100 Best Books for Children

Scholastic Parent & Child has named its 100 best books for children.  How many have you read?  What would you add (or remove) from this list?

Reader Reviews

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure (2011).

What would you do if you received a birthday card saying, “Happy. HELP. NOW. FOLLOW CLUES. RESCUE US BY PIECING TOGETHER THE EXQUISITE CORPSE. Birthday. Love, Mom & Dad.”  Nancy and Joe, orphan siblings, decide to listen to this letter and rescue their parents. There are a few minor problems. First, they don’t know if their parents actually wrote the letter, and second, Nancy and Joe don’t know if they are going to the right place. Finally, they don’t know what  the Exquisite Corpse is, exactly.

Luckily, Nancy and Joe have grown up in a circus where they have learned many different tricks. They will need to use every trick up their sleeves to piece together the very Top-Secret Robot, also known as the Exquisite Corpse, to  rescue their parents.

            Oops. I wasn’t supposed to say that. Oh well. Will Nancy and Joe be able to piece together the Exquisite Corpse? Will they save their parents? You’ll have to read The Exquisite Corpse Adventure if you want to find out.

If you like books full of adventure and mystery, this is the book for you. The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is made up of 27 “episodes”, each one written by a different author and ending in a cliff hanger. There are also four illustrators who take turns creating the imagery of each “episode”. Due to the concept of multiple authors, the plot is a little choppy, but the story is very compelling. Readers will enjoy sampling their favorite authors, such as Natalie Babbitt, Steven Kellogg, and Susan Cooper, while discovering new authors. I recommend this book to ages 10-13 and give it an “A-”.

Review written by:
Amariah
Age 12

Harris Burdick … the mysteries continue

More than 25 years ago, Chris Van Allsburg wrote a book that captured imaginations and got kids writing stories.

Van Allsburg, Chris (1984). The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (Ages 5+).

Mr. Harris Burdick brought 14 pictures (complete with titles and captions) to a publisher, promising to bring the accompanying stories and some more pictures the next day.  He never returned.  Chris Van Allsburg, a friend of the publisher, saw the pictures and decided to put them all together in a book.  (That’s the story, at least, and Chris is sticking to it.)  This book has inspired creative writing assignments ever since.

It’s not only children who have found the pictures irresistible fodder for new stories.  Famous authors also think the pictures are intriguing.

Van Allsburg, Chris (2011). The Chronicles of Harris Burdick (Gr. 4-8).

That’s where this book comes in.  Take the 14 pictures from Mysteries, then add short stories from 14 well-known authors.  The stories are sometimes eerie, sometimes funny, and always just as mysterious as the original pictures.  Of course, no one knows what the real stories were, and even famous authors can only take their best guesses.  Would your stories turn out the same way?

The authors included in this compilation:
Lemony Snicket
Tabitha King
Jon Scieszka
Sherman Alexie
Gregory Maguire
Cory Doctorow
Jules Feiffer
Linda Sue Park
Walter Dean Myers
Lois Lowry
Kate DiCamillo
M. T. Anderson
Louis Sachar
Chris Van Allsburg
Stephen King

Jenkins, Martin (2011). Can We Save the Tiger? (Gr. 1-6)

This book blew me away with its simplicity, straightforward information, and stunning illustrations.  Endangered species are hardly a new topic, but Martin Jenkins has brought the facts together in a way that outshines most other attempts to discuss the issue.  Jenkins passes no judgement on human behavior, although he does suggest that we can make choices that best protect the world we live in.  You’ll learn about dozens of animals that are either extinct or endangered.  You’ll learn why these animals are in trouble, and how many are left (or when the animals were last seen).  You’ll learn about success stories like the American bison, and hopeful stories like the kakapo parrot.  I can’t recommend this book strongly enough–just read it.

As Martin Jenkins says, wouldn’t it be a shame to live in a world where there are no tigers, elephants, polar bears, or ground iguanas?

More new books!

I am always excited when I see boxes of new children’s books waiting to go on the shelf.  They’re so beautiful!  They’re so new!  They’re waiting for people just like you to read them!  Here are a few titles to get you started: stop by the children’s room to see even more.

Sylver, Adrienne (2010).  Hot Diggity Dog: The History of the Hot Dog (Gr. 1-3)
The hot dog has been around for centuries, and it’s been a popular American food ever since immigrants brought to the new world with them. President Franklin D. Roosevelt even hosted a hot-dog picnic for the King of England! This book tells you all about hot dogs: how they’re made, what people put on them, and the most famous hot dog sellers in the country.

Rash, Andy (2009). Are You a Horse? (Gr. K-3)
Cowboy Roy gets a spiffy saddle for his birthday … but he isn’t sure how to find a horse! Walking around the desert, he meets some other very interesting animals. Do you think he’ll find a horse for his saddle? This is a very funny book–especially the last page!

 

Pilkey, Dav (2010). The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future (Gr. 3-6)
If you liked Captain Underpants, you need to pick up this new book from the same author. Ook and Gluk, two caveboys, are transported to the future, where they learn kung-fu and go home to save their village (Caveland, Ohio). It’s wild, it’s zany, and it’s a ton of fun with flip-o-ramas in every chapter.

Beasts, Monsters, Quests, and Legends

From the author who brought you Alex Rider comes a newly  updated collection of ancient legends.  These stories come from around the world, and they’re everything you could want from myths told by Anthony Horowitz: humor, action, heroes, monsters, adventures, and just enough gore.

You can check them out from the children’s room:

Horowitz, Anthony (2010). Beasts and Monsters (Gr. 4-6)
— (2010). Battles and Quests (Gr. 4-6)

Fresh from the Nightstand

I like to read before going to sleep, and sometimes I find a book that’s good enough to gobble up in one night.  This is one of them.  Saugus doesn’t own it, but we can now borrow books from other libraries in the NOBLE network!  Request a copy of it, today.

Breathed, Berkeley (2009). Flawed Dogs: The Shocking Raid on Westminster (Gr. 3-6)

Sam is a little dachshund with a big heart.  Destined to win dog shows around the world, his future changes suddenly when he finds Heidy, a girl who needs someone to love her.  A jealous poodle, however, has other plans, and Sam soon finds himself tossed out of his warm home and cast into the National Last-Ditch Dog Depository.  Hurt, abused, and often ignored, poor Sam is flawed and broken instead of beautiful.  In spite of everything, Sam’s heart keeps him going, as does his wish for revenge.

There are some sad parts of this book, but there are also funny and gloriously happy parts, too.