Favorite Children's Books

Now that we have a child in the house we are obsessed with collecting all our favorite childhood books. Both my husband and I love to read and that is something we want to pass along to our children. So I was thinking about the books that stood out to me the most. The ones I would read at home or the ones the teachers at school would read to the class. I picked 5 books and one book of poems that kids of all ages love! 

The Monster at the End of the Book - Sesame Street

How can you not love Grover and his fear of a certain "monster" at the end of the book. At every turn of the page you bring Grover one step closer to the end of the book. This book is wonderful because you feel like Grover is interacting with you, yelling, pleading, begging you to DO NOT TURN THE PAGE! My brother and I would read this book over and over until we had it memorized. Does Grover encounter the Monster at the end of the book? The results will make you smile... and Grover too! 

Harry and the Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gackenbach

"When his mother goes to the cellar and doesn't return right away, Harry shoves aside his fears to search for her and confronts the terrible two-headed Whatzit." I seriously think I checked this book out of the library every time for a year! We bought this recently and when I read it, I still was in love with it! The illustrations are awesome and you'll love the encounter Harry has with the Whatzit! 

Miss Nelson is Missing!  by Harry Allard 

"The kids in Room 207 take advantage of their teacher's good nature until she disappears and they are faced with a substitute." When Miss Nelson has enough of her class, her "substitute" steps in and makes the kids' life miserable! When I first heard the story I too, along with the kids kept wondering... where did Miss Nelson go? 

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina*

"Caps for Sale is a timeless classic, in print for over fifty years, and beloved by generations of readers. This easy-to-read story about a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity."
Who doesn't love a story about a cap peddler trying to get his caps back from a bunch of monkeys?! Rumor has though that more recent printings of this book have slight alterations. If you can, buy one of the first editions. 

Miss Piggle-Wiggle series by Betty MacDonald


"Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives in an upside-down house and smells like cookies. She was even married to a pirate once. Most of all, she knows everything about children. She can cure them of any ailment. Patsy hates baths. Hubert never puts anything away. Allen eats v-e-r-y slowly. Mrs Piggle-Wiggle has a treatment for all of them." 
I fell in love with Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle in the first grade when my teacher used to read her stories right before lunch. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle always finds ways to help children without them even realizing they are being helped. 

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Who could forget, Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who would not take the garbage out??? That poem along with so many others were my favorites growing up. Little witty poems about unforgettable characters and funny rhymes! And along with this book there is also A Light in the Attic which is equally amusing!