Children's literature is not for the weak. It is a ruthless cutthroat business with lots of gnashes of the teeth. Children's librarianship, in contrast, is a sweet sweet ride. Now you can hear me as I growl, gargle, and kvetch my way through news, reviews, and interviews. Kidlit podcasting = scary new world.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Top 25 American Children's Books In the Last 25 Years - Rules Edition
Okay. So here's how we're going to do this. I am going to come up with the Top 25 American Children's Books Written In the Last 25 Years. I am going to split that group into fiction and picture books. So give me your favs. If you particularly love a book that straddles the fence, make your own judgement on where it should lay. I've already gotten some pretty good suggestions but I'm open to more. Lay 'em on me, buckos!
Imogene's Antlers (David Small)
ReplyDeleteHow to Make an Apple Pie and See the World (Marjorie Priceman)
Piggie Pie! (Margie Palatini)
Here's 25 for your enjoyment. Best wishes!
ReplyDelete-- Paul
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Holes by Louis Sachar
The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt
The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
A Corner of the Universe by Anne Martin
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
Tuesday by David Weisner
Joey Pigza Swallows the Key by Jack Gantos
Doctor De Soto by William Steig
Babe: the Gallant Pig by Dick King Smith
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Harry Potter (the whole set) by J.K. Rowling
Zen Shorts by Jon Muth
My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann
The Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
For your consideration... a few faves:
ReplyDeletePicturebooks:
"Black and White" by David Macaulay
"St.George and the Dragon" by Margaret Hodges
Fiction:
How about getting Beverly Cleary on there for fun? "Ramona Age 8" qualifies. And although I like Mouse on Motorcycle better, "Ralph S. Mouse" hits the 25 yr parameter.... Or "Dear Mr. Henshaw"
Not quite 25. All picture books
ReplyDeleteRainbabies (Melmed)
Sheep in a Jeep (Shaw)
Babushka's Doll (Polacco)
The Jolly Postman (Ahlberg)
The Owl and the Pussycat (Lear/Brett)
Brundibar (Sendak/Kuschner)
Voyage to the Bunny Planet (Wells)
Moonlight (Ormerod)
A Christmas Carol (Dickens/Zwerger)
Show Way (Woodson/Talbott)
Nora's Duck (Ichikawa)
Dona Flor (Mora/Colon)
Epossumondas (Salley/Stevens)
Starry Messenger (Sis)
More More More," Said the Baby (Wiliams)
No such list could leave out:
ReplyDeleteThe Giver - Lois Lowry
A Year Down Yonder - Richard Peck
Letters from Rifka - Karen Hesse
Pictures from Hollis Wood - Patricia Reilly Giff
Doll People - Ann Martin
Walk Two Moons - Sharon Creech
Love, Ruby Lavender - Deborah Wiles
Tale of Desperaux - Kate DiCamillo
(are we doing YA? ) if so
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
Picture books
Dirt Boy - Jon Slangerup
Duck on a Bike - David Shannon
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus - Mo Willems
Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock - Eric Kimmel
The Baby Beebee Bird - Diane Redfield Massie
Me First - Helen Lester
The Wide Mouthed Frog - Keith Faulkner
Franny B. Kranny, There's a Bird in Your Hair - Harriet Goldhor Lerner
Hungry Hen - Richard Waring
Stephanie's Ponytail - Robert Munsch
I think I already mentioned this one, but just in case: "Sorcery and Cecilia" by Patricia C. Wrede (fiction) The "Harry Potter" series by J. K. Rowling (fiction).
ReplyDeletePICTURE
ReplyDeleteLILLY's PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE!! - Henkes
Officer Buckle & Gloria - Rathmann
7 Silly Eaters - Hoberman/Frazee
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus - Willems
Max Makes a Million - Kalman OR
Ooh La La (Max in Love) - Kalman (I can't choose between them!)
Martha Speaks - Meddaugh
Goodnight Gorilla - Rathmann
Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type - Cronin
Ruby's Wish - Bridges
True Story of the Three Little Pigs - Scieszka/Smith OR Stinky Cheese Man - Scieszka/Smith
MIDDLE READER
Giver - Lowry
View from Saturday - Konigsburg
Penderwicks - Birdsall
Tale of Desperaux - DiCamillo
Captain Underpants - Pilkey
I'm pretty sure I skew kind of old (and traditional lol) too...
ReplyDeletePicture Books:
When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant
Ox Cart Man by Donald Hall
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Tree of Life or Train of States or Starry Messenger by Peter Sis
Circus by Peter Spier
One Grain of Rice by Demi
Fiction:
Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
I don't have much expertise in the picture books area, but I would cast votes for the following in the fiction category:
ReplyDeleteThe Giver by Lois Lowry
Holes by Louis Sachar
The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling
The His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman
The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Owl Babies by Waddell and Benson (picture book)
ReplyDeleteI've read this one to my son so many times I have it memorized.
Thanks to Kelly at Big A little a for the link.
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite books were disqualified because they came out more than 25 years ago. For example, I couldn't include The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin because it was published in 1978. Sorry, Ellen. Sorry, Turtle. My classics were eliminated by both the timeline and the nationality requirements. Sorry, Charles*, but you're British; Michael, you're German.
* That's right, I distinguish between Lewis Carroll (a pen name, not a nickname) and Charles Dodgson (the real person). When I have to list the author for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, I will say Lewis Carroll, because that is the name under which they were published. However, when talking about the author's life, when telling people how much I love his Alice works (and when defending his completely innocent relationship with Alice Liddell), I refer to him as Charles.
I have selected books I read over and over again as a child and that I would re-read now. I'll post this at LJ too!
Listed from easiest read/youngest audience to most difficult content/oldest audience:
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald
The Doll Hospital by James Duffy
The Ghost Wore Gray by Bruce Coville
The Dancing Cats of Applesap by Janet Taylor Lisle
The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
The Agony of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy
The Young Wizards series (8 books so far) by Diane Duane
His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman
Addition:
ReplyDeleteThe Doll in the Garden by Mary Downing Hahn
I thought I had a number of titles to write, and then I realized that many of my recommended books were not by American authors. This is actually going to take some thought...
ReplyDelete