Reading is one of those things people either love or do their best to avoid. I’m slightly obsessed with books. When I was little I read pretty much anything I could get my hands on, and I think it was my parents who instilled in me a love of reading that I still very much have today. There are books that I read or had read to me as a child that I still think about and sometimes even crack open again for another adventure.
There are countless childrens’ books that are worth reading whether or not you actually fall into that age category. Certain books just stick with us, and those are the ones that we should pass along to the children in our lives. Here’s a list of 10 books that every child should have the joy of reading.
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Love You Forever by Robert Munsch: This book is a must-read for every parent and child. It’s the sweet story of a mother and her newborn son and the evolution of their relationship as the son grows up. Parents are sure to relate to the bittersweet changes that come with a child growing up, and children will feel the love in this book. Even after we’ve grown up, we’re still our parents’ children.
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The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein: Centered around a boy and a tree that he can communicate with, this story is a heartwarming tale of their relationship. As the boy grows up he begins asking the tree for things he needs and the tree selflessly gives him whatever he asks for. This story beautifully illustrates friendship, what it means to truly care for someone, and the joy of giving.
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The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne: This huge series of 50 books takes two children on worldwide adventures to solve mysteries and often help famous historical figures with important tasks. There is a book in the series for just about everything you can think of, from dinosaurs to vikings to the Civil War. These books just might spark a love of history in elementary aged children and feed their imaginations with adventure.
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Any book by Dr. Seuss: There are so many great books written by Dr. Seuss that it would be nearly impossible to say that any of them is more worthy of a read than the others. There are morals hidden in these fun and silly books that we absorb without even realizing. The brilliance in Dr. Seuss’ writing is that they’re entertaining enough for an adult and easy enough for a young child to read.
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Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak: Full of beautiful illustrations, this short read speaks greatly to the imaginations of children. Max is sent to his room for misbehaving and imagines a world where he’s the ruler of the Wild Things. The simplicity of the story leaves room for readers’ minds to run wild along with Max, who finds his place back in his loving home in the end.
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The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling: No list of great books would be complete without Harry Potter. I’ve heard numerous stories of people who say these books are what made them fall in love with reading. It’s an easy thing to immerse yourself in Harry’s magical world and tag along on his fantastical adventures. The books portray the young wizard’s journey of courage, friendship, and discovering beauty of magic.
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Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson: This book portrays the friendship of two outcast children who create their own world because the real one doesn’t appreciate them. Their story shows how powerful friendship really is and that anything is possible. When the story takes a sad turn, one of the children proves to himself just how strong he really is.
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Matilda by Roald Dahl: Matilda is a little girl whose selfish parents didn’t give her the best start in life, but learns about the world through her love of reading. Much to her parents’ dismay, Matilda discovers she has a special power and uses it along with her vast knowledge to finally stand up for herself.
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Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne: This classic set of stories takes place in Hundred Acre Wood where animals (both real ones and toy ones) forge friendships and have adventures together that help them learn valuable lessons. Christopher Robin, the human boy who spends time with them, learns just as much from them as they learn from him. Full of entertaining characters and fun, these stories are a must read for children of all ages.
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The Giver by Lois Lowry: Perhaps the first dystopian society book aimed at children, The Giver is both an often challenged and banned book and required reading for many middle schoolers. It tells the tale of Jonas, who learns that the world he for so long thought was perfect isn’t quite what it seems. He must decide whether he will lead the life that was chosen for him or if he will buck tradition and do what he thinks is right.
What books would you add to the list? Are there any stories you enjoyed as a child or love to share with your children now?
The Hudsucker 
We may or may not have had the same bookish childhood. The ultimate childhood book is “Love You Forever.” So happy you put that one first. : )
Great list! I would also add “To Kill A Mockingbird”, a book that taught me about acceptance, compassion, and courage.