The Top 100 Children's Books on Goodreads discussion

If any of you want to recommend to group members other children's books not on 'the Top 100 Children's Books on Goodreads' list, I have made a separate thread for all of us to do so. Feel free to post your review/thoughts on other good children's books here!

Oh, I think this is a good idea! Thanks, I'll look at my list to see if I can add anything here :)

Hi everyone! It has been a while since anything has happened on here! :D Terris shared this list with me, and I thought that maybe I would share it with you all. It is a list of the Top 100 YA Novels according to the School Library Journal. I saw a lot of overlap between the Top 100 Children's Books List and this list. If you're looking for a YA book to read, this may be the list for you!

https://s3.amazonaws.com/WebVault/SLJ... (it's a PDF - let me know if you can't access it. I'll post the site link).

Thanks to Terris for sharing this with me :)

Thanks to you and Terris for the YA novels list. I'm not surprised by the books that are on the list that are also on the Top 100 children's list. I had thought that some of them would be more suited being classed as YA.

You're welcome! I thought it was a pretty good list to read by :)

Yes. I haven't read much YA for years so it will be a very good guide for when I feel like reading some.

OK -- I think this one should be on the Top 100 list -- drum roll please.... Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, 4****s
This is the story of the new girl in school, Stargirl, who is different than any other student and the difference she makes in the school, and in the end, possibly the world. It has a magical quality to it, I sometimes wasn't sure if she was real or not. It is told by Leo who falls in love with her, but must decide what's most important to him: to be different than everyone else or to be the same. I think that was the ultimate point of the story -- how much do you care about what others think of you? This is a fun, happy, sad story that I loved, and I think it has a lot to say and will make you think. You should read it! :)

I will definitely be adding this book to my TBR! Glad you liked it :)

Do you plan on reading the sequel?

I can't decide if I want to or not. I kind of like the feeling of it being a stand-alone, but yet I'd kind of like to see what happens next. If you happen to read Book 1, let me know your feeling of whether you want to read the next one or not.
OK, After reading what Book 2 is about, I don't feel a great need to get deeper into this story, I just like the message that Spinelli is giving in the first book. That's not to say that I wouldn't read Book 2 if a very good friend recommended it ;)

Yep, I totally get what you are saying! I feel that a lot too...sometimes books are good as stand-alones, and there are times when you feel satisfied reading just the first book. I'll definitely let you know what I think if I read it (hopefully soon!) :)

I Love to Read! wrote: "Yep, I totally get what you are saying! I feel that a lot too...sometimes books are good as stand-alones, and there are times when you feel satisfied reading just the first book. I'll definitely le..."

:)

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis, 4****s
I so enjoyed this story of the Watson family! They live in Flint, Michigan, and almost the first half of the book takes place there as you get to know this cute, funny family. The story is told in first person by 10-year-old Kenny, the second of the three children; his older brother is Byron, younger sister is Joetta. When Byron starts getting into trouble at school and in the neighborhood, the Watson parents decide that he needs to spend the summer with "Grandma" in Birmingham where Mrs. Watson was born and raised. They feel that a" change of scenery" is needed. However, when they get there -- in 1963-- the church bombing occurs. Several traumatic things happen and the story has several teaching moments.

I don't want to give anything away, so I won't go into any more detail. However, this cute, funny story with the quirky family packs quite a punch without the reader quite knowing it until the realization of the impact of this historical event becomes evident. And, this being a children's book, I feel that it was handled in a wonderful way so that young readers can learn of this history. At the end of the book, there is a description of actual happenings of that day and of that era. I think it is a wonderful teaching tool, and even though it is a children's book, I think all of us would do well to read it! :)
P.S. I listened to the audio version read by LeVar Burton and he did an amazing job! I highly recommend this version!
P.P.S. It should definitely be on the Top 100 Children's list!!

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, 5*****s
This 4th grade level book is a good lesson on teaching children about not making fun of others. Although it was originally published in 1944, it still stands well today and is still needed for young and old alike.
I think it definitely could be on the Top 100 list!

I'm glad you liked The Hundred Dresses as it's on my TBR.

I think you'd really like it and it's so short!