There were lots of favourites I and my sisters had when we were children, but it's only the ones for somewhat higher ages that I actually recall titles and authors of, for the most part... and of course some of them probably don't exist in English, and for the ones that do I don't necessarily know the title.
Still, some of our favourite picture books back then that I'm fairly sure are either originally English-language or available in English include the books by Shirley Hughes, Posy Simmonds (The Chocolate Wedding is brilliant), Peter Spier, Violeta Denou, Dieter Schubert and Chizuko Kuratomi (took me some real detective work to track that last one down, though - as far as clues to go off on go, "those Japanese books about that bear" is not, as it turns out, very helpful). And Raymond Briggs' The Snowman (although perhaps the animated movie version is even better, since it has that music).
For somewhat older ages, Roald Dahl is obviously a must, Enid Blyton for those who wouldn't find her too old-fashioned, Monica Furlong (Wise Child cannot be praised enough), Gillian Cross (The Demon Headmaster is a classic), Astrid Lindgren, Rosemary Sutcliff (historical fiction), Anthony Horowitz (mostly horror or at least rather scary stuff), and many more I'm sure.
And then for young teenagers, 10-14 or so, I'm a big fan of William Bell (Forbidden City, particularly) and Aidan Chambers, both writers with an impressive ability to write about and for teenagers without patronizing them. There's also S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, a masterpiece when you consider she wrote it aged 16. And here too, many more I'm sure.
Still, some of our favourite picture books back then that I'm fairly sure are either originally English-language or available in English include the books by Shirley Hughes, Posy Simmonds (The Chocolate Wedding is brilliant), Peter Spier, Violeta Denou, Dieter Schubert and Chizuko Kuratomi (took me some real detective work to track that last one down, though - as far as clues to go off on go, "those Japanese books about that bear" is not, as it turns out, very helpful). And Raymond Briggs' The Snowman (although perhaps the animated movie version is even better, since it has that music).
For somewhat older ages, Roald Dahl is obviously a must, Enid Blyton for those who wouldn't find her too old-fashioned, Monica Furlong (Wise Child cannot be praised enough), Gillian Cross (The Demon Headmaster is a classic), Astrid Lindgren, Rosemary Sutcliff (historical fiction), Anthony Horowitz (mostly horror or at least rather scary stuff), and many more I'm sure.
And then for young teenagers, 10-14 or so, I'm a big fan of William Bell (Forbidden City, particularly) and Aidan Chambers, both writers with an impressive ability to write about and for teenagers without patronizing them. There's also S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, a masterpiece when you consider she wrote it aged 16. And here too, many more I'm sure.
This message last edited by Legolas on 10/02/2010 at 10:11:49 PM
What books would you consider essential to a children's library?
10/02/2010 08:25:07 PM
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It's difficult because "children" are "children" from age 0 to roughly 12.
10/02/2010 09:10:16 PM
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I loved "Cars, Trucks and Things"
11/02/2010 06:26:01 PM
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A few random suggestions for younger kids...
10/02/2010 09:12:54 PM
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Thank you for the suggestions and for adding your children's ages.
11/02/2010 06:29:33 PM
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Now there's a good question.
10/02/2010 09:47:39 PM
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I can see now that this is going to be one of those posts that I actually copy out the answers on
11/02/2010 06:44:19 PM
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Since most of the names mentioned elsewhere are unfamiliar to me, that seems logical.
11/02/2010 09:33:12 PM
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Like I would let my kids or grandkids touch that book?!
11/02/2010 10:29:13 PM
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I pulled those books out a year or two ago to see if it was as beautiful as I remembered. It was.
12/02/2010 02:40:20 AM
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Steven King!!!
10/02/2010 10:20:27 PM
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When do you think I should introduce him to The Green Mile? I am not sure he will catch all
11/02/2010 06:50:28 PM
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Madeleine L'Engle
10/02/2010 10:27:38 PM
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I have not heard of it. I will be watching for it in the antique section. Hehe
11/02/2010 07:05:45 PM
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A Wrinkle in Time is worth reading just for yourself. It's one of those books. *NM*
11/02/2010 10:17:10 PM
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Thirded, fourthed, or whatever number follows how many people have nominated this.
12/02/2010 10:57:58 PM
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Peter Pan.
10/02/2010 10:34:42 PM
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Sounds like children's books don't have national boundries.
11/02/2010 07:25:04 PM
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Sounds like some of them do.
11/02/2010 08:11:36 PM
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Yeah, I really wouldn't classify Asterix as children's books particularly...
11/02/2010 09:24:15 PM
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Multi-level is the best way to describe them.
11/02/2010 09:38:38 PM
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Asterix? OH! I do have one of those!! Now I recognize it by your description!
11/02/2010 10:32:18 PM
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For "older" children definitely Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. *NM*
11/02/2010 01:11:09 AM
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Oz books! Oz books!
11/02/2010 05:04:42 AM
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Mmmm. That reminds me. We have one of the first of those books upstairs in my mom's library.
11/02/2010 07:32:34 PM
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Just buy lots and lots and you should be OK
11/02/2010 05:24:23 AM
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I hope I kept my condensed classics. But the problems with those were that they were too memorable
11/02/2010 07:48:45 PM
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Ohh, grandson.
11/02/2010 01:20:44 PM
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Shel Silverstein!
11/02/2010 01:30:46 PM
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Shel Silverstein is great (even if iirc I only ever read her in translation). *NM*
11/02/2010 01:33:14 PM
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He's a boy. You should listen to him read some of the poems.
11/02/2010 01:50:16 PM
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I am going to have to check Siverstein out. Children's books <b>and</b> A Boy Named Sue?
11/02/2010 07:46:02 PM
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~peruses shelves~
11/02/2010 02:19:11 PM
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nuh uh.
11/02/2010 02:22:35 PM
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Shoulda known, really
11/02/2010 02:24:25 PM
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I read some of my dad's L'Amour books when we went on a cross country bus trip when I was eleven
11/02/2010 07:40:30 PM
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Re: What books would you consider essential to a children's library?
11/02/2010 03:28:01 PM
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Those were good. I think I have all except for the Paddington so I will keep my eye out for it.
11/02/2010 07:43:27 PM
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Re: Those were good. I think I have all except for the Paddington so I will keep my eye out for it.
11/02/2010 08:09:59 PM
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So I am familiar with some of his work if not his name. BFG definitly qualifies as an essential.
11/02/2010 08:30:50 PM
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A few for different ages
11/02/2010 04:23:22 PM
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I don't remember the first three. I will watch for those. Or the last ones either. Feel free to add
11/02/2010 07:55:09 PM
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Oh god, I could go on and on. You see...my mom teaches 1st grade...
11/02/2010 08:04:04 PM
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Another vote for Babar!
11/02/2010 09:36:19 PM
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Babar is very universal. Hasn't everyone read Babar? I can still see the pictures. *NM*
11/02/2010 10:33:58 PM
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An answer of a different sort
11/02/2010 09:52:51 PM
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Give a child the gift of reading and you give them a gift for life
12/02/2010 11:21:25 AM
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Well, my favourite "Young Adult" books have always been the Redwall series *NM*
18/02/2010 06:07:18 AM
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Re: What books would you consider essential to a children's library?
26/08/2010 10:00:03 AM
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