older children. All are for grown-ups. They are perfect to read on one's own or as a family read aloud.
If the author has a website or blog, I have also listed that. Many of these author sites have more than just information on the author and the books their books. Many have interactive pages for kids (or kids at heart) and pages that provide lesson ideas for using the book as a teaching tool.
My Top 100 Children's Books and Novels
Little Men ~ Louisa May Alcott
A Secret Garden ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett
Black Beauty ~ Anna Sewell
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ~ Mark Twain
Charlotte's Web ~ E. B. White
Little House on the Prairie ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
On the Banks of Plum Creek ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
Farmer Boy ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
By the Shores of Silver Lake ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little Town on the Prairie ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Long Winter ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
The First Four Years ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
These Happy Golden Years ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
Tuck Everlasting ~ Natalie Babbitt
Caddie Woodlawn ~ Carol Ryrie Brink
Beezus and Ramona ~ Beverly Cleary
Henry Huggins ~ Beverly Cleary
Harriet the Spy ~ Louise Fitzhugh
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler ~ E. L. Konigsburg
Ben and Me ~ Robert Lawson
The Giver ~ Lois Lowry
Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride ~ Pam Munoz Ryan
Sarah, Plain and Tall ~ Patricia MacLachlan
Make Way for Ducklings ~ Robert McCloskey
One Morning in Maine ~ Robert McCloskey
Blueberries for Sal ~ Robert McCloskey
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry ~ Mildred Taylor
The Boxcar Children ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
Cheaper by the Dozen ~ Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr.
The Velveteen Rabbit or, How Toys Become Real ~ Margery Williams
The Westing Game ~ Ellen Raskin
How to Eat Fried Worms ~ Thomas Rockwell
Miss Rumphius ~ Barbara Cooney
Island Boy ~ Barbara Cooney
Eleanor ~ Barbara Cooney
Hattie and the Wild Waves ~ Barbara Cooney
Ox-Cart Man ~ Donald Hall
Madeline ~ Ludwig Bemelmans
Storm Run:The Story of the First Woman to Win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race ~ Libby Riddles
The Stinky Cheese Man ~ Jon Scieszka
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! ~ Jon Scieszka
Crispin: The Cross of Lead ~
Avi
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick ~ Chris Van Allsburg
Stellaluna ~ Janell Cannon
Verdi ~ Janell Cannon
Crickwing ~ Janell Cannon
The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure ~ Hans Magnus Enzensberger
The Hat ~ Jan Brett
Chicken Sunday ~ Patricia Polacco
Encyclopedia Brown ~ Donald J. Sobol
How the Grinch Stole Christmas ~ Dr. Seuss
Each Little Bird That Sings ~ Deborah Wiles
Yonder ~ Tony Johnston and Lloyd Bloom
Olivia - Ian Falconer
I Have a Dream ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., introduction byCoretta Scott King
The Wall – by Eve Bunting
When I Was Young in the Mountains ~ Cynthia Rylant and Diane Goode
Miss Nelson Is Missing! ~ Harry G. Allard, Jr.
Amelia Bedelia ~Peggy Parish
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? ~ Jane Yolen
Out of the Dust ~ Karen Hesse
Where the Wild Things Are ~ Maurice Sendak
Grandfather's Journey ~ Allen Say
The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot ~ Alice and Martin Provensen
Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman ~ Nikki Grimes
Are you a bibliophile?
What is your all-time favorite children's book?
