Buy Used
Used - Very Good See details
$3.90 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
100 Best Books for Children
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

100 Best Books for Children [Hardcover]

Anita Silvey (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover --  
Paperback $9.95  

Book Description

By selecting only 100 “best books” Anita Silvey distinguishes her guide from all the others and makes it possible to give young readers their literary heritage in the childhood years.
The books we hear or read when we are children stay with us all our lives. If we miss them when we are young, we’ll miss them forever: no Hungry Caterpillar, no Winn-Dixie, no Roll of Thunder. As adults we remember a few familiar favorites, but no one but an expert like Anita Silvey, with her thirty-five years at the heart of children’s book publishing, could put together an authoritative list like this one. Parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and bookstore clerks will feel completely comfortable recommending these books for any child, from infancy to almost-teens. Silvey includes, in addition to the 100 best, extensive lists of books to meet special needs and interests as well as classics, selected by age, to round out this extraordinarily useful work.
In addition to giving an age range and the plot of each book, Silvey relates the fascinating, often hilarious story behind the story, something only an insider in the field of children’s publishing could tell. 100 Best Books for Children is as much fun to read as it is helpful.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Divided into age groups, Silvey lists classics old and new, from Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd's Goodnight Moon to Virginia Hamilton's The People Could Fly to Louis Sachar's novel Holes," wrote PW. All ages. (Aug.)Note: We have additional Children's Books Reviews at www.publishersweekly.com. Click "Web Exclusives" to get to "Review Annex."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From School Library Journal

What makes a book a classic? Silvey, a longtime children's book specialist and literature lover, addresses that question in order to identify books that represent a "basic literary heritage." The result is a highly select list of 100 titles published from 1902 to 2002. These are titles that have been or likely will be enjoyed by children for generations: "The canon of children's books remains the best gift we could ever give our children." And the short essays that introduce this canon are likely to engage adults in surprising ways. There is, of course, a brief synopsis of each book's content plus information about the creation or creator of the book. Written in a conversational tone, these stories "behind the story" provide insight, humor, and passion for the books presented. Additional titles are presented in "Beyond the 100 Best," organized by age (birth through age 12) and also by genre. An extensive bibliography of adult references provides not only documentation but also allows for follow-up by those interested. Silvey notes that a reader's response to a book is part of its story, hence the inclusion of a section entitled "Reading Journal." Altogether, this is a highly useful book for anyone who is interested in the best of children's literature and the fascinating tales behind these books. - Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at Washington DC Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; None edition (April 9, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0618278893
  • ISBN-13: 978-0618278893
  • Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #643,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

 

Customer Reviews

16 Reviews
5 star:
 (10)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting background on your favorite children's books, May 12, 2006
This review is from: 100 Best Books for Children (Hardcover)
This book makes a fun gift for new parents, who sometimes need to be reminded about the classics from their childhood, as well to learn about the books published since they were kids. Like anyone who is passionate about children's literature, I have my own opinions about the books that should be listed in the top 100 and I disagree with some of the author's selections. But, I think the real value of this book is the short essays about the background behind the classic children's books we know and love. I didn't know, for example, that Ezra Jack Keats's "The Snowy Day" was controversial when it was published for his use of an African-American protagonist. So, my recommendation of this book is based less on its function as a list and more as interesting background for people interested in children's lit.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning resource for anyone who loves kids!, April 17, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: 100 Best Books for Children (Hardcover)
When I first saw this book, I was expecting a list and not much more. But the depth and research that went in to this book is extraordinary! Anita Silvey even knew most of the authors and illustrators for these books personally - you can't get much closer to the sources than that! A delight to read, and full of insightful, delightful historical information and personalized anecdotes, this book would be a perfect addition to anyone's bookshelf, no matter what age!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars pretty good, I'd say, May 26, 2005
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: 100 Best Books for Children (Hardcover)
Yes, the list of books may seem unimaginative, and yes, she may not have your favorite book on the list (FYI, The Big Orange Splot is the best picture book ever written, and it is not in there) BUT it is still a useful book. I shared it with a young kindergarten teacher I know; she had never heard of Ferdinand or some of the other older books.
Obviously, this is not the one essential book to take to your desert island, but I find it useful as a parent/teacher/librarian to go along with my Jim Trelease books, Esme Codell's How to Get Your Child to Love Reading, and other resources.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews











Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Upon awakening early one morning in 1945, Margaret Wise Brown wrote down the entire text of Goodnight Moon in almost final form, and called it "Goodnight Room." Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
purple plastic purse, hundred dresses, swamp angel, paper cranes, attic wall, midnight garden
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Newbery Medal, New York, Caldecott Medal, Newbery Honor, Harry Potter, Charlotte's Web, Van Allsburg, Wild Things, Goodnight Moon, Ursula Nordstrom, World War, John Henry, Little House, Mary Poppins, United States, Bao Lord, David Macaulay, Eric Carle, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little Bear, Miss Nelson, The Secret Garden, Curious George, Harriet the Spy, Johnny Tremain
New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100 books:
See all 100 books this book cites




Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(3)
(2)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums





Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject