100 Books That Shaped The Century

William's father gives him a basketball and a train but these do not make him want a doll less.

Two high school sophomores from unhappy homes form a close friendship with a lonely old man with a terrible secret.

A strange little man helps the miller's daughter spin straw into gold for the king on the condition that she will give him her first-born child.

In this retelling of the Indian fable, seven blind mice discover different parts of an elephant and argue about its appearance.

The first in a series of truly charming tales of life on the early American frontier, Little House in the Big Woods introduces us to Laura Ingalls, her Ma and Pa, big sister Mary and Baby Carrie. She lives in an isolated cabin in the Big Woods of Wisconsin and spends her days helping Ma with household chores, learning how to care for a house, farm and family. The descriptions of typical activities on a farm in that era will captivate the imaginations of young and old alike. This series also contains the titles Little House on the Prairie, On The Banks of Plum Creek, By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Farmer Boy, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, and The First Four Years. They inspired the popular, 1970s television series Little House on the Prairie.

Charlotte's Web is a book of children's literature by American author E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams; it was published on October 15, 1952, by Harper & Brothers. The novel tells the story of a livestock pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a barn spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur is in danger of being slaughtered by the farmer, Charlotte writes messages praising Wilbur (such as "Some Pig") in her web in order to persuade the farmer to let him live.

The iconic start to the timeless, Newbery-winning series from Cynthia Voigt. “It’s still true.” That’s the first thing James Tillerman says to his older sister, Dicey, every morning. It’s still true that their mother has abandoned the four Tillermans in a mall parking lot somewhere in the middle of Connecticut. It’s still true that they have to find their own way to Great-aunt Cilla’s house in Bridgeport. It’s still true that they need to spend as little as possible on food and seek shelter anywhere that is out of view of the authorities. It’s still true that the only way they can hope to all stay together is to just keep moving forward. Deep down, Dicey hopes they can find someone to trust, someone who will take them in and love them. But she’s afraid it’s just too much to hope for....

A magical train ride on nochebuena (Christmas Eve) takes a boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from San Nicolás.

An extraordinary English nanny blows in on the East Wind with her parrot-headed umbrella and magic carpetbag and introduces her charges, Jane and Michael, to some delightful people and experiences.

The Hobbit is a tale of high adventure, undertaken by a company of dwarves in search of dragon-guarded gold. A reluctant partner in this perilous quest is Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving unambitious hobbit, who surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and skill as a burglar. Encounters with trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves, and giant spiders, conversations with the dragon, Smaug, and a rather unwilling presence at the Battle of Five Armies are just some of the adventures that befall Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of children’s fiction. Written by Professor Tolkien for his children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when published.

Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, it is the story of one family's struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence. It is a story of physical survival, but more important, it is a story of the survival of the human spirit. And, too, it is Cassie's story -- Cassie Logan, an independent girl raised by a family for whom independence is primary, a family determined not to relinquish their humanity simply because they are Black. Cassie has grown up protected, grown up strong, and so far grown up unaware that any white person could force her to be untrue to herself, could consider her inferior and treat her accordingly. It took the events of one turbulent year -- the year of the night riders and the burnings, the year a white girl humiliated Cassie in public simply because she was Black -- to show Cassie why the land meant so much, why having a place of their own where they answered to no one permitted the Logans the luxuries of pride and courage their sharecropper neighbors couldn't afford and their white neighbors couldn't allow. Richly characterized, powerfully told, Mildred Taylor's novel is unforgettable. The Logans' story is at times warm and humorous, at times terrifying. It is a story of courage and love and pride, the story of one family's passionate determination not to be beaten down. -- Back cover. This is a moving story -- one you will not easily forget -- about growing up in the deep south.

Instead of leaving with the last of the Roman legions, Aquila, a young officer, decides that his loyalties lie with Britain, and he eventually joins the forces of the Roman-British leader Ambrosius to fight against the Saxon hordes. Historical fiction.

When his mother temporarily takes care of Stevie as a favor to a friend, a young black boy takes exception to the younger child's intrusion into his household - and then misses him greatly when his stay ends.

In a moment of fright, Sylvester the donkey asks his magic pebble to turn him into a rock but then can not hold the pebble to wish himself back to normal again.

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. Children will delight in following the peddlers efforts to outwit the monkeys in this new, enlarged, and redesigned edition, and will ask to read it again and again.

Four preteen outcasts, two of them handicapped, learn lessons in courage and perseverance when they join forces to build a boat.

SUMMARY: A boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who swallows a whale are only two of the characters in a collection of humourous poetry, illustrated with the author's drawings.

Two children sitting at home on a rainy day are visited by the Cat in the Hat, who shows them some tricks and games. Includes a Latin-English glossary and a note on the verse form and rhythm.

This is an inspired children's book about a boy's passage through tempestuous aspects of life. Max, a naughty little boy, sent to bed without his supper, sails to the land of the wild things, where he becomes their king.

Goodreads Review: **You thought you knew the story of the “The Three Little Pigs”… You thought wrong.** In this **hysterical and clever fracture fairy tale picture book that twists point** of view and perspective, young readers will finally hear the other side of the story of “The Three Little Pigs.” “**In this humorous story, Alexander T. Wolf tells his own outlandish version** of what really happens during his encounter with the three pigs…. Smith's simplistic and wacky illustrations add to the effectiveness of this fractured fairy tale.” —Children’s Literature **“Older kids (and adults) will find very funny.”** —School Library Journal

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales is the ultimate in fractured fairy tales. Not only do the characters create their own stories, they also design the structure of the book itself. Classic fairy tales are deconstructed and rewritten with different but recognizable names, such as The Princess and the Bowling Ball, The Really Ugly Duckling, The Tortoise and the Hair and Chicken Licken. These stories and their characters intersect and create a mish-mash of narratives. Scieszka also mocks the conventions of books in general; the title page, dedication, and even the public information page have all been deconstructed. For example, Scieszka sneaks in the line “Anyone caught telling these fairly stupid tales will be visited, in person, by the Stinky Cheese Man” on the publication data page.

Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H'. HARRY POTTER has never even heard of Hogwarts when the LETTERS start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in GREEN INK on yellowish parchment with a PURPLE SEAL, they are swiftly confiscated by his GRISLY aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called RUBEUS HAGRID bursts in with some ASTONISHING news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

This boxed set with handle includes six bestselling Curious George 8 x 8 paperbacks in one handy library. Full color.

Sixteen people were invited to the reading of the very strange will of the very rich Samuel W. Westing. They could become millionaires, depending on how they played the game. The not-quite-perfect heirs were paired, and each pair was given $10,000 and a set of clues (no two sets of clues were alike). All they had to do was find the answer, but the answer to what? The Westing game was tricky and dangerous, but the heirs played on, through blizzards and burglaries and bombs bursting in air. And one of them won! With her own special blend of intricacy, humor, and upside-down perceptions, Ellen Raskin has entangled a remarkable cast of characters in a puzzle-knotted, word-twisting plot. She then deftly unravels it again in a surprising (but fair) and highly satisfying ending. - Back cover. The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance.

Two lonely characters, one black and one white, meet on the street and become friends.

One of the best known and loved children's stories is the story of naughty Peter Rabbit and his misadventures as he is chased around a garden.

Make family reading a regular and cherished activity with The Little Engine That Could and READ TOGETHER, BE TOGETHER, a nationwide movement developed by Penguin Random House in partnership with Parents magazine. The kindness and determination of the Little Blue Engine have inspired millions of children around the world since the story was first published in 1930. Cherished by readers for ninety years, The Little Engine That Could is a classic tale of a little engine that, despite her size, triumphantly pulls a train full of wonderful things to the children waiting on the other side of a mountain. Now parents and educators can introduce the importance of determination and kindness to younger readers with this classic picture book! Don't miss READ TOGETHER, BE TOGETHER throughout July and be sure to celebrate the importance, and power, of the shared reading experience between an adult and a child. Picture books in the READ TOGETHER, BE TOGETHER program are available at a low price for a limited time so that families everywhere can make the most of storytime. Other titles include: Horton Hears a Who (Dr. Seuss) Llama Llama Misses Mama (Anna Dewdney) Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go (Richard Scarry) The Little Engine That Could (Watty Piper) The Very Busy Spider (Eric Carle)

Daytime life for Tom is dull, but each night he participates in the lives of the former inhabitants of the old house in which he is spending an enforced vacation.

Brian Robison, a teenage boy struggling through his parents divorce, is flying up north to stay with his dad for the summer. However, his plane crashes and he is forced to survive the Canadian wilderness. Now living in a world completely opposite of his own, he is now able to discover himself in this forsaken and misunderstood beautiful world. The story is continued in "The River" "Brian's Winter" "Brian's Return" and "The Hunt"