There is a great need in our homes for a enriching, exciting children’s bookshelf. If you place a high value on a healthy imagination and inner strength of character, here’s a fabulous list of books for younger children through middle grades.
The main reason today that children aren’t finding enjoyment and excitement in reading is the fact that they are not being exposed to truly great books starting when they are young. We don’t live in a culture that is filled with very much excellence. While we may not be able to control the media of our generation, we must take on the responsibility of exposing our children to excellent books that will inspire, encourage, and help them flourish into adults who have a love of literature.
Mediocrity is the natural state of man. There are lots of time-wasters out there. However, as mothers, God has called us to something better – something higher. We must rise above what our culture views as normal activity and cultivate minds and hearts in our children that are full of wonder, hopeful expectation and excellence.
As parents, God has entrusted us with a very important job. We are not here only be mothers, but to be instructors and teachers of all that is good, noble and beautiful in the world.
The content our children’s minds feed upon will in many ways determine what comes out of their mouths and hearts when they are adults and wanting wisdom.
“Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.” ~C.S. Lewis
Recommended Titles For the Children’s Bookshelf
I don’t want to leave you frustrated by talking about exposing your children to engaging, wholesome reading without sharing what books to implement it. Many are 5-star books for your children’s bookshelf. I encourage you to read the Amazon reviews for more detailed content.
Picture Books
Fritz and the Beautiful Horses – Jan Brett
Tuesday – David Weisner
Time of Wonder – Robert McCloskey
Song And Dance Man – Karen Ackerman
St. George and the Dragon – Margaret Hodges
The Brambly Hedge Series – Jill Barklem
When the Relatives Came – Cynthia Rylant
Bunny Bungalow – Cynthia Rylant
The Boy Who Held Back the Sea – Thomas Locker
Roxaboxen – Barbara Cooney
Only Opal – Barbara Cooney
The Young Artist – Thomas Locker
The Bear Who Heard Crying – Natalie Kinsey Warnock
All the Places to Love – Patricia MacLachlan
A Song for Lena – Hilary Horder Hippely
Make Way For the Ducklings – Robert McCloskey
When I Was Young In the Mountains – Cynthia Rylant
Miss Rumphius – Barbara Cooney
Children’s Classics For the Bookshelf
Kidnapped – Robert Louis Stevenson
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood – Pyle
Around the World in 80 Days – Jules Verne
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – Jules Verne
The Treasure Seekers – E. Nesbit
The Velveteen Rabbit – Margery Williams
The Anne Series – L.M. Montgomery
Peter Pan – J.M. Barrie
The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
The Little Princess – Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh – A.A. Milne
The Tale of Peter Rabbit – Beatrix Potter
Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
Little Men – Louisa May Alcott
Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson
The Water Babies – Charles Kingsley
The Railway Children – E. Nesbit
Heidi – Johanna Spyri
Children’s Fiction and True Stories For the Bookshelf
The Little Britches (Series) – Ralph Moody
All-of-A-Kind Family – Sydney Taylor
Miss Rumphius – Barbara Cooney
Paddle-to-the-Sea – Holling C. Holling
Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh – Sally M. Walker
The Town that Fooled the British – Lisa Papp
The Scarlet Stockings Spy – Trinka Hakes Noble
Simeon’s Gift – Julie Andrews Edwards
The Reluctant Dragon – Kenneth Grahame
The Raft – Jim LaMarche
Baby Island – Carol Ryrie Brink
Johnny Tremain – Esther Forbes
The Chestry Oak – Kate Seredy
The Tale of Despereaux – Kate DiCamillo
A Home for Virginia – Patricia St. John
The Door In the Wall – Marguerite De Angeli
Carry On Mr. Bowditch – Jean Lee Latham
Ellen – E.M. Almedingen
Across Five Aprils – Irene Hunt
I, Juan de Pareja – Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
The Journeyman – Elizabeth Yates
The Trumpeter of Krakow – Eric Kelly
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase – Joan Aiken
Because of Winn Dixie – Kate DiCamillo
Fairy Tale/Fantasy For the Bookshelf
The Chronicles of Narnia – C.S. Lewis
The Hobbit –
The Princess and the Goblins – George MacDonald
The Princess and Curdie – George MacDonald
At the Back of the North Wind – George MacDonald
Tales of Hans Christian Andersen – H.C. Anderson
The Redwall Series – Brian Jacques (so excellent for the child hard to interest)
Dangerous Journey – John Bunyan
Little Pilgrim’s Progress – Helen L. Taylor
Some other booklists here at Deep Roots with completely different content.
(FYI: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
What are your favorite wholesome and engaging books? What books are on your young children’s bookshelf?
I know many of you homeschool moms are avid readers. Please share with us!!
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