As an Early Childcare Assistant, I can hardly pick just one!

For myself I loved The Chronicles of Narnia 7 book Box set, it was the best part of summers spent at my Aunts house, My uncle would pile all 7 cousins into one large bedroom and we would fall asleep to him reading these novels.

Once I was able to read on my own I LOVED Beverly Cleary novels, and by the time I was 10 my copy of Socks was so destroyed my mother had to switch it while I sleep with a new copy that was not missing pages.

These days I love to read The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear (and all the other Big Hungry Bear stories that have been written), all the Karma Wilson books, as well as Please Clean Up Your Room!, and the classics such as Alexander 3-Book Set Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; Alexander Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move; and Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday... I have plenty other "fail safe" books that I read at work on rainy days.. and you CAN NOT go wrong with Robert Munsch!!!

Oh my. I had so many favorites. Namely, the Boxcar Children series, Little House on the Prairie, Sweet Valley High, Nancy Drew, Babysitter's Club, and pretty much anything Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary!

Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and Little Men; The Little Princess, Harold and The Purple Crayon (and all of the books in that series by Crockett).

Among others, Danny Champion of the World. I never meet many people who have read it but it's totally stuck with me all these years.

Oh yes I forgot that one! and all the Elmer stories

I also used to love The Tiger who came to tea" it was one of my favourites.

My favourite author as a child would have to be Roald Dahl, and I would recommend any of his books. His imagination and the characters that he brought to life for me I will remember always. How can anyone forget:

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
Matilda
The Twits
The BFG
Fantastic mr Fox
James & The Giant Peach
The Witches

His stories are timeless and I could actually read them again and again.

My favourite author as a child would have to be Roald Dahl, and I would recommend any of his books. His imagination and the characters that he brought to life for me I will remember always. How can anyone forget:

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
Matilda
The Twits
The BFG
Fantastic mr Fox
James & The Giant Peach
The Witches

His stories are timeless and I could actually read them again and again.

As a k - 12 school librarian, I am loving the titles and authors I see here! Some book characters are timeless!

My favorite book is Goin' Someplace Special (Patricia McKissack) or Pink and Say (Patrica Polacco). I used to read them to my high school students and would tear up every single class period.

go to the library and check out Betsy Tacy then read the rest up until Besty's Wedding. You will not be sorry. Also Google Betsy Tacy Society and you will learn more about the books. It's a must for a Minnesotan.

I am a Minnesotan now...formerly North Dakotan...I've never heard of Betsy, Tacy and Tib...fill me in!

The Giving Tree is my all time favorite!
Also loved, The Fantastic Mr. Fox and James and the Giant Peach both by Roald Dahl.
Ramona books were all fun reads too...

Yeah! I read them at about the same age and had the same feeling from them. I didn't enjoy it as much because they were so much older than me.

I was thinking about this thread the other day, and even though Babysitter's Club is outdated, I would not let my daughter read them at the age I did! They were about 11-13 year-olds, aimed at about the same audience, but I was reading them at about 8-10 years old. The characters acted and looked (in the sporadic illustrations) to be about 17, with all the flirting and kissing and unaccompained cross-country trips they took.

I loved the Beverly Cleary books also when I was young, and the Junie B Jones books those I know from my daughter, a couple other favorites to read aloud of mine are Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm, and the Skippy Jon Jones books

I also loved Pippi Longstocking and Beverly Cleary books. My list keeps growing!

Yay, how fun! Happy birthday to your daughter!

Rosemary wrote: "for all betsy tacy tib lovers, there is a betsy Tacy Society where you can get all the information you need about where to buy books, and about the houses and places the books were placed. It's a ..."

Oh, what a find for me Rosemary. My daughters birthday is coming up and I think I am going to do a BTT party.

For me I loved:
Nancy Drew books
Besty, Tacy, Tib Maud Hart Lovelace
Beverly Clearly
Judy Blume
Mandy by Julie Andrews
Roald Dahl books
Anastasia Krupnik series

Emily wrote: "Did anyone else read Betsy, Tacy and Tib? I ask every Minnesotan I meet (and I meet a lot of Minnesotans) and they never know what I'm talking about! Sigh. Love them.

I also rather liked the Bo..."

ME ME ME, Emily I am not a Minnesoata native but live there right now. I LOVED those books.

Tanja wrote: "* Where the Wild Things Are
* Babysitter's Club / Saddle Club / Nancy Drew / Boxcar Children series
* Anne of Green Gables series
* Sideway Stories & Sequel
* Hungry Caterpillar
* Little House..."

I LOVE Charlotte's Web, any Judy Blume, Nancy Drew and of course Dr. Seuss. Does anyone remember Pipi Longstocking?

I remember reading Betsy and Tacy. And I also loved Sweet Valley High books in junior high.

for all betsy tacy tib lovers, there is a betsy Tacy Society where you can get all the information you need about where to buy books, and about the houses and places the books were placed. It's a wealth of info.

http://www.betsy-tacysociety.org/

I haven't seen my three favorites yet...

-Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
-My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.
-Maniac Magee

My favorite sixth grade teacher read to us on Fridays... and she read Maniac McGee and the Sideways Stories from Wayside School. I *loved* that. People think when you're an older kid, you don't want to be read to. :)

Sue wrote: "I loved the Betsy, Tacy and Tib books and I grew up on Long Island! When my husband were at Barnes and Noble the other night, I saw that there was a reissue of some of the later books in the series..."

I loved the high school books! You should snap those up when you get the chance--I've tried to buy them on Amazon and they're rarely in print.

Yeah, I suppose they're a little bit dated. I'm also 22 but I was raised on the series. Anyone who likes Anne of Green Gables and the like would be into them, I think. Part of the fun of reading for me when I was a kid was getting to see little bits of history along with fun stories :-)

I loved the Betsy, Tacy and Tib books and I grew up on Long Island! When my husband were at Barnes and Noble the other night, I saw that there was a reissue of some of the later books in the series when Betsy was in high school and when she got married! I didn't dare buy it then; my husband would have thought I was nuts, but if I see them again when I am alone, I may just have to buy the whole series so I can relive my childhood...lol! I'm not sure kids of today would like those books; couldn't get my daughter to read them when she was little (she is 22 now, and has rediscovered her love for reading with the Twilight series). Many of the books I enjoyed as a child are a bit dated now, but there are many new interesting books which are motivating kids to read. I work in an elementary school as an inclass support assistant, and I am glad that kids are starting to enjoy books again!

Not sure if you can easily get Enid Blyton books but the Mallory Towers series and the Twins at St Claires are both great - quite old fashioned about the childrens adventures at boarding school - I loved them and the kids I teach are really hooked on them too.
Anything by Roald Dahl also goes down a treat - The Twits are my absolute favourite

I loved those Emily!! Betsy, Tacy, and Tib were my faves when I was younger.

Also loved the Sweet Valley High series when I was jr high age

Cindy ~ It depends on her reading level. The books are aimed for 10-13 year olds. When I was 8 I was reading all the babysitter club books but my mom also tried me on the sweet valley twins. I couldn't read them yet so I held onto them and she added to the collection until I was old enough to read them. I tried them ever year until I finally was able to read them and having "harder" books lined up made me try harder to reach the goal.

Did anyone else read Betsy, Tacy and Tib? I ask every Minnesotan I meet (and I meet a lot of Minnesotans) and they never know what I'm talking about! Sigh. Love them.

I also rather liked the Boxcar Children!

I know this post is a little off topic! But...I bought my niece a couple of books for her birthday; she will be 8 yrs old. They are part of the series: The Callahan Cousins Summer Begins. Now I am worried they are too old/difficult for her. The kids in the books are 12. Has anyone ever read or given these books? Need help with this!!

the five chinese brothers was one of my favorite books, it totally fascinated me. i also loved Nancy and Plum, every single Betsy, Tacy, Tib book and the ones about the bears that maurice sendak illustrated. my daughter and i sat in my big chair together and she read that book as her first reading book. i didn't read a lot of picture books until i was in college and took a few children's literature books. that's when i discovered eric carle and the wonders of his illustrations. and always little women and a tree grows in brooklyn.

Harriet the Spy rocks!

Speaking of Where the Wild Things Are, I thought it was interesting that the 80-year-old Maurice Sendak came out as gay in the NY Times last year...he brought it up because his partner of 50 years had recently died.

I discovered some wonderful children's books when my friends started having children. Don't know if these are for a 7-year-old or for younger, but here are a few of my favorites:

* I'm in Charge of Celebrations
* Owl Moon
* Linnea in Monet's Garden
* Old Turtle
The first two are my most favorite.

I know people who are dressed up like people but act like animals....

I always loved Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parishwhen I was little.

I loved the Beatrix Potters. They were such cute little books with such wonderful pictures. I think I checked them out as much for the size as the story

I love a lot of children's books, but The Velveteen Rabbit and Alice in Wonderland are right at the top of my list.

That's it! Wind in the Willows. I was trying to remember that one.

Oh and Amelia Bedelia!

...Have we mentioned Beatrix Potter? or The Wind in the Willows? - don't all kids love animals dressed up and acting like humans! LOL

* Where the Wild Things Are
* Babysitter's Club / Saddle Club / Nancy Drew / Boxcar Children series
* Anne of Green Gables series
* Sideway Stories & Sequel
* Hungry Caterpillar
* Little House series
* Jungle Book
* Charlotte's Web
* Frog & Toad
* Judy Blume
* Ralph S. Mouse
* Dr. Seuss books
* Bernstein Bears
* ...and more!

Stacy wrote: "Where the Sidewalk Ends, Charlotte's Web, the Frog and Toad books, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, How to Eat Fried Worms--there are so many!

Some of my new favorites are the Louis Sachar books..."

I LOVED the Sideway Stories for Wayside School!!

Also, even though it's kind of a toddler book, I am so fond of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I read it to my niece and nephew all the time (and probably still enjoy it as much as they do!)

I loved Goodnight Moon, Where the Wild Things Are, Matilda (and everything by Roald Dahl pretty much), The Hungry Catapillar, The Little House books, The Secret Garden, and the Sweet Valley Twins books!

Actually my favorites (for smaller kids) are Where the Wild Things Are and Tacky the Penguin. The audio version of Tacky is funny and my kids loved it too.

I don't remember this one from when I was a child, but I discovered it when I had kids. I have recommended it to many friends, and hope someday to read it to my grandkids!

Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Leonni

To add to the list: Bunnicula and The Little Prince

There are so many great suggestions made already, and I think anything by Margaret Wise Brown or Virginia Lee Burton. 2nd grade is the perfect time to begin the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little. Check out the Caldecott and Newberry winners, too. A favorite of children I know is BFG by Dahl.

I really enjoyed Charlotte's Web too! I also liked the Little House books, Nancy Drew books, Little Women and Little Men, and love The Tale of Desperaux though it wasn't around when I was little!
I Loved Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and remember our 3rd grade teacher used to take us outside and read a portion every day.
Not sure my list helps much with a 7 year old unless you are reading to her, but that would be fun too!

Stacy wrote: "Where the Sidewalk Ends, Charlotte's Web, the Frog and Toad books, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, How to Eat Fried Worms--there are so many!

Some of my new favorites are the Louis Sachar books..."

Oh how did I forget Charlotte's Web!

I also love Five Minutes Peace about a mother elephant's attempt to escape from her three nagging children. I so related it to her when I read it.