Here are the Top 100 Picture Books, from polls taken on School Library Journal blogs. Of course, Where the Wild Things Are shows up at #1.

I for one am shocked, SHOCKED! that David Wiesner doesn't show up until #43, while Mo Willems (the flavor of the month, in my opinion - he's good, but not THAT good) has two books in the top ten!

I think, by the end of the list, people were straining their minds to come up with titles. The Very Quiet Cricket makes the list? I don't THINK so!

Top 100 Picture Books Poll Results (#1-101)
May 16, 2009
And now, in order and with linkety goodness intact, I bring to you the results of the Top 100 Picture Book Poll of 2009. Please note two changes. First, the inclusion of Lost and Found at #60, where it belongs. Second, the fact that King Bidgood was originally incorrectly tallied and has moved up a notch or two on ye olde list. Otherwise, each link should go to the blog post where it was featured (even if the numbers don't always perfectly correspond). At the end of the post is the bibliography of sources I used in the course of this poll's posting. Enjoy!

#1: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963)
#2: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1947)
#3: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (1979)
#4: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (1962)
#5: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (2003)
#6: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (1941)
#7: Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (1955)
#8: Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (1939)
#9: Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag (1928)
#10: Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems (2004)
#11: The Story of Ferdinand by Monroe Leaf, ill. Robert Lawson (1936)
#12: Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann (1994)
#13: Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey (1948)
#14: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, ill. Lane Smith(1989)
#15: Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (1996)
#16: Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (1987)
#17: Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina (1947)
#18: In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak (1970)
#19: Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney (1982)
#20: George and Martha by James Marshall (1972)
#21: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer (1999)
#22: The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone, ill. by Mike Smollin (1971)
#23: Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban (1964)
#24: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, ill. Lois Ehlert (1989)
#25: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (1942)
#26: Corduroy by Donald Freeman (1976)
#27: The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (1902)
#28: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, ill. Ray Cruz(1972)
#29: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (1969)
#30: Brown, Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? by Bill Martin Jr., ill. Eric Carle (1967)
#31: No, David by David Shannon (1998)
#32: Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, ill. by Betsy Lewin (2000)
#33: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi and Ron Barrett (1978)
#34: Olivia by Ian Falconer (2000)
#35: Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel, ill. Blair Lent (1968)
#36: Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka, ill. Lane Smith (1992)
#37: Eloise by Kay Thompson, ill. Hilary Knight (1955)
#38: Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion, ill. by Margaret Bloy Graham (1956)
#39: The Napping House by Audrey and Don Wood (1984)
#40: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton (1939)
#41: The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, ill. Stephen Gammell (1985)
#42: Curious George by H.A. Rey (1941)
#43: Tuesday by David Wiesner (1991)
#44: Strega Nona by Tomie de Paola (1975)
#45: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg (1985)
#46: Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt (2006)
#47: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff (1985)
#48: The Big Orange Splot, by Daniel Pinkwater (1977)
#49: King Bidgood is in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood, ill. Don Wood (1985)
#50: Black and White by David Macaulay (1990)
#51: Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (1981)
#52: Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard, ill. James Marshall (1977)
#53: The Snowman by Raymond Briggs (1978)
#54: The Three Pigs by David Wiesner (2001)
#55: The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, ill. George & Doris Hauman (1961)
#56: Frederick by Leo Lionni (1967)
#57: Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin, ill. Harry Bliss (2003)
#58: Flotsam by David Wiesner (2006)
#59: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears (1975) by Verna Aardema, ill.Leo and Diane Dillon (1975)
#60: Chicken Soup With Rice: A Book of Months by Maurice Sendak (1962)
#61: Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (2005)
#62: The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack (1933)
#63: Traction Man is Here!, by Mini Grey (2005)
#64: “I Can't,” Said the Ant: A Second Book of Nonsense by Polly Cameron (1961)
#65: Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner (2003)
#66: Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann (1995)
#67: Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni (1959)
#68: The Arrival by Shaun Tan (2006)
#69: We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, ill. Helen Oxenbury (1989)
#70: Miss Fanshawe and the Great Dragon Adventure by Sue Scullard (1986)
#71: The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, ill by Michael Martchenko (1980)
#72: The Little Brute Family by Russell Hoban, ill. Lilian Hoban (1966)
#73: The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant (1933) by Jean de Brunhoff
#74: Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown (1942)
#75: Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss (1940)
#76: Zoom at Sea by Tim Wynne-Jones, ill. Eric Beddows (1983)
#77: The Library by Sarah Stewart, ill. David Small (1995)
#78: How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
#79: Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm, by Alice and Martin Provensen (1974)
#80: The Jolly Postman: or, Other People's Letters by Janet Ahlberg (1986)
#81: Possum Magic by Mem Fox, ill. Julie Vivas (1983)
#82: Who Needs Donuts? by Mark Alan Stamaty (1973)
#83: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (1971)
#84: Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes (1988)
#85: Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats (1964)
#86: Yoko by Rosemary Wells (1998)
#87: Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes (2004)
#88: Stellaluna by Janell Cannon (1993)
#89: A Hole is to Dig: A First Book of First Definitions by Ruth Krauss, ill. Maurice Sendak (1952)
#90: Not a Box by Antoinette Portis (2006)
#91: Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures With the Family Lazardo by William Joyce (1988)
#92: Swimmy by Leo Lionni (1963)
#93: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (1964)
#94: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Audrey and Don Wood (1984)
#95: The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, ill. David Small (1997)
#96: The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle (1990)
#97: Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox, ill. Judy Horacek (2004)
#98: Anatole by Eve Titus (1956)
#99: Little Pea by Amy Krause Rosenthal, ill. by Jen Corace (2005)
#100: Go Away, Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley (1992)
#101: More, More, More Said the Baby: Three Love Stories by Vera B. Williams

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog...

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These lists are so subjective. Tuesday isn't even close to my favorite book of Wiesner's and where are the Pinkwaters?! There are many great books on this list though, and some I either do not know or don't really like.

Could you describe what a picture book is? I would have thought it was a book with pictures but goodnight moon has no pictures.

Carlie, It's a book with illustrations. Generally, they're 32-48 pages long and written for 4-8 year olds or 2-5 year olds or babies-toddlers. Pictures here means drawings, paintings, etc. have at least as big a role as any text.

Goodnight Moon does have pictures, Carlie.



A picture book is a book with pictures on every page, which may or may not be accompanied by text. Usually, they are books for children ages 1-6, but not always.

My son wrote a book for class called "Squids are Cool". That's our favorite picture book lately.

These are mostly old books. Why aren't there many new ones?

Oh look at that, Goodnight Gorilla is pretty high up, Jake adored that book, especially the page that's completely black except for the white gorilla toothy smile.

RA - they just don't make em like they used to?

Maybe the newer books haven't been around long enough to accumulate high numbers.

SkippyJon Jones is on there, at least, and that's 2003. That book rocks.

Tacky the Penguin isn't. But I like that one, too.

Ah...thanks...I'd assumed photographs. I've always thought of goodnight moon as having cartoons and not pictures.

I like Tacky the Penguin, too and Hooway for Wodney Wat also by Lester.

But, WHERE'S OWL BABIES?????

Eloise is there. Whew.

Yeah Jackie, where the hell is Owl Babies?!

Do you know Sweet Dream Pie? That book is wild.

What about classics like "The Lion in the Meadow" by Margaret Mahy? And "The Cheese Trap" by Joy Cowley? Are NZ authors not allowed?
I love Hooway for Wodney Wat.....what number was it....I couldn't see it?
A lot of my childhood favourites are there....my mum obviously had excellent taste in childrens books!

As a former teacher of the young (and an extremely childish---wait,no, I meant *childlike*---adult), I very much enjoyed this run through some of my most favorite titles. "Skippy Jon Jones" was a delight to read aloud to the kids as it was something new and fresh and lent itself to some marvelous dramatics. (What, you all didn't realize that teachers are either frustrated actors or generals, or both?) And "Lily's Purple Plastic Purse" was a superb choice for first graders, helping them to realize that they're not alone in all their feelings, and it's okay to have those feelings. You know the author's doing it right when they say, "Oh, read that one again!" But I miss the title "The Funny Little Woman" about a lady in Japan with a magic rice cooker who gets trapped by the Wicked Oni. Another delight. And there were so many more.

At the last school where I worked, the librarian ( a title she preferred to the more official "Media Specialist") kept the picture books shelved together under the large title: BOOKS FOR EVERYONE. Gotta love that.

There are a lot of classics on there. Everything I thought of I eventually found on there, except for
Need A House? Call Ms. Mouse, which is about a mouse Frank Lloyd Wright who builds perfect homes for the other animals, and Trouble For Trumpets.

I'm particularly happy to see Shaun Tan's The Arrival on there, since it's probably one of the best books I've ever 'read', despite (and because of) the lack of words.

Books for Everyone is very good. I do love it.

I remember the funny little woman.

Koeeoaddi wrote: "So, where's Good Dog, Carl?"

In the same place as Owl Babies and Hooway for Wodney Wat, Ko. Bumped by books WE don't like as much.

I do like Good Night Moon, but I have to say, keeping a big bowl of kittens in a bunny's bedroom seems kind of an odd choice.

Hahahahahahahahahaha!!! Oh, dear, you're right, Bun. Good thing we don't follow the story quite that far.

Are we insisting on verisimilitude in picture books? I think that might knock a whole bunch of things off this list :)

Well of course we are not insisting on verisimilitude, that would be absurd. It just suddenly struck me. I mean kittens and bunnies hmmm bit of a worry but really I'm actually a bit more confused about why the kittens are in a really big bowl in the middle of the room. Its very free association.

I know, I know, its supposed to be a rug.

Snort. That's what makes picture books so great...you never know what you (or the kids) might see. Some great discussions came out of "The Napping House" and "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs", just because of differing interpretations of the pictures.

I love that the first 3 on the list are some of my favs. Although, Harold & the Purple Crayon should be higher up, IMHO, like #2.

I'm glad If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is on there, but I thought If You Give a Moose a Muffin was hilarious. And the drawings for Moosetache are wonderful! Hmmm... I may have a theme going here with my preoccupation for mooses. :)

Where is Piggie Pie!?

It's wonderful how subjective "Top 100" lists are, and what a great place to start discussions they are.

Exactly, Jammies! Lists are nothing BUT subjective.

Psst, want to know a secret? I don't love Where the Wild Things Are.

Psst, I do, but I don't mind if you don't.
I don't much love The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
I do love Bread and Jam for Frances.


I like wisply line drawing illustrations with lots of shadow and crosshatching.

I love this very much too.

I love this one:

Hello Harry!!

What's the one about the dog with the bone and all the other dogs chase him but some are too tall to follow him when he scoots under and some are too short to follow him when he jumps over, and eventually he sheds all his friends and has his bone?

I don't know, Bun, but one of the first books I ever read was Little Popcorn, and even if it's not award-winning, I will love it forever because it was my first exposure to happy tears.

Hmm, don't know that one Jammies.

Yay, another reason for you to come visit me next month!

Bun....is it Hairy MaClary from Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley Dodd??

....or this one?


And what about The Red Balloon? Didn't see it on the list?

That's IT Debbie! Hairy Maclary's Bone. Which of course is why Harry the Dirty Dog made me think of it. Thanks, that was bugging me.

Jackie, Harry the Dirty Dog (and Roses for Harry) were among my favorite books when I was small.

The Red Balloon is so depressing, I think. That may have something to do with the fact that when I was in elementary school every time it rained, instead of having a recess outside after lunch, they brought us into the auditorium and showed us this film. I saw it a lot. It made me sad a lot. The ending didn't help much. For me.

I think of The Red Balloon as a film more than I do as a book. And, yeah, depressing. :(

I think I need to read Anatole. A mouse who gets a job as a cheese-taster in France? Hee!

Oh you must read Anatole!! Its lovely.

I just put it on hold, Bun. :D

Yay! I hope you like it, but I want to hear either way okay?

You bet!

Another one I love, that didn't show up on the list is:



I really love the illustrations by Marc Simont.

Oh, I don't know that one.

Here's a couple of images from the book:





I also love Marc Simont's version of Many Moons, better than the Caldecott winner.

Jackie, It's been languishing on my to-read shelf. I should get to it because it looks great.

Oh wait, is Zigger Beans on the list?

Umm... can't find it!

Zigger Beans???

Zigger Beans. Hmm there's no cover image. I own it. I should try to put up a cover image. Sheesh, now I have to figure out how.

John the mouse
was feeling mean
until he ate a zigger bean.

It made him sing
a zigger tune,
a ziggering beneath the moon.

A zigger, zigger, ziggering
beneath the golden moon.

John the mouse
put on his skates
and rolled across the dinner plates

His mother said
Good Heavens, John
Whatever are you rolling on?

I'm zigger zigger ziggering!
I'm ziggering, said John.

Makes you wonder what exactly is IN those zigger beans... :D

Hee hee.

I'm very cross!
His mother said
Take off your skates and go to bed!

His mother's mouth
was open wide
He threw a zigger bean inside.

His mother started ziggering
I'm Ziggering! she cried.

She ziggered up,
She ziggered down,
His mother ziggered off to town.

She's ziggering
to town, John said
It's suppertime, and I'm not fed!