Comments on: Top 100 Children’s Novels (#45-41)

By: Module 2: Mr. Popper’s Penguins « childrensbookcorner

Module 2: Mr. Popper’s Penguins « childrensbookcorner — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:10:23 +0000

[...] Swan. Jennifer Hubert. (2010). [Review of the book Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, by Judy Blume]. Top 100 Children’s Novels. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2010/02/24/top-100-childrens-novels-45-41/ [...]

By: Module 2: Classic Children’s & Young Adult Literature « childrensbookcorner

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 04:03:16 +0000

By: Top 100: 2010 Picks for Best Children’s Novels (grades 3-8) : PragmaticMom

Top 100: 2010 Picks for Best Children’s Novels (grades 3-8) : PragmaticMom — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:58:13 +0000

[...] Rowling#39 When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead#40 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum#41 The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare#42 Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder#43 Ramona the [...]

By: Carolynne Lathrop

Carolynne Lathrop — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:12:03 +0000

Dear Betsy,
I didn’t vote, but Golden Compass would have been in my top 10. I loved seeing all the foreign book covers for The Golden Compass, but I have one quibble. The one you say is from Estonia is Dutch, and the one you say is Dutch is not. I don’t know Estonian, so I guess it could be–it looks possibly Danish, to me. But it is definitely not Dutch.

By: Scrumptious

Scrumptious — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:17:25 +0000

I am getting super tense with anticipation! I can’t believe we’re exiting the 40s and still only one book from my list (Blue Dolphins) has turned up. And then there are all those other books that didn’t make my top 10 but that I am still really rooting for, as well!

The GC vs HP discussion here is quite interesting and Hazel’s “essay” was fascinating. I loved GC passionately but the reason it didn’t make my list was that, because the ending was left as a cliffhanger to make way for the sequels, the declining quality of the sequels reflects back onto the first book for me. It’s an amazing book, but it doesn’t stand alone.

I wish I had been able to read Amber Spyglass through your eyes, Hazel. I was crushingly disappointed by it (not to mention pretty confused) and I wish I could have experienced what you experienced with it!

By: Leslie

Leslie — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:03:10 +0000

I’ve found this too late to contribute a top-10 list of my own, but I can at least solve a puzzle for Darsa, who wrote:
“I have a friend who INSISTS that Moms (Trixie Belden Mysteries) made Reddy’s dog food from… various disgusting innards.” Your friend is right. It’s from The Mystery Off Glen Road. “The lungs and such, or ‘lights,’ as professional butchers called them, were boiled into a rich broth for mixing with dehydrated dog food – for Reddy!” It’s on p. 154 of the recent reissue of the book.

I’m agreeing with quite a few of the choices, and disagreeing with others, and thinking that some (The Thief; Betsy-Tacy; yes, I am a member of both rabid fandoms) should be much nearer #1 than they are.

By: Billy

Billy — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:46:49 +0000

I love “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” and consider it one of the all-time beast historical novels. It is the perfect example of how you can add something like a mild romance in a children’s book and have it be relevant, not take over the story, and be of actual interest to its audience. Altogether, It’s solidly written and characterized, and an engrossing look at history while still a fascinating novel of character change. I’m very happy to see it here on this list.

By: Anne Ursu

Anne Ursu — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:02:59 +0000

Hazel, I love love love your comment.

By: ricka

ricka — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:53:01 +0000

I raise, what seems to be, the only hand in the love GC, but not HP camp. It is a lonely world for such as I.

By: Mary Ann

Mary Ann — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:50:45 +0000

Why are the Fudge books the only Blume books I haven’t read? Must remedy situation immediately.
Ah, Ramona. I loved her even she was just a cameo in the Henry books. When I had my own child, she was so much like Ramona at that age, I knew Cleary knew primary age kids. As much as I love all the Cleary books, if there is only going to only one on the list, I’m glad it was this one. (Yes, it was on my list!)