Essential books for a kid under 10's bookshelf

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Essential books for a kid under 10's bookshelf

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1eastofoz
gen. 30, 2008, 11:08 pm

Can you recommend some must-have books for children under 10? I'm thinking of ones like:

Peter Rabbit
The House that Jack Built
Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales
Paul Bunyon
Johnny Appleseed
Bob the Builder
Thumbelina
Puff the Magic Dragon
Dora the Explorer
Jack and the Beanstalk
Rumplestiltskin
Rapunzel
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Heidi
Pipi Longstocking

etc etc

Just checking to make sure I have all the "classics" covered :)

2jugglingpaynes
gen. 31, 2008, 12:10 am

I would add

Tom Sawyer
the D'Aulaires Greek Myths
Just So Stories
The Popcorn Dragon
Zen Shorts
Anything by Dr. Seuss
Matilda and others by Roald Dahl
The Book of Beasts and others by E. Nesbit
Poetry Speaks Children which includes a CD with some of the poets reading their poems

3homeschoolmom
gen. 31, 2008, 3:49 am

How about:

Stone Soup
Sylvester and the magic pebble
The Littles
My kids love the Great Illustrated Classics-when they get older though, I definitely encourage reading the original
Boxcar Children
Berenstain Bears

4MerryMary
feb. 1, 2008, 12:04 pm

Both Berenstain Bears and Marc Brown's Arthur have a series of "chapter books" that deal with everyday problems of the pre-adolescent. Might be worth looking into.

My students also love Hank the Cowdog and The Babysitter's Club.

5hailelib
Editat: feb. 1, 2008, 4:45 pm

I would add the nonfiction of Gail Gibbons and Franklyn Branley, The Magic School Bus Series and The Magic Tree House Series for the 5-9 children. Also any really well illustrated books on Mythology.

6klarsenmd
Editat: feb. 1, 2008, 7:47 pm

I think you also need to include something by Shel Silverstein, like The Giving Tree or a collection like Where the Sidewalk Ends

7angelhair45
feb. 1, 2008, 2:29 pm

I agree with Shel Silverstein, I loved his stuff when I was around 7 and 8.

Not classics, but the Ramona Books, or other Beverly Cleary books. I loved these when I was a kid.

Also the Little House books.

8tebowfamily
feb. 5, 2008, 4:46 am

For boys in particular how about the Great Brain books by John Fitzgerald? They have been favorites of both my husband and son.

9ToReadToNap
feb. 7, 2008, 8:24 am

East, what an odd list....Bob the Builder and Dora the Explorer simple, formulaic picture books alongside dark, classic fairy tales. Hmm.

To me mind, for picture books, you must include some works by:

Margeret Wise Brown
Mo Willems
Denise Fleming
Dr. Seuss
Sandra Boynton
Maurice Sendak

For older children (still under 10), here are some classics and "new classics" that I would include:

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Judy Blume
Jerry Spinelli
Beverly Cleary
Roald Dahl
and of course J.K. Rowling

10eastofoz
feb. 8, 2008, 10:39 pm

ToReadToNap: Just going by what the kids like to have read to them. Richard Scarry is also formulaic but what kid doesn't enjoy it :) I'd guess that nearly every child today has Bob the Builder or Dora and Diego on their shelves. Dr Seuss and Maurice Sendak my little ones have. Can you give any good titles for the other authors you've listed? As for the other list, having read nearly all those authors, in my opinion you'd have to be nearly 10 or more to read them and appreciate them. I can't see a 6 year having the attention span to sit through Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets--though they are must haves for an older child.

11megkrahl
feb. 8, 2008, 11:53 pm

Cam Jansen and Encyclopedia Brown are two excellent mystery series good for the 8-10 (and up) age group.

12nmoira
feb. 10, 2008, 2:07 am

I know 5-6yo's who will sit through Roald Dahl, Beverly Cleary, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mary Norton, Eleanor Estes, E. Nesbit, Edward Eager, Dick King-Smith, Tove Jansson, Esther Averill, L. Frank Baum, and many others. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in particular is neither long nor terribly complex (though Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Twits, and The BFG are better introductions to Dahl). There are some fantastic suggestions for gentle read-alouds at Ambleside Online.

http://www.amblesideonline.org/New.shtml

13clong
feb. 10, 2008, 4:27 am

"Under 10" is obviously a broad range. Essential books for a 3 year old are quite different from a 5 year old or a 7 year old, etc. And, in my experience, books which are essential for girls may be a tough sell for boys.

In any case, I'd add all of the Frog and Toad books, and The Phantom Tollbooth to the list.

14ToReadToNap
feb. 10, 2008, 6:39 am

In my experience, these are some instant winners by these accomplished authors:

Margeret Wise Brown: Goodnight Moon, The Diggers, Big Red Barn

Mo Willems: Knuffle Bunny, Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus,

Denise Fleming: In the Small, Small Pond, Time to Sleep, In the Tall, Tall Grass

Sandra Boynton: Moo, Baa, Lalala, Barnyard Dance

15hailelib
feb. 10, 2008, 7:35 am

I have a group of 6 and 7 year olds who have fallen in love with Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin. She's also written several other books, including Click, Clack, Moo : Cows that Type.

16mcjean Primer missatge
feb. 10, 2008, 5:15 pm

No one has mentioned My Father's Dragon by Gannett. Wonderful and never fails to interest.

17jugglingpaynes
feb. 10, 2008, 6:06 pm

The Minipins and The Enormous Crocodile are also good introductions to Roald Dahl.

I second My Father's Dragon.

18QueenOfDenmark
Editat: feb. 10, 2008, 7:47 pm

A light in the attic by Shel Silverstein - I've had this book for about 25 years and still love it.

Any of the Just William books by Richmal Crompton - they are hilarious.

The Reluctant Vampire by Eric Morecambe is very good and very funny - a mix up at the hospital means the vampires bring home the wrong baby.

The Great Ghost Rescue by Eva Ibbotson - spooky, funny and with a heart.

Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nihm by Robert C O'Brien - classic story that's really moving.

Any Mr Gum book by Andy Stanton - new books but my brothers kids love them, they are surreal and funny.

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild - this is funny and very uplifting, a proper story of family life for three adopted orphans in the 1930's.

Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson - Tales of the Moomin Family and their very unusual friends.

Mrs Pepperpot by Alf Proysen - when Mrs Pepperpot sneezes she shrinks to the size of a pepperpot and has adventures.

19yareader2
feb. 10, 2008, 7:27 pm

Because of Winn Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo are great for 10 year olds.

20QueenOfDenmark
feb. 10, 2008, 7:44 pm

I forgot a couple earlier.

Holes by Louis Sachar is a very clever story and should be on everyones bookcase.

The Early Bird by Richard Scarry was a favourite when I was about four or five.

Winnie the Pooh with the proper illustrations (not Disney) is lovely.

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster is great for older girls.

Blubber by Judy Blume has aged quite well and is a good story.

The Naughtiest Girl in the School by Enid Blyton is a good nostalgic book about an English boarding school. Also her The Twins at St Clares books were (again) about a boarding school and were very good.

Odysseus: The Greatest Hero of them All by Tony Robinson is a very funny look at the Greek hero.

21nmoira
feb. 10, 2008, 7:58 pm

Oooh... we loved Mrs. Pepperpot.

22megkrahl
feb. 10, 2008, 8:12 pm

Miss Know-it-All and Miss Know-it-All Returns by Carol Beach York are both excellent books for 8 and up.

23hailelib
feb. 11, 2008, 12:20 pm

For older children who like myths, the series containing Phone Home, Persephone by Kate McMullan is very funny.

24QueenOfDenmark
feb. 12, 2008, 12:09 pm

I forgot another one, any Paddington Bear book by Michael Bond. Those stories used to make me laugh so much and now I read them to my brothers kids and they love them too.

25yareader2
feb. 12, 2008, 9:20 pm

The Series of Unfortunate Events is always a good one.

262martins Primer missatge
feb. 13, 2008, 12:58 am

hardy boys and trixie belden
the borrowers- series
mary poppins- series
lynn reid banks indian in the cupboard series
anything jean craighead george
mrs pigglewiggle series
get a list of newberry award winners!
harry potter series, but at #4 it gets dark- might want to wait until beyond age 10 for those
these are mostly 7-10 probably unless you are reading to the child
anything for children by DANIEL PINKWATER- he's hysterical!!! the hoboken chicken emergency is really funny.

27ToReadToNap
feb. 13, 2008, 4:16 pm

2martins, I'm glad you mentioned Mrs. Pigglewiggle by Betty MacDonald. A second-grade teachers in town (where I work in the library) got her students hooked on Mrs. Pigglewiggle and those books circulate constantly! It's great when a teacher introduces young kids to "older" books and a whole new generation discovers them.

Also, I second Daniel Pinkwate. And dare I say it....Dav Pilkey as well!

28hailelib
feb. 13, 2008, 5:33 pm

Just remember that many Newbery winners verge on YA so chose carefully with a particular child in mind as some would be better for 12-14 year olds.

29yareader2
feb. 14, 2008, 7:59 pm

mess 28. If the criteria is that the child must be able to read these books on their own then I would count out many Newbery. But I have many books on my list because the 10 year old would love to have them read to him/her.

30aviddiva
feb. 29, 2008, 8:19 pm

A 9 or 10 YO with good reading skills should be able to handle The Hobbit (maybe in an illustrated edition), and my son loved it as a read-aloud at age 7. For girls, A Little Princess and The Secret Garden are both must-haves.

For younger children, any of the folktales illustrated by Gerald McDermott are wonderful. My kids also loved Dav Pilkey's books, esp. Kat Kong and Dogzilla, and Wombat Stew by Marcia K. Vaughan.

32yareader2
Editat: març 6, 2008, 5:55 pm

The Magic Tree House Series,

The Little Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge,

The Little Engine That Could,

Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel,

(All Virginia Lee Burton books)

Are Thomas the Tank Engine too young, if they are, then I just know some train-happy 10 year olds that still love those characters.

33yareader2
Editat: abr. 3, 2008, 3:18 pm

I haven't this much fun in ages. It is a new book that I met in the library today. I go in to help our elementary school librarian and the kids were going off the wall for this book and when I started reading it I knew why they couldn't contain themselves.

Have you ever watched how a kid looked when they held a new Harry Potter book. They loved all the hundreds of pages and I don't know, it made them feel smart to be able to read such a thick book? Well, now kindergarteners can get that same rush with The Invention of Hugo Cabret By Brian Selznick. It is a very clever picture book / graphic novel. Fourth graders were bragging that they could read all 533 pages in one day. Yes, it definitely has more pictures (284 pages) then words, but a picture can tell a thousand words, right? Best of all, kids want to read it and anything that gets young readers into this sport is A+ on my reading list. From the kids,"As good as a new video game." Beat that, play- box-station... whatever! :D

34jfoster_sf
abr. 4, 2008, 12:13 pm

lol, i know what you mean! competing with video games and tv and everything is so hard, especially when the kids' parents don't encourage reading themselves! i always tell kids to read the book before seeing the movie, and i actually had a mom laugh at me and tell their kid that movies were better than books because reading takes longer! =0 i was stunned!!! if i wasn't working i would've totally gone off on her, some parents just blow me away sometimes...

35happymummy
Editat: jul. 1, 2008, 9:24 am

My 6 year old son adores all the Bel Mooney books: It's Not Fair! Why Me? Why Not? I Don't Want to! I Know! I Can't Find It! etc.. (You get the picture.) They are great because they allow him to understand and laugh at himself. I read them to him at first but he tackles them on his own now.

I also read him The World According to Humphrey series recently which we both love. Any child who's into cute animals (Humphrey is a hamster) will relate to him and all his adventures and thoughts on the world. He voices many of the feelings that kids themselves have about grown-ups, classmates, life at school. They're really lovely books.

My twin ten year olds are avid readers too and since we got The Ultimate Book Guide (for 8-12 year olds) by Daniel Hahn et al, we haven't had a single miss. It is the BEST ever guide, which gathers together all the favourite reads (both modern and classic) of many well-known authors and lists age suitability as well as general descriptions and cross-references with other likely books of interest. Apparently they do a younger version for 0-7 olds and an older version for teenagers too. Great stuff.

36librarianjojo
oct. 13, 2008, 10:29 pm

Where the Wild Things Are
Charlotte's Web
The Velveteen Rabbit

I jokingly tell my grade school kids that they are "required" to read these before they'll pass on to middle school.

Other favorites....

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
Strega Nona and many other tales from Tomi DePaola

I wouldn't label them as "classic," but certainly fun: Jon Sciescka's Time Warp Trio books, starting with Knights of the Kitchen Table

Paul Bunyan, John Henry and other tall tale heroes are great reads for all ages. I like Diane Goode's collections, but there are plenty of others that are great.
Anything by Kate DiCamillo. She writes for kids just into beginning chapter books with her Mercy Watson series, and books for upper elem./middle school too.

As for nonfiction reads, an excellent picture book for mature readers is Fireboat: the Story of the John J. Harvey. It's a poignant story of triumph, sensatively dealing with 9/11.

Oh, there are so many wonderful books for children to read!!!

37librarianjojo
oct. 13, 2008, 10:29 pm

Where the Wild Things Are
Charlotte's Web
The Velveteen Rabbit

I jokingly tell my grade school kids that they are "required" to read these before they'll pass on to middle school.

Other favorites....

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
Strega Nona and many other tales from Tomi DePaola

I wouldn't label them as "classic," but certainly fun: Jon Sciescka's Time Warp Trio books, starting with Knights of the Kitchen Table

Paul Bunyan, John Henry and other tall tale heroes are great reads for all ages. I like Diane Goode's collections, but there are plenty of others that are great.
Anything by Kate DiCamillo. She writes for kids just into beginning chapter books with her Mercy Watson series, and books for upper elem./middle school too.

As for nonfiction reads, an excellent picture book for mature readers is Fireboat: the Story of the John J. Harvey. It's a poignant story of triumph, sensatively dealing with 9/11.

Oh, there are so many wonderful books for children to read!!!

38leahbird
oct. 15, 2008, 11:48 am

How has no one mentioned Babar by Jean de Brunhoff! The whole collection of original books can be found together in Bonjour Babar! I think this is a must have for any child, and many adults should have a copy to. What's so wonderful about these books is that bad things happen and problems need to be resolved, which teaches children that while the world might not be perfect, anything is surmountable with good friends and a loving family.

39minerva66
des. 6, 2008, 12:32 am

Many good things here.
Need to add:
Young Novels
Andrew Clements
Avi Wortis (also goes by Avi)
Redwall series by Brian Jacques

Beginning Readers
Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant
Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

Comics
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

Picture Books
Robert McCloskey
David Wiesner
The Mitten by Jan Brett
Weslandia and Sidewalk Circus by Paul Fleischman
Barbara Kerley
Pam Munoz Ryan

Nonfction
Q is for Quark and G is for Googol by David Schwartz
Good Times Travel Agency series by Linda Bailey

40Makifat
des. 6, 2008, 1:56 am

My 8 year old has really gotten into Calvin and Hobbes. A few years ago, he was really into Edward Lear. He has also read tons of the Magic Tree House series, but I think he's gone a bit beyond them now.

Two excellent books that my 4 year old and I have enjoyed reading together are Little Golden Books by Margaret Wise Brown, The Sailor Dog and The Friendly Book. The illustrations, done in a very old-timey style by Garth Williams, are absolutely fascinating.

41Austrianprincess
feb. 8, 2009, 4:34 pm

Hiya,

I agree, eastofoz, I was thinking peter rabbit too, when I was a young kid(I'm nearly 15 now) I loved loved Peter rabbit! Jemima puddleduck was my fave.

And yeah, Matilda is a good book. What about Roald dahl books? I've only read Matilda though and I love it!

Jen
x

42jminspirational
abr. 17, 2009, 6:19 pm

S'ha suprimit aquest usuari en ser considerat brossa.

43daphnemomof9
abr. 18, 2009, 1:58 am

I love the Lois Lenski books and my kids have too.

Beatrix Potter is definitely important.

We've also enjoyed Maj Lindman books, Marguerite De Angeli books, and The Child's Book of Stories covers so many excellent classic stories.
PowerTales is an excellent series of biographies my kids have enjoyed.
We've enjoyed most of the D'Aulaire books too.
And last but not least The Child's Story Bible. These are just what I come up with off the top of my head.
Daphne

44theretiredlibrarian
abr. 24, 2009, 2:28 pm

I read aloud to my daughter every night until she was in 5th grade. We read and enjoyed so many...
Winnie the Pooh; at age 5 she would randomly quote passages
Little House in the Big Woodset al
The Secret Garden (then we went to see the Broadway musical}
Little Women
A Little Princess

And of course, when she was little so many picture books I can't even remember...I worked in the children's dept. of the public library & brought home so many books!

She just became a mom, and one of my gifts to her was a basket full of board books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar; Pat the Bunny; Big Red Barn amongst them.

My son, sadly, not so much! He never had the attention span to listen to novels as he got older.
:( To this day, he's not much of a reader, unless you count Sports Illustrated and Mad Magazine!

45Makifat
abr. 24, 2009, 2:42 pm

My 8 year old is just mad for The Phantom Tollbooth. They were reading it aloud in his class, but he decided he wanted to read it himself to get the maximum effect from the wordplay.

I'm thinking of starting The Wind in the Willows for my four year old, who is as crazy about animals as his brother was about knights (in those long-ago happy days before Pokemon and Mario Brothers....).

Per my message #40, above, the little one and I found a used copy of Brown/Williams's The Sleepy Book this morning, which we will read for afternoon rest time. I may be more excited about it than he is!

46clarueda
abr. 28, 2009, 1:33 pm

My essential picturebooks list:
Nothing Ever Happens on My Block (Ellen Raskin)
Harold And The Purple Crayon (Crockett Johnson)
Rosie’s Walk (Pat Hutchins)
Little Blue and Little Yellow (Leo Lionni)
Yo! Yes? (Chris Raschka)
The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Selznick)
Shortcut (David Macaulay)
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs (Smith-Scieszka)

47Maidas9
jul. 25, 2009, 7:20 pm

Click Clack Moo is ADORABLE!!!

48Maidas9
jul. 25, 2009, 7:21 pm

Oh yes, the Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne, I think that series is suitable for all children until age 8?