Following is a group of backlist children's books that are perennial favorites with adults and may be considered classics. While the Classics &
Perennial Favorites list is by no means exhaustive, it provides a valuable starting point for thinking about children's books in a historical context.
The Not Just for Children Anymore! 2002 selection panel chose fifteen classics and perennial favorites titles from those submitted for consideration by the publishers. These join eighty-three titles selected in previous years. Classics and perennial favorites books must have been published in 1990 or earlier, or must be reissues, without substantial change, of books originally published prior to 1990. Hardcover titles are listed except in cases where only a paperback edition is available.
ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz. 1972. 32 pp. 0-689-30072-7 (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) $14.00.
ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND by
Lewis Carroll, illustrated by John Tenniel. 1865, reissue 1992. 240 pp. 0-688-11087-8 (HarperCollins Children's Books) $16.95.
THE AMERICAN BOY'S HANDY BOOK written and illustrated by Daniel C. Beard. 1882, reissue
1998. 468 pp. 0-87923-449-0 (David R. Godine, Publisher) $12.95.
ANGELINA BALLERINA by Katharine Holabird, illustrated by Helen Craig. 1983, reissue 2000. 24 pp. 1-58485-135-X (Pleasant Company Publications) $9.95.
ANNIE AND THE OLD ONE by Miska Miles, illustrated by Peter Parnall. 1971. 48 pp. 0-316-57117-2 (Little, Brown and Company) $16.95.
THE BEAR'S BICYCLE by Emilie Warren McLeod, illustrated by David McPhail. 1975. 32
pp. Paperback. 0-316-56206-8 (Little, Brown and Company) $5.95.
BEN AND ME: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos discovered, edited, and illustrated by Robert Lawson. 1939. 114 pp.
0-316-51732-1 (Little, Brown and Company) $16.95.
BIG RED by Jim Kjelgaard, illustrated by Bob Kuhn. 1956, reissue 1998. 254 pp. 0-8234-0007-7 (Holiday House) $17.95.
THE BLACK ISLAND written and illustrated by
Hergé. 1975. 62 pp. Paperback. 0-316-35835-5 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
BLACK JACK by Leon Garfield. 1968, reissue 1996. 208 pp. 0-374-30827-6 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers) $18.00.
CADDIE WOODLAWN by Carol Ryrie Brink, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. 1935, reissue 1990. 275 pp. 0-02-713670-1 (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) $17.00.
CAJUN NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Trosclair,
illustrated by James Rice. 1973, reissue 1992. 48 pp. 0-88289-940-6 (Pelican Publishing Company) $14.95.
CASTLE written and illustrated by David Macaulay. 1977. 80 pp. 0-395-25784-0 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $18.00.
THE CAT IN THE HAT written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. 1966. 62 pp. 0-394-80001-X (Random House Children's Books/Random House Young Readers Group) $7.99.
CATHEDRAL: The Story of Its Construction written and
illustrated by David Macaulay. 1973. 80 pp. 0-395-17513-5 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $18.00.
THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF CURIOUS GEORGE: 60th Anniversary Edition written and illustrated by Margret and H. A. Rey.
1941-1966, reissue 2001. 423 pp. 0-618-16441-3 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $30.00.
THE COMPLETE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by C. S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes. 2000. 528 pp. 0-06-028137-5 (HarperCollins Children's
Books) $50.00.
CORDUROY written and illustrated by Don Freeman. 1968, reissue 1985. 28 pp. 0-670-24133-4 (Viking Children's Books) $14.99.
CORDUROY AND COMPANY written and illustrated by Don Freeman. 1951-1973,
reissue 2001. 128 pp. 0-670-03510-6 (Viking Children's Books) $25.00.
CORGIVILLE FAIR written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor. 1971, reissue 1998. 48 pp. 0-316-85312-7 (Little, Brown and Company) $16.95.
THE DARK
FRIGATE by Charles B. Hawes, illustrated by Warren Chappell. 1923, reissue 1996. 264 pp. Paperback. 0-316-35009-5 (Little, Brown and Company) $8.95.
D'AULAIRE'S BOOK OF GREEK MYTHS written and illustrated by Ingri and
Edgar Parin D'Aulaire. 1962. 192 pp. 0-385-01583-6 (Doubleday/Knopf Delacorte Dell Young Readers Group) $24.95.
ED EMBERLEY'S DRAWING BOOK OF ANIMALS written and illustrated by Ed Emberley. 1970. 32 pp. Paperback.
0-316-23475-3 (Little, Brown and Company) $6.95.
EIGHT COUSINS by Louisa May Alcott. 1874, reissue 1995. 256 pp. Paperback. 0-316-03086-4 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
ELOISE by Kay Thompson, illustrated by
Hilary Knight. 1955, reissue 1969. 65 pp. 0-671-22350-X (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) $17.00.
ELOISE: The Ultimate Edition by Kay Thompson, illustrated by Hilary Knight. 1955-1959, reissue 2000. 304 pp.
0-689-83990-1 (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) $35.00.
ENCHANTRESS FROM THE STARS by Sylvia Louise Engdahl. 1970, reissue 2001. 256 pp. 0-8027-8764-9 (Walker and Company) $18.95.
THE ENORMOUS EGG by
Oliver Butterworth, illustrated by Louis Darling. 1956. 188 pp. Paperback. 0-316-11920-2 (Little, Brown and Company) $5.95.
EVERY TIME I CLIMB A TREE by David McCord, illustrated by Marc Simont. 1967, reissue 1999. 24
pp. Paperback. 0-316-15885-2 (Little, Brown and Company) $5.95.
FAVORITE POEMS OLD AND NEW selected by Helen Ferris, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard. 1957. 630 pp. 0-385-07696-7 (Doubleday/Knopf Delacorte Dell Young
Readers Group) $19.95.
FIVE CHINESE BROTHERS by Claire Huchet Bishop, illustrated by Kurt Wiese. 1938, reissue 1988. 64 pp. 0-399-23319-9 (G. P. Putnam's Sons) $13.99.
FREDERICK written and illustrated by Leo
Lionni. 1967. 28 pp. 0-304-81040-6 (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers/Knopf Delacorte Dell Young Readers Group) $17.00.
FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER by E. L. Konigsburg. 1967. 168 pp.
0-689-20586-4 (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) $16.00.
GEORGE AND MARTHA written and illustrated by James Marshall. 1972. 48 pp. 0-395-16619-5 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $16.00.
THE GIVING TREE written and
illustrated by Shel Silverstein. 1964. 64 pp. 0-06-025665-6 (HarperCollins Children's Books) $15.95.
GREAT MOMENTS IN ARCHITECTURE written and illustrated by David Macaulay. 1978, reissue 1990. 128 pp. 0-395-25500-7
(Houghton Mifflin Company) $25.00.
HERSHEL AND THE HANUKKAH GOBLINS written by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. 1989. 32 pp. 0-8234-0769-1 (Holiday House) $16.95.
THE HOBBIT by J. R. R. Tolkien. 1938. 320 pp. 0-395-07122-4 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $14.95.
THE HOUSE AT POOH CORNER by A. A. Milne, illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. 1928, reissue 1988. 180 pp. 0-525-44444-0 (Dutton
Children's Books) $10.99.
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. 1957. 64 pp. 0-394-80079-6 (Random House Children's Books/Random House Young Readers Group) $14.00.
I LIKE YOU by
Sandol Stoddard Warburg, illustrated by Jacqueline Chwast. 1965, reissue 1990. 48 pp. 0-395-07176-3 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $5.95.
INVINCIBLE LOUISA: The Story of the Author of Little Women by Cornelia Meigs. 1933,
reissue 1995. 256 pp. Paperback. 0-316-56594-6 (Little, Brown and Company) $6.95.
ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS by Scott O'Dell. 1960. 192 pp. 0-395-06962-9 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $16.00.
JACK AND JILL by Louisa
May Alcott. 1879, reissue 1999. 304 pp. Paperback. 0-316-03084-8 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
JO'S BOYS by Louisa May Alcott. 1886, reissue 1994. 316 pp. Paperback. 0-316-03103-8 (Little, Brown and Company) $8.95.
A LIGHT IN THE ATTIC written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. 1981. 176 pp. 0-06-025673-7 (HarperCollins Children's Books) $17.95.
THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD by Watty Piper, illustrated by George and Doris
Hauman. 1930, reissue 1978. 48 pp. 0-448-40520-2 (Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin Putnam) $7.99.
THE LITTLE HOUSE written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton. 1942, reissue 1978. 44 pp. 0-395-18156-9 (Houghton Mifflin
Company) $14.95.
LITTLE MEN by Louisa May Alcott. 1871, reissue 1994. 332 pp. Paperback. 0-316-03104-6 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
THE LITTLE PRINCE written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,
translated from the French by Richard Howard. 1943, reissue 2000. 96 pp. 0-15-202-3984 (Harcourt Children's Books) $18.00.
LITTLE TOOT written and illustrated by Hardie Gramatky. 1939, reissue 1992. 96 pp. 0-399-22419-X
(G. P. Putnam's Sons) $16.99
LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott. 1868, reissue 1994. 502 pp. 0-316-03107-0 (Little, Brown and Company) $19.95.
THE LONELY DOLL written and illustrated with photographs by Dare
Wright. 1957, reissue 1998. 64 pp. 0-395-89926-5 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $16.00.
THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by John R. Neil. 1917, reissue 1998. 352 pp. 0-688-14975-8 (HarperCollins
Children's Books) $24.95.
MADELINE written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans. 1939, reissue 1958. 56 pp. 0-670-44580-0 (Viking Children's Books) $16.99.
MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS written and illustrated by Robert
McCloskey. 1941. 68 pp. 0-670-45149-5 (Viking Children's Books) $16.99.
MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton. 1939. 48 pp. 0-395-16961-5 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $14.95.
MILLIONS OF CATS written and illustrated by Wanda Gág. 1928. 32 pp. 0-399-23315-6 (G. P. Putnam's Sons) $13.99.
MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE by Marguerite Henry, illustrated by Wesley Dennis. 1947, reissue 1990. 176 pp.
0-02-743622-5 (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) $16.95.
MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS by Richard and Florence Atwater, illustrated by Robert Lawson. 1938. 152 pp. 0-316-05842-4 (Little, Brown and Company) $16.95.
MR. REVERE AND I by Robert Lawson. 1953. 152 pp. Paperback. 0-316-51729-1 (Little, Brown and Company) $5.95.
MUD PIES AND OTHER RECIPES: A Cookbook for Dolls by Marjorie Winslow, illustrated by Erik Blegvad. 1961,
reissue 2001. 48 pp. 0-8027-8767-3 (Walker and Company) $12.95.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Tomie de Paola. 1980. 32 pp. 0-8234-0414-5 (Holiday House) $16.95.
THE NIGHT BEFORE
CHRISTMAS-IN TEXAS, THAT IS by Leon Harris, illustrated by Meg Wohlberg. 1952, reissue 1992. 20 pp. 0-88289-175-8 (Pelican Publishing Company) $12.95.
NURSERY CLASSICS: A Galdone Treasury written and illustrated by Paul
Galdone. 1970-1985, reissue 2001. 176 pp. 0-618-13046-2 (Clarion Books) $22.00.
AN OLD-FASHIONED GIRL by Louisa May Alcott. 1869, reissue 1997. 352 pp. Paperback. 0-316-03775-3 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
ONLY THE NAMES REMAIN: The Cherokees and the Trail of Tears by Alex W. Bealer, illustrated by Kristina Rodanas. 1972, reissue 1996. 96 pp. Paperback. 0-316-08519-7 (Little, Brown and Company) $5.95.
PADDINGTON TREASURY
by Michael Bond, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum and Caroline Nuttall-Smith. 1958-1979, reissue 1999. 416 pp. 0-395-90507-9 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $29.95.
PADDLE-TO-THE-SEA written and illustrated by Holling C. Holling.
1941. 64 pp. 0-395-15082-5 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $20.00.
THE PAPER BAG PRINCESS by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko. 1980. 32 pp. 0-920236-82-0 (Annick Press U.S./Firefly Books) $15.95.
THE
PERILOUS GARD by Elizabeth Marie Pope. 1974, reissue 2001. 288 pp. 0-618-16967-9 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $16.00.
THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer. 1961. 256 pp. 0-394-81500-9
(Random House Books for Young Readers/ Random House Young Readers Group) $19.95.
THE POLAR EXPRESS written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. 1985. 32 pp. 0-395-38949-6 (Houghton Mifflin Company) $18.95.
RAIN
MAKES APPLESAUCE by Julian Scheer, illustrated by Marvin Bileck. 1964, reissue 1985. 32 pp. 0-8234-0091-3 (Holiday House) $16.95
RED RACKHAM'S TREASURE written and illustrated by Hergé. 1974. 62 pp. Paperback.
0-316-35834-7 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
THE RELUCTANT DRAGON by Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. 1938, reissue 1988. 58 pp. 0-8234-0093-X (Holiday House) $14.95.
ROSE IN BLOOM by Louisa
May Alcott. 1869, reissue 1995. 336 pp. Paperback. 0-316-03089-9 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
THE SHRINKING OF TREEHORN by Florence Parry Heide, illustrated by Edward Gorey. 1971. 32 pp. 0-8234-0189-8 (Holiday
House) $16.95.
SMITH by Leon Garfield. 1967, reissue 1995. 195 pp. 0-374-37082-6 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers) $18.00.
THE STORY ABOUT PING by Marjorie Flack, illustrated by Kurt Wiese.
1933. 32 pp. 0-670-67223-8 (Viking Children's Books) $14.99.
THE STORY OF FERDINAND by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson. 1936. 72 pp. 0-670-67424-9 (Viking Children's Books) $16.99.
STUART LITTLE by E. B.
White, illustrated by Garth Williams. 1945. 131 pp. 0-06-026395-4 (HarperCollins Children's Books) $16.95.
SYLVESTER AND THE MAGIC PEBBLE written and illustrated by William Steig. 1969, reissue 1989. 32 pp. 0-671-66154-X
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) $16.00.
TINTIN AND THE PICAROS written and illustrated by Hergé. 1978. 62 pp. Paperback. 0-316-35849-5 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
TINTIN IN AMERICA written
and illustrated by Hergé. 1979. 62 pp. Paperback. 0-316-35852-5 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
TINTIN IN TIBET written and illustrated by Hergé. 1975. 62 pp. Paperback. 0-316-35839-8 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
TRUMPET OF THE SWANS by E. B. White, illustrated by Fred Marcellino.1970, reissue 2000. 272 pp. 0-06-028935-X (HarperCollins Children's Books) $16.95.
TUCK EVERLASTING by Natalie Babbitt. 1975. 144 pp.
0-374-37848-7 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers) $16.00.
THE TWENTY-ONE BALLOONS written and illustrated by William Pène du Bois. 1947. 184 pp. 0-670-73441-1 (Viking Children's Books) $16.99.
UNDER THE LILACS by Louisa May Alcott. 1877, reissue 1996. 272 pp. Paperback. 0-316-03087-2 (Little, Brown and Company) $9.95.
UNDERSTOOD BETSY by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, illustrated by Kimberly Bulcken Root. 1917,
reissue 1999. 240 pp. 0-8050-6073-1 (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers) $17.95.
THE VELVETEEN RABBIT by Margery Williams, illustrated by William Nicholson. 1922. 40 pp. 0-385-07725-4 (Doubleday/Knopf Delacorte Dell
Young Readers Group) $9.95.
WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS: 25th Anniversary Edition written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. 1974, reissue 2000. 176 pp. 0-06-029169-9 (HarperCollins Children's Books) $22.95.
WINNIE-THE-POOH by A. A. Milne, illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. 1926, reissue 1988. 176 pp. 0-525-44443-2 (Dutton Children's Books) $10.99.
THE WIZARD OF OZ by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. 1900,
reissue 1996. 103 pp. 1-55858-638-5 (North-South Books) $19.95.
WOLF STORY by William McCleery, illustrated by Warren Chappell. 1947, reissue 1988. 88 pp. 0-208-02191-4 (Linnet Books/The Shoe String Press) $16.50.
THE WONDERFUL FLIGHT TO THE MUSHROOM PLANET by Eleanor Cameron, illustrated by Robert Henneberger. 1954. 214 pp. Paperback. 0-316-12540-7 (Little, Brown and Company) $7.95.
A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L'Engle.
1962. 224 pp. 0-374-38613-7 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers) $17.00.