My Most Favorite Children's Books {Thoughts from a book snob}

My Most Favorite Children's Books {Thoughts from a book snob}

Riddle me this...Is it possible to pick ONE favorite book? 

Isn't that kind of like asking someone to pick their favorite child? Unless you only have ONE child, that's a next-to-impossible request...a catch 22. 

Admittedly, I am a bit of a book snob. I have no time for twaddle. When choosing books for my kids, I'm mindful. I'm purposeful. 

I am training their affections towards books that are well-constructed and that are clothed in literary-rich language. If I can form their pallet with beauty and truth, honor and virtue, they will be repelled by the tawdry, vain, and cheap. 


Over the years, I've come across many books that have added so much loveliness to our family culture. While, I can't bring myself to pick just ONE, I've narrowed the list down to twelve. It's a collection of both fiction and non-fiction, silly and sensical. 

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Books I mentioned in the video...

Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall
Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
Journey to the Cross by Helen Haidle
My Book House Books by Olive Miller
Learning About Sex Series by Concordia Publishers
Things People Do by Anne Civardi
The Way Things Work by David Macaulay

In addition, I'd also add Boyhood and Beyond by Bob Schultz to the list. While it does not address the physical changes that a boy goes through at puberty, it does speak well to the social, emotional, and spiritual changes during the tween and teen years. (My oldest son is ten and says that this is the best book he's ever read! How's that for a glowing endorsement?) The Scripture referenced throughout is from the KJV Bible which can make it quite difficult for some boys to understand. But, you can always encourage your son to look up those verses in your family's preferred Bible version.

Helpful links for choosing children's books


Now it's your turn. What books would you add to a children's MUST READ list?




13 comments:

  1. Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John

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  2. Hard to narrow this list but these are books I love that may not be on everyone's top ten. "Mrs. greenbergs Messy Hanukkah" by Linda Glaser, "The Giraffe That Walked To Paris" by Nancy Milton, and "Jason's Miracle A Hanukkah Story" by Beryl Lieff Benderly.

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    Replies
    1. I've not read any of these. I'll have to look for them.

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  3. Thank you so much for your list. My daughter is an avid reader and it's hard to keep up with her, so I appreciate your suggestions.

    It looks like many of the links posted above aren't working, maybe it's a problem with Amazon?

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    Replies
    1. Hmmm...they're working fine for me. I wonder if Amazon had a glitch earlier today. Would you mind trying them again and letting me know.

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  4. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher is a favorite of ours.

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  5. I would have to add The Chronicles of Narnia, Where the Red Fern Grows, My Father's Dragon, Ballet Shoes, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Swallows and Amazons, and the Little House Books

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    Replies
    1. Most definitely! There are soooooo many good ones it was hard to pick just a couple.

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  6. The Seven Silly Eaters and the books on this list http://www.sweepingupjoy.com/the-year-of-mercy-in-picture-books/ !

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