How many have you read or read to your child?

[Lindsay]

1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow up List

1. Charlotte's Web/E.B. White
2. Clifford The Big Red Dog/ Norman Birdwell
3. Farmer Boy/Laura Ingalls Wilder==5/31/12
4. Go, Dog. Go!/P.D. Eastman
5. Holes/Louis Sachar
6. Little House on the Prairie/Laura Ingalls Wilder
7. Little House in the Big Woods/Laura Ingalls Wilder
8. Peter Pan/J.M. Barrie
9. The Berenstain Bears/Stan Berenstain
10. The Boxcar Children/Gertrude Chandler Warner
11. The Bobbsey Twins/Laura Lee Hope
12. The Cat in the Hat/Dr. Seuss
13. The Mouse and the Motorcycle/Beverly Cleary
14. The Railway Children/E. Nesbit ==5/6/12
15. Amelia Bedelia/Peggy Parish
16. The Whipping Boy/ Sid Fleischman

[Linda]

348 down ..... and still going ......

[Fjóla]

When I started the challenge, I noticed only around 70 books that I had read as a child, and most of these were from the 8+ group, while the rest consisted of the classics such as Dumas, Swift, Jules Verne and Dafoe. Coming from a non english speaking culture, I didn't know any of the picture books, and none of the YA literature either really.

Together with my almost 4 year old, we've made a great dent into the picture book part of the 1001 list, covering about 60% of the baby books, over a third of the 3+ collection and some 20% of the 5+ list. Things will obviously start to slow down once we get to the chapter books, but right now the count is 158 books.

On the other hand, we've often been side tracked, for instance we've probably gone through some 30 of Eric Carle's books. I rather liked John Burningham's art, so I brought home a few more titles, Leo Lionni's Swimmy lead me to get the whole compendium of Frederick's Fables : A Treasury of 16 Favorite Leo Lionni Stories and I got so enthralled by the pictures and playfulness of Leo the Late Bloomer that I scooped up everything I could find by that same team of illustrators.

We're also going through the complete collection of Reverend Awdry's original Thomas stories, there just didn't seem to be any good reason to stop after the second Railway Series volume. And once I got to know Kevin Henkes' cute but imperfect little anthropomorphic mice, I knew I had to read every single one of them. (My favorite so far is Chrysanthemum, but my son likes Chester's Way the best -- we've read it 60 times already -- some of Henkes other stuff however is also really beautiful, for instance the book Birds that he collaborated on together with his wife!)

Ah, it's such a joy going through this list!

[Linda]

Fjóla wrote: "When I started the challenge, I noticed only around 70 books that I had read as a child, and most of these were from the 8+ group, while the rest consisted of the classics such as Dumas, Swift, Jul..."

You are not at all alone in your journey - the side tours are gloriously many and have shown us how diverse and interesting children's literature is.

Sometimes we have followed an illustrator to discover more of their works of art and sometimes, well, let's just say that I still can't resist checking out everything new that Mo Willems does (!)

And we all know that it's the journey and not the destination that we're addicted to. Enjoy!

[Cherene]

My four year old and I have read 42 - we started the challenge about a year ago. I have read more than that, but I just ignore that since I'm re-doing them all with my son. Which means I'm behind. I'm having a daughter soon (due in April), I suppose that means I'll read them all over again.

[Kathy]

I have read or read to a child 174 but then again I am a librarian and part of the college courses we have to take in in "Children's Literature" or as we call it Kiddie Lit

[Fjóla]

Up to 211 now, while still in the picture books. Out of the books we've gone through in the past few months, a couple really stand out: The Australian Fox by Margaret Wild and Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers.
Fox completely jolted me, emotionally. I thought it was simply one more of those animal stories/fables, so I didn't have the prudence to read it by myself before I read it with my child. Well, we were both in tears before we finished the story. But I still think it's one of the best children's books I've read, I just can't get it out of my mind and I'm curious what others think of it.
Lost and Found is the last entry in the 3+ chapter, like Fox it's about friendship and big feelings and feats, but luckily on a more happy note. I loved the tone of it,sweet but not saccharine, just matter of fact, and all the while the story's just impossibly cute.
Since Lost and Found is so recent, I might have come across it regardless, but I would definitely never have found Fox hadn't it been on this list ...

[Diane]

210 that I can remember. Probably a few I have forgotten over the years.

[Pam]

103 although some I think I've read but maybe only saw the movie many times.

[Ellinor, Active moderator]

I'm now approaching 600. I had read about half of them before even knowing about the book. I very quickly made my way through the 0-3 and 3+ sections and have only two left from the 5+ section which I'm planning to finish very soon. I guess that the books from the 8+ and 12+ sections will take me a bit longer to read but they will probably be much easier to get hold of than the ones for the much younger children.