Top Ten Children’s Classics

When I was a high school student, my siblings and I had a private newspaper. The editors of this paper had a limited readership, but great confidence. And in one issue they struck gold when they stumbled upon Top Ten (or Top Five) Lists.

Top Annoying Songs was the most striking. It’s also the only one I can remember today. I won’t annoy my readership by sharing that list here—the best (or would you call it the worst?) song on the list we had composed ourselves, so it wouldn’t be familiar to anyone else, anyway. It was a very annoying song. The refrain centred around a tube of glue. The song didn’t have any verses. Only the refrain. You sang it over and over again—at first because it seemed like a good idea. Later, because it was stuck in your head and you couldn’t help it.

I’m not sure exactly what purpose those original “Top” lists were supposed to serve. Probably, like the rest of the paper in which they debuted, the main idea was the gratification of the editor. Presumably I—that is the editor—well, we may as well be honest and admit it, I was the editor—anyhow, presumably we found Top Ten lists tantalizing. We still do. Which is why the idea of some top ten book lists found its way into my 2022 blog schedule . . .

Top Ten vs. Book Reviews

Obviously, the big difference between a Top Ten list and a book review, is that you get to hear about ten books in the first one, and only a single title in the second.

Pretty much sums up the question, eh?

Much as we love offering detailed book reviews, they do take a major time commitment. My hope with our new top ten lists is to at least introduce you to some titles that might be worth looking up on other review sites. To that end, wherever possible I have included a link to Goodreads, or another review source. That way you can check out other readers’ opinions, highlights, and content flags for yourself.

SAW Publishing’s mission is to provide a forum for sourcing and promoting good and great books. Hopeful our Top Ten lists will provide a new way to further that aim.

What Defines a Classic?

I did a post on this once before and surprised myself so much with the answer, that I thought I’d share it again, briefly today.

If you’re anything like me, the word classic calls up an image of musty, yellow-leaved masterpieces from a previous century. The heirloom novel your grandmother handed down to you. The weighty 500 page tome you had to plough through in high school. The Shakespearian couplet that everyone can quote, whether they’ve ever read Shakespeare or not.

In fact, according to Webster, it’s way simpler.

CLASSIC: A book written by an author of the first class. – Noah Webster, 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language

My Top Ten list of children’s classics does indeed contain some lovely, yellow-paged heirlooms. It does revolve around books that have enjoyed publication—and popularity—for decades or centuries. But most of all, it’s a list of first-class literature. First-class literature that children love.

Top Ten Classics List

The following list is arranged in alphabetical order.

• A Little Princess—And in my opinion, it isn’t A Little Princess unless it comes in a teal, clothbound cover, with the Tasha Tudor illustrations! Well, either way this is a loveable, entrancing story about the power of imagination and inward nobility, even on life’s darkest days.
• Anne of Green Gables—I liked this story as a child. I LOVED it as a teen. And it continues to inspire me today. Yes, this novel bumped Little Women off this list. It was a hard choice, but at the end of the day, as a children’s classic, Anne is the one I love best. And never fear, I’ll get Little Women on a top ten list eventually!
• Around the World in Eighty Days—Admittedly, even as an adult I skip a paragraph or two in this classic, and might skip more if I were reading it aloud. But Around the World in Eighty Days is definitely an epic geographical adventure—and a sure hit in any social studies course.
• Eight Cousins—This was the first Louisa May Alcott novel I read as a child. And it remains my favourite. Rose and her seven “Scottish” cousins give us a delightful peek into 19^th century home life, full of lessons and fun.
• Five Little Peppers—Yes, I know. From a critical perspective, we can argue all day about whether or not this series represents first-class literary talent. But at the end of the day, if you loved Five Little Peppers as a child, you’ll love them to the end of your life! And that indefinable charm is what earns them a place on the Top Ten list.
• Heidi—This book is both an entertaining story, and a fascinating introduction to traditional Swiss life and customs. Heidi’s adventures are woven in with a deeper message about repentance, forgiveness, and a God who is waiting to welcome the prodigal home.
• Little House—Do I need to write a recommendation? The Little House books are loveable for the characters, loveable for the illustrations, loveable because they’re about real-life people—most of all, loveable because they go on and on! Children love classics with sequels. And the Little House series fills this passion to perfection.
• Little Lord Fauntleroy—From a literary perspective, this might be one of my most-admired books of all time. It’s so short. So apparently simple. But the characters are perfectly-drawn. The plot is surprisingly balanced. And the story is sure to be a favourite, whether you read it at six, sixteen, or sixty.
• What Katy Did—I find this series fun, even though it has parts that get a little silly. Katy’s growth from a heedless, lovable girl into a self-denying and still more lovable woman—as well as the delightful games and pastimes crowding the pages—make this an enjoyable read for girls of all ages.
• Winnie the Pooh—And last, but not least, Winnie the Pooh! I love A. A. Milne’s style. I love his vivid creation of an unforgettable cast, out of one little boy and a row of stuffed animals. Most of all, I love the way both children and adults find something to relate to and enjoy in the story of Christopher Robin’s beloved bear.

The majority of these classics are in the public domain. All are readily accessible online and at standard public libraries.

What About You?

That’s my Top Ten list! How about yours? Do you love some of the classics I’ve listed above? Do you hate some of them? Are some of them totally new?

Go ahead and share your own children’s classic favourites in the comments section below.

I’d also love to hear which title you’d most like to see SAW Publishing review, if we were picking a book off the list above!

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