We are all familiar with the powerhouse picture books like Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are, but there are many other classic picture books which all too frequently get left off “top ten” lists. These are books that I like to call “quiet classics,” picture books which manage to stay in print over the decades and never go out of style.
(Note: Book covers and titles are affiliate links)
Be sure to add these quiet classics to your home library:
Mr. Gumpy’s Outing (1970). Don’t tip the boat, but if you do, we’ll still have tea.
May I Bring a Friend? (1965). Yes, indeed. Friends of all sorts.
The Maggie B (1975). After reading this book, living on a tiny boat will seem like the most glorious experience you can possible imagine.
Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present (1977). Lovely presents in all colors.
Angus and the Ducks (1930). Sassy ducks and a curious Scottie dog make for fine entertainment.
The Best-Loved Doll (1962). When I was a kid I actually convinced my mom to let me throw a party just like the one in the book.
What about you, what are your favorite lesser-known classics that publishers have actually kept in print? Have you read any of these?
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Bethany says
What a great idea for a list! I just found Mr. Grumpy's Outing the other day at a yard sale. : )
Mom and Kiddo says
I hope you love it!
Raising a Happy Child says
I have to look for some of those books – we only read 2 on this list…
Even in Australia says
How funny! My daughter just came home with The Best-Loved Doll as her reading assignment. I had never heard of it and loved it.
Mom and Kiddo says
I read it over and over when I was young. Sadly it was a library copy, so I don't have one of my own.
Fanny Harville says
I haven't heard of any of these besides The Best-Loved Doll, which I love. Some of my old favorites that seem to be a bit less well-known but are also (I think) still in print are The Lonely Doll by Dare Wright, The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, Babies by Gyo Fujukawa, The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Dubose Heyward, and Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and the Red Shoes by Maj Lindeman.
Mom and Kiddo says
I love all of those, too! I've never heard of Babies by Gyo Fujukawa, however.
Diane says
I had not heard of most of those books. Thanks for the great line up to look into. :O)
gargoylebruce says
We were extremely happy to discover Tikki Tikki Tembo still in print…always loved that one. Not sure I’ve read any of these, but the covers of Angus and the Ducks and Mr Grumpy’s Outing are tweaking some recognition button in my mind. Thanks for the list! 🙂
Mom and Kiddo says
Tikki Tikki Tembo is also a great book. I remember chanting Tikki’s full name all the time when I was a kid. Now my son does it.
Jaymie Shook says
Me too!
ilanawaters (@ilanawaters) says
I’m sorry I’m unable to remember any quiet, classic picture books per se. But you’ve certainly given me a few to add to my list, especially “The Maggie B.”
Renee C. says
Oh, I have to admit that I haven’t run across any of these. I can’t even remember any books that my parents read to me when I was a child (other than Dr. Seuss). Then again, I was raised in a French household and I was the last of 5 kids. I doubt my parents read very much to me if at all!
With my own children, we mostly read contemporary children’s books, but did read the Dr. Seuss books (NOT quiet classics) and alot of Winnie the Pooh books (also not quiet classics). If the kids weren’t sleeping, I’d sneak into their room and look through their bookcases! lol
Thanks for linking into the Kid Lit Blog Hop! Have a lovely weekend! 🙂
Mom and Kiddo says
I imagine that if I had 5 kids I would be so tired at the end of the day, it would be hard to read, too! 🙂
Jaymie Shook says
Ooh, Max and I haven’t run into any of these! Thanks so much for linking this post to the Kid Lit Blog Hop to introduce me to them! I love the sound of “May I Bring a Friend”.
Mom and Kiddo says
It’s a great book! I hope you and Max get a chance to read it.
Melissa@Julia's Bookbag says
Fabulous! What a BEAUTIFUL list! I’ve read most of these except for the doll one! Off to try and find….:)
Erica MomandKiddo says
You will LOVE the doll book. LOVE it.
Catherine @ Story Snug says
I remember Mr Gumpy from when I was a child and my parents still have the book!
Interestingly some of the most viewed posts on Story Snug are classics – The Tiger Who Came To Tea, Rosie’s Walk, A Pocket for Corduroy and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It’s lovely when parents can share their own childhood favourites with their children 🙂
Erica MomandKiddo says
I agree. We moms like to revisit our favorites. It’s like being a kid again – but without the growing pains!
Alanna Hector says
Thank you for all your pages. When my kids were little, I managed to find Make Way for Ducklings and Mr Gumpy in library, but a lot of these are impossible to find now.
I am Australian (aged 46) and have still got my childhood copies of Pearl Pinkie and Sea Greenie (just read it aloud to 7 yr old daughter who lives in fairyland and is a seashell-collecting type of child, so she was enchanted), Anne of GG series, Narnia series and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. For some reason I never read The Magic Pudding (or Roald Dahl), maybe I was too girly. My 8 yr old son has already gobbled up all the Asterix and Tin Tin ever written (all from our local library, I only buy books if they’re not in library) and Tove Jansson’s Moomins series (except the last book – have to buy it). If you did not read the Moomins as a child, you will still love them now (start with The Great Flood, that comes before Comet in Moominland and was only translated recently)! Quiet Scandinavian melancholy in parts – which children get. It’s ok to be sad sometimes, you don’t always have to be bouncy and happy (as we Australians, American and Brits strive to be. Why?).
And the Wombles series! They are back in print! I bought them as they are so great. I bought all the Milly Molly Mandys too! (Mum threw those ones out).
Thank you again – I am lost in the 1910s now!
Erica MomandKiddo says
All of these are still in print here in the States, but so many other favorites aren’t. So sad. I’ve not heard of the Wombles! They sound fun!