Some children's literature classics
(I assume that almost every culture across the world has its own traditional children's stories and folk tales. I can only really discuss stories that I have read or had read to me in English). If these books are not available at your local library, you may be able to get them through the inter-library loan (ILL) for a nominal charge. These books may also be available used at the ABEbooks web site, which has the listings of hundreds of book dealers around the world: ABEbooks search
American:
Frank Baum:
Lyman Frank Baum was born in Chittenango, New York on May 15, 1856. At age forty he began writing his series of Oz books. He had previously had several different kinds of jobs including that of newspaper editor. Most of the published Oz books were illustrated by John R. Neill. There were fourteen full-length novels in the Oz series. In addition, Mr. Baum had also written other fantasy books and several short stories about Oz. fairy tales and other children's fiction.
The Wizard of Oz, 1900, followed by a series of Oz books published between 1900 and 1920. Mr. Baum's first book was made into the classic Technicolor movie, The Wizard of Oz, in 1939, which starred Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Frank Morgan and Margaret Hamilton. Over a dozen more imaginative Oz books flowed from the pen of Frank Baum. (Some of the modern reprints have the beautiful original full color illustrations).
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. 1900
The New Wizard of Oz. 1903
The Marvelous Land of Oz.
Ozma of Oz. 1907
Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. 1908
The Road to Oz. 1909
The Emerald City of Oz. 1910
The Patchwork Girl of Oz. 1913
Tik-Tok of Oz.
The Lost Princess of Oz, 1917.
The Scarecrow of Oz.
Little Wizard Stories of Oz.
Dorothy of Oz.
Washington Irving in my opinion was our first great native American writer. He traveled to England and Europe and wrote about what he saw and heard there, as well as writing about the new and old America.
Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 1820.
Rip Van Winkle, 1820. (both of these short stories were included in The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, 1820).
A. A. Milne:
When We Were Very Young, 1924.
Now We Are Six, 1927
Winnie-the-Pooh, 1926.
The House at Pooh Corner, 1928.
Dr. Seuss (Theodore Seuss Geisel):
And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street, 1937.
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, 1938.
Horton Hatches the Egg, 1940.
Horton Hears a Who, 1954
If I Ran the Circus, 1956.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 1957.
The Cat in the Hat, 1957.
Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens):
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, 1876.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1885.
St. Nicholas magazine
The St. Nicholas monthly magazine first was published about 1873 and rapidly became the most influential and prominent American children's magazine. About 1899 it formalized its under-18 year old readers' contributions in a section of the St. Nicholas magazine called the St. Nicholas League. The authors of published contributions were given awards and small cash prizes. Several contributors went on to become prominent adult authors and artists. The magazine ceased publication in 1940, the victim of the rise of the new dominating media of radio and movies. The automobile also provided a great distraction for affluent older teenagers in the early 20th century.
An interesting web link on Correspondence of the St. Nicholas magazine may be found at the Archives of the University Libraries of Southern Mississippi: http://www.lib.usm.edu/~degrum/findaids/stnichol.htm.
Australian:
Norman Lindsay:
The Magic Pudding: The Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum, 1918. A brilliant story that is still fresh and clear with strong traditional Australian themes. (Illustrated by the author with watercolor paintings and line/charcoal drawings).
Dorothy Wall:
The Complete Adventures of Blinky Bill (including Blinky Bill, Blinky Bill Grows Up and Blinky Bill and Nutsey, 1939. Blinky is one very active Koala who has many adventures in the Australian bush.
Danish:
Hans Christian Andersen:
Fairy Tales
English:
Lewis Carroll (Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson):
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 1865. A brilliant classic story for all ages.
Through the Looking Glass, 1872. Another brilliant classic story for all ages. Adult readers may enjoy The Annotated Alice: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. and Through the Looking Glass, 1960. Notes by Martin Gardener.
Kenneth Graham:
Wind in the Willows, 1908. I overheard my second-grade school librarian suggest this story to one of the advanced readers in my class. Unfortunately, I waited some fifty years to read it myself. It didn't really click for me; I much prefer The Magic Pudding story, listed above.
Edward Lear:
Book of Nonsense, 1846 (illustrated by author)
Nonsense Songs, Stories, 1871, including The Owl and the Pussycat (illustrated by author)
More Nonsense Pictures, etc. 1872. (illustrated by author)
Laughable Lyrics: A Fresh Look aof Nonsense, etc., 1877 (illustrated by author)
Nonsense Books, 1917 (the first four books combined into one edition) (illustrated by author) (each of his books contains some of his famous Limericks).
Beatrix Potter:
Tales of Peter Rabbit and his Friends. (Illustrated by author).
French
Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes (this collection of traditional French folk rhymes was first published in France in 1697).
End.
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Contact author James K. Sayre at sayresayre@yahoo.com. Author's Email: sayresayre@yahoo.com
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Web page last updated on 5 February 2004.