The Top 100 Children's Books on Goodreads discussion

Thank you to Julie in advance for giving me this idea, and for helping me set this up :)

I enjoy hearing from all of you about what you think of the Top 100 Children's Books as you continue to work through the list, but I think it would be really fun to read one of the books from the list together as a group! As a group we can decide what book to read and when we will read it. Please let me know if you have suggestions or ideas about either the book or how we will set it up. Anyone in this group is welcome to participate (it is encouraged actually :)) I hope you are as excited about this as I am!

I would prefer to read a stand alone book as a group. I would also prefer if it's not scary. There are lots of books I haven't read on the list yet so that still leaves lots of options. I'm open to when people want to start reading the book. Depending on the book it might take me a bit of time to track it down as some of the books aren't available here in New Zealand so I need to look on my kindle or order them from overseas.

I would be happy to read something together! Do we want to nominate or give suggestions & let people vote? It really doesn't matter to me. You can just pick one and I'll read it! ;)

I've just been having a check through of the Top 100 books and there is a lot of books that are the first in the series. Therefore forget about my preference of not reading a book that is part of a series.

I have only read 16 books from the list. Those of you who have read a lot more might like to nominate some books first as you have less books to choose from.

We can still try to read a standalone! I will have to look at our options, but I would prefer a standalone book as well.

OK, so -- I've read 47/100 of these books...
So I went through to see which ones I haven't read, which are not scary, and I think they're all stand alone. Please tell me what you think. Also, you know you can choose anything from the 100 (there are so many good ones!) and it won't hurt my feelings. So, here goes:
The Black Stallion
The Crossover
El Deafo
The Incredible Journey
Just So Stories
The Mighty Miss Malone
Mockingbird
See You at Harry's
So B. It

So what do you think? Again, no pressure, just suggestions :)

Thanks Terris! I was going to go ahead and make that list myself, but I guess you already did :) I have read The Mighty Miss Malone, The Black Stallion, The Incredible Journey, and The Crossover from that list. So that leaves our options to:

El Deafo
Just So Stories
Mockingbird
See You at Harry's
So B. It

It is up to the rest of you to shorten this list to one book! Hopefully we can decide on a book that none of us have read yet.

I haven't read any of those books. Have either of you read
The Two Princesses of Bamarre ?

I have not. It sounds good!

No. I just looked it over and it sounds good to me too!

I've looked those books up at the two different libraries that I have access to and they only have Just So Stories, Mockingbird and See You at Harry's (they don't have The Two Princesses of Bamarre).

I like the sound of Mockingbird but I have a kindle so it doesn't have to be this one.

I wonder if Jason wants to join in and what books he hasn't read?

There are 47 books that I haven't read or at least don't think I have read from the list of 100. 17 of them are on my to-read list, so here is my list of 17 that especially interest me. However, I'm open to whatever folks decide on!

Aesop's Fables
Avatar: The Last Airbender (The Promise, #1)
Echo
The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy, #1)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
A Handful of Stars
Haroun and the Sea of Stories (Khalifa Brothers, #1)
The Incredible Journey
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
The One and Only Ivan
Out of My Mind
Pippi Longstocking
See You at Harry's
The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught Her to Fly
The Two Princesses of Bamarre
The Westing Game
When You Reach Me

-.-.-.-

This is the full list of 47 books that I have not read (and not bothered renumbering or linking):

**1. Aesop's Fables
**6. Avatar: The Last Airbender (The Promise, #1)
7. Awkward
8. A Bear Called Paddington (Paddington, #1)
15. Calvin and Hobbes
20. The Crossover
**25. Echo
27. Fablehaven
**28. The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy, #1)
**29. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
31. Gracefully Grayson
**34. A Handful of Stars
**36. Haroun and the Sea of Stories (Khalifa Brothers, #1)
**40. The Incredible Journey
41. Inside Out and Back Again
42. Into the Wild (Warriors, #1)
**43. The Invention of Hugo Cabret
45. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)
47. The Lions of Little Rock
52. A Long Walk to Water
55. The Mighty Miss Malone
57. Mockingbird
59. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
61. My Sweet Orange Tree
62. The Mysterious Benedict Society
63. The Name of this Book is Secret
**67. The One and Only Ivan
**68. Out of My Mind
69. Peter and the Starcatchers
**72. Pippi Longstocking
73. Princess Academy
74. The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles, #1)
75. The Red Umbrella
77. The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice, #1)
78. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
**81. See You at Harry's
83. The Skin I'm In
85. So B. It
86. Stella By Starlight
**87. The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught Her to Fly
**89. The Two Princesses of Bamarre
**91. The Westing Game
**92. When You Reach Me
93. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
97. The Wishing Spell (The Land of Stories, #1)
98. Wolf Brother (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, #1)
99. Wonder

(I didn't read Sir Richard Burton's "The Arabian Nights" but I did read Mardrus/Mathers' "Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night"; I didn't read "Calvin and Hobbes" but I read "The Essential Calvin and Hobbes," which included all the strips from "Calvin and Hobbes." I know I've read some of Aesop's fables, but I don't know that I ever read an actual book of them. I'm also not sure if I actually read "From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler," "The Incredible Journey," and "Pippi Longstocking" or not.)

I notice that See You at Harry's has come up several times.

Sorry it's been crazy this week so I haven't been on line much. I'm fine with See You at Harry's or Mockingbird. I haven't read either one of those.

I have read The Incredible Journey, Hugo Cabret, El Deafo, and The One and Only Ivan. I think most of the others listed I haven't read.

See You at Harry's or Mockingbird are also both fine with me :)

Both sound good to me as well! After looking at all of your preferences, I think we should go with See you at Harry's because Mockingbird is not on Slauderdale's to-read list. Unless any of you have objections to this, I think we have decided our book :)

Yay! Good deal :)

"Mockingbird" as the next group read, perchance, once we've read this one? Because I am definitely open...

I am definitely open to another group read after this one! I just used your list as a way to decide which of the two to read first :P

I just walked over and picked up a copy of "I'll Meet You At Harry's," so... Got mah book!

Sounds good. I think I already have a copy of it on my kindle.

slauderdale wrote: "I just walked over and picked up a copy of "I'll Meet You At Harry's," so... Got mah book!"

I am glad you are excited to get started :)

I just want to make sure that everyone who wants to participate in the group read can actually get a hold of the book. Please let us know if that is not possible for any of you, as nothing is set in stone. As for me, I can get the book in the next few days. I requested it at my local library and it is on its way!

I just downloaded it through my library's Cloud Library! I'm all set!
So do we have a schedule or some sort? Or due date, etc.?

I want to make sure Julie is all set before we decide any of that. I am up to all of your suggestions with dates and all, but we can start together on a decided date and go from there!

I just reserved it at the library so they don't issue it to someone else before I can get there. I should be able to get See You at Harry's in a few days time.

Great! Do you all want to start reading it at the same time or do you want to do it so that we all just start as soon as we get a hold of the book?

What about giving us a finish date & then people can start whenever they want, just be finished by that date - ?

The book is about 310 pages long if that helps you work out a finish date. Do you want to make it the group read for April and Mockingbird the group read for May or whenever?

Sounds good to me! Julie and I can make discussions for all of us to comment in while we read the book, and then one overall discussion for after everyone has finished.

Sounds like a plan! :)

I just want to let you all know that I am not going to start making discussions for See You at Harry's until I get the book from my library. (Julie - if you have the book you can start making discussions if you want). I want to be able to look at chapter length and things like that before making discussion threads. Hope you all don't mind, but happy reading! :)

No problem for me, I'm not sure when I'm going to start reading.

I don't know if this will help but I did a quick Google search yesterday about See You at Harry's book discussions and there were quite a few things that came up that might give some good ideas. I noticed a bunch of it was geared towards kids, but it might help. I just looked at it real quick at work.

I Love to Read! wrote: "I just want to let you all know that I am not going to start making discussions for See You at Harry's until I get the book from my library. (Julie - if you have the book you can st..."

I don't have it yet and probably won't get it until 1 to 2 days time due to one of my kids being sick. I'm happy to wait for you to get the book and set up the discussions.

Julie wrote: "I Love to Read! wrote: "I just want to let you all know that I am not going to start making discussions for See You at Harry's until I get the book from my library. (Julie - if you ..."

Okay, that is fine. Hope your child feels better soon!

I'm debating whether to go ahead and start "I'll See You At Harry's" or give myself a little time by reading one more book before then. Anyone started reading?

We started reading it just because I already had it and I figured we needed a head start because it usually takes awhile for us to get through a book. We're only a few chapters in and we're reading Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle too.

I just got the book, and will start reading it in the next few days.

Jason wrote: "We started reading it just because I already had it and I figured we needed a head start because it usually takes awhile for us to get through a book. We're only a few chapters in and we're reading..."

I read that in 3rd grade! I loved Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle!

slauderdale wrote: "I'm debating whether to go ahead and start "I'll See You At Harry's" or give myself a little time by reading one more book before then. Anyone started reading?"

I haven't started yet -- have a couple others I need to finish for book club. But I will probably start in a couple of days.

Terris wrote: "Jason wrote: "We started reading it just because I already had it and I figured we needed a head start because it usually takes awhile for us to get through a book. We're only a few chapters in and..."

My teacher read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle to us in either second or third grade (I can't remember), and I really liked it. I will have to reread it sometime now that I am a bit older.

I Love to Read! wrote: "Terris wrote: "Jason wrote: "We started reading it just because I already had it and I figured we needed a head start because it usually takes awhile for us to get through a book. We're only a few ..."

The idea is cute. She solves all the parents problems with their kids with crazy ideas, but the writing style of the chapters is a little repetitive so I was getting a little bored reading it. But I can see why kids like it.

Jason wrote: "I Love to Read! wrote: "Terris wrote: "Jason wrote: "We started reading it just because I already had it and I figured we needed a head start because it usually takes awhile for us to get through a..."

Yeah, I have noticed that kind of thing too. Some books that my younger sister (fifth grader) really likes from the Top 100 List aren't as fun for me. I guess there is such a thing as "outgrowing" children's books! I still am enjoying most of them though.

I started reading See You at Harry's today. So far I'm liking it.

Finishing the book I'm reading and then I'll start.

I've started and am about 1/3 of the way through. Really enjoying it so far and am interested to see what happens next!

Just finished. [wobbly eyes]

Not wanting to spoiler anything here, I forget, was there going to be a new/different thread made for discussing this book?