The Top 100 Children’s Novels Poll: Everything Else (Part Two)

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle (#3)(#5)(#7) – 18 points

Many Waters by Madeleine L’Engle (#3) – 8 points

Meet the Austins by Madeleine L’Engle  (#2) – 9 points

Growing up an only child, I wanted to move in with this family. – Stephanie Howell , Lower School Librarian , Carolina Day School , Asheville, NC

 

A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle (#5) – 6 points

Catwings by Ursula LeGuin (#8) – 3 points

This is one of the first books I bought with my own money. I read it until the binding fell apart and then bought myself a new copy. Magic feels possible when it is dealt with in a subtle manner. Being something of a cat lover, the idea of cats with wings just about sent me over the moon. The language is evocative and gentle, the story is compelling, and the message is clear: always be on the look out for someone with soft hands.  – Vikki VanSickle – http://vikkivansickle.wordpress.com

4. Strawberry Girl (Lois Lenski)

To Be A Slave by Julius Lester (#6) – 5 points

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (#6) – 5 points

Run for Your Life by Marilyn Levy (#8) – 3 points

 

Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (#5)(#5)(#5)(#6)(#7)(#9)(#10)(#10) – 31 points

This was always my favorite of the Narnian Chronicles.    This is a classic children’s quest fantasy novel, mostly episodic in nature.  It seems to have a lot more humor than some of the other novels in the series and manages to balance nicely the importance of ethics/moral considerations with adventure.  I don’t think it is a preachy as some of the others in the series.  I loved pompous but endearing Reepicheep.  I did not see the movie based on this book because I was so afraid the makers would destroy my idea of him and make him too much a figure of fun.  Christine Sealock Kelly

Narnia is so great… more than one book deserves to be on the list – Aaron Zenz

my favorite of the Narnia books. A tale of great wonder and a thing of beauty. – – Carl Schwanke, Imaginon/Spangler Children’s Library, Charlotte, NC

Maybe not the most well known Narnia book, but my favorite. I love valiant little Reepicheep and the pond that turns everything to gold. And when Eustace, in all his bratty glory, becomes a dragon! – Emily Calkins Charyk

 

4. The Silver Chair  C.S. Lewis

 

The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis (#5) – 6 points

 

The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis (#1)(#2)(#5)(#5)(#6)(#9)(#10) – 38 points

My all-time favorite Chapter One. – Michele Gawenka 

 

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (#9) – 2 points

Striped Ice Cream by Joan Lexau (#10) – 1 point

I know this book has been forgotten, but I reread it every now and then.  It’s a loving portrayal of a poverty-stricken family, written with realism, sensitivity, and humor.  – Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton

Three Lives to Live by Anne Lindbergh (#9) – 2 points

BILL BERGSON, MASTER DETECTIVE by Astrid Lindgren (#8) – 3 points

Bill Bergson and the White Rose Rescue by Astrid Lindgren (#4) – 7 points

Astrid Lindgren took a variety of classic genres in children’s literature and added her own subversive flavor while maintaining the appeal and structure of the story. Bill Bergson works within the frame of the juvenile detective story with humor, adventure, and realism.  Jennifer Wharton, Youth Services Librarian, Matheson Memorial Library

Pippi in the South Seas by Astrid Lindgren (#4) – 7 points

 

The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay (#4)(#10) – 8 points

This is a new favorite for me, discovered only a few years ago. Presumably most Australian children know this delightful food-focused classic. Jennifer Wharton, Youth Services Librarian, Matheson Memorial Library

I may be alone here, but that book rocks. – Matthew Wigdahl

4) Jean Little, From Anna. Also wonderful. – Lisa Gordis, Barnard College

 

Look Through My Window by Jean Little (#2) – 9 points

This is the first of Jean Little’s books I read and will always be my most beloved. Her story of friendship, poetry, and family shines with warmth, exuberant humor, and beauty. Jennifer Wharton, Youth Services Librarian, Matheson Memorial Library

Mine for Keeps by Jean Little (#1) – 10 points

This one is easily my favorite–I loved it as a fourth-grader, when an adult friend taking a children’s lit class at UCLA gave me the class texts at the end of the term. It holds up surprisingly well, and I’ve never shared it with anyone (child or adult) who has not loved it. – Lisa Gordis, Barnard College

The Story of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting (#2)(#6) – 15 points

The only book that ever completely transported me; I decided to stop reading and run after the characters. (3rd grade) – Michele Gawenka 

One of children’s literatures greatest heroes and an endearing animal cast, coupled with simple yet greatly effective plotting and storytelling make this adventurous classic one of the most engging and enjoyable ever. – Billy

 

 

The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting (#3) – 8 points

 

Call of the Wild by Jack London (#1)(#1)(#7) – 24 points

For brilliant use of words. I’ll think of a replacement I wish I would have put here later and regret it, but it’s a super story. – Matthew Wigdahl

 

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look (#9)(#9) – 4 points

   There was not a single thing I didn’t like about this book. Not one. It has humor, it has heart (there is a truly wonderful scene between Alvin and his dad at an ice cream parlor that reveals Dad’s patience and insight), and it has a hero or two. Make that three.

   Memorable Line: "…boys have more respect for one another after a good pounding….And girls are weird even if they wear a cool eye patch, drag a cool peg leg and know how to throw a mean uppercut." ~ Alvin – Kristi Hazelrigg, Media Specialist, Parkview Elementary

Ruby Lu, Brave and True by Lenore Look (#8) – 3 points

Rules by Cynthia Lord (#5)(#6)(#6)(#7)(#7)(#8) – 27 points

Extraordinary, gentle, humorous. This one will last. – Maria Padian (www.mariapadian.com)

With so many kids with special needs today, I predict this story of friendship and accepting differences will stand the test of time. – Brenda Ferber

You actually recommended this book for me to use in a 5th grade book club.  It did not disappoint!  It may be the best book I’ve ever done with a group of kids that age.   We had so much to talk about and think about.  My second son is in 4th grade, and I’m looking forward to doing it again with his class next year.   – Kim Hall (aka klonghall)

Betsy, Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace (#1)(#1)(#6) – 25 points

Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown, by Maud Hart Lovelace (#1)(#1)(#10) – 21 points

No list is complete without a Betsy Tacy book.  Enough said. – Cathy Berner, Children’s/Young Adult Specialist and Events Coordinator, Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Texas, www.bluewillowbookshop.com

Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill by Maud Hart Lovelace (#4)(#6) – 12 points — Discovered as a child, rediscovered as a teen and still loved as an adult, all the Betsy-Tacy books are worth reading, but this was my favorite.  My sister and I played a lot of Betsy-Tacy when we were growing up. Maggi Idzikowski,Media Specialist, Allen Elementary School, Ann Arbor MI

The ten Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace are some of my favorite books in the world. I’ve read them over and over, and am so enjoying introducing them to my young daughter. It’s tough to choose just one for this list, but since the tone and style of the books ages along with Betsy Ray, their protagonist, that narrows down the choice. The first couple of books in the series work best for younger readers, and the high school and beyond books, though they can certainly be read by mid-grade readers, meant most to me when I was a bit older. That leaves just a couple to choose from, and I choose Big Hill because it’s one of the best “stand-alone” stories in the series. – Beth Priest (Endless Books) www.bookwormjournal.blogspot.com

 

4- Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace

 

Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace (#2) – 9 points

Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry (#2)(#3)(#3)(#6)(#8)(#10)(#10) – 35 points

I can not tell you how often I wished Anastasia was my real-life friend, that my mom illustrated books, or that my best friend had a pair of jeans that were so filthy they stood on their own in the closet. – Jenn Bertman (http://writerjenn.blogspot.com)

This was the book that introduced me to Anastasia, a smart girl who was quirky and not like every other girl out there. While Lowry’s other books are great, this was a book that I loved re-reading (and then made my own notebook a la Anastasia!) – Erin Hibshman, Librarian, Rheems and Fairview Elementary, Elizabethtown Area School District

I loved Anastasia because she was a normal girl with normal problems (glasses, acne, cool-but-embarrassing parents, annoying little brothers, etc). She was also smart and funny, and I envied her hiking boots with red laces (and later her tower bedroom). – Jennifer Sauls

All About Sam by Lois Lowry (#6) – 5 points

7. Gossamer by Lois Lowry

 

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry (#2)(#6)(#7)(#10) – 19 points

I’m calling this my Middle of the Alphabet Newbery Authors Choice. Lowry, Naylor, Paterson.  The triumvirate of children’s literature.  But what to pick?  I like the Willoughbys.  I like how she takes all the elements of old children’s books and runs with it.  – Sharon, The Head Chick in Charge, Books.ReadingChick.com

Had me laughing out loud & I loved the way it parodied the "classics" – Marci Dressler, Ossining Public Library, Ossining, NY

You have to love a book that by page 2 says, "The Willoughby parents frequently forgot that they had children and became quite irritable when they were reminded of it." While the Willoughby children plot to make themselves orphans, Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby are doing some plotting of their own, and it isn’t good. – Dr. Patricia M. Stohr-Hunt, Chair, Education Department, University of Richmond

 

Hidden Talents by David Lubar (#8) – 3 points

The Root Cellar by Janet Lunn and N.R. Jackson (#7) – 4 points

Heat by Mike Lupica (#5)(#6) – 11points

Tea With the Black Dragon, R. A. MacAvoy (#10) – 1 point

 

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

(#1)(#3)(#6)(#7)(#9)(#10)(#10)(#10) – 32 points

Betty MacDonald’s Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books, all of them.  (I remember the first two BEFORE the Hilary Knight illustrations).  I actually was asked to leave the school library once in 4th grade because I was laughing so hard.  (As I was usually an almost disgustingly well-behaved kid, this was unusual…)  I reread them a few years ago and still giggle.  The best ones are the ones that rely on natural processes for the "cure", such as the Fighter-Quarrelers Cure and the Selfishness Cure, not the ones with magic powders and stuff.  They get the ideas across without laying on the morality with a trowel. – Freda Bluestone Birnbaum

 

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Magic by Betty MacDonald (#6)(#6)(#10) – 11 points

This is another choice that is straight from my childhood, along with happy memories of family read-alouds.  Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s was a world everyone in the family could relate to – the kids knew all those "diseases" and the parents knew all the frustrations of dealing with them.  We laughed loudly over the ‘thought-you-saiders,’ ‘the bad table manners cure,’ and the ‘never-want-to-go-to-schoolers.’  Ok, it was the 1950s, so all the cultural references worked for us at the time … but just last year, I pulled Mrs. P-W off the shelf and read chapters aloud to a book club of 4-6th graders and they begged for more.  Some things are eternal.  Rock on, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle!

            (Aside to Betsy – I’m eternally grateful for your link to the blog that spoofed Mrs. P-W recently – what a howl!) – Connie Rockman, Children’s Literature Consultant, Program Coordinator, Rabbit Hill Festival of Literature, Stratford, CT

 

7. nancy and plum by Betty MacDonald

 

At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald (#3) – 8 points

Children don’t read it much any more–it’s too Victorian, too pious, too mysterious.  But the poetic images from this book haunted me as a child–I read and reread it.  It’s really about death, but I didn’t know that when I was reading it.  I just knew that there was something very compelling about the story.- Laura Amy Schlitz

 

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald (#3)(#8) – 11 points

My first crush with a physical attraction; for Curdie, the miner’s son – Michele Gawenka 

 

Baby by Patricia MacLachlan (#10) – 1 point

Journey by Patricia MacLachlan (#8) – 3 points

More Perfect Than the Moon by Patricia MacLachlan (#8) – 3 points

Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey (#2)(#10) – 10 points

perfect for kids when they reach that "loving dragons" phase, so unique and interesting – Sarah Haliwell

 

Homer Price by Robert McCloskey (#4)(#5)(#7)(#9) – 21 points

Humor, character, language, setting. – Sarah Sullivan

a perfect, humorous look at America of yesterday.  The missing diamond in a donut is a classic! Tina @ www.booksaremything.blogspot.com

Judy Moody by Megan McDonald (#5) – 6 points

Julia Gillian (and the Art of Knowing) by Alison McGhee (#8) – 3 points

The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw (#8) – 3 points

 

Saffy’s Angel, Hilary McKay (#5)(#10)(#10) – 8 points

Very seldom, I think, does a literary family come along that is just so happy-making (to use a Scott Westerfieldism) that you can’t live without them. The Cassons, in my humble opinion, are such a family. No, Saffy’s Angel isn’t the best book of the lot (which one is? Indigo’s Star? Permanent Rose?), but it’s the first, and it’s a grand introduction to the wonderfulness that is Hilary McKay. – Melissa Fox, Book Nut (http://melissasbookreviews.blogspot.com)

The characters are irresistible.  Dialogue is snappy, intelligent and filled with wit. – Sarah Sullivan

 

6. The Exiles / Hilary McKay

 

Permanent Rose by Hilary McKay (#6)(#10) – 6 points

 

Under the Hawthorne Tree by Marita Conlon McKenna (#8) – 3 points

The Blue Sword, Robin McKinley (#4) – 7 points

Oh, it was hard to choose between this and Beauty, but my tween self would insist on this book making my list. – Jess (jessmonster.wordpress.com)

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (#3)(#4)(#5) – 21 points

Is it children’s lit. or YA?  Folks, it’s a Newbery winner.  A Newbery winner in which the heroine kills a dragon by driving her sword into its eye until she’s up to her armpit in brains.  ‘Nuff said.- Brooke Shirts http://casacamisas.wordpress.com

 

The New Kid at School (Dragon Slayers’ Academy, No. 1) by Kate McMullan (#9) – 2 points

Revenge of the Dragon Lady (Dragon Slayers’ Academy 2) by Kate McMullan (#8)(#9) – 3 points

Class Trip to the Cave of Doom #3 (Dragon Slayers’ Academy 3) by Kate McMullan (#7) – 4 points

A Wedding for Wiglaf? #4 (Dragon Slayers’ Academy 4) by Kate McMullan (#6) – 5 points

Good Night, Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian (#2)(#7)(#8) – 16 points

England, WWII, abused child, crusty old man with a heart of gold – what more could you want? – Kathy Jarombek, Head of Youth Services, Perrot Memorial Library, Old Greenwich, CT 

 

Maddigan’s Fantasia by Margaret Mahy (#5) – 6 points

8. Knights of the Round Table by Thomas Malory

#8 Babysitter’s Club Super Special #2– Babysitters’ Summer Vacation  by Ann M. Martin

Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin (#4) – 7 points

The Doll People by Ann M. Martin (#7) – 4 points

Kristy’s Great Idea by Ann M. Martin (#6) – 5 points

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass (#6)(#7) – 9 points

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass (#4)(#8) – 10 points

A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass (#6) – 5 points

Ruby the Red Fairy by Daisy Meadows (#3) – 8 points

Gods of Manhattan by Scott Mebus (#6) – 5 points

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill  (#10)(#10) – 2 points

Can you tell I like funny books?  But gentle ones with a message.  Five of my top ten are humorous. – Nicole Roohi, Goldenview Middle School Librarian, Anchorage, AK

 

The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill (#9) – 2 points

I was intrigued with the thought of making REAL money as a kid. – Martha Sherod, LAPL

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen (#2) – 9 points

Puppy Place: Buddy  by Ellen Miles (#5) – 6 points

Snowball by Ellen Miles (#4) – 7 points

How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills (#10) – 1 point

The House on Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne (#1) – 10 points

Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery  (#3)(#3) – 16 points

Ah, Emily. Although I loved the Anne books with all my heart, I loved black-haired Emily and even hoped that she might, in fact, be Asian. – Alvina Ling

10. Secret Letters from 0 to 10 by Susie Morgenstern — Imagine Amelie as a children’s book. It may seem impossible, but this book is even BETTER than what you’re imagining. – Karen Wang (Kidsmomo.com)

The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo, Michael (#7) – 4 points

It’s hard for me to pick a single Morpurgo title because all of his books are exquisitely told.It is quite a feat to handle potentially harsh subject matter and present it to a newly emerging reader. No one does this better than Morpurgo. When kids come into the store and beg me for "a good story," I always reach for Morpurgp.Something about the combination of lions, long lost love, and WWII really hits home for me. What a perfect opening– boy runs away from cold English Boarding house and stumbles into a ghost story.  – Vikki VanSickle – http://vikkivansickle.wordpress.com

The Mozart Question by Michael Morpurgo (#2) – 9 points

Running Wild. Michael Morpogo (#7) – 4 points

2. The Quest of the Fair Unknown, Gerald Morris

Squire’s Tale by Gerald Morris (#8) – 3 points

Owls in the Family by Farley Mowatt (#3) – 8 points

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

(#2)(#3)(#4)(#6)(#8) – 32 points

This is the kind of book that you never want to put down.  The great writing allows me to disappear into the story until the end when I re-emerge with a sigh.  The kind of book I can stay up all night reading! – Heidi Grange, School Library Media Teacher, Summit Elementary, Smithfield, UT

 

7. Silver Woven in My Hair, by Shirley Rousseau Murphy

The sweetest Cinderella story. Ever. I remember how delicious it felt to be reading about Thursey reading Cinderella stories, and knowing that SHE was in the middle of a Cinderella story too but that she didn’t know it yet…When I read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon this year, I felt the same way, and wished I could have given Mountain to my 9 year old self. She would have swooned. – Melissa Depper, Youth Services Librarian, Arapahoe Library District CO

Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers (#3) – 8 points

The Agony of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (#10) – 1 point

 

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (#4)(#5)(#5)(#7)(#8)(#10)(#10) – 28 points

A contemporary OLD YELLER for dog/animal lovers with a warm-hearted protaganist in Marty. Good parental character as well. –  Donna Carey, Chattanooga, TN

One of my Newbery favorites.  It can be rough reading (emotionally) at times, but I think it’s remarkable.  The sequels are fine, but this one is the best.  – Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton

 

6. The Girl Who Owned A City by O.T. Nelson

 

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit (1902)

(#1)(#2)(#2)(#6)(#10) – 34 points

A fantasy classic by one of the first authors to place the magic in the everyday world.- Greg Holch

I want to say The Enchanted Castle, but I think this will get more votes.  I love this old, but still delightful book.  After all these years it is funny, with believable sibling relationships.  This and Alice in Wonderland are the real ancestors of my favorite genre the funny fantasy novel. – Clarissa Cooke

The Phoenix and the Carpet by E. Nesbit (#10) – 1 point Again, I prefer The Railway Children, but I saw the movie first and have never really sorted them out in my mind and I doubt that any children like it at all, and the phoenix is a pleasure, and Nesbitt should be included.  So. – Susan Ramsey

The Railway Children by E. Nesbit (#7) – 4 points

 

The Story of the Amulet by E Nesbit (#3) – 8 points

my daughter loved the whole series but this was her favourite from it – she says it is beautifully written and exciting. – Sarah Haliwell

Griffin’s Castle by Jenny Nimmo (#6) – 5 points

8.    In the Face of Danger by Joan Lowery Nixon

Rascal by Sterling North (#8) – 3 points

Greetings from Nowhere by Barbara O’Connor (#5) – 6 points

 

The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O’Connor. (#10) – 1 point

It’s physically small, accessible while being quite complex. Perfectly beautiful writing. Funny and subversive as well. Memorable characters. – Brenda Kahn, School Library Media Specialist, Tenakill Middle School, Closter, NJ

My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara (#6) – 5 points

Of course I wanted a horse. – Tina Engelfried

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel (#2)(#4) – 16 points

Great action with pirates, first love, and strange creatures – K. Zottl, Gr.3/4, Cathcart Blvd. Public School, Sarnia, ON

A visionary fantasy novel that reads like historical fiction with page-turning adventure — brilliant. – Beth Maddigan, Provincial Children’s Librarian, Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries, St. John’s, NL

Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel (#1)(#4) – 17 points

My all-time favourite annual read-aloud about a diminutive bat with a big spirit – K. Zottl, Gr.3/4, Cathcart Blvd. Public School, Sarnia, ON

Time at the Top by Edward Ormondroyd (#8) – 3 points

 

Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O’Shea (#1)(#5) – 16 points

When I am a celebrity and have my own ALA READ poster, I will hold
Hounds of the Morrigan, a rollicking humorous adventure that takes
place in modern day and faraway Ireland, and manages to incorporate a
host of Irish legends into one narrative. The READ posters are a great
vehicle for showcasing a favorite book that needs more recognition
(the visual equivalent of a book talk), which is why I get cranky when
celebrities display books by Jane Austen, Dr. Seuss or J. R. Rowling. – Farida Dowler

Magic Tree House and the Dragon King by Mary Pope Osborne (#6) – 5 points

Magic Tree House: Dragon of the Red Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne (#3) – 8 points

Magic Tree House Ghost Town at Sundown by Mary Pope Osborne (#2) – 9 points

Magic Tree House Dark Day at Deep Sea by Mary Pope Osborne (#3) – 8 points

Magic Tree House: Afternoon in the Amazon By Mary Pope Osborn (#10) – 1 point

Magic Tree House:Ghost Town at Sundown by Mary Pope Osborne (#6) -5 points

Magic Tree House:Polar Bears Past Bedtime by Mary Pope Osborne (#7) – 4 points

Eragon by Christopher Paolini (#1)(#6)(#8) – 18 points
Eldest by Christopher Paolini (#7)(#9) – 6 points

10.  Brisinger by Christopher Paolini

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park (#6)(#9) – 7 points

Yes, I’ll say it. I love Junie B. Jones with the funny writing, the made-up words, the feeling of childhood in every blessed page.- Pam W. Coughlan (www.motherreader.com)

Junie B., First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha! by Barbara Park (#6) – 5 points

Junie B., First Grader: BOO… and I MEAN IT! by Barbara Park (#8) – 3 points

Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park (#2)(#3)(#4)(#9) – 26 points

This is THE BEST book about what it feels like to lose someone you love that I’ve ever read. The narrator’s feelings are right on target. A brief but tremendously well-written novel. Kristi Hazelrigg, Media Specialist, Parkview Elementary

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (#5)(#5)(#8) – 15 points

Proof that any topic can be made interesting in the hands of a master storyteller – Brenda Ferber

 

When My Name was Keoko by Linda Sue Park (#7) – 4 points

Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry (#8) – 3 points

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson (#5)(#7)(#9) – 12 points

Such strong characters are here–those you love, those you hate, those you pity, and those you just want to smack a good one straight across the back o’ the head (i.e., Call). Wheeze is so incredibly real, so honest, and, amazingly enough, so is Caroline. Even when you hate her you don’t hate her. – Kristi Hazelrigg, Media Specialist, Parkview Elementary

The mark of a classic is a book that can span the ages, and that you can get something different out of, each time you read it. I’ve read this one twice in my life: once as a child, where (as the oldest) I identified strongly with Louise’s insecurities and desire for attention. And once as an adult, where I cringed at the parents treatment of Louise and hoped I could be a better parent. I could probably read it again later and get something else from it. And I probably will, too. – Melissa Fox, Book Nut (http://melissasbookreviews.blogspot.com)

 

The Master Puppeteer by Katherine Paterson (#5) – 6 points

Of Nightingales that Weep by Katherine Paterson (#10) – 1 point

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (#3)(#6)(#8) – 16 points

Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen (#2) – 9 points

Brian’s Return  by Gary Paulsen (#3) – 8 points

Harris & Me by Gary Paulsen (#8)(#10) – 4 points

There are so many favorite Paulsen’s, but we went with this one because it kills us every time and Harris is such a great character. – Jim Randolph

 

No More Dead Dogs by Gary Paulsen (#4) – 7 points

hilarious and so accurate. – Sian Marshall

 

Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

(#2)(#4)(#4)(#5)(#6)(#8)(#9) – 39 points

Again, like The Secret Garden, full of the type of “secret” adventure that will capture generations. – Janice E. Bojda, Head of Children’s Services, Evanston Public Library

Summer, time travel and magic infuse this classic children’s fantasy.  I loved this book as a child, and the story stayed with me for decades.  Even more delightful, this is one of the books where the magic translated to a new generation- my daughter loved it as much as I did.  This is a bit haunting- not quite as light hearted as some of my other picks- that depth? melancholy? mystery? may be why it landed so high on my list.  Christine Sealock Kelly

just thinking about Tom running into Hattie’s arms at the end of the book gives me goosebumps – best time-slip fantasy ever! – Kathy Jarombek, Head of Youth Services, Perrot Memorial Library, Old Greenwich, CT 

wonderfully unlovable characters who grow on you with every page. – Sallie Wolf

What’s a curious boy to do when the clock in the hall strikes thirteen? Why investigate, of course! Tom goes to the first floor and opens the back door, only to find himself faced with a garden, and not the alleyway that exists there by day. In this new world Tom meets a girl names Hattie, but what’s he to do when faces leaving the home that houses the entry to this other world? – Dr. Patricia M. Stohr-Hunt, Chair, Education Department, University of Richmond

Fair Weather – Richard Peck (#3) – 8 points

Ghosts I Have Been by Richard Peck (#6) – 5 points

It’s a personal thing. I have had such a huge girl-crush on Blossom Culp since I was 13. Coolest heroine that not enough people know about EVER.  – A.M. Weir, rockinlibrarian

The River Between Us by Richard Peck (#3) – 8 points

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (#2)(#3)(#6)(#7)(#7) – 30 points

Soup by Robert Newton Peck (#5) – 6 points

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker (#3)(#4)(#5)(#6)(#7)(#9)(#9)(#10) – 35 points

The Ramona Quimby of this generation. I LOVE Frazee’s illustrations, and the story of a girl who "does" pay attention, just not to the things her teacher thinks she should is great. I read the first chapter to all my third grade classes and these books are also frequent fliers off my shelves! – Erin Hibshman, Librarian, Rheems and Fairview Elementary, Elizabethtown Area School District

One of the things I love about my job as a school librarian is that no day is ever boring.  The story reminds me so much of some of the kids I teach.  Their intentions are good but the results can be disastrous.   Another feel, good, laugh out loud book, we can never have too many of those. – Heidi Grange, School Library Media Teacher, Summit Elementary, Smithfield, UT

Rambunctious and precocious, Clementine is also incredibly generous. What I love best about this series is that though she gets into scrapes, a) they come from a place of good intentions, and b) her parents understand her – they love her and care about her and so when she gets into trouble, they are there to help her figure it out. – Rebecca Fabian, Children’s Department Manager, Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA

Please Lord, grant me the grace and understanding of Clementine’s parents. – Stephanie Howell , Lower School Librarian , Carolina Day School , Asheville, NC

 

Stuart’s Cape by Sara Pennypacker (#7) – 4 points

The Littles by John Peterson (#9) – 2 points

Life as We Knew It by Wendy Beth Pfeffer (#5)(#6) – 11 points

The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey (#3)(#7) – 12 points

Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People by Dav Pilkey (#9) – 2 points

Captain Underpants and the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 1 of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets by Dav Pilkey (#7) – 4 points

Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopy Pants by Dav Pilkey (#3) – 8 points

Captain Underpants:The Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman by Dav Pilney (#10) – 1 point

Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets by Dav Pilkey (#10) – 1 point

Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. the Uranium Unicorns by Dav Pilkey (#1) – 10 points

The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater (#5) – 6 points

Lizard Music by Daniel Pinkwater (#1) – 10 points

9. Buffalo Brenda by Jill Pinkwater — Worst title of all time, but one of the snappiest and funniest — and completely unsung –children’s books I’ve ever read. – Karen Wang (Kidsmomo.com)

Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford (#9) – 2 points

8. The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope.  It’s the Tam Lin legend imagined as a gothic suspense tale set in Elizabethan England, complete with a secret underground cult, a Fairy Queen, and toxic super-freakouts.  Oh, and Christopher Heron, one of the most swoon-worthy fictional lads this side of Shakespeare.- Brooke Shirts http://casacamisas.wordpress.com

Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope (#1)(#7)(#8)(#9) – 19 points

Revolutionary War adventures, a modern-day orphaned young woman who learns family history through the family ghosts, and a darned good code! As far as I know, EMP only wrote one other book, The Perilous Gard, and it was equally wonderful.  I bet I read The Sherwood Ring at least 8 times in middle school, it was that good! – Lori Erokan

Peacable Sherwood has to be one of my all-time favorite heroes. – Sally Engelfried

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter (#8) – 3 points

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter (#1)(#9) – 12 points

Little known outside of the Mid-West, Gene Stratton Porter was a great writer of strong-willed, intelligent (often female) characters, and a tremendous naturalist. I learned more about being outdoors, and about trials and tribulations of human nature, from her books than anywhere else. – Rebecca Fabian, Children’s Department Manager, Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA

Pish Posh by Ellen Potter (#8) -3 points

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (#3)(#8)(#8)(#9)(#9)(#9) – 20 points

I love the way the lessons about love and responsibility are leavened with puns and humor. – Lisa Gordis, Barnard College

Because who doesn’t love little blue men? –Libby Gruner

[My daughter] loved the whole series but this is what first captured her heart; we still use some of its invented words in our own everyday speech. – Sarah Haliwell

 

The Adventures of the Blackhand Gang by Hans Jurgen Press (#10) – 1 point

The Magic Thief By Sarah Prineas (#1)(#4)(#4)(#5)(#5)(#6)(#7)(#7)(#8)(#9)(#9)(#10) – 57 points

 

Magic Thief: Lost by Sarah Prineas (#1)(#2)(#6) – 24 points

Peter Duck by Arthur Ransome (#4) – 7 points

The Picts and the Martyrs: Or Not Welcome At All by Arthur Ransome (#7) – 4 points

Swallowdale by Arthur Ransome (#3) – 8 points

The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) by Ellen Raskin (#1)(#7) – 14 points

The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (#2)(#7) – 13 points

another great story with vivid setting and characters. An epic story and the best coming-of-age book I know. – Carl Schwanke, Imaginon/Spangler Children’s Library, Charlotte, NC

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls (#6) – 5 points

Larklight: A Rousing Tale of Dauntless Pluck in the Farthest Reaches of Space Philip Reeve (#8)(#8) – 6 points

I love the steampunk, I love the silliness of the hover hogs, and the swashbuckling and all the rest, dearly. A rousing tale it was. I’d forgotten how much pluck Myrtle gets to show, hurling herself at the Queen. Well done! – Kaethe Douglas

 

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex (#1)(#8)(#10)(#10) – 15 points

Funny, sardonic, ironic, parodical and great social commentary.  And a really great heroes all kids can look up to in both Tip and J.Lo. – tanya @ books4yourkids.com

Perhaps my favorite middle grade book to appear in the past few years.  Gratuity "Tip" Tucci’s story is one of humor, adventure, friendship, aliens and cartoons.  Rarely have I laughed so hard (J.Lo’s comics relating the history of the Boov are genius in their hilarity), or felt so deeply a character’s attempt to live and thrive in a world that is so often in turmoil. – Sharon Thackston

We loved the cat, loved Gratuity, loved everything about this book. SF fans should read it, kids’ book fans should read it. One of the most satisfying middle reader books ever written. – Kaethe Douglas

A Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter (#4) – 7 points

Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell (#4) – 7 points

A brilliant combination of text and illustrations, Christ Riddell has introduced an energetic new heroine. I call this series "tame mysteries" because they’re filled with excitement but are not scary. Half the text of the story can be found in the detailed illustrations. The color palette of black, white, and one other color make the illustrations charming and easy to examine for the little tidbits Riddell hides in them. – Rebecca Fabian, Children’s Department Manager, Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters (#1)(#1)(#1)(#2)(#2)(#6) – 53 points

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

(#2)(#2)(#3)(#3)(#7)(#7)(#7)(#8)  – 49 points

best of the Percy Jackson books. The ending is moving. – Carl Schwanke, Imaginon/Spangler Children’s Library, Charlotte, NC

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (#2)(#3)(#4)(#4)(#5)(#8)(#8) – 43 points

 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (#2)(#4)(#4)(#4)(#5)(#7)(#9) – 42 points

 

Choosing Up Sides by John Ritter (#3) – 8 points

Meghan’s Island by Willo Davis Roberts (#10) – 1 point

The idea of having not only a tree house to hang out in, but one on a private island? Add in the mystery about who is hunting the family, and I was so hooked. – Karen Halpenny, Book Editor, Sesame Street Events Co-Chair

Scared Stiff by Willo Davis Roberts (#3) – 8 points

 

The View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts (#9) – 2 points

Another mystery that has stuck with me through the years. Held up as an adult reader, too. – Monica Ropal

Henry Reed Inc by Keith Robertson (#8) – 3 points

 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (#2)(#6)(#6)(#8)(#10)(#10) – 24 points

Read this every Christmas. Laugh out loud. Be thankful the Herdmans don’t live in your town. – Kristi Hazelrigg, Media Specialist, Parkview Elementary

You can have your Polar Express.  THIS is Christmas.  I talk often about the power of humor to break through cliché and let us see something new, feel something real.  This book does that in spades. – Linda Urban

I read it every Christmas.  I started that tradition back when I was in college.  I remember my 4th or 5th grade teacher reading it to us.  My brothers were naughty, but couldn’t hold a candle to the Herdmans!  I trekked way across Atlanta, once, in horrible rush hour traffic, to meet Barbara Robinson & get her to sign my book.  – Kim Hall (aka klonghall)

“The Herdmans were the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls)….” I think this is one of the greatest opening lines to a book. My whole family  quotes regularly from this book. – Amy S. Lappin, Children’s Librarian, Lebanon Libraries, Lebanon, NH

How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell (#10) – 1 point

Jimmy’s Stars by Mary Ann Rodman (#9) – 2 points

Yankee Girl by Mary Ann Rodman (#8)(#10) – 4 points

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (#1)(#1)(#1)(#2)(#3)(#4)(#5)(#6)(#6)(#6)(#8)(#9)(#10) – 81 points

8.    Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling (#5) – 6 points

 

4. The Wall and the Wing Laura Ruby: Makes for a great read-aloud. Suspense, weirdness, and plenty of humor. I loved it, the girls loved it, we suggested it to an adult friend who reads a lot of kids and YA, she loved it. – Kaethe Douglas

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie(#10) – 1 point

Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan (#3)(#6) – 13 points

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan (#5)(#8)(#9) – 11 points

she was once our preschool director when I was on the board–we thought she was throwing away a valuable career to go write books!–so glad we were so wrong.- Ed Spicer

 

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant (#2)(#4)(#4)(#5)(#8) – 32 points

Love it for the first sentence.  Love it just as much for the last.  Nobody else writes like Rylant. – Linda Urban

Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes by Louis Sachar (#1) – 10 points

Someday, Angeline by Louis Sachar (#1)(#4) – 17 points

There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom by Louis Sachar (#3)(#3)(#3)(#4)(#6)(#9) – 38 points

Remains one of the funniest books I have ever read. – Karen Halpenny, Book Editor, Sesame Street Events Co-Chair

Wayside School is Falling Down by Louis Sachar(#1) – 10 points

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (#2)(#7)(#9)(#10) – 16 points

Deeply wise and profound, and unique and artistic, it’s still a wonderful read for all. One of the few books (I’m not ashamed to say) I cried over when I first read it, and something that can genuinely, in its own quiet way, can change your world views. Plus it is a great story, and, hey, international. – Billy

Dolphin Song by Lauren St. John (#7) – 4 points
The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John (#8) – 3 points

 

The Ghost Next Door by Wylly Folk St. John (#9) – 2 points

This was my favorite book as a kid.  I must have read it a hundred times.  My list wouldn’t be complete without it. – Jennifer Wilson, Library Manager, Pleasant Valley School, South Windsor, CT

Night of the Howling Dogs – Graham Salisbury  (#5) – 6 points

Awesome survival story and great depiction of Boy Scouts  – Sian Marshall

 

Fog Magic-by Julia Sauer (#5) – 6 points

time travel fantasy-Amy Sears, Supervising Librarian, Head of Youth Services, Teaneck Public Library, Teaneck, NJ

A Drowned Maiden’s Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz (#4)(#7) -16 points

This book deserved SO MUCH MORE ATTENTION THAT IT RECEIVED.  It has a great plot, delicious flawed characters, plus a spunky heroine and one of the best first lines ever! – Sarah Sullivan

I believe I learned about this book from your blog, Betsy. I now adore it, and recommend it whenever possible.  – Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton

At the Barbary Asylum for Female Orphans, eleven-year-old Maud is adopted by three spinster sisters moonlighting as mediums who take her home and reveal to her the role she will play in their seances.  (Another one I read to my husband–I burned it to CDs so he could listen on a 3-hour commute) – Laurel Sharp, Liverpool Public Library, Liverpool, NY

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt (#1)(#4)(#5)(#9)(#10) – 26 points

Wow. To think that there is an actual historical basis for this title is…well, shameful. What a story. Great characters (even the ones you can’t stand). Kristi Hazelrigg, Media Specialist, Parkview Elementary

Powells lists this as a middle reader, so I’ll risk adding. When I finished reading that book, I felt in my soul that this would win the Newbery (close) – Mary Ann Rodman

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt (#6)(#7)(#7)(#9)(#10) – 16 points

If something new is going to make it onto this list, it’s my favorite story of cream puffs and Shakespeare and boys with ridiculous names.  Toads, beetles, bats! – Jess (jessmonster.wordpress.com)

funny and lovely. – Lisa Gordis, Barnard College

 

A Rat’s Tale by Tor Seidler (#5) – 6 points

Tor Seidler just doesn’t get enough love, and I doubt he’ll make the top 100, but in my opinion, his deft portrayal of complex emotions in the animal kingdom leaves E.B. White spluttering in the dust. – Katherine Harrison, Editorial Assistant, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (#3)(#5)(#6)(#7)(#7)(#8)(#8)(#9) – 35 points

#5 The Cricket in Times Square – genius characters, not cliched, even the ones that verge on stereotypes. – Schuyler Hooke

(3) George Selden, The Cricket In Times Square Farrar, Straus and Giroux 1960.

New York, stands-the-test-of time, magic happens, great illustrations! – Kate Colquitt, Teen Services Librarian, The Greenburgh Public Library, Elmsford, NY

Please let this make the top 100! This book needs a renaissance! – Dreadful Penny, http://dreadfulpenny.wordpress.com

The most charming book about a bug ever. – Katie Fee, Associate Marketing Manager, Bloomsbury Children’s Books and Walker Books for Young Readers

The Good Master by Kate Seredy (#9) – 2 points

Two Little Savages by Ernest Thompson Seton (#3) – 8 points

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell  (#2)(#6) –14 points

for the lessons in empathy that still live with me – Elena Blake

(1) Phyllis Shalant, The Great Cape Rescue Dutton 2007.  Great for boys, superhero wanna-bes and those btw 3-5th grade who still feel the power of possibilities through ordinary – everyone can  – make magical things happen. – Kate Colquitt, Teen Services Librarian, The Greenburgh Public Library, Elmsford, NY

Blue Jasmine by Kashmira Sheth (#10) – 1 point

 

Boys Without Names by Kashmira Sheth  (#8) – 3 points

This is a 2010 book, but it is already my favorite for the year. Absolutely unforgettable. – Mary Ann Rodman

The Silver Fox (Blood in the Snow) by Marlene Fanta Shyer (#6) – 5 points

When the Whistle Blows by Fran Cannon Slayton (#9) – 2 points

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (#2)(#8) – 12 points

The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith (#2)(#6) – 14 points

9.         A Taste of Blackberries by Doris Buchanan Smith

The Jennifer Prize by Eunice Young Smith (#9) – 2 points

Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith (#4)(#5)(#7)(#10) – 22 points

Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith (#9) – 2 points

Is this the first ever fat camp book? Kudos to Kimmel Smith for tackling childhood obesity before it became the latest movie-of-the week topic. – Jennifer Hubert Swan, Little Red School House, New York, NY

 

Elephant Run by Roland Smith (#3) – 8 points

I, Loreli by Yeardley Smith (#10) – 1 point

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket (#2)(#5)(#5) – 21 points

 

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket (#3)(#6)(#8) – 16 points

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket (#2)(#4) – 16 points

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket (#5) – 6 points

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket (#7) – 4 points

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket (#6)(#6)(#7) – 14 points

again, respects the capabilities of young readers – Alicia Blowers

I picked this particular installment in the series because it’s when the larger mystery starts to blossom (a word which here means, "first rears its ugly, unibrowed head"). The moment when the Baudelaires discover where the secret passage leads is one of those major Twilight Zone moments where the world turns upside down and all the blood rushes to your head in terrifying clarity — kind of like the freeze frame at the end of the Thriller video where MJ flashes his crazy monster eyes!  – Karen Wang (Kidsmomo.com)

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Carnivorous Carnival (#6) – 5 points

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Grim Grotto (#1) – 10 points

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The End (#1) – 10 points

 

Below the Root by Zilpha Keatly Snyder (#6) – 5 points

I’ll bet I’m the only one voting for this book.. No one I know has ever heard of it. Rocked my ten-year-old world. – Stephanie Howell , Lower School Librarian , Carolina Day School , Asheville, NC

 

Black and Blue Magic by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (#2)(#10) – 10 points

I knew the monkey island mentioned in the book, it was at the S.F zoo. – Tina Engelfried

I loved many of her books as a kid, but this one is less dark and more joyful than most, and my kids love it, too. My husband remembered it from his childhood, and our first copy in the house (since read to shreds) was purchased as a surprise for him, after he reminisced about a terrific book about a kid with wings. – Lisa Gordis, Barnard College

 

The Changeling by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (#4) – 7 points

The Famous Stanley Kidnapping Case by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (#4) – 7 points

The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatly Snyder (#8) – 3 points

The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (#4)(#5)(#10) – 14 points

The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (#8) – 3 points

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald Sobol (#6)(#7)(#10) – 10 points

The best part about this book, and all the others in the series, is that I never remembered the solutions to the mysteries, so I could re-read them over and over. This is something I still enjoy about mysteries! – Kara Dean

 

5.    Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man by Donald Sobol

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson (#4) – 7 points

Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare (#5)(#9) – 8 points

not as well known but great historical fiction, action, adventure plus one of 2 books set in NH that has a place to visit Old Fort Number 4 in Charlestown. – Amy Sears, Supervising Librarian, Head of Youth Services, Teaneck Public Library, Teaneck, NJ

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (#7) – 4 points

Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry (#6) – 5 points

wonderful adventure story. Best book in the world for reluctant readers.  – Carl Schwanke, Imaginon/Spangler Children’s Library, Charlotte, NC

Crash by Jerry Spinelli (#9) – 2 points

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli (#9) – 2 points

Loser by Jerry Spinelli (#5) – 6 points

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli (#5) – 6 points

8. The Case of the Missing Marquess, An Enola Holmes Mystery – Nancy Springer

The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer (#10) – 1 point

Like our lovely poll-taker, this is my favorite series out there right now.  But how to pick the best one? I had to go back to my notes from library school, in which I wrote, "Springer just keeps getting better, and this entry is possibly the best of the series so far: a better, trickier mystery, less exposition, and some fabulously meta jokes about Sherlock and Watson." – Mark Flowers, John F. Kennedy Library, Vallejo, CA

 

Heidi by Johanna Spyri (#6)(#7)(#7)(#8)(#8)(#10)(#10) – 21 points

I’ve always had a weakness for Heidi, even though I think this is the one book on my list that may not make your Top 100 list. Heidi’s reclamation of her grandfather and their joint project to help Clara and Peter grow up and become healthy in body and mind make a great story. – Sherry Early

Another family I could have moved in with. This was my go-to book when I was sick. Comfort food for the imagination. – Stephanie Howell , Lower School Librarian , Carolina Day School , Asheville, NC

 

6. Donuthead by Sue Stauffacher

 

1. Dominic by William Steig

The most memorable reading experience of my childhood was listening to my father read and reread Dominic to me and my brother once or twice a year for a couple of years.  The novel is truly more than the sum of its perfect parts.  The language, the adventure and humor all work for me.  As a teacher I’ve read Dominic to my students at the tail end of each year, after reading all of Steig’s amazing picture books.  I can’t express the amount of joy I get out of seeing my second graders absorbing this tale.  As elements and motifs from his other works appear in the story, my students race to make astute connections which leave me awestruck.  In my mind a perfect chapter book is one which grows richer with each additional reading.  Dominic exemplifies this more than any other piece of literature I have ever encountered. – Eric Carpenter

 

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

(#1)(#1)(#3)(#6)(#7)(#10) – 38 points

My favorite adventure book as a boy which I re-read each year for many years – David Ziegler

The greatest pirate story ever written, action, adventure, exotic locales, vivid characters, and a true coming-of-age tale that doesn’t wrap things up nicely and neatly (young Hawkins has nightmares about it afterwards) What more could you want? – Carl Schwanke, Imaginon/Spangler Children’s Library, Charlotte, NC

The Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deep Woods by Paul Stewart (#1)(#3)(#4)(#8) – 28 points

The Edge Chronicles: Midnight Over Sanctaphrax by Paul Stewart (#3)(#8) – 11 points

The Edge Chronicles: Vox by Paul Stewart (#2) – 9 points

The Edge Chronicles: Freeglader by Paul Stewart (#10) – 1 point

The Edge Chronicles: Curse of The Gloamglozer by Paul Stewart (#10) – 1 point

The Edge Chronicles: Stormchaser by Paul Stewart (#2)(#9) – 11 points

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart (#3)(#4) – 15 points

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoners Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart (#5) – 6 points

Geronimo Stilton: Down and Out Down Under by Geronimo Stilton (#6) – 5 points

Geronimo Stilton: Christmas Toy Factory (#7) – 4 points

Geronimo Stilton: The Mysterious Cheese Investigation (#8) – 3 points

Geronimo Stilton: Temple of the Ruby of Fire by Geronimo Stilton (#5) – 6 points

Geronimo Stilton: The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid by Geronimo Stilton (#3) – 8 points

Geronimo Stilton: The Emerald Eye by Geronimo Stilton (#9) – 2 points

Geronimo Stilton: Treasure of the Emerald Eye by Geronimo Stilton (#4) – 7 points

Geronimo Stilton: Curse of the Cheese Pyramid by Geronimo Stilton (#9) – 2 points

Welcome to Deadhouse (Goosebumps series #1) by R.L. Stine (#10) – 1 point

For getting reluctant kids to keep reading. – K. Zottl, Gr.3/4, Cathcart Blvd. Public School, Sarnia, ON

4.    Goosebumps: Ghost Beach by R.L. Stine

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud (#5) – 6 points

Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud (#1) – 10 points

Apple Bough by Noel Streatfeild (#3) – 8 points

 

The Painted Garden (also published as Movie Shoes) by Noel Streatfeild (#10) -1 point

I loved this book when I was a kid because it was such a terrific reworking of The Secret Garden.  I still think it’s brilliantly intertextual and really smart about what it means to try to inhabit a book.  I used to want to be "discovered" as the next, next Mary Lennox. –Libby Gruner

The Mark of the Horse Lord by Rosemary Sutcliff (#8) – 3 points

The Cay  by Theodore Taylor (#4) – 7 points 

Timothy of the Cay by Theodore Taylor (#5) – 6 points

 

Lad:  A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune (#7)(#10) – 5 points

Maybe I couldn’t travel to Narnia, but a Collie was attainable. – Michele Gawenka 

 

4. Thompson, Ruth Plumly.  The Giant Horse of Oz.  Chicago: Reilly and Lee, 1928.  I loved the entire 40+ Oz book series as a child, and still treasure them.  Thompson’s books for the series have a special sense of whimsy and wordplay and more people should know them.  – Jenny Schwartzberg

The Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber (#1)(#2)(#4)(#6) – 31 points

Back off, Princess Bride.  This here’s probably the original “fractured fairy tale.”   The story includes an evil Duke who sports both a glass eye, an eye patch, and a sword cane; man-eating geese; a prince-disguised-as-a-minstrel (or is it the other way ’round?); the magic roses of Princess Saralinda; and the lovable Golux with his “indescribable hat.”  Add to that a heaping helping of classic Thurberean asides (“I sent eleven guards to kill the prince.”  “But the prince is as strong as ten men.”  “So that means there will be one left to finish him off!”) and you can easily see why Neil Gaiman has declared it to be “probably the best book in the world.”- Brooke Shirts http://casacamisas.wordpress.com

Basil in Mexico by Eve Titus (#7) – 4 points

Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan (#3) – 8 points

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (#4)(#7)(#7)(#10) – 16 points

As delightful as the Julie Andrews movie adaptation is, there are four Mary Poppins novels that just scream to be read! One of the original "everyday magic" sort of books. Delightful! – Rebecca Fabian, Children’s Department Manager, Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA

Mary Poppins Comes Back  by P. L. Travers (#5) – 6 points

Probably a wasted vote since it’s not the first book, but I have to pick this one for my favorite MP chapters: “Robertson Ay’s Story” and “The Evening Out.”  – Steven Engelfried, Raising A Reader Coordinator, 2010 Newbery Award Committee Member, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

9.    Meet Kit by Valerie Tripp

10.  Kit Saves the Day by Valerie Tripp

Ethel Turner, Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner (#8) – 3 points

The Queen of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner (#5) – 6 points

The Queen of Attolia I think of as YA, because the romance is exquisitely done, but I decided to bow to Powell’s judgment.  Exquisite.  When I first read this one, I was reading it aloud to my sons.  (My older son had suggested us reading The Thief, so when the sequel came out, we wanted to read it aloud together.)  I confess that I was not able to stand it — after my boys went to bed, I sat there and finished the book!  And that happened more than once!  A book worth reading over and over again to see how all the plot threads intertwine. – Sondra Eklund, Youth Services Manager, Herndon Fortnightly Library, Herndon, VA – www.sonderbooks.com

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (#4)(#5)(#5) – 19 points

This book beat out some very big names, insisting on a spot on the list because it is, quite simply, one of the best I’ve ever read. Yes, you really should read The Thief and The Queen of Attolia first, but that’s simply extra payoff as you watch Turner create her compelling Greco-Byzantine fantasy world with its subtle pantheon of very real gods. Turner’s work is the epitome of craftsmanship, the reason I’ve read The King of Attolia repeatedly, something I can only say about a handful of books. You’ll be hard-pressed to find the questions Turner brings up as thoughtfully considered in adult fiction: What makes a hero, or a leader? What does love really mean, and loyalty? All this and an adventure, too! As for the characters, they are rounded and real, with Gen leading the pack as a marvelously sly, cantankerous, vain, yet ultimately kind Trickster King, a new hero for a new millenium. Kate Coombs at Book Aunt (http://bookaunt.blogspot.com)

This wasn’t going to be on the list at first glance, as I was placing it on the YA side of things. Although the Eugenides series is my current obsessive series, the one I fear I may die before I get to the end, I realize that it is much too subtle and complex for the average middle-grade reader. Thus I wasn’t going to put it on my list, but then I took Betsy’s advice and checked what Powell’s had to say on the subject of its reading level and as you can plainly see it is firmly placed in the middle-grade section. I’m choosing The King of Attolia over The Thief as it is my favorite of the three I’ve been able to get at thus far. (I really think those you with ARCs of #4 are just plain cruel to flaunt your riches on Goodreads in front of us peasants) Outside of Grandma Dowdel there is no other character I love more than Eugenides. I actually believe they would be very good friends. Can you imagine the high jinks the two of them could pull off? Mischievous teenagers and conniving attendants should be put on notice at once. – DaNae at The Librariest

Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (#6)(#7) – 9 points

Just so much fun. – Sarah Haliwell

 

Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida (#5)(#10) – 7 points

Because for the first time, I remember reading about a part of Japanese American history, in a novel for children. I also hope to get more multicultural books on this best list! – DeAnn Okamura

 

A Crooked Kind of Perfect  by Linda Urban (#8)(#10) – 4 points

This book provides a delightful look at dealing with the disappointments that we all face in life and making the best of our circumstances. – Heidi Grange, School Library Media Teacher, Summit Elementary, Smithfield, UT

The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu (#3) – 8 points

Greek gods behaving badly, mystery, cats. We all loved it. – Kaethe Douglas

 

3-A Traveler in Time by Alison Uttley

(I love well done time travel, and ended up majoring in Elizabethan England, partly because of this book and partly because of Young Bess by Margaret Irwin but I think that is YA) – Constance Martin

8. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief, by Wendelin Van Draanen (#7) – 4 points

Isabel of the Whales by Hester Velmans (#7) – 4 points

 

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (#5) – 6 points

The definitive work from the master of adventure, where the wonderfully fun characters dive from one exotic locale (and dated mode of transportation, but hey, that’s become part of the fun and frankly – timelessness) to the next and the fun and excitement never lets up for a second. – Billy

 

In Search of the Castaways or the Children of Captain Grant by Jules Verne (#1) – 10 points

The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne (#2) – 9 points

 

Dicey’s Song by Cynthia Voigt (#3)(#3)(#8)(#10) – 20 points

I read this book in fifth grade. This was my first realization that there was a difference between the series novels I raced through and quality writing that made me feel something after I was done reading. Tina @ www.booksaremything.blogspot.com

Homecoming  by Cynthia Voigt (#2)(#6)(#6)(#8)(#9) – 24 points

WHY? Because this tough, gorgeous story about a 13 year-old girl who goes to incredible lengths to keep her family together when her mother abandons them in a parking lot is one of the finest pieces of writing about family ever. – Walter M. Mayes

Great family story – Marci Dressler, Ossining Public Library, Ossining, NY

I couldn’t put this series down and remember waiting impatiently for all the sequels. – Martha Sherod, LAPL

The Key is Lost by Ida Vos (#9) – 2 points

A Dog Called Kitty by Bill Wallace (#9) – 2 points

101 Ways to Bug your Parents by Lee Wardlaw (#6) – 5 points

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner (#2)(#3)(#7)(#8)(#8)(#10)(#10)(#10)(#10) – 31 points

The first book was the best because the kids had the most independence and ingenuity.  The drivel currently being pushed out as the continuing series makes me nauseous. I knew vampires had hit super saturation in children’s literature when there was a Boxcar Children book about it.  I’m waiting for the angels book.  – Abigail Goben

this made me want to live in a boxcar – I wonder if it’s the first survival book for children – Paige Ysteboe

The 39 Clues: Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson (#5)(#10) – 7 points

Who cares if they’re enduring classics, quick entertainment, or clever marketing, these books are more FUN than anything else out there. Worldwide conspiracies, humor, edge-of-your-seat suspense, brain teasers, and some actual character growth. – Carl Schwanke, Imaginon/Spangler Children’s Library, Charlotte, NC

 

5. Witch of the Glens–by Sally Watson

who my sister told me about and who probably wasn’t that great of a writer but always had gutsy heroines in historical settings and taught me most of what I know about English history. – Sally Engelfried

 

Daddy Long-Legs by Jean Webster (#7)(#9)(#9)(#10) – 9 points

another feisty female character with a great sense of humor – Sallie Wolf

I have probably read this book and its sequel twenty times. – Paige Ysteboe

Long before today’s batch of “novels with cartoons,” the world was blessed with the ficticious illustrated letters of Judy Abbot’s adventures at college, circa 1912.  Part of this novel’s lasting charm is its revelation that, in some ways, college students haven’t changed that much over the years.  For example: Judy and her friends stay up late in the dorms debating over whether or not it would be possible to swim through a pool filled with lemon-flavored Jell-O.  Add pizza and a Che Guevara poster to that scene, and you see what I mean.- Brooke Shirts http://casacamisas.wordpress.com

Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld (#10) – 1 points

I feel like a lot of my choices were heavily weighted by nostalgia. Were they really that good, or is the glow I feel from re-reading them so often as a child influencing my selection today? Obviously this isn’t the case with Leviathan, which is a wonderful adventure. With great illustrations, to boot! – Sandy Dunavan

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan (#9) – 2 points

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan (#8 ) – 3 points

Stuart Little by E. B. White (#3)(#5)(#9) – 16 points

This title and Charlotte’s Web began my lifelong love of reading. – DeAnn Okamura

 

Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White (#7)(#9)(#10) – 7 points

Mistress Masham’s Repose by T.H. White (#2) – 9 points

 

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder (#5)(#6)(#6)(#8)(#10) – 20 points
               I suspect this is splitting the vote, but I have the feeling that the Laura Ingalls Wilder fans out there are already stepping on each others toes in trying to strategically vote. Unlike some series each of these books is so different from the next, changing scenery, changing worldview as Laura becomes older, and even changing characters, as in Farmer Boy, that one can’t hedge one’s bets by just voting for the first in the series. I wonder how many others were like me and preferred Almanzo’s tale to Laura’s? – Ann Carpenter, Youth Services Librarian, Brooks Free Library

Sorry Laura… – Stephanie Howell , Lower School Librarian , Carolina Day School , Asheville, NC

I really enjoyed this brief hiatus from the rigors of life on the prairie.- Kara Dean

 

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin (#9) – 2 points

 

Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog by Ysabeau S. Wilce (#9) – 2 points

A steampunk world without rigid gender roles but with magick. A book about a girl turning 14 who doesn’t want to join the army like her perfect elder sister, and who is sick of holding together the crumbling 11,000-room family home. – Kaethe Douglas

By the Shores of Silver Lake, by Laura Ingalls Wilder (#3) – 8 points

Perfect winter reading. – Stacy Dillon, Lower School Librarian, LREI – Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder (#3)(#6)(#7)(#7)(#9) – 23 points

The best of the series:  a heroic survival story, and the most theatrical of Wilder’s works.  I wonder if it’s ever been staged.  I am still uplifted by the heroism of the Ingalls family as they struggle through months of cold and darkness.  Though they suffer great privation, they hold on tight to hope, civility, and integrity.  – Laura Amy Schlitz

 

These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder (#3)(#5)(#10) – 15 points

I loved all the Little House books as a child, but this one!  The romance!  I loved it when Laura showed up Nellie on the buggy ride with Almanzo! – Kathy Jarombek, Head of Youth Services, Perrot Memorial Library, Old Greenwich, CT 

My favorite Little House book. Laura and Almanzo were the first couple I ever "shipped". The story is universal, and just as relevant today as it was one hundred+ years ago. – Jennifer Sauls

Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles (#1)(#4) – 17 points

I lovedlovedloved this book. Incredible characterization. Quirky, unique names. Heart-wrenching speeches. Deborah Wiles has such talent. When I read this, I was in Snapfinger, Mississippi. I could see the inside of Snowberger’s Funeral Home. I was terrified on the rock with Comfort and Dismay. (And annoying Peach.) I wanted to slap Declaration’s snooty face. And I was most definitely inside Comfort’s closet with her as she sat with her mayonnaise jar of freshly-sharpened pencils.

I was so proud to make it through the collar-on-the-gravestone scene without crying, and then Wiles snuck up on the other side and got me with–of all things–a funeral for a dog. Oh, she’s a good one, she is. – Kristi Hazelrigg, Media Specialist, Parkview Elementary

Tunnels by Brian Williams (#7) – 4 points

Scooter by Vera B. Williams (#7) – 4 points

10. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

 

Adam Canfield of the Slash by Michael Winerip (#6) – 5 points

I always thougth this was about a street gang until I read it. Adam could be any kid in Middle School today trying to do it all. – Sian Marshall

 

The Castle in the Attic  by Elizabeth Winthrop (#8) – 3 points

Counting on Grace by Elizabeth Winthrop (#9) – 2 points

Shadow of a Bull – Maia Wojciechowska (#9) – 2 points

 

Dealing with Dragons (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book 1) by Patricia C. Wrede

(#3)(#3)(#4)(#4)(#5)(#10) – 37 points

A feminist fairy tale with a very smart young princess and an unusual dragon. – Kaethe Douglas

The first in Patricia C. Wrede’s Enchanted Forest chronicles, this classic fantasy stands fairy tale conventions and stereotypes on their heads while producing an exciting, hilarious, and delightful story.  Jennifer Wharton, Youth Services Librarian, Matheson Memorial Library

The heroine is not only a kick-ass adventurer, she has a biting wit to boot. My friend Maggie swears she’s going to name her first-born “Cimorene.” – Katherine Harrison, Editorial Assistant, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

 

The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright (#1)(#7)(#8)(#9) – 19 points

Scared the crap out of me, and began my love of books that scare the crap out of me. – Karen Halpenny, Book Editor, Sesame Street Events Co-Chair

 

Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss  (#3)(#8) – 11 points

I think I maybe did move in with this family for a while (in my 8-year-old imagination) – Stephanie Howell , Lower School Librarian , Carolina Day School , Asheville, NC

I loved this book growing up, can remember rereading it multiple times on my own – Sarah Schreffler

 

Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee (#2)(#4)(#6) – 21 points

The voice of Millicent Min is so strong, Yee had me convinced she exists somewhere for real. – Lenore – http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com

 

The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen (#1)(#3)(#5)(#8) – 27 points

Dragon’s Blood by Jane Yolen (#6) – 5 points

Filed under: Top 100 Children's Novels (2010)