Books Children Love: A Guide to the Best Children's Literature

by Elizabeth Laraway Wilson, Susan Schaeffer Macaulay (Foreword by)

A love for reading is one of the most precious gifts that we can give children. It nurtures their imagination and creativity, lets them explore other worlds, and opens their minds to new truths and knowledge in appealing, inspiring ways. But how can we sort through thousands of children's books to discover the really worthwhile ones? Elizabeth Wilson offers us a newly revised, comprehensive guide to the very best in children's literature. Just as in the original volume, she comments on the tone and content of excellently written, captivating books in over two dozen subject areas. Hundreds of new titles have been added while retaining timeless classics and modern favorites-all of which respect traditional values. So that no matter what the children's ages are or whether they love fact or fiction, you can trust these books to share things that you can believe in and kids will delight in.

Genres: Education, Books About Books, Parenting, Nonfiction, Reference, Childrens, Literature

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2002

About the author

ELIZABETH LARAWAY WILSON earned a BA and MA in literature and held editorial and college teaching positions before retiring. More importantly she has shared her love for books with her sons and grandchildren, along with countless others, through her popular previous edition of this work.

Reviews

[Luisa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I have not read every single book Wilson includes, I have read through many and think she offers a great selection.

I particularly like the category of books she selects (more than just fiction and picture books like other titles do), and how she’s laid out her information. If you have a school topic to cover, it’s nice to be able to easily turn to her math or architecture or animal sections and find a title to meet your needs.

[Anne (In Search of Wonder) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource! I'm ALWAYS looking for quality book recs for my voracious readers. It helps tremendously that the books were chosen by a discerning Christian reader for a similar audience. I don't really need all the nonfiction suggestions-but the fiction and biography sections are fantastic! Now to find all the ones I want....

[Ruth E. R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am amazed at the range of book genres indexed by Elizabeth Wilson! The only setback for me was that it was completed in 2002 and as far as I know there is no 3rd Edition in the works.

The other great thing about this is that the source has a trustworthy Judeo-Christian worldview yet the bulk of her list contains "secular" selections, including books about conservation of the environment (God's magnificent Creation and our responsibility). There is something for everyone here, not just the fiction and poetry you would expect. Other genres included nature, architecture/engineering, math, crafts, dance, humor, language, special needs/disabilities.

All were chosen with a hope that children aged preschool through 8th grade (and older!) would discover the endless possibilities and joys of reading. Also, that this discovery would coincide with molding a stronger family. The descriptions included summaries of the subject matter or the plots, and also the reason the book was selected.

I also appreciated how the author categorized into age-appropriate divisions of Level I (preschool through grade 2); Level II (grades 3-4); Level III (grades 5-6 and up). Along with that, included with each individual book she gives a full range (e.g., grades 3-7) suggestion. She also cross references topics with her age divisions, making it an easy guide to pick up and follow on any occasion.

The motivation for me is to expose myself to the best books in order to make reliable suggestions to my nieces and nephew, and to have a bunch of quality books to read as I work on my own creative writing.

[booklady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Concur with another reviewer here on GRs that this was not particularly helpful for me as book choices were grouped according to subject rather than age level. Plus, even when I was trying to use it back in the 1990s and early 2000s so many of the books were already out-of-print and/or not available from the library. I would have had to spend a fortune, not to mention a huge amount of time trying to locate them. Internet was just getting going and book shopping was not so easy as it is now. I pulled this off the shelf to see if I wanted to give this to my daughter and decided she could find something more recent. Giving it away.

[Shanna Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a number of annotated book list books available for Christian parents and teachers, and this is one of the best. In her introduction, Wilson explains that her philosophy grows out of Charlotte Mason’s concept of “living books,” and states that to be included in her list titles must be: (1) interesting to children, (2) of excellent literary quality, and (3) reflective of a view of human life that does not conflict with Judeo-Christian moral and ethical values. The preface is written by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay (daughter of Francis Schaeffer, a leading thinker in formulating the concept of the Christian worldview).

While I haven’t read every title recommended, in general Wilson’s selections seem to be well within the bounds of her criteria. Her eye for literary quality, reader interest and moral value is good. She does make some recommendations that I disagree with (for example, Hatchet by Gary Paulson, The Yearling by Marjorie Rawlings, and A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond), primarily because they express a cultural view of childhood and the role of parents that I believe is unbiblical.

Unlike many other book lists, this one includes not only fiction and biography sections, but also a number of nonfiction topics such as music, geography, science, mathematics, performing arts, and the natural world. This makes the book an excellent supplement to a young reader’s formal education. The chapters are organized by topic, and the reading level is given for individual citations. Obviously, adults need to read the titles rather than merely selecting them on someone else’s say-so, but Wilson’s recommendation is an excellent place to begin. And in that five minutes before the library closes, four out of five times you can count on her to provide you with a good take-home read.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a thorough reading list offering summaries of each book. It is divided by theme, and each selection is designated for a specific age group.

I appreciated the Charlotte Mason-inspired philosophy to book selection, and the summaries are helpful. But I found the book itself to be difficult to read (although it's not meant to be read straight through obviously). I think I would have preferred it to be divided according to age groups instead of themes, but that's just personal preference. Seems to be a good reference, especially as kids get into middle/upper elementary and beyond.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things I appreciate most about the booklists in this guide is the sheer volume of nonfiction titles.... excellent resource.

[Meredith Henning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a nice resource. It's been a while since I looked at this one and it was great to revisit it for my older and newer readers :)

[Romie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found some great new reads for my children and myself!

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

helpful layout of book lists organized by subject and includes grade level and short description.

used book sellers: alibris.com

"God's people, as we read about them in the Bible, could face what other people think-their ideas, their mistakes. So we needn't be afraid of other cultures, viewpoints, when reading books to children...If you are a Christian, then you have a responsibility to communicate God's word to others. It means living as God intended. But we aren't to insist on blinders so that children can't understand what other people think...go ahead and read them a wide spectrum of books. Talk over together ideas you odn't think are right. Many times children will comment themselves on the content and ideas in a book. this is strengthening."

"this is a book written with love-love for children with their wonderful questing minds, their lives of yet undreamed, unshaped possibilities; love for language, for ideas, for imagination, for knowledge, for all that is a part of the inexhaustible richnes of the world of books; and, above all, with a love for God and for all He has made and done and give-truth, beauty, love, infinite diversity-for He called it very good.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an excellent compilation of what Charlotte Mason would call "living books" for children. It is divided into categories, history, music, biographies, literature, etc. Each book states the age-appropriate level plus a brief synopsis. The level of reading ranges from preschool to high school. I have marked multiple books for E to read and have already checked out ones on Thanksgiving and Christopher Columbus; topics where I would have no idea to turn for a little one. Elizabeth Wilson read every single book listed in this guide; quite a feat if you ask me! My only complaint is that this edition of the book was published in 2000 so there are some outdated books (for example those on technology) and good books have been written since then. So perhaps it's time that Crossway published an updated edition of this book. . .

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason, books about books have a special place in my heart. I especially like this guide to children’s books because the recommendations are described in enough detail that I have a pretty good feel for the book and its appeal just from the description. My only quibble is that it hasn’t been revised since 2002, and isn’t as comprehensive as I would like. However, the titles listed will definitely keep even the most avid readers busy for some time. I really like the mix of old and new (or newish in relation to the publication date) books.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book listing good books for kids, intended for homeschooling parents. It has some really good suggestions, but like so many books of this kind, it assumes that homeschoolers are all Christians trying to instill Christian values in kids. As long as you can tune out the preaching, and learn to ignore suggestions based entirely on "this book is really good because it has Christian values," this could be a good resource for general homeschoolers.

[Jasmine Shadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that was a wonderful asset to our home school collection. It helped remind me of books that I had forgotten about and yet really wanted my children to read. I didn't read every book that she recommended, but I found her suggestions to be excellent, and most of them were the books that I had included in my plans. She did help give me a good plan as to when to introduce them and also which lessons to attach them too.

[Jenny K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love book lists!
I am mostly interested in the fiction section and this book had a relatively small section for fiction. However there were lots of books I have never seen in this type of list before.
This would be an excellent resource for families with young kids.

[Jeremy]

WORLD review here.

[Janine Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been, and will continue to be, a great resource for choosing books for our home school and home. I only wish it had updates, most books listed are from before the 80s.

[Carlos Montijo]

Well trained mind recommended.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource

[Sydney Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good resource.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great guide for parents, grandparents, teachers and anyone looking to buy good books for children.

[Giuliana Mannino]

fanfic #6

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Books selected by the principles set forth by Charlotte Mason, in a variety of subjects, annotated list.

Animals
Art/Architecture
Spiritual and Moral Teaching
Biography
Celebration Days and Seasons
Crafts, Hobbies, and Domestid Arts
Dance, Drama, and other Performances
Growing Plants
History and Geography
Humor
Language
Literature (split between 3 levels of complexity)
Poetry and Rhymes
Mathematics
Misc.
Music
Nature, Science, and Techology
Outdoor Activities
Organized Games
Special Needs (Loss, adoption, disabilities

Good list, but slightly difficult to use based on their use of grade level instead of age. Youngest age is preschool.

[Megan Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As annotated bibliographies for children go, this one is truly excellent. It is well-organized, thoroughly researched, and lovingly planned. It was inspired by the need for homeschooling (or even involved non-homeschooling) parents to have access to well-written books that reflect, or at least do not blatantly denounce, Judeo-Christian values. Parents of children beginning in preschool and continuing up through about 9th grade (and even later in a few cases) will benefit from this resource, which covers every thinkable subject requisite in a thorough education (and then some!).
Now, may I request that Mrs. Wilson put together one of these for grown-ups?

[Elise]

This is just an index of great books for children. It was quite useful though, and I wanted to keep it longer but another library patron requested it. So I tried to type up a bunch of books I want to read with my kids into a google doc, and I spent over an hour doing that, but there were just too many! So I'll probably be checking this out again. I recommend this to those interested in pursuing a Charlotte Mason approach to literature-based education.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than a book to read, this is a great reference. It holds a special place on my "about books and reading aloud" list because it includes a lot of categories that my other books don't have: art, music, crafts & hobbies, history & geography, dance & drama, humor and more. I've already requested some books in the art section of this book from the library.

[Trace · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT compilation of children's titles!! Some titles are out of print, but I respect the author for still including them. A great book is a great book and still worth reading, even if it takes a bit of effort to track down. I've already used this book to choose some of our read aloud books. I have a feeling I'll be referring to this book quite a bit over the years.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A++ Must have for every parent that desires to encourage quality reading in their children. The shelves are not carefully stocked with great books so parents mst search for them. This reference tool is very helpful.

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like Honey for a Child's Heart, this book points parents to the best books for children. What a treasure trove. The suggestions are for the kind of enduring classics that you can read over and over rather than the silly stuff that's out now that makes you cringe as you read it out loud.

[Megan Triplett · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is mostly a helpful tool in finding good literature, I found the foreword and the introduction to be really insightful and helpful!! I'm excited to have this book in our home and in our pursuit learning.