The Queen of Blogging Librarians, Elizabeth "Betsy" Bird, works for the NY Public Library system.  Her blog was picked up by School Library Journal (cha-ching!), she gets invited to all sorts of publisher book previews, and generally is a funny and beloved figure in the kidlitosphere. 

Lately she's conducted a poll to assemble a list of the "Top 100 Children's Novels" and the list is already being sent out as a book meme.  I'll list the top ten to whet your appetite and if you want to see her list, click here .

1. Charlotte's Web
2. A Wrinkle in Time
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
5. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
6. Holes
7.  The Giver
8. The Secret Garden
9.  Anne of Green Gables
10. The Phantom Toll Booth

It's interesting, when I read over the list, how many books date from the early 20th century (most of which I've not read), and how the list includes everything from Nancy Drew to Judy Blume to Lemony Snicket to Richard Peck.  With lots of Roald Dahl for good measure (thankfully!)

What's your favorite children's novel?  (I *know*!  It's terrible to think of having to select just one!  Because it may change all the time!!)

Okay, pick two then.  I say this because I think if I had to choose between Charlotte's Web and the first Harry Potter book to read as the only book I owned for the rest of my life, say, it would be a very tough choice, and I'd likely end up with HP.



From Smithsonian magazine, related to an article titled "Living with Geese" which seemed to me overly long and not that fabulous, which just goes to show even lackluster writing gets published in big magazine.  :-0