Random Musings of a Bibliophile

 Betsy Bird revealed the top 10 books slowly, drawing out the anticipation. They are finally all revealed. And I two days after #1 was revealed have finally gotten around to  posting this. There is not a lot I have to say about these books that hasn't been said by thousands of readers already, but I can't leave this unfinished. Also, I used almost every single one in my classroom when I had one.  So here they are, links as always to Fuse 8's original posts. School Library Journal is generously creating PDF forms of both 100 lists, chapter book and picture book. For information on how you can register for these go here .  10. The Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson I have mixed feelings on this one. I loved this book as a child. I loved it when I reread it in my children's literature course in college. Teaching it changed that somewhat as I watched four years worth of fifth graders have lukewarm reactions to it at best. It is a wonderfully crafted novel ...

As we are coming toward the end of SLJ's Top 100 Children's Chapter Book Poll over at Fuse 8 I give you the 10 books I submitted. Again, they are not in the order I put them in. I bet you can all guess what went in my #1 slot.   You can see more of my favorites by viewing this Pinterest board . And feel free to share your own favorites in the comments.

We are getting oh so close to the end now. As usual I have linked to Fuse 8's original posts. 20. Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo Of all the dog books out there this is my favorite. I did find the quirky factor to be a little over the top in spots, but it does not detract from the excellence of the book at all. I couldn't keep this on the shelf in my classroom. It was always being read. 19. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder Hmmm. I am surprised this one is higher than Little House on the Prairie . I always found this one to be slow and kind of boring. It is the first in the series so that may explain it. 18. The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander The Chronicles of Prydain is one of my favorite series. Again I'm surprised this is the volume in the top 20, but again it is the beginning so it makes sense. (I just love The Black Cauldron and The Castle of Llyr SO MUCH. And The High King. AND...I just really love this series. But this is ...

I'm getting behind!!! It is because VBS started at our church yesterday and for some reason 4 hours doing that exhausts me more than teaching all day. Anyway, here are the next 10. We are getting down to the end now and I'm interested to see what is in the top 20. In the meantime we have these. As always they are linked to the original Fuse 8 posts. 30. Matilda by Roald Dahl I don't love this book. I don't have major issues with it like I do some of Dahl's books. I can take it or leave it. 29. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall Oh yes. This is a wonderful book about family and friendship and childhood wrapped up in purely awesome storytelling. I have read it at least 5 times. One of those times was aloud to my daughter who also loved it . One of those times was while teaching it to a group of 4th-6th graders, most of whom also loved it. Yes, even the boys. 28. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman  I haven't read this one yet. I keep meaning to really...

As always links take you to Betsy Bird's posts at Fuse8. 40.  Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli I don't get it. I just don't get it. Some books I find I don't like that lots of people do I can at least see why they like them. Not this one. Even reading Betsy's post and the others she quoted (all of whom I have heaps of respect for) I'm still left looking at this book with ??????????? 39. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick I love how this book plays with format and is next to  impossible to pin a label on. It is a true homage to art in all forms. 38. Frindle by Andrew Clements I think it is criminal this book wasn't given an award. The characters. The concept. The themes. The heart. And all brilliantly told in 105 pages (with illustrations from Brian Selznick) that a 2nd grader can read but that will have any age reader engrossed. I have reread it so many times and it never gets old. 37.  The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt Such a g...

The next 10 books in the list are out today and this puts us in the Top 50. I have a feeling my thoughts on the books to come will be extreme one or way another. Though there are a couple today I could take or leave. As always I have linked to Betsy's posts at Fuse 8. 50. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry This is an excellent book in so  many ways. It is a book that introduces children to the concept of the Holocaust without throwing the full horror of it at them. The main themes of the story are friendship and family, both of which children identify with. Also, and this is key from a teacher's view, it is short enough to include as part of a history unit. 49. My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett Cute and fun. This is an excellent book for kids who are crossing over from early readers to chapter books. It has to be given to a child at exactly the right time. 48. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket I have a fondness for The Series of Unfortunate Events because...

I am a day behind! Here are the next ten. Not as many of my favorites today, but still some excellent titles. As always all links lead to Fuse 8. 60.  Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtuis This is a wonderful book, historical fiction that is about the characters and not the time period. 59. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo I am not a huge fan of this one despite loving DiCamillo's books in general. It is beautiful writing, marvelous illustrations. The story? Not real sure what DiCamillo was trying for there. 58. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome Just not my thing at all. All that nature. 57. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken THIS is my thing. Orphans! Evil Guardians! Old house! England! I love it, delightfully creepy and just scary enough it is a delight for the imagination. 56. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett Not my favorite Burnett. Or even my favorite classic. Still the perfect book for little girls ...

Here are the next 10 books in the SLJ Top 100 Children's Novels Poll. There are a couple of surprises in today's list. (At least it was surprising to me.) Again titles are linked to Betsy's posts at Fuse 8. 70. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech This is one that almost made my top 10 but ended up not. It was so close though. I love this book for its beautiful narrative, Sal's voice, and the themes. And all the other characters too. They become real people as you read. This book will make you cry, or at the very least tear up, but the end is full of such joy it makes it worth it. 69. The Ruins of Gorlan by John Gorlan SURPRISE #1! And really the bigger one. I have had the Ranger's Apprentice series on the TBR for quite some time but felt no big rush to read them. That is changing now. The premise is perfect for me so I have a feeling I will enjoy it. 68. The High King by Lloyd Alexander Another favorite. I love the Chronicles of Prydain. I love Taran and...

Day Three of SLJ's Children's Novels Poll has a few newer titles, but most are again older titles. Again I have linked to Betsy's posts at Fuse 8. 80. The Four Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright The only Enright book I have ever read is Gone Away Lake . I haven't read the  quartet of books that this is the second one of. They are sibling stories though so I probably should. 79. The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder I remember liking this book as a child, but haven't read it since. I tried to entice Bit to read it this past year as she was studying Ancient Egypt but she found it uninteresting and didn't finish it. (Unlike Eloise Jarvis McGraw's Egypt novels, The Golden Goblet , which she read herself, and Mara Daughter of the Nile, which I read to her. Those she couldn't get enough of and wanted more.) 78. Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild There is a lot I like about this book. It is a sibling story. It is British. There are three very dif...

No books in today's 10 that I haven't heard of. I am happy to say I have heard of every single one of them. Even if I haven't read them all. Again I have linked to Betsy Bird's descriptions of each book posted at Fuse 8. You should really click through and read them if you haven't yet. She does a fantastic job discussing each book. 90.  The Children of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston This is one I haven't read because I don't typically go in for these type of books. Since it has made the list twice now I suppose I need to go ahead and read it. Sigh. 89. The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary Not my favorite Cleary book but who can resist that cute little mouse on his motorcycle. I actually think this book works best as a read aloud for the 4-6 year old range because it hits right at their level of development. 88. The BFG by Roald Dahl This is actually tied with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as my favorite Dahl book. In fact I can do wi...

Over at A Fuse 8 Production the new polls have started posting. I shared the picture books I voted for a couple weeks ago. I'm not going to share the chapter books I voted for until next month even though the results have started posting. Today revealed the first 10 of the Chapter Books. I have listed them and linked each to the post Betsy Bird did on it today. The links are followed by brief thoughts of my own. 100. Love That Dog by Sharon Creech I used this book in my poetry unit every year and the kids loved it. Without fail.  99. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner  Always a crowd favorite. I was never really into these books and Bit outgrew them fast but it is definitely a must read for students who are venturing into chapter books.  98. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling I am in the camp that believes this is where the editing of the series started to go awry. Yet I still love it. I love the tournament, and the Yule Ball, ...