# Vote the best children's books of all time. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563 "2002-09-15T18:19:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/1 "2002-09-15T18:19:27Z")
The have been many threads about literature and favorite books. I don’t really recall seeing this done. I want to see the choised for the best childrens books. I mean picture books, not Judy Blume of Bevrely Cleary. **THE RULES:** Once a book has three nominations, it’s in. **THE CATAGORIES** Classic children’s books and newer, contemporary childrens books. My first nominees: For classic: Green Eggs and Ham- Dr. Suess Time of Wonder- Robert McCloscky Contemporary: Jubal’s Wish-Audrey Wood okay someone take this ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/2 "2002-09-15T18:37:33Z")
I think these are contemporary: The Lettuce Leaf Birthday Letter-by Linda Taylor and Bunnys Night Out-by Roni Schotter ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/3 "2002-09-15T18:50:20Z")
I’m not exactly sure where these fall, but I’ll try to seperate them into categories: Classic: Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm - Provensen The B Book - Stan and Jan Berenstein The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel - Burton Contemporary: Arrow to the Sun - Pueblo Indian Tale, illustrated by George McDermott Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day - Viorst The Wump World - Bill Peet Whose Mouse are you? - Kraus ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/4 "2002-09-15T18:58:55Z")
Classic Cat in the Hat — Suess (Second) Green Eggs and Ham — Suess Where the Wild Things Are – by Maurice Sendak Good Night Moon — Margaret Wise Brown Don’t have many ideas on contemp. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/5 "2002-09-15T19:46:54Z")
Classic: \*\*The Snowy Day Go Dog, Go! Where the Wild Things Are Yertle the Turtle The Giving Tree\*\* Contemporary: **No David!** ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/6 "2002-09-15T19:58:11Z")
Classic: books by Munro Leaf, especially the “Can be Fun” series, such as _Manners Can Be Fun_, _Geography Can Be Fun_, etc. Leaf also wrote _The Story of Ferdinand_. These are collectibles, having been writting in the '30’s and '40’s, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/7 "2002-09-15T20:01:46Z")
Contemporary **Where the Wild Things Are** **Really Rosie** **Chicken Soup With Rice** **The Z was Zapped** **The Rainbow Goblins** (dull story, but the pictures are _so_ damned gorgeous, I’ve just made up my own stories to go with the pictures. Classic: **Katie Many-Pockets** **Mike Mulligan and His Steam-Shovel** **Bread and Jam for Frances** **On Beyond Zebra** **Barthomew And the Ooblek** Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/8 "2002-09-15T20:48:25Z")
I guess I should have thought more about the difference between classic and contemporary. A classic is something read to you as a child, contemporary, more recent, perhaps something you read to yeour shildren ieces, nephews ect. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/9 "2002-09-15T21:27:40Z")
**Jumanji** **Where the Wild Things Are** ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/10 "2002-09-15T22:08:54Z")
Classic: **Goodnight Moon** the rhythm of the words, the warm, slightly mysterious illustrations, a perfect kid’s book **Little Blue and Little Yellow** written/illustrated by Leo Lionni he does so much with so little, and the kids love this story I will second **Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm** fascinating illustrations and a real feel for farm life and third **Where the Wild Things Are** I have this book memorized a new one the kids love: **The Cinder-eyed Cats** ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/11 "2002-09-16T02:19:12Z")
Good heavens! Ten posts in and no \*\* Charlotte’s Web? \*\* Who are you people? I’ll jump on \*\* Where The Wild Things Are. \*\* My personal favorite, which I have read at least 20 times, many of those long since becoming an adult, is \*\* The Little Princess. \*\* (Please don’t watch either of the movies made from it. While the second one is miles better than the Shirley Temple monstrosity, neither does anything like justice to the book. And if you have daughters, make sure you get this one for them.) ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/12 "2002-09-16T02:25:06Z")
_Very Hungry Caterpillar_ _There’s a Monster at the End of This Book_ and, a bit more mature but still children’s lit… _Where the Red Fern Grows_ ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/13 "2002-09-16T03:17:03Z")
**Where the Wild Things Are** has its nominations, so I’ll suggest: **Curious George** **The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins** **The Lorax** ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/14 "2002-09-16T05:18:02Z")
Oh it’s **The Giving Tree** all the way, baby! That’s the only picture book ever to make me feel any real emotion (yes, I cried… ;)) - Wind ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/15 "2002-09-16T06:23:41Z")
Sticking to picture books as per the OP I have these nominations. **Classic** (2nd) The Cat in the Hat - To limit myself to just one of his books. (1st) Pua Pua Lena Lena and the Magic Kiha-Pu (1st) Kahala - These two by Guy & Pam and Buffet, great stories taken from Hawaiian legends and incredibly illustrated by the pair. (1st) Pat the Bunny (1st) Tikki Tikki Tembo ---
**Author:** ![Anahita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9a28c/32.png) [@Anahita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anahita)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/16 "2002-09-16T07:45:08Z")
The Hundred Dresses, timeless classic. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2002, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/17 "2002-09-20T05:50:22Z")
Caroline & Her Friends – Ripping adventure yarns with a little girl and her eight animal friends. Hard to find since not often translated from French. Yertle The Turtle – Teach your kids how to stage a workers’ revolution! Tinker & Tanker – Little known Richard Scarry series about a pair of fix-it-up guys. Kind of like McGiver for toddlers. ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2002, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/18 "2002-09-20T06:35:21Z")
What’s with the “picture book” limitation? I can’t see any reason to discriminate. Heck, if I ever have a kid, I probably would disallow picture books, they stifle imagination and thought. Roald Dahl, Beverly Clearly, CS Lewis, those were the authors of _my_ youth. I didn’t think picture books were really given much regard, and I’m amazed to see so many titles listed here. Do kids today read these books rather than written works? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2002, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/19 "2002-09-20T07:14:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RexDart \* > \*\*What’s with the “picture book” limitation? I can’t see any reason to discriminate. Heck, if I ever have a kid, I probably would disallow picture books, they stifle imagination and thought. Roald Dahl, Beverly Clearly, CS Lewis, those were the authors of _my_ youth. I didn’t think picture books were really given much regard, and I’m amazed to see so many titles listed here. Do kids today read these books rather than written works? \*\* Ever tried reading the Chronicles of Narnia to a two-year-old … ? Picture books are primarily for reading aloud to kids too little to follow an involved plot. And for kids just learning to read so they need a book with very few words so they don’t get bogged down and discouraged. And for parents who want a story they can read from start to finish in ten to fifteen minutes as part of a bedtime ritual. You know, my wife and I used to have lots of “if I ever have a kid” theories. They pretty much all fell by the wayside once we actually had a baby. Television’s not that bad for you … neither is Captain Crunch. Happy meal toys are a pretty good deal. We buy toy guns for our son and let our daughter dress up as a pretty princess. We own a zillion picture books and read them to the kids all the time cause they’re fun. We figure being crotchety about what the kids consume is more likely to screw them up than a few episodes of Scooby Doo or a few volumes of Dr. Seuss. ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2002, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563/20 "2002-09-20T07:45:37Z")
Heh heh, perhaps you’re right **pochacco**. I still think Teletubbies rot the brain, though. Anyways, your practical experience trumps my speculation, so prepare to resume learning in 5, 4, 3, 2… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-the-best-childrens-books-of-all-time/128563.md?page=2)