BOOKS

 HOW TO SELECT BOOKS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN (ONE TO FIVE YEARS OLD)

During my ten years of working with children as a librarian in The New York Public Library branch system, I have learned a few things about children's reading habits and children's books. Here are a few lists to start children off with a love of books.

THE OLDER CLASSICS (BOOKS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW)
  1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
  2. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
  3. Curious George by H.A. Rey
  4. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
  5. Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
  6. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
  7. The Story of Babar, The Little Elephant by Jean de Brunhoff
  8. The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
  9. Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
  10. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

THE NEWER CLASSICS

  1. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
  2. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
  3. Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh (SERIES)
  4. Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London (SERIES)
  5. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
  6. Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett
  7. Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke (SERIES)
  8. Carl Goes Shopping by Alexandra Day (SERIES)
  9. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
  10. Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard (SERIES)

 MY PERSONAL FAVORITES

  1. DOGZILLA and KAT KONG by Dav Pilkey
  2. THE ADVENTURES OF TAXI DOG by Debra Barracca
  3. WE'RE BACK! by Hudson Talbott
  4. JULIUS by Angela Johnson
  5. ANY BOOK by Rosemary Wells
  6. OFFICER BUCKLE AND GLORIA by Peggy Rathmann
  7. NO JUMPING ON THE BED by Ted Arnold
  8. THE MITTEN and the HAT by Jan Brett
  9. IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE by Laura Numeroff
  10. THE STRANGER by Chris Van Allsburg

The Library Staff's Favorites
  • MATTHEW goes for "OLD BLACK FLY" by JIM AYLESWORTH with ILLUSTRATIONS by STEPHEN GAMMELL, but don't ask him to sing it.

  • CATHERINE flips out over "VOYAGES TO THE BUNNY PLANET" a series by ROSEMARY WELLS

  • LYNN baa baa's for "SHEEP IN A JEEP" by Nancy Shaw

  • MARTHA gets down with "MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS" BY Robert McCloskey

    • TOP TEN HOLIDAY BOOKS

    1. Carl's Christmas by Alexandra Day
    2. A Small Miracle by Peter Collington
    3. The Carolers by Georgia Guback
    4. Seven Candles for Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis Pinkney
    5. Kwanzaa by A.P. Porter
    6. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
    7. Hanukkah! by Roni Schotter
    8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
    9. The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
    10. Good King Wenceslas illustrated by Jamichael Henterly

    BOOKS I LOVED AS A CHILD

  • The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge by Lynn Ward
  • Curious George by H.A. Rey
  • The wonderful series of GOLDEN BOOKS
  • Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
  • The Tale of Two Bad Mice by Beatrice Potter
  • Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion