Can anyone list the very best books ever written for children? A group of knowledgeable professionals from schools and libraries, children’s bookselling and publishing (including Alliance columnist Pat Wroclawski) got together under the auspices of the Association for Library Service to Children and the Association of Booksellers for Children to create a list of 101 titles. They believe that these are among the best, the most fun, the most inspiring books available today for children. We’ve listed 72 titles for children from birth to age eight. The booksellers’ list includes books for ages 9-12 and 12-14, as well. If you would like a copy of the list of titles for older children, please call the Alliance office at (847) 441-9001. (By the way, The Book Stall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka has all 101 titles available.)

... BIRTH TO AGE 3

Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd

Jesse Bear What Will You Wear? by Nancy Carlstrom and Bruce Degen

Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara Joosse

Max Board Books (series) by Rosemary Wells

More, More, More Said the Baby by Vera Williams

Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins

Ten Nine Eight by Molly Bang

Tomie de Paola’s Mother Goose by Tomie de Paola

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill

.... AGES 3 - 5

Bedtime for Frances (series) by Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and Lois Ehlert

Curious George by H. A. Rey

Doctor De Soto by William Steig

Flossie and the Fox by Patricia McKissack and Rachel Isadora

George and Martha by James Marshall

Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond

Julius, the Baby of the World by K. Henkes

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Burton

Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and John Schoenherr

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

The Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

Strega Nona by Tomie de Paola

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

.... AGES 6 - 8

Amelia Bedelia (series) by Peggy Parish

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman and Caroline Binch

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Frog and Toad (series) by Arnold Lobel

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

Little House Books (series) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Magic School Bus (series) by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater

Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard and James Marshall

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe

The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy and Jerry Pinkney

Ramona books (and others) by Beverly Cleary

Sadako & 1000 Paper Cranes by E. Coerr

Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

Stone Fox by John Gardiner

Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox

.... ALL AGES

Aesop’s Fables by Aesop

Anno’s Journey by Mitsumasa Anno

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar D’Aulaire

The Diane Goode Book of American Folk Tales and Songs edited by Ann Durell

From Sea to Shining Sea edited by Amy Cohn

Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky

The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Random House Book of Poetry for Children by Jack Prelutsky

Sing a Song of Popcorn by Beatrice de Regniers

Talking Like the Rain by X.J. Kennedy

The Way Things Work by David Macaulay

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer