Classic Children’s Books

Are you looking for ideas for children’s books to read? Here is Mrs. A’s own list of classic book favorites (with reading level noted):

Classic Children’s Picture Books:

Bemelmans, Ludwig. Madeline. (1939) R.L. 3.1

Brown, Margaret Wise. The Runaway Bunny. (1942) R.L. 2.7

Brunhoff, Jean de. The Story of Babar: the little elephant. (1931) R.L. 3.9

Burton, Virginia Lee. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. (1939) R.L. 4.4

Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. (1969) R.L. 2.9

Daugherty, James. Andy and The Lion. (1938) R.L. 3.6

Eastman, P. D. Are You My Mother? (1960) R.L. 1.6

Flack, Marjorie. The Story about Ping. (1933) R.L. 4.3

Freeman, Don. Corduroy. (1968) R.L. 3.5

Gag, Wanda. Millions of Cats. (1928) R.L. 3.5

Heyward, DuBose. The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes. (1939) R.L. 4.5

Hoban, Russell. Bread and Jam for Frances. (1964) R.L. 3.3

Johnson, Crockett. Harold and the Purple Crayon. (1955) R.L. 3.0

Keats, Ezra Jack. The Snowy Day. (1962) R.L. 2.5

Leaf, Munro. The Story of Ferdinand. (1936) R.L. 3.7

Lionni, Leo. Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. (1969) R.L. 3.0

McCloskey, Robert. Make Way for Ducklings. (1941) R.L. 4.1

Parish, Peggy. Amelia Bedelia. (1963) R.L. 2.5

Piper, Watty. The Little Engine That Could. (1930) R.L. 3.5

Potter, Beatrix. The Story of Peter Rabbit. (1902) R.L. 4.2

Rey, H. A. Curious George. (1941) R.L. 2.6

Sendack, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. (1963) R.L. 3.4

Seuss, Dr. The Cat in the Hat. (1957) R.L. 2.1

Slobodkina, Esphyr. Caps for Sale. (1940) R.L. 3.1

Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. (1969) R.L. 4.0

 

Classic Chapter Books:

Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. (1868) R.L. 7.9

Atwater, Richard. Mr. Popper’s Penguins. (1938) R.L 5.6

Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. (1975) R.L. 5.0

Barrie, J. M. Peter Pan. (1906) R.L. 7.0

Baum, L. Frank. The Wizard of Oz. (1900) R.L. 7.0

Burnett, Frances. The Secret Garden. (1911) R.L. 6.3

Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. (1865) R.L. 7.8

Dahl, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (1964) R.L. 4.8

Fitzhugh, Louise. Harriet the Spy. (1964) R.L. 4.5

George, Jean Craighead. My Side of the Mountain. (1959) R.L. 5.2

Gibson, Fred. Old Yeller. (1956) R.L. 5.0

Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows. (1908) R.L. 8.2

Henry, Marguerite. Misty of Chincoteague. (1947) R.L. 5.3

Lawson, Robert. Rabbit Hill. (1945) R.L. 6.4

L’Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time. (1962) R.L. 4.7

Lewis, C. S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. (1950) R.L. 5.7

London, Jack. The Call of the Wild. (1903) R.L. 8.0

Montgomery, L. M. Anne of Green Gables. (1908) R.L. 7.3

Norton, Mary. The Borrowers. (1952) R.L. 5.3

O’Brien, Robert. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. (1971) R.L. 5.1

O’Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins. (1960) R.L. 5.4

Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. (1977) R.L. 4.6

Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows. (1961) R.L. 4.9

Saint-Exupery, Antoine de. The Little Prince. (1943) R.L. 5.0

Selden, George. The Cricket in Time’s Square. (1960) R.L. 4.9

Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty. ( 1877) R.L. 7.7

Stevenson, Robert Lewis. Treasure Island. (1883) R.L. 8.3

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. (1876) R.L. 8.1

White, E. B. Charlotte’s Web. (1952) R.L. 4.4

Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House on the Prairie. (1932) R.L. 4.9

Wyss, Johann. The Swiss Family Robinson. (1812) R.L. 8.1