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Title: Peter Pan

Author: J. M. Barrie

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

This is a story about pirates and mermaids . . . learning to "jump on the wind's back' so one can fly . . . it's about a trip to Neverland .. it's the story of Peter Pan. This masterpiece of imaginative literature, originally published in 1904, still works its timeless wonderment with the adventures of Peter, Wendy, the Lost Boys, the dreadful Captain Hook, and the personable little fairy, Tinkerbelle. Simply a marvelous classic.

Title: No Kiss For Mother

Author: Tomi Ungerer

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

What little boy-cat doesn't want to play practical jokes in school, get dirty in the playground and take apart things that shouldn't be taken apart? Beat's me. So do you really expect this youngster to welcome kisses from his mom too? Euuuuwwwwyuck Mom! No Kiss for Mother! Every mother of any boy child in the whole entire world will recall having seen this look on her little boy's face. Yup, that goes for MomCats too.

Title: James and the Giant Peach

Author: Roald Dahl, Illustrated by Lane Smith (same illustrator that did the Disney movie version).

Short Synopsis of Book:

Young James Henry Trotter is orphaned suddenly, it seems that "his parents got eaten up (in full daylight, mind you, and on a crowded street) by an enormous angry rhinoceros which had escaped from the London zoo." Poor little James is shuttled off to live with his two strange aunts. But just you wait. He's about to accidentally spill something on a peach tree, and his life is going to start getting even more strange!

Title: Harold and the Purple Crayon

Author: Crockett Johnson

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

"One night, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight." He takes the necessary purple-crayon precautions: drawing landmarks to ensure that he won't get lost; sketching a boat when he finds himself in deep water; and creating a purple pie picnic when he feels the first pangs of hunger. Crockett Johnson's understated tribute to the imagination was first published in 1955, and has been inspiring readers of all ages ever since. Harold's quiet but magical journey reminds us of the marvels the mind can create, and also gives us the wondrous sense that anything is possible.

Title:Martha Speaks

Author: Susan Meddaugh

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

One day Helen Finney gives her dog Martha some alphabet soup, and Martha bursts into speech. At first the family is fascinated, but it doesn't' take long before they realize that Martha is incredibly boring, she jabbers throughout Helen's favorite television shows, tactlessly asks embarrassing questions, and before long, will all that mindless yapping going on, Martha's about to drive the family insane. Don't we know somebody just like Martha? Opps! Sorry! Excuse us. That was tactless, wasn't it? Hilarious, good-natured book has cheerful illustrations of the delightfully stocky Martha and her totally amazed family. This book received the following awards: ALA Notable Book Booklists Editors' Choice Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books; Blue Ribbon Winner Horn Book Fanfare Selection; Reading Rainbow Feature Selection; New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year IRA/CBC Children's Choic.

Title: Where The Wild Things Are

Author: Maruice Sendak (Illustrator)

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

Max dons his wolf suit in pursuit of some mischief and gets sent to bed without supper. Fortuitously, a forest grows in his room, allowing the little wild thing to continue his nocturnal rampage unimpaired. Senda's color illustrations are beautiful. The wild things - - scary-looking without ever really being scary; are downright hilarious, floating between the land of dreams and a child's imagination. This Sendak classic is more fun than you've ever had in a wolf suit, and it manages to reaffirm the notion that there's no place like home.

Title: Where the Sidewalk Ends; The Poems and Drawings of Shel Silverstein

Author: Shel Silverstein

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

From the outrageously funny to the quietly affecting, here are poems and drawings that illuminate the remarkable world of the well-known folk singer, humorist, and creator of The Giving Tree. This is an ALA Notable Children's Book; New York Times Outstanding Children's Books of 1974. Some titles of poems: Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take The Garbage Out; Recipe for a Hippopotamus Sandwich; If I Had A Brontosaurus; Double-tail Dog; and more.

Title: The Chronicles of Narnia

Author: C.S. Lewis, Leo Dillon, Diane Dillon and Illustrated by Pauline Baynes. Boxed set (seven tales): The Magician's Nephew/The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe/The Horse and His Boy/Prince Caspian/Voyage of the Dawn Treader/The Silver Chair/The Last Battle

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Short Synopsis of Book:

Four children, Lucy and her brothers and sister, experience a world beyond imagination, when Lucy accidentally discovers a door hidden in the back of a clothing wardrobe. The door is a passageway to Narnia, a snowy, magical world, filled with talking animals and powerful creatures, a place where everything is far more than it seems to be. Months in Narnia are no more than moments in the room, which contains the wardrobe. If you haven't gone there yet yourself, its not too late. This is perhaps one of the very few sets of books that should be read three times: in childhood, early adulthood, and late in life. Richly told, populated with fascinating characters, perfectly realized in detail of world and pacing of plot, and profoundly allegorical, with continual threading of the timeless issues of good and evil, faith and hop. This set includes all seven volumes of the story. The very highest recommendation.

Title: Mad About Madeline

Author: Ludwig Bemelmans

Reading Level: Ages 6-12

Short Synopsis of Book:

This collection contains all six adventures of the irrepressible, mischievous Madeline (the smallest and spunkiest of the twelve little girls who live together "in an old house in Paris, covered in vines." Madeline was first published in 1939, names a 1940 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for the best illustration in a book for children. The five sequels (included in this collection) have all become classics in their own right. (Madeline's Rescue earned a Caldecott Medal. Madeline is among a handful of books that children long grown invariably buy to share with they're own children. Richly illustrated stories, Madeline, Madeline and the Bad Hat, Madeline's Rescue, Madeline and Gypsies, Madeline in London, and Madeline's Christmas, and this volume also includes an essay by Bemelmans on how he invented Madeline, never-before published working sketches of Madeline, along with photos of the Bemelmans family. The author's lilting rhymes are music to children's ears, and the quirky, oddly perfect drawings of the girls in "two straight lines" lend an enticing Parisian flavor to this perennial children's favorite. Children simply love Madeline.

Title: The Hobbit

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien, Alan Lee (Illustrator)

Reading Level: Ages 6 to 12

Short Synopsis of Book:

Originally written for Tolkien's own children, The Hobbit is the predecessor to the wildly successful Lord of the Rings trilogy, which makes it required reading for every fantasy buff. The title character, Bilbo Baggins, is an unlikely hero, comfortably accustomed to his cozy hide-hole and six meals a day. But fate intervenes in the form of the powerful wizard Grandalf, who, along with a motley band of dwarves, shanghai Bilbo into a wild and dangerous quest. The crew narrowly escapes all manner of trolls, spiders, orcs, and wovles, as all the while these trials transform Bilbo into a skilled, resourceful adventurer.

Title: Lord of the Rings

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien (Boxed set includes (The Fellowship of the Ring (1954); The Two Towers (1955); and The Return of the King (1956)

Reading Level: 9 to 99

Short Synopsis of Book:

The three tales, set in the Third Age of Middle Earth, formed the wildly popular sequel to The Hobbit. This is the saga of a group of sometimes-reluctant heroes who set forth to save their world from consummate evil. At 33, the age of adulthood among hobbits, Frodo Baggins receives a magic Ring of Invisibility from his Uncle Bilbo. Frodo discovers that the ring possesses not only to control the entire world, but also the power to corrupt its owner. The Lord of the Rings is thought to have influenced the creative work of many notables, whose names range from George Lucas to Led Zeppelin.

"A reader's review of Lord of the Rings: Middle Earth is as deep and believable a world as you will find, rich in background, history, people, and place. It lives and breathes along with the characters that pass through it. The tale itself is epic in scope, carrying you across vast distances and telling a story that is far older than the characters involved. It is classic good vs. evil, and it is utterly brilliant."

Title: A Wrinkle In Time

Author: Madeleine L'Engle, Published in 1962. Winner of a Newbery Medal in 1963

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Short Synopsis of Book:

Combing theology, fantasy, and science, it is the story of travel through space and time to battle a cosmic evil. Meg and Charles' father, a time-travel researcher, has suddenly disappeared. Spurred on by rumors circulating around town that their dad has simply abandoned his wife and children, the kids, along with their new friend Calvin, determine to embark on a perilous quest through space to find him. In doing so, they must travel behind the shadow of an evil power that is darkening the cosmos, one planet at a time. The travelers must rely on their individual and collective strengths, delving deep into their own character to find answers. Sophisticated in concept yet warm in tone, the book has mystery and love coursing through its pages. Readers challenge concepts of time and space, and experience the power of good over evil. Some of the adults who read this book as a child, credit the story with having sparked their interest and careers in the field of physics. It was fondly recalled by one reader as "a thinking child's story."

Title: Tuck Everlasting

Author: By Natalie Babbitt (reprint 1986)

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Short Synopsis of Book:

In the early 1900's, the Tuck family discovered a magic spring. The water from the spring gives eternal live and invincibility to anyone who drinks from it. The family who discovered the spring has spent decades trying to prevent mankind from abusing their discovery. On a return trip to the spring, however, the family has been followed at a distance by a mysterious stranger who seems to know too much for his own, or anyone else's, good. When they arrive at the spring, the family encounters ten-year-old Winnie Foster, whose family owns the land the unknown spring is on. What would happen if everyone could live forever? Suspense-filled intrigue, excitement, and philosophical introspection. An ALA Notable Book.

Title: The Great Brain

Author: John D. Firzgerald; Mercer Mayer (Illustrator), 1972

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Short Synopsis of Book:

The Great Brain, set in the early 1900's is the story of an entrepreneurial ten-year-old by the name of Tom D. Fitzgerald. Tom is always thinking up outlandish schemes to make money. The story is narrated by the Great Brain's younger brother, J. D., who is an awe of, and frequently confounded by, the antics of his older brother. Fortunately, we learn that J. D. functions as a strong moral compass and corrective to some of T. D.'s more enthusiastic excesses, as he related his brothers plots to outwit a collection of bullies and pompous authority figures. The Great Brain and its sequels remain enormously popular, they appeal to boys and girls alike, hold the attention, and encourage reading. The books have been credited with teaching the value of careful consideration and planning to solve problems.

Title: Rotten Ralph

Author: Jack Gantos; Illustrated by Nicole Rubel

Reading Level: 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

Ralph is a very, very nasty cat. Despite all of his bad behavior though, his young owner continues to love him unconditionally (without ever condoning his rotten behavior). But so many awful (and absolutely hilarious) things keep happening to Ralph. A fun way for kids to learn a wonderful lesson.

Title: The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh

Author: A. A. Milne; Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. The complete, unabridged texts of Winnie-the-Pooh and the House at Pooh Corner are included in this set.

Reading Level: 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

Milne's timeless stories about a boy and his bear have been delighting children since 1928. Little ones love Pooh, but tough 10-year-olds also have plenty to say about him. As one almost-11-year-old commented, "Winnie the Pooh rules!" Christpher Robin once asked Pooh, "Pooh, PROMISE you won't forget about me, ever. Not even when I'm a hundred." Of course, Pooh promised to remember, and he has. Just like the rest of us. Pooh's status as a "Bear of Very Little Brain" belies his profoundly eternal wisdom in the ways of the world. To many, Winnie-The Poooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and the others are as familiar and important as their own family members are.

Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Willy Wonka)

Author: Roald Dahl; Illustrated by Joseph Schindelman

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

For the first time in a decade, Willy Wonka, the reclusive and eccentric chocolate maker, is opening his doors to the public - - well, five members of the public to be exact. The lucky five who find a Gold Ticket in their Wonka chocolate bars will receive a private tour of the factory, given by Mr. Wonka himself. For young Charlie Bucket, this is a dream come true. And, when he finds a dollar bill in the street, he can't help but buy two Wonka's Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delights - - even though his impoverished family could certainly use the dollar for food. But as Charlie unwraps the second chocolate bar, he sees the glimmer of gold just under the wrapper! The very next day, Charlie along with his unworthy fellow winners, will step through the factory gates to discover whether or not the rumors surrounding the Chocolate Factory and its mysterious owner are true. Turns out the gossip can't begin to compare to the extraordinary truth, and for Charlie, life will never be the same again. Another unforgettable tale from the legendary Roald Dahl.

Title: The Little Prince

Author: Antoine De Saint-Exupery; Antoine DeSaint-Exupery (Illustrator), Katherine Woods Translator)

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Short Synopsis of Book:

The story is told by the narrator, who meets the Little Prince in the Sahara Desert. While the narrator is there because of a plane crash, the Little Prince is there on a journey. The narrator records the story he hears from the Little Prince, of his travels to other planets before coming to planet Earth, and of the Little Prince's thoughts after he has met a king, a conceited man, a drunk, a businessman, a lamp lighter, and a geographer. On planet Earth, the Little Prince climbs a mountain and hears his voice as an echo. He meets a snake, tames a fox, and sees roses similar to his special flower back home. The fox teaches the prince that, "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." The book illustrates how children view the world entirely differently from less curious adults, and brings into focus the importance of the intangibles in one's life. It is a children's book for all ages.

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Author: J. K. Rowling.

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

Say you're an orphan, you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping in the broom cupboard under the stairs of an uncle and aunt that generally loathe you. Now say, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you discover that what you really are, is a wizard; or rather, a wizard in training. How do you know this? Because there appears to be a giant on the front step with a letter in his hand, advising that you have just been accepted to Hogworts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You don't recall applying to the school? There must be more to the story, mustn't there? Young Harry is about to land himself in an environment where jellybeans include the flavor of sardine, dragon eggs are hatched by the hearth, boa constrictors wink, and a centaur spouts Zen. This book is winner of major awards in England, including the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. By June of 1999 USA Today also ranked it the #1 Best Seller in America.

Title: The Wind in the Willows

Author: Kenneth Grahame; Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Short Synopsis of Book:

A linked series of animal tales by Kenneth Grahame, considered a classic of English children's literature. The book was begun as a series of bedtime stories for Grahame's son and was published in 1908. The tales relate the adventures of four animal friends and neighbors in he English countryside - - Mole, Rat, Toad (of Toad Hill), and Badger. Although the animals converse and behave like humans, each creature also retains its distinctive animal habits. Review by child: "My mom made me read it. She always picks the worst books! Surprisingly, after the first 10 pages, I couldn't put it down. This group of friends is more than the story of adventure. It's the story of them."

Title: Make Way for Ducklings

Author: Robert McCloskey 1941

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

It's not easy for duck parents to find a safe place to bring up their ducklings. However, during a rest stop in Boston's Public Garden, Mr. & Mrs. Mallard think they just might have found the perfect spot - - no foxes or turtles in sight, plenty of peanuts from pleasant passers-by, and the benevolent instincts of a kindly police officer to boot. Young readers will love the mother duck's proud, loving protection of her wee webbed ones, and those with fond memories of Boston will enjoy familiar locales, from Beacon hill to Louisburg Square, and over the Charles River - - often from a duck's eye view. If you are ever in Boston, stop by "the Mallard's" Public Garden to ride the swan boats and to see the beautiful copper statues of the Mallard family. Each Mother's Day, Boston has a Duck Parade where children and parents dress up like ducks and walk the route Mrs. Mallard walked. It is an enchanting event for even a young reader! This is a wonderful book, which takes place in a fabulous city. Caldecott-winning illustrations make this gentle world come alive.

Title: It's Not the End of the World

Author: Judy Blume

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book:

"I want a mother and a father and I want them to live together - right here - in this house!" 6th grader, Karen Newman, can't believe it when her father moves out. How could her parents do this to her? Don't they know they belong together? Somehow Karen has to get her mom and dad to talk to each other face-to-face. Maybe then they'll realize divorce is a mistake. Or . . . maybe Karen will come to realize that divorce doesn't mean the end of a family, and perhaps in this case, it might be better for a kid to grow up in a peaceful single-parent home, than in a tense, two-parent home, that's filled with constant fighting. This is a healing book, designed to help kids think things through from a different perspective. That's a pretty good idea, don't you think?

Title: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Author: Judy Blume

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Short Synopsis of Book:

If anyone tried to determine the most common rite of passage for preteen girls in North America, a girl's first reading of this book would rank near the top of the list. For Margaret, everything is different this year. She's just moved from New York City to the suburbs and she's anxious to fit in with her new friends - - Nancy, Gretchen and Janie. When the girls form a secret club where they can get together to talk frankly about private, girl-type subjects, Margaret is happy to belong. But when it comes to regular socializing, in her new town, it seems like everybody joins either the "Y", the Christian Community Center; or if they are Jewish, they join the Jewish Community Center. But Margaret doesn't even have a religion, so what is she supposed to do? Not only is her body making sudden changes and changing shape on her, now life has to go and get complicated too. Maybe it's all part of growing up, but Margaret could really use some answers. A person between 11 and 14 sums it up this way: "This book is really spectacular. It talks about all of the stuff you want to know but don't want to ask. It is very comforting to learn that the characters in the book are going through the same things you're going through."

Title: Charlottes Web

Author: E. B. White

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Short Synopsis of Book:

An affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. A prancing, playful bloke, Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls all those of porcine persuasion. Determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads "Some Pig," convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved. It's a story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time. Charlotte's Web is a graceful, poetic, beautiful book about important things like love, and loyalty and loss, and the importance of writing well. E.B. White doesn't talk down to children, just as Charlotte would never talk down to Wilbur the pig. White knows that children are capable of deep thoughts and deep emotion, and he touches those thoughts and emotions while weaving a charming and often comical plot. E.G. White reminds us to open our eyes to the wonder and miracle often found in the simplest of things.

Title: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

Author: Jon Scieszka; Illustrated by Lane Smith

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Short Synopsis of Book: If geese had graves, Mother Goose would be rolling in hers. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales retells - and wrecks havoc on - the allegories we all thought we knew by heart. In these irreverent variations on well-known themes, the ugly duckling grows up to be an ugly duck, and the princess who kisses the frog wins only a mouthful of amphibian slime. Characters slide in and out of tales; Cinderella rebuffs Rumpelstiltskin, and the Giant at the top of the beanstalk snacks on the Little Red Hen. There are no lessons to be learned or morals to take to heart - - just good, sarcastic fun that smart-alecks of all ages will love.