Pansy and Peony

My initial response? The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Really the whole Narnia series.

Zteen's selection? (He's 17, so I thought it would be interesting to ask him.) The Hobbit.

Too many choices, though. We could probably come up with 100 "must reads" around here.

It is broad and I do not think I could narrow it down either, but asking for one book makes the question more interesting.

The Bible. But I assume you mean in addition to that, in which case I would say it depends on the kid. Narnia and LOTR would be high on the list, but the G.A. Henty books might be better for boys. Not that they're great literature, but they point to male virtues that are lacking in our day.

Greg? What are you thinking? There is NO WAY my chitlins will read "the Bible" by the time they are thirteen. You ever read it? Death, pestilence, destruction, raping, pillaging, plundering, sodomy, incest, bestiality, fratricide, paracide, infanticide, homicide, pretty much all of the "-cides"...

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE can't I suggest two? I was going to suggest a good book of Bible Stories. Children of that age that read the Old Testament straight up should read it with guidance. There are enough adults who get into trouble reading it straight up on their own.

Another idea, for slightly older children: a book of Greek and Roman mythology, such as the D'Aulaires' anthology. I think I got switched on to the Greek myths when I was nine.

We also have D'Aulaire's book of Norse Gods which is equally as interesting.

I don't think they have much of a message, but I loved Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories when I read them in 3rd grade. They're fascinating word pictures.

Too many choices......even considering this makes my head throb.

How about a nice collection of poetry? Just for starters....

The Laura Ingalls books are good, even my oldest son enjoyed "Farmer Boy." It gives a good view of life in America in an earlier era.

I liked Mr. Popper's Penguin and The Trumpet of the Swan too. Very entertaining!

My dd just reread Long Winter and she says it seems to strangely parallel our life right now.

The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne

Can't . . . narrow . . . it . . . DOWN . . . .

Way too many great books. Charlotte's Web is one I try to read to all of them before they're six or so.

+JMJ+

You mean I have to pick just _one_?

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" then, but I may change my mind after I give it some more thought.

Pansy, are you down to grinding seed wheat in the coffee grinder yet?

Peony, Dree is literally ROFLOL right now!!!

Hi all,

I don't know if it has universal appeal but for boys definitely Tom Sawyer. No question. Perhaps for mixed audiences Treasure Island. By the way there's an interesting reference to Treasure Island in Cannery Row suggesting that its topography and shape are similar to that of an island off the coast of Monterey. (Sorry, just thought I'd put that in as trivia for the day.)

shalom,

Steven

I think narnia is a great visit for all kids, but I think that Peter Rabbit is a must read by the age of 7. I still remember the first time I read the story in my classroom in England - I must have been 5 or 6. It was a GREAT morality tale and an easy read, too.
Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass I also recommend highly - but if read in childhood, they should be reread later. I recommend The Annotated Alice as prepared by mathematician Martin Gardner.
Lamb's tales from Shakespeare made a great set of bedtime stories - am I the only one who has read them?
I don't recommend the Bible as it is actually several books, and much of the contents of Genesis are not suitable for children.

Oh, this is easy. "Anne of Green Gables" by L.M. Montgomery. (Have you guessed that I'm a Canadian yet?) This is a fantastic book, and the moral is so wonderful: that the love of a child, even a pesky, over-imaginative, talkative skinny orphan, can reawaken the lovelorn to the beauty of life, and to God's work in our lives.

But this is a very "girl" book in some ways, so for the boys, I'd recommend.... hmmmm, other than Tom Sawyer.... gee, I'm drawing a complete blank, other than the suggestions people have already given. Let me think on it.

Oohh...the Rutabaga Stories are wonderful! Not many people have heard of them. Other than that, any of the Narnia series, and of course, the parts of the Bibles that are more understandable.

The Giver, by Lois Lowry, and Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson. Both are emotionally hard-hitting, but would be appropriate for an eleven- or twelve-year-old. I read both when I was young, and they are still among my favorite books today. I don't want to give away the plots, but central themes of The Giver include courage and the value of human life in all its forms, and with all its imperfection and messiness and suffering; the themes of Bridge to Terabithia include imagination, true friendship, grief (with Christian hope), the strength involved in showing charity to people you don't like, and charity's demand to help others become grow into their best selves.