Librarians' Picks

Selected Reading Unearthed from the Youth Collection
Ann Arbor District Library

Table of Contents

1. Books to Begin On
2. Family Favorites
3. Books for Experienced Listeners

• Jump to the links at the bottom of this page
• NOTE: S following a title means that it has a sequel or is part of a series.

Agle, Nan Hayden. Three Boys and a Lighthouse. 1957. S

Triplets Abercrombie, Benjamin, and Christopher spend a summer helping their father at his lighthouse.
J AGLE

Atwater, Richard Tupper. Mr. Popper's Penguins. 1938.

First one penguin, then another, and then a houseful make life exciting and funny for Mr. Popper and his family.
J ATWATER

Averill, Esther. Jenny and the Cat Club: A Collection of Favorite Stories about Jenny Linsky. 1973. S

Jenny the cat and her cat friends have many adventures in New York City.
J AVERILL

Baum, Lyman Frank. The Wizard of Oz. 1900. S

Dorothy Gale of Kansas is caught up in a cyclone and finds herself in the mysterious and wonderful land of Oz.
J BAUM

Bond, Michael. A Bear Called Paddington. 1958. S

Paddington Bear arrives in England from Darkest Peru and is immediately adopted by the Brown family, who discover that life with a well-intentioned but disaster-prone bear is quite exciting.
J BOND

Brooks, Walter. Freddy the Detective. 1932. S

Freddy the Pig takes on the mystery of the missing toy train.
J BROOKS

Bulla, Clyde Robert. A Lion to Guard Us. 1981.

Left alone in London, three children make their way to the new Virginia colony to search for their father.
J BULLA

Burgess, Thornton W. Old Mother West Wind. 1910. S

Children have been reading these stories about Johnny Chuck, Reddy Fox, Jimmy Skunk, and their fellow creatures of woods and fields for eighty years, and the stories are still entertaining today.
J BURGESS

Butterworth, Oliver. The Enormous Egg. 1956.

Nate's hen lays an enormous egg that hatches into a dinosaur.
J BUTTERWORTH

Cameron, Ann. The Stories Julian Tells. 1981. S

Seven-year-old Julian tells about getting into trouble with his younger brother, planting a garden, trying to grow taller, losing a tooth, and finding a new friend.
J CAMERON

Cameron, Eleanor. The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet. 1954. S

Two boys answer a strange advertisement, which leads to building a rocket ship and flying to Basidium, a very small (and invisible) planet whose inhabitants are in great danger.
J/Sci-fi CAMERON

Cleary, Beverly. The Mouse and the Motorcycle. 1965. S

A talking mouse? Riding a toy motorcycle? That's exactly what Ryan finds when his family vacations in an old hotel.
J CLEARY

Erickson, Russell. Warton and Morton. 1976. S

Two brother toads, off on a camping trip, are separated during a flash flood and have more excitement than they bargained for.
J ERICKSON

Gannett, Ruth Stiles. My Father's Dragon. 1948. S

Elmer Elevator makes a trek to Wild Island, where he meets and rescues a baby dragon.
J GANNETT

Haywood, Carolyn. "B" is for Betsy. 1967. S

Six-year-old Betsy is nervous about starting school, but finds that first grade is lots of fun.
J HAYWOOD

Haywood, Carolyn. Eddie and the Fire Engine. 1949. S

Eddie sets his heart on acquiring a retired fire engine.
J HAYWOOD

Kipling, Rudyard. Just-So Stories. 1912.

Stories tell of the Time of Very Beginnings: How the Rhinoceros Got his Skin, How the Elephant Got his Trunk, and many more.
J KIPLING

Latimer, Jim. Going the Moose Way Home. 1988. S

An unusual moose shares his rootbeer with cows, helps small animals cross a troll bridge, and mistakes a train for a lady moose.
J LATIMER

Lawson, Robert. Rabbit Hill. 1944. S

When new people move into the house on the hill, all the animals living nearby wonder what will happen to them, the wild creatures of the hill.
J LAWSON

Lovelace, Maud Hart. Betsy-Tacy. 1940. S

Two little girls become inseparable companions in turn-of-the-century Minnesota.
J LOVELACE

MacDonald, Betty. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. 1947. S

Parents: Do your children refuse to pick up toys or refuse to go to bed? Do they fight or quarrel or answer back? Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has some funny cures that never fail.
J MACDONALD

Milne, A.A. Winnie-the-Pooh. 1926. S

Christopher Robin's friends include Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Wol, and Tigger, but his dearest friend is Edward Bear, also known as Pooh.
J MILNE

Moore, Lilian. I'll Meet You at the Cucumbers. 1988. S

Two country mice visit the city, and Adam Mouse despairs when his friend considers staying there.
J MOORE

Selden, George. The Cricket in Times Square. 1960. S

Chester Cricket accidentally hops into a picnic basket and is transported from the Connecticut countryside to New York City, where he spends an unforgettable summer.
J SELDEN

Slobodkin, Louis. The Spaceship under the Apple Tree. 1952. S

When a spaceship lands on Eddie's farm and a little man comes out, Eddie is headed for some strange experiences.
J/Sci-fi SLOBODKIN

Slote, Alfred. My Robot Buddy. 1975. S

Danny gets a robot playmate for his tenth birthday.
J/Sci-fi SLOTE

Smith, Janice Lee. The Monster in the Third Dresser Drawer: And Other Stories about Adam Joshua. 1981. S

Adam Joshua copes with a new school, a new sister, a new babysitter, a new tooth, and an old, old aunt.
J SMITH

Steig, William. Dominic. 1972.

Dominic the dog has many adventures fighting the Doomsday band after he decides to see the world.
J STEIG

Taylor, Sydney. All-of-a-Kind Family. 1951. S

Five little girls in a close-knit Jewish family explore and enjoy turn-of-the-century New York City.
J TAYLOR

Warner, Gertrude Chandler. The Boxcar Children. 1942. S

Running away to avoid being put in an orphanage, the four Alden children take refuge in an abandoned boxcar.
J/Mystery WARNER

Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House in the Big Woods. 1932. S

Laura Ingalls and her family live in the woods of Wisconsin; subsequent books take them across the prairie by wagon during the 1870s.
J WILDER

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FAMILY FAVORITES

Aiken, Joan. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. 1962. S

Three children brave a wicked governess, fierce wolves, and a frozen countryside in a wild story of adventure in an England that never was.
J AIKEN

Alexander, Lloyd. The Book of Three. 1964. S

Assistant Pig-Keeper Taran sets out on a hazardous mission to save Prydain from the forces of evil in this first part of a five-part fantasy series inspired by early Welsh legend.
J ALEXANDER

Babbitt, Natalie. The Search for Delicious. 1969.

When royal inhabitants of the castle are unable to agree upon which food should stand for "delicious" in the new dictionary, twelve-year-old Gaylen sets off to poll the kingdom and meets some remarkable creatures along the way.
J BABBITT

Barrie, James M. Peter Pan. 1906.

The Darling children travel to the Never-Never Land of Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and Tinkerbell.
J BARRIE

Burnett, Frances Hodgson. A Little Princess. 1905.

Even when the death of her father changes Sara Crewe from a wealthy star pupil to a ill-treated charity case at an expensive boarding school, Sara maintains the composure, manners, generosity, and imagination that her father would expect of his "little princess" --and a secret friend helps.
J BURNETT

Burnett, Frances Hodgson. The Secret Garden. 1911.

Orphan Mary Lennox unravels the secrets of her uncle's home on the Yorkshire moors, discovering the healing magic of the secret garden.
J BURNETT

Burnford, Sheila. The Incredible Journey. 1961.

A Labrador retriever, a Siamese cat and an English terrier journey 250 miles through the Canadian wilderness to return home.
J BURNFORD.

Byars, Betsy. The Not-Just-Anybody Family. 1986. S

With their brother in the hospital, grandfather in jail, and mother traveling with a rodeo, Maggie and Vern try to settle family problems.
J BYARS

Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. 1865. S

A little girl named Alice follows a white rabbit down a hole and has some very remarkable adventures.
J CARROLL

Chase, Richard. Grandfather Tales. 1948.

Humorous Appalachian tales are told in the vernacular of the region.
J 398.2 Ch

Clifford, Eth. Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library. 1979. S

Two girls spend an exciting and scary night trapped inside the public library during a terrible blizzard.
J CLIFFORD

Clifton, Lucille. The Lucky Stone. 1979.

A lucky stone provides good fortune for its various owners, starting with a slave in the mid-1800s.
J CLIFTON

Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach. 1961.

Live in a giant peach? That's exactly what James does, thanks to a magic potion, when he is unhappy living with his mean aunts.
J DAHL

D'Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar, eds. East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Twenty-one Norwegian Folk Tales. 1912.

Norwegian folktales include stories of trolls, water sprites, giant horses, talking cats, and mountains made of glass.
J 398.2 As

DeJong, Meindert. The House of Sixty Fathers. 1956.

Tien Pao, a Chinese boy, and his family flee inland during the Japanese invasion of China preceding and during World War II.
J DEJONG

Dodge, Mary Mapes. Hans Brinker: or The Silver Skates. 1865.

Set in Holland, this is the story of Hans and his sister Gretel, a family mystery, and the race for a pair of silver skates.
J DODGE

du Bois, William. The Twenty-one Balloons. 1947.

A professor has humorous and astonishing adventures in his balloon journey around the world.
J DUBOIS

Eager, Edward. Half Magic. 1954. S

Four children spending their summer in a city apartment enjoy a series of fantastic adventures by wishing on an ancient coin.
J EAGER

Erdoes, Richard. The Sound of Flutes and Other Indian Legends. 1976.

Legends of the Plains Indians are illustrated by Paul Goble.
J 398.2 Er

Estes, Eleanor. Pinky Pye. 1958. S

The Pye family, including four-year-old Uncle Benny, Ginger the dog, and Gracie the New York cat, have a remarkable summer vacation on Fire Island--and they gain two new family members in Pinky the kitten and Owlie, a pygmy owl.
J ESTES

Fitzgerald, John D. The Great Brain. 1967. S

The exploits of the Great Brain of Adenville, Utah, are described by his younger brother, who is a frequent victim of the Great Brain's schemes for gain.
J FITZGERALD

Fleischman, Paul. The Half-a-Moon Inn. 1980.

A mute boy sets off to find his missing mother and is taken prisoner by Miss Grackle, proprietress of a strange inn filled with kings, thieves, and dreams.
J FLEISCHMAN

Fleischman, Sid. The Whipping Boy. 1986.

A bratty prince and his whipping boy inadvertently trade places after becoming involved with dangerous outlaws.
J FLEISCHMAN

From Sea to Shining Sea: A Treasury of American Folklore and Folk Songs. 1993.

More than 140 folk songs, tales, poems, and stories reflecting the diversity of American culture are illustrated by award-winning artists.
J 398.2 Fr

Gardiner, John Reynolds. Stone Fox. 1980.

Little Willie hopes to pay the back taxes on Grandfather's farm with winnings from a dogsled race, but his fiercest competitor is Stone Fox, whose dog team has never lost.
J GARDINER

Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows. 1908.

Meet Mole, Ratty, Mr. Toad, and their friends in this classic animal fantasy.
J GRAHAME

Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. Tales [Various titles and editions: Fairy Tales; Household Tales; etc.]. 1812-1857.

Choose an old favorite or discover another of these German folk and fairy tales.
J 398.2 Gr

Hamilton, Virginia. The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales. 1985.

A master storyteller presents funny, sad, familiar, and unfamiliar folktales about animals and people.
J 398.2 Ha

Haviland, Virginia. Favorite Fairy Tales Told in.... S

Read around the world with this series of folk and fairy tales from different countries.
J 398.2 Ha

Henry, Marguerite. Misty of Chincoteague. 1947. S

This is the story of one of the famous wild ponies of Chincoteague Island.
J HENRY

Holling, Holling Clancy. Paddle-to-the-Sea. 1941.

A toy canoe and its carved wooden passenger survive the hazardous trip from the Canadian wilderness, through the Great Lakes, along the St. Lawrence, and so to the sea.
J HOLLING

Howe, James. Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery. 1979. S

Chester the cat is convinced that a new pet rabbit is a vampire.
J HOWE

Jansson, Tove. Finn Family Moomintroll. 1965. S

On the first day of spring, Moomintroll and his friends find a hobgoblin's hat, setting off many strange occurrences in this fanciful story of little Finnish trolls.
J JANSSON

Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth. 1961.

Milo travels through the gates of a tollbooth and finds himself in a place with many unusual characters.
J JUSTER

Kendall, Carol. The Gammage Cup. 1959. S

When an ancient enemy threatens the Minnipins, little people living in the Land Between the Mountains, only a small band of outcasts can save them.
J KENDALL

King-Smith, Dick. Harry's Mad. 1984.

Harry's legacy from his great-uncle, a talking parrot, proves to be more exciting than he expected--because Madison really talks.
J KING-SMITH

Knight, Eric. Lassie-Come-Home. 1940.

Lassie, a collie, shows her devotion to a young Yorkshire boy by overcoming great obstacles to find her way back to him after she is sold.
J KNIGHT

L'Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. 1962. S

A girl and her brother struggle against cosmic evil as they search for their father, lost in another dimension on another planet.
Y/Sci-Fi L'ENGLE

Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. 1950. S

Four children step inside an old wardrobe and enter the magical land of Narnia, where an evil witch holds even the seasons in the power of perpetual winter.
J LEWIS

Lindgren, Astrid. Pippi Longstocking. 1950. S

The strongest girl in the world lives alone with a horse, a monkey, and a chest of gold pieces--and alternately horrifies and enchants her neighbors Tommy and Annika.
J LINDGREN

Lindgren, Astrid. Ronia, the Robber's Daughter. 1983.

Ronia, who lives with her father and his band of robbers in a castle in the forest, causes trouble when she befriends the son of a rival robber chieftain.
J LINDGREN

Lofting, Hugh. The Story of Dr. Dolittle. 1920; rev. 1988. S

The kind-hearted Doctor, who is fond of animals and understands their languages, travels to Africa with some of his pets to cure the monkeys of a terrible sickness.

Lord, Betty Bao. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. 1984.

In 1947, Shirley Temple Wong and her family move from China to America, where she learns a new language, makes friends, and gains a hero in a funny and touching story.
J LORD

MacDonald, George. The Princess and the Goblin. 1872. S

One day eight-year-old Princess Irene loses her way, meets a strange old woman, and begins a series of adventures which will bring her face to face with some ferocious goblins and a remarkable boy named Curdie.
J MACDONALD

MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall. 1984. S

When their father invites a mail-order bride to live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are captivated by her and hope that she will stay.
J MACLACHLAN

McCloskey, Robert. Homer Price. 1943. S

A smalltown boy in the Midwest has preposterous adventures.
J MCCLOSKEY

McSwigan, Marie. Snow Treasure. 1942.

In an exciting story based on fact, a group of children helps to smuggle gold out of Norway during the German occupation.
J MCSWIGAN

Merrill, Jean. The Pushcart War. 1964.

When the driver of a Mighty Mammoth truck runs down a pushcart, an unusual battle begins.
J MERRILL

Mowat, Farley. Owls in the Family. 1961.

A boy living on the Canadian prairie raises dogs, gophers, rats, snakes, pigeons--and horned owls, which cause a great deal of very funny trouble.
J MOWAT

Norton, Mary. The Borrowers. 1952. S

When small items disappear, they have most likely been "borrowed" by the tiny people who live in the nooks and crannies of a house. This is the story of one Borrower family.
J NORTON

O'Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins. 1960. S

An Indian girl survives for eighteen years on an island off the coast of California.
J ODELL

O'Brien, Robert C. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. 1971. S

When destruction threatens her home, a widowed mouse turns for help to a group of former laboratory rats, now unnaturally wise and long-lived. (Sequels are by Jane Leslie Conly.)
J OBRIEN

Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. 1987. S

After a plane crash, Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness with a hatchet as his only tool.
J PAULSEN

Peck, Robert Newton. Soup. 1974. S

Two boys in small-town Vermont experience a series of adventures and misadventures.
J PECK

Ransome, Arthur. Swallows and Amazons. 1931. S

Six children spend the summer sailing, camping, playing pirates, having battles, and even finding treasure in England's Lake District.
J RANSOME

Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows: the Story of Two Dogs and a Boy. 1961.

A ten-year-old in the Ozarks achieves his heart's desire when he gets two hound-dog pups to raise and train.
J RAWLS

Salten, Felix. Bambi. 1928.

A young deer grows up in the forest.
J SALTEN

Schwarz, Alvin. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. 1981. S

This collection is not for the faint-hearted, but will please lovers of terror in grades three and up.
Y 398.2 Sc

Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty. 1877.

One of the most famous animal stories of all time, this book tells about a horse's experiences at the hands of many owners, both good and bad.
J SEWELL

Sharp, Margery. The Rescuers. 1959. S

The Mouse Prisoners' Aid Society has long been dedicated to cheering prisoners, but the current Madam Chairwoman, Miss Bianca, has made a daring proposal: instead of cheering the prisoner in the Black Castle, why not get him out?
J SHARP

Smith, Robert Kimmel. Chocolate Fever. 1972.

Henry Green eats chocolate morning, noon, and night until one strange day when he breaks out in chocolate spots: the world's only known case of Chocolate Fever.
J / PB SMITH

Sobol, Donald. Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective. 1963. S

Ten-year-old Leroy Brown, better known as Encyclopedia, opens a detective agency and solves ten mysteries during one summer. Readers are given all the clues and invited to solve the mysteries themselves.
J / Mystery SOBOL

Sperry, Armstrong. Call it Courage. 1940.

A Polynesian boy scorned for his fear of the water decides to prove himself by putting out to sea alone.
J SPERRY

Spyri, Johanna. Heidi. 1899. [Sequels by C. Tritten]

A little girl changes the life of her embittered grandfather when she is sent to live with him on a mountain in the Swiss Alps.
J SPYRI

Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. 1881.

Jim Hawkins' encounters with pirates and his search for treasure is one of the great adventure stories of all time.
Y STEVENSON

Stolz, Mary. A Dog on Barkham Street. 1960. S

Edward wants two things: a dog of his own, and an end to Martin Hastings' bullying. Then Uncle Josh arrives with suggestions for achieving both.
J STOLZ

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit, or, There and Back Again. 1937. S

Bilbo Baggins open his door to a wizard and twelve dwarves and finds himself expected to deal with trolls, dragons, treasure, and the strangely nasty Gollum.
Y TOLKIEN

Travers, P.L. Mary Poppins. 1934; rev. 1981. S

The East Wind blows a mysterious new nanny into Cherry Tree Lane and the lives of the Banks children suddenly become very interesting indeed.
J TRAVERS

Twain, Mark. The Prince and the Pauper. 1881.

A prince exchanges clothes with a ragged look-alike.
Y TWAIN

White, E.B. Charlotte's Web. 1952.

Charlotte, a barnyard spider, plots to save Wilbur the pig from the butcher.
J WHITE

White, T.H. The Sword in the Stone. 1939.

Merlin the magician undertakes the training and instruction of a young boy called Wart (his real name is Arthur).
Y WHITE

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BOOKS FOR EXPERIENCED LISTENERS

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972.

A band of rabbits flees disaster in an epic quest for a new and safer home.
Y ADAMS

Cooper, Susan. Over Sea, Under Stone. 1965. S

Magic from King Arthur's time exists in the present in the series "The Dark is Rising." In this, the first book, three children find a manuscript which sends them on a quest for the Holy Grail and the true history of King Arthur.
Y COOPER

Cresswell, Helen. Ordinary Jack. 1977. S

Unhappy because he is the only ordinary member of a talented and eccentric English family, Jacks pretends to be able to see into the future--with hilarious and unexpected results.
Y CRESSWELL

Durrell, Gerald Malcolm. My Family and Other Animals. 1968. S

A young boy and his unusual family have humorous adventures on the Greek island of Corfu.
Y DURRELL

Lanier, Sydney. The Boy's King Arthur. 1924.

Sir Thomas Malory's story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is retold in richly archaic (and sometimes challenging) language.
J 398.2 Ma

Le Guin, Ursula K. A Wizard of Earthsea. 1968. S

After calling up a terrible spirit, the wizard Ged must pursue it until he discovers its name.
Y LEGUIN

McKinley, Robin. The Blue Sword. 1982. S

Harry, bored with her sheltered life in a remote colony in Daria, discovers her magical powers when she is kidnapped by a desert king.
Y / Sci-fi MCKINLEY

Sutcliff, Rosemary. Knight's Fee. 1960.

An orphaned peasant boy becomes companion to a lord's son in medieval Britain.
Y SUTCLIFF

Taylor, Mildred. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. 1976. S

Cassie Logan and her family face discrimination and poverty in rural Mississippi during the Depression.
Y TAYLOR

Ulman, James Ramsey. Banner in the Sky. 1976.

A Swiss mountain boy yearns to climb the Citadel, an inaccessible peak.
Y ULMAN

Arrangement and original material copyright © 1996 the Ann Arbor District Library. This list may be copied and distributed without requesting permission, so long as this notice remains attached and appropriate credit to the compilers is given.