Cai’s little Bennett, not even three, is a voracious "reader", and he’s been known to read his way through a nap instead of sleeping.  Now Cai removes all books from Bennett’s bed at nap time.  Bennett has renewed my interest in children’s books, and in addition to the Six Picks, I’ve been thinking about some other children’s books that I’ve always valued.
 
One of my favorites as a child was DADDY LONG-LEGS by Jean Webster. 

Do kids today still read HEIDI by Johanna Spyri?  The sole motivation for my going to Switzerland years after I read the book was to see Heidi, and I did see her!  A lively imagination can be a blessing! 

There’s been a resurgence of interest in the Nancy Drew books, and I remember reading them in order, going from one to the next.  Before that, I read the entire series about the Bobbsey Twins, and the series had belonged to my mother.  How special is that? 

On a cold winter day, when I pull up an afghan and curl up with a book, I still imagine myself as Jo March from Louisa May Alcott’s LITTLE WOMEN.  That’s where it all began, sharing with Jo March a real love for books.
 
Here’s a list of children’s favorites—and I hope that you’ll email us about your kids’ favorites so that we can add them to our list.
 
THE BOXCAR CHILDREN by Gertrude Chandler Werner
THE WITCHES by Raold Dahl, and don’t overlook CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, THE BFG, and JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
THE DEVIL’S STORYBOOK by Natalie Babbitt
FREAKY FRIDAY by Mary Rodgers
THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer
THE TWENTY-ONE BALLOONS by William Pene duBois
WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams
THE HOUSE WITH THE CLOCK IN ITS WALLS by John Bellairs