Books
One of the side-effects to having a literature teacher for a mother is an early introduction to some terrific books. The following is a highly subjective list of good reads. I don't say these are books you should read—I enjoyed very few of the books I was forced to read in various English and literature classes. These are simply books my family loves and we think you'll enjoy as well.
Currently, the focus of this list is children's literature. Besides my own bookshelves, I've consulted my wife, afore-mentioned mother, and my sister-in-law—also an English teacher.
Legend
The books on this list are either Strongly Recommended (marked with 
), Recommended (no icon), or a Personal Favorite (marked with 
). The last are books that may not appeal to everyone, don't enjoy the same reputation as recommended books, and may not even be great literature—but I have a soft spot for them all the same. You have some books like this too, I'm sure.
Suggested age level is either Grade school, Preteen, or Teenager. Obviously, it really depends on the child's reading level more than age. If your browser supports ToolTips, mouse over a [Note] to see the comment; otherwise, click the [Note] to pop up the comment in a new window.
Awards
- Newbery Medal and Newbery Honor winners
- The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
- The Carnegie Medal
- The Carnegie Medal is awarded annually by The Library Association to the writer of an outstanding book for children.
There are 114 books in the database. You can display all results or filter the list using the criteria below.