On the search for childhood

The past few days I have been in the process of gathering a list of the top ten children's books.  I quickly came to the conclusion that this category need to be broken down into young children's books, like picture books, and middle readers, beginning chapter books.  So after looking at five or six different websites giving their picks for the top 10, 50 or 100 books I have narrowed my reading list down.

So for Children's Books:
1. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
2. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
3. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
4. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
5. Harold & The Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
7. Corduroy by Donald Freeman
8. Curious George by H. A. Rey
9. Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. Seuss
10. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi & Ron Barrett

and because it was one of my favorites I couldn't just leave it off the list

11. If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

This was so difficult! Looking over other lists and results from google searches I came across so many books I remember and loved! It was very hard to leave Mike Mulligan & His Steam Shovel off the list and all of the Bernstein Bears Books!  I also think eventually I will have to do an exclusive Dr. Seuss list since I could easily make this entire list his books.

So the Early Children's book list is done! Now I need to start on the Middle Reader list, ugh!  Time for more googling . . .

In the mean time I am planning a little tour of used book stores in the area to start gathering my books, not that my bookshelves can really handle anymore.  Also I have been browsing other book readers blogs and started following many of them.  I have come across a great mini challenge that many other bloggers are attempting.  I may during the next Read -a-thon that they host in the spring but for now I will send you on to the Dewey's Read-a-thon page and hope you can squeeze in a few hours of challenges.

All the best to you!

~Ang