A list of the most important children's books, published at least 90 years ago
This is a pretty comprehensive list of the great classics of children’s literature and I read many of these as a child.
Some more contemporary classics include:
Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928) by A. A. Milne
Little House In The Big Woods (Little House on the Prairie) (1932) and sequels
The Hobbit (1937) by J. R. R. Tolkien
Pippi Longstocking (1944) by Astrid Lindgren
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) & The Chronicles Of Narnia (1949-1954) by C. S. Lewis
The Cat in the Hat (1957) by Dr. Seuss
Where the Wild Things Are (1964) by Maurice Sendak
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) by Roald Dahl
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret (1970) by Judy Blume (
while not appropriate for young children, as an adolescent teenage girl, I very much identified with Margaret and reading it allowed me to open up a frank conversation with my mother about puberty and religion in a very positive way and Christian focused way.)
Note how many of these are in the genre of Fantasy and feature witches, faries or other "magical" beings. There are also some great works of Science Fiction and several of these classics feature animals that talk.
Another theme that repeats in many classic works of children’s literature, even those that are not fantasies, is that of the orphaned child or a child or children or young adult, in great peril, facing great hardships or on epic quests, fighting and prevailing against evil protagonists who are often adults.
Children like reading such stories. Why? I think because children often feel helpless and powerless and these stories place them in a world where the grownup adult is not the focus and is not always in charge. It gives them opportunity to think about making choices and the consequences of those choices and in dealing with adversity – the things they will have to deal with as they enter puberty and adulthood. And isn’t that what the Harry Potter books are all about?
I would not discourage any child from reading any of these books. I would however, encourage their parents to read them also, and talk about the themes with their child. It’s a great opportunity to foster a love of reading and literature and more importantly a way for parents to instill and reinforce their standards and morals on their children.
I really don’t think that Harry Potter influences children to become witches any more than Wonderful Wizard of Oz or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe does.
Impressive list of books.
Our children each read at least a couple of books each week, and they are not short stories, believe me. But they have chosen, for the most part, biographies, histories, and a few historical novels. If there is time they read natural science and naturalist books and journals. My eldest son, now 30, is quite the expert in botany, by his own reading and wilderness note taking. He was reading Thomas Sowell’s books at age 12 (finds himself a Conservative of an older order). His other interest in reading has been weapons and balistics. Not interested in a list that runs from Pooh to Potter.
My 15 year old son is reading late 19th century theologies and political movements. He enjoys the British theatre in both areas. Not interested in fictional spritist stuff. He told me that the “Scriptures (the Bible) have enough about the spiritual realm to make a lifetime study — why waste time on man’s junk on the issue.”
Our kids read through the Bible several times each year. Only 20 chapters per day can get one through the Bible six times each year.
We are grateful to God for the result.