Remember when we were young and I conducted these craaaazy polls asking you guys to vote on your Top 10 Picture Books and Top 10 Children’s Novels? Remember when I enlisted the help of some talented survey monkeys and we calculated the results, coming up with some top 100 lists? And remember when I promised […]
I apologize for the recent radio silence, folks. There’s something goofy in the state of Fuse 8. For one thing, I can’t seem to comment on my own posts. Most peculiar. I will assume that this is just a passing fancy of the blog and that all will be well and good from this day […]
And here at last they all are! Pressed and cleaned and ready for your perusal. From one to one hundred and everything in between. And remember that if you want this list in a fancy handout PDF that looks a lot nicer and can be given to patrons, parents, teachers, etc. just sign up for […]
Sign up today and be the first to receive School Library Journal‘s exclusive PDF collecting all of the Top 100 Picture Books posts from Fuse 8’s Betsy Bird. Simply fill out linked form and you will receive an email with a link to download the PDF as soon as it’s published! #1 Where the Wild […]
#2 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (1979) 258 points One of the very few pictures books that is just perfect – language appropriate, interactive, a great story, a counting exercise and a science lesson all rolled together. – Pat Vasilik Carle is a genius, pure and simple. Is there a 5 year old […]
#3 Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (2003) 198 points Proof that temper tantrums are an art form of their own. – DaNae Leu Top three betraying my love for fourth-wall-breaking. – Robin Parry Remember when picture books never broke the 4th wall? When I read this book to students after […]
#4 Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (1947) 167 points Well, it’s a classic for a reason. – Joanne Rousseau This one I can still recite even though I last read at least 10 or more years ago. Again a classic that will endure and delight for a long time to […]
#5 The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (1962) 166 points The first book I would run to on my trips to the library. Just wonderful. – Hotspur Closser What is it like to be a small child in the snow? Ezra Jack Keats gave us the answer with this timeless story of Peter’s gentle […]
#6 Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (1941) 163 points McCloskey’s attention to detail and marvelous storytelling are a magical combination. – Heather Christensen I actually remember, when I was a very little girl, hearing Captain Kangaroo read this book on television. I remember the way the camera panned over the ducks almost getting […]
#7 Knuffle Bunny, A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems (2004) 129 points These perfect pictures of New York City complement the family tale of Daddy who is wrong, wrong, wrong, and Trixie, who is totally right, but can’t yet say words to tell him. Heartwarming and hilarious. – Diantha McBride And this is the book […]
#8 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz (1972) 120 points We all have bad days—even in Australia. – Heather Christensen Of all the books out there that deal with schadenfreude, none do it quite so well as Alexander. Now there’s a kid who just […]
#9 Bark, George by Jules Feiffer (1999) 113 points This is the very first book I ever read at story time, and it has since become my secret weapon. It never fails to get a laugh, and I love the anticipation I feel as the surprise ending approaches especially when I know there are kids […]
#10 The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone, illustrated by Mike Smollin (1971) For the pure joy of watching your audience’s faces as you read this aloud. – DaNae Leu I had to look up the author – don’t think I ever read his name! I just thought of it as […]
#11 Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (1996) 89 points I could make a top 10 list of Kevin Henkes titles. Love everything he does. But Lilly is one of the most unforgettable characters in children’s literature. And I believe many young girls may have been named after her. 🙂 – DeAnn Okamura It’s […]
#12 Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (1960) 86 points Because, “Try them, you may like them,” are words to live by. – DaNae Leu One of the great questions of childhood is: What’s with parents putting bizarre items on your plate and expecting you to eat them? Dr. Seuss’s answer to the question […]
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