You may think you know all the great children’s books that are out there—but take a look at the New York Public Library’s new List of 100 Great Children’s Books and you may be surprised at what you find.
This list was chosen by the children’s librarians at the New York Public Library (NYPL) and you will quickly recognize many of the famous books on the list. But I was intrigued to find many books that I had never heard of before.
The books chosen include those suitable for very young children, teens, and even some popular with adults—such as “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling (1998), “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937), and “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak (1963) with his marvelous illustrations.
I enjoyed reading to my sons as they grew up and both developed a love of reading that continued into adulthood. Some of the expected picks include: “Green Eggs and Ham” and “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss, “Charlotte’s Web” by E. B. White (1952), “Curious George” by H.A. Rey (1941), and “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown (1947).
As my children grew, we started reading longer books and also stories in sets or chronicles like “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis (1950).
My children are grown now, so I was not surprised that the more recent books were unfamiliar to me. But so were many of the older books written from the early part of the 20th century.
Unfamiliar Titles
As I read through the alphabetical list, I smiled at some nostalgic titles. But my interest was piqued by a number of books that I didn’t recognize at all. Some were written in the past 10 years and some are from foreign countries (Japan, China, and countries in Africa).
Suitable for children of all ages is a delightful book called “Millions of Cats” by Wanda Gag (1928). Gag’s book is one of the first to use the double page layout, which keeps the story going. The book features hand-lettered text by the author’s brother.
The story is a fairly simple one, but just lovely to read. An elderly couple is very lonely and the wife decides she would like a cat. So the husband sets off on a journey to find them the perfect pet. Along the way, he comes to a hill where there are cats as far as the eye can see. What follows is an endearing compromise on the husband’s part, a fantastical feline battle, and a happy ending.
For children who are a little older, it’s nice to find a series of books—like a trilogy or a series. One recommended title is “Book of Three” by Lloyd Alexander (1964), the first of five volumes in the “Chronicles of Prydain” series.
The series is a fantasy written in medieval times staring a young adventurer named Taran. It is inspired by Welsh mythology, featuring castles, heroes, villains, scenery, and language from Wales.
Taran is living on a farm with his guardians, an ancient enchanter and a retired soldier. He seeks adventure and wants to leave the farm behind and join Prince Gwydion in his battles against the evil Horned King. Too soon he gets his wish and ends up in a series of battles, dungeons, escapes, and along the way meets a variety of friends and foes including the lovely Princess Eilonwy, who becomes a close friend.
The story is fascinating, detailed, and held my interest throughout the first book. I’m looking into finding the other four volumes to read.
There are many other fascinating-sounding books on the list—so have a look and see what you and your children may have been missing!
For the full list, visit www.nypl.org/childrens100
Pat Chasteen has a Bachelor of Arts in Education and is an avid book reader of 4 to 5 books a month of all genres.
