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The 25 Best Picture Books for Children
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Here, presented countdown style, are the twenty-five best picture books ever written for children. These are, of course, limited to those written or presented in the English language.
To be considered a "best" book, says Mount Holyoke Professor of English and children's book author Corinne Demas, a book must:
1. Never tire us. We are willing to read it again and again to our children and they want to hear it over and over.
2. Stay in our hearts and minds, even after the pages are closed, because they tell us something about life.
3. Have a seamless marriage of text and illustration
4. Use language well.
I would add that the pictures must be a delight.
Books are ranked here by weighing their impact, artistic merit, and just how beloved and enduring they are. We agonized over selections and placement, even while recognizing the subjective nature of the task. Most of the authors included have other titles which, it could be argued, belong here as well. There is no guarantee your favorite picture book will be here.
But there is one guarantee. It comes from long-time children's bookseller Peter Glassman who consulted on this list: If your children explore the works of the authors included here, they will have rich and wonderful reading experiences as well as insight into their literary heritage. (Glassman has one of the largest selections of children’s books under one roof anywhere at his store, Books of Wonder, on 18th Street in Manhattan.)
And now the countdown:
25. Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain by Edward Ardizzone, 1936
Living by the sea, Little Tim hears his friends, the old boatman and Captain McFee, tell such exciting stories about the sailor's life that he wants to set sail. It’s disappointing to have his parents say he is too young, but fate intervenes. He is left behind on a visit aboard a steamer, finds hard work, a stormy sea, and a sinking ship. He learns much from the captain. The lively story and beautiful watercolors make this a book that has captivated generations of children. You can almost smell the sea!
24. Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks, 1989
Home may be humble, but nothing beats being there. Al is a janitor who lives a dingy apartment on Manhattan's West Side with his dog Eddie. A weird bird sticks its head through Al's bathroom window one day and says he can take him to a wonderful place where there are "no worries" and "no cares." Al is more than eager for a little diversion from his place low on the socio-economic scale. He agrees to go and takes Eddie with him. The two experience a common vision of paradise--butterflies, wildflowers, chirping birds and cool streams. They eat and drink and swim and sunbathe all day. But one day they discover they are turning into birds. Suddenly they must fly for their lives back to their little apartment in New York to return to normal. Kids may wonder whether the other birds on the sunny isle were once human too. But the moral is, paradise, or heaven, perhaps, is sometimes boring and your real life is better than all that pleasure with no real purpose. This story is biting, witty, and tender all at the same time. The last line is brilliant: “Paradise lost is sometimes Heaven found.”
23. The Two Sisters by Elizabeth MacDonald, 1975
Two sisters, being married on the same day, are given equal dowries by their father, who says: “Spend this wisely and it will buy each of you a small house, with enough left over to furnish it.” One sister buys a modest house, clean and neat, with money left over for furniture. She and her husband have a few nice rooms to live in and are content. The other sister buys a much bigger, grander house, but has no money left over. Still, she and her husband need grand furniture and better clothes in keeping with their splendid home. This sister begins to offer rooms in the house in exchange for things she needs. The cabinet-maker gets two rooms, the dressmaker one, the maid and cook get theirs. Finally, the gardener takes the last room left and the unhappy couple must reside in the attic. The second sister complains how unlucky she is compared to her sister who lives in comfort. “And how lucky her husband is,” says the attic-trapped man, “to have a wife who is happy with everything she has.” A brilliant moral lesson from a book less known than it deserves.
22. Wump World by Bill Peet, 1970
The Wump World will touch you like no other pro-environment book. The Pollutians arrive on this small, one-species world from outer space. They pave roads, set up buildings and factories, and make everything an ugly mess. The native Wumps are helpless to prevent their world from being dirtied, but that works in their favor eventually. The Pollutians can’t live there after they really mess it up and return the way they came, in their space ships. The Wumps start over in one grassy meadow that escaped destruction. Hope is renewed.
21. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, 1955
A deceptively simple story about the power of the imagination featuring Harold and his world-making crayon, says Philip Nell, director of children’s lit program at Kansas State University. One night when little Harold can't sleep he take his purple crayon and draws himself a walk. He draws stairs to climb, a desert isle to visit, buildings to see and, in the end, draws himself home again. If you can draw a boat when you’re in deep water, what a great metaphor for tackling life’s challenges. Delights the very young.
20. Lentil by Robert McCloskey, 1978
Lentil can't sing but ends up saving the day with his harmonica. Inspiration for the musically challenged. Also teaches the value of having a joyful heart and not complaining.
19. A Pair of Red Clogs by Masako Matsuno, 1960
A child's delight in a new pair of shoes is the same all over the world. For Mako, a little Japanese girl, the new shoes were clogs painted with red lacquer that shone beautifully. This is the story of what happened after she cracked the new clogs playing the weather-telling game and so longed for a bright, shiny new pair to replace them that she almost did a dishonest thing.
18. Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman, 1995
Officer Buckle is a policeman whose crossed-out-banana-peel patch on his sleeve indicates he’s the Safety Officer. He loves giving safety speeches at schools, telling kids things like “don’t stand on a swivel chair.” His speeches leave the kids snoozing until one day there is laughter and applause. It’s the day police dog Gloria joins him on stage. Unbeknownst to Buckle, Gloria is demonstrating his tips, or the consequences of not following them, behind the officer’s back. She leaps in high in the air for "Never leave a thumbtack where you might sit on it!" and makes her fur stand on end to illustrate "Do not go swimming during electrical storms!" School safety increases and Buckle and Gloria are sought like rock stars. Then one day Officer Buckle sees a recording of one of his speeches on TV, and sees what Gloria does. Demoralized, he quits. The kids miss his speeches. They invite Gloria on her own, but the dog doesn’t know what to do by herself. In the end, it’s only Officer Buckle and Gloria together that audiences appreciate. Which brings about Officer Buckle’s best safety tip ever: “Always stick with your buddy.” Just over a dozen years in print, this is the newest of the books on this list, but sure to endure.
17. Little Toot by Hardie Gramatky, 1939
The story is about a frivolous young tugboat that would rather play than work. This damages his own and his family's reputation. By the time he is ready to turn over a new leaf, none will take him seriously. He does get his big chance, however, and redeems himself while saving the day when nobody else can.
16. And To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss, 1937
Marco’s father tells him to watch for interesting sights on the way to and from school, but Marco finds it’s more interesting to imagine them. What if it was a zebra pulling that wagon? Or better yet, the zebra could be pulling a blue and gold chariot. No, wait! Maybe it should be a reindeer in that harness. Marco's story grows ever more elaborate as he reasons that a reindeer would be happier pulling a sled, then that a really unusual sight would be an elephant with a ruby-bedecked rajah enthroned on top. "Say! That makes a story that no one can beat, / When I say that I saw it on Mulberry Street." Over and over, Marco tops himself until he is positively wound up with excitement and bursts into his home to tell his dad what he saw on Mulberry Street. A model for allowing your mind to work creatively and a pitch for enjoying your child’s imagination.
15. The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde Swift, 1942
The great gray bridge is much bigger than the lighthouse, but the lighthouse is still important. Children see that bigger isn't better in a story based on the real world. The bridge is there to see and so's the Little Red Lighthouse.
14. Swimmy by Leo Leoni, 1963
Swimmy is the only little fish among his sibling group born black instead of red. He also becomes the only one of them who can out-swim a predator who devours the rest of his family. He's left all alone in the world, but his sadness doesn't last because the undersea world is full of wonders, including medusas made of rainbow jelly, a forest of seaweeds growing from sugar candy rocks, and sea anemones that look like, "pink palm trees swaying in the wind". When Swimmy stumbles across another group of small red fish, his quick thinking helps them to band together to fight the larger fish in the sea. A great book on ingenuity, teamwork, and celebrating differences.
13 Babar by Jean De Brunhoff, 1931
As Adam Gopnik writes in the New Yorker, every children’s story that works at all begins with a simple opposition of good and evil, innocence and corruption. Babar is a little elephant whose mother is killed in the jungle by a white hunter. Although Celesteville, the town where he comes to live, is criticized as an allegory of French colonialism, Gopnik writes, Barbar shows us that “while it is a very good thing to be an elephant, still the life an elephant is dangerous, wild and painful” and it is “therefore a safer thing to be an elephant in a house near a park.” De Brunhoff always entertains and manages to show that the most ominous clouds have their silver linings, and work and good cheer will allow for happiness, even if “the hunter is still in the woods.”.
12. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey, 1941
Make way for family values. In telling the story of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their search for a safe place to raise their family, Robert McCloskey has perfectly depicted parental angst and parental love. When eight newborn little ducklings need to get to where their father is waiting, but cannot get across a highway, a friendly policeman stops traffic for them. In a happily ever after type ending, they decide to live there, and will follow the Swan boats for peanuts. McCloskey’s incredibly detailed, soft, brown-toned drawings memorably depict a gentle world.
11. The Sailor Dog by Margaret Wise Brown, 1953
“Born at sea in the teeth of a gale, the sailor was a dog. Scuppers was his name.” This is quintessential Margaret Wise Brown. And the Garth Williams illustrations are fresh as a morning after rain. This Little Golden Book is a true adventure, buttressing important ideas: that we should be curious, self-reliant and industrious. It is a “follow-your-dream” kind of a tale. This is the one book I can actually remember having seen at age five or so, from the anchor and the shipwreck shack to the curly-toed shoes Scuppers sees before he selects his new ones. Forget Goodnight Moon, which has become more an industry than a book, and choose The Sailor Dog. Scuppers curled up in his cozy bunk might do more to lull a child to sleep than that entire harshly-colored volume.
10. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton, 1939
Mike and steam shovel Mary Anne make quite a team. The inseparable duo digs the great canals for the big boats to travel through, cuts through the large mountains so trains can pass, and hollows out the deep cellars for the great skyscrapers in the city. But the introduction of gasoline, electric, and diesel shovels means big trouble for Mike and Mary Anne. No one wants an old-fashioned steam shovel like Mary Anne when a modern shovel can do the digging in half the time! Forced to travel far out of the city to look for work, Mike and Mary Anne find themselves in the little town of Popperville. Mike and Mary Anne make a bid to dig the cellar for the new town hall, promising the town that if they can't dig the cellar in just one day they'll accept no payment for the job. Will Mike and Mary Anne be able to complete the job? The whole town of Popperville turns out to watch. The ending here, with the trapped steam shovel becoming the building’s steam furnace, is a subtle plug for divergent thinking, or “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”
9. Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, 1909
Still dramatic, still exciting after all these years. Peter goes where he isn’t supposed to go and almost ends up in the stew. Little kids follow his plight wide-eyed, and get the idea it might not be safe to disobey mom, but she doesn’t scold. Consequences are apparent, but happy ending, of course.
8. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, 1963
This book addresses a child’s first emotional conflict – when you love and hate your mother at the same time, says bookseller Peter Glassman. The little boy character, Max, uses the power of his imagination to explore that conflict. With his imaginary friends he must be the “mommy.” The book gives permission to engage the urge for independence children feel but cannot really act upon. It’s also a tribute to the steadfastness of mother-love: When Max “goes” home his supper is waiting and still hot. Love and hate are explored here without the words ever being used. The pictures have cinematic quality, Glassman adds. He nominated this book for #1. Corinne Demos didn't even have it on her list. "It's always struck me as the sort of book people admire but few children love. I know how important it is supposed to be--and I see why it is important, but it seems more important to educators than to children."
7. Curious George by Margaret and H. A. Rey, 1942
My son knew “Curi-Orge” before any other literary character. There is something indisputably appealing about the little round-face monkey who likes to find out about things and gets into mischief every time. Kids learn a lot from this whole series – like not to swallow their puzzle pieces as in Curious George Goes to the Hospital. Originally, I thought it set a bad example – you can do what you like as long as you apologize afterward, and that might be dangerous. But, Peter Glassman points out, George is a monkey and children know more is expected of them than one expects of an animal.
I’m not totally convinced, but who can resist Curious George and his understanding Man in the Yellow Hat?.
6. Corduroy by Don Freeman, 1968
"I like you just the way you are." Wouldn’t we all like acceptance like this? Corduroy shows you’re worthy of love, even when less than perfect. When Lisa spots Corduroy in a department store, it is instant attraction. But her mother hesitates because he seems a little shopworn, is missing a button on his overalls, and there are bigger and newer toys. Corduroy spends the night in the store and knocks over a lamp after trying to pull a button off a mattress in the furniture department. But Lisa comes back the next day with her own money and buys him. Like a good friend she helps by sewing on a new button. He has a home, she has a new friend. Perfect.
5 Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans, 1939
Who can't picture "Twelve little girls in two straight lines" off on a walk about Paris with Miss Clavel. Madeline is the smallest of the bunch, but the spunkiest little heroine in children’s literature.
4. Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss, 1961
"Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches / Had bellies with stars. / The Plain-Belly Sneetches / Had none upon thars." And what difference does it make? None at all, of course. In the first of this collection of Dr. Seuss gems, children see the gullible Sneetches bamboozled by Sylvester McMonkey McBean, who teaches them that pointless prejudice can be costly.
3. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, 1936
In one of the best-selling children' books of all time, Ferdinand is a mild-mannered bull who prefers smelling flowers to getting into altercations. But when his wild reaction to a bee-sting gives the misleading impression that he is aggressive he is chosen for the bull ring. Obviously his pacifism disappoints those who chose him. One of the earliest books to show that it's okay not to fight, this simple story of peace and contentment has endured more than 50 years. Its drawings are evocative and perfect and the story offers one of the happiest happy endings in children's literature. As one Amazon.com reviewer said, "reading Ferdinand always leaves me believing that goodness is a powerful, unshakeable force."
2. Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, 1957
Everyone in the English-speaking world, and plenty in other-speaking places, too, knows what a Cat-in-the-Hat hat looks like, and I could rest my case there. This book has taught millions of children to read around the world. It’s a work of sheer genius. And it’s not surprising that Dr. Seuss has more books on this top-twenty-five list that any other author – and could arguably have more. After his success with The Cat, Seuss would beguile hundreds of thousands of children into reading with his simple language and crazy humor. The Cat in the Hat was meant to be a new reader to replace the likes of Dick, Jane and Sally readers that lulled 1950s kids to sleep. (Oddly enough, the children in Cat are named Dick and Sally) The Cat zooms off the pages and reading is suddenly fun. The plot finds a walking-on-two-legs, talking cat, befriended by children who express delight, astonishment, and occasional disapproval of his extravagant, bossy behavior. Glassman argues it isn't a picture book at all and shouldn't be on this list. Corinne Demos says, au contraire, it’s got dynamic plot, rhythm and rhyme, and memorable characters. And, I might add, those wild Seussian drawings. The Cat proceeds to do what the children would love to do if they could ….make all kinds of mischief. Then they worry about the mess. But the cat cleans up after himself in an astonishing way. The resolution is satisfying, if a bit easy. Kids won’t notice it teaches responsibility, the dangers of not resisting temptation without an escape plan, and, as Amazon.com reviewer Joanna Daneman said, “thermodynamics and chaos theory.”
1. The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper, 1930
The book of American childhood for four generations now. Every child will encounter the little engine that attempted the big task when the bigger and brighter ones would not. Every child will hear the little engine's determination in "I think I can, I think I can." It's simply the greatest tale of motivation and the power of positive thinking a children's book ever told.
A final word:
While these 25 books would assuredly make a superior collection to start a child’s library, and they are a guide to the very best authors in children’s literature, they don’t substitute for personal selection with regard to the nature and temperament of the individual child. At the start of her advanced seminar in writing for children at Mount Holyoke, Professor Corinne Demos asks her students to bring in their favorite book from childhood, “and rarely do two of the 15 students bring in the same books,” she says. That’s perfectly okay.
(Still missing your favorite? Wait for the “B” list. The books we, regrettably and with apologies, eliminated, will be included there.)
