A Children's Book Shelf for the Holidays
Dec. 13, 2010
In time for the holidays, we asked Seth Lerer, dean of Arts and Humanities, to recommend his top 10 list of must-have children’s books. His own book, “Children’s Literature: A Reader’s History from Aesop to Harry Potter,” won the 2009 National Book Critics Circle award for criticism. Dean Lerer graciously supplied the list. This Week @ UCSD supplied short descriptions of the books.
Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey
This picture book tells the story of a pair of mallard ducks who decide to raise their family on an island in the Boston Public Garden.
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
This beloved Dr. Seuss classic tells the story of a mischievous cat and two children trying to have fun on a rainy day—with unintended consequences.
The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
Emerging from his home at Mole End one spring, Mole’s world changes when he hooks up with the good-natured, boat-loving Water Rat, the boastful Toad of Toad Hall, the society- hating Badger who lives in the frightening Wild Wood and countless other mostly well-meaning creatures.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J. K. Rowling
In the fourth book in the Harry Potter series, the plot grows darker. It centers around the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament, which pits three schools of wizardry against one another.
Holes, by Louis Sachar
In this award-winning novel, Louis Sachar weaves the stories of Stanley Yelnats, a young boy sent to a camp where all the boys are digging holes all day, every day, and of Kissing Kate Barlow, an outlaw of the Wild West.
A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park
This book tells the story of a 12-year-old boy named Tree-ear. He is an orphan and lives under a bridge in Ch’ulp’o, a small village in 12th Century Korea, with Crane-man, a crippled old man.
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
Margaret has a very private relationship with God, and it's only after she moves to New Jersey and hangs out with a new friend that she discovers that it might be weird to talk to God without a priest or a rabbi to mediate. Margaret just wants to fit in! Who is God, and where is He when she needs Him? She begins to look for answers.
The Polar Express, by Chris van Allsburg
On Christmas Eve, a young boy boards the Polar Express with other children to visit Santa Claus at the North Pole. He brings a special gift back from his adventure.
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
This sometimes spooky novel tells the story of a young orphaned boy who grows up among ghosts in a graveyard after his family is murdered.
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle
This fantasy novel tells the story of Meg Murry and her brother, Charles Wallace, who embark in a quest through space to find their father, at a time when an evil power is slowly spreading through the cosmos.
Happy Shopping!
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