Now that we have covered a few must-read kid books from the 19th Century, let’s move on to more classic books from the 20th Century and start off with children’s books from the early 1900s. I am showing my age a bit because I keep wanting to refer to the 20th century as “this century”. It’s still hard to get used to. Sigh.
A note on my book selections: It is not my intention to create a “Top Ten” or “Best Books of the Century” list. If that were so, these lists might have different books on them. You can find a million of those lists all over the internet. My objective is to bring to your attention 10 books in each decade that I think are worth reading even if they are not “a top book of all time.” In each list I try to highlight books that may be less familiar to the general public (this was the most difficult with the period 1900-1910, see my note below).
Note on my 1900s List: Of all the decades I will be covering, I found 1900-09 to be the trickiest. Primarily because books that do not stand the test of time are not exactly books I want to recommend. Of course limiting my lists to 10 books also leaves off some worthy books and maybe even your favorites, so be sure to leave a comment and get your favorite title heard.
Reading classics is fun, but sometimes they have dated language and include offensive stereotypes. You don’t have to read these books, but if you do I recommend being upfront with your kids about their problems. Don’t try to “sweep it under the rug”, because all that does is make history invisible.
If you want to read contemporary, diverse books that are inspired by classic book lists check out this post: If you liked this classic book, you’ll love these diverse books!
For tips on reading classic books see my first post in the series: Classic Children’s Books: 19th Century. (Note: book titles and covers are affiliate links.)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. (1900) L. Frank Baum’s classic is considered by many to be the Great American Fairy Tale. Do not confine yourself to the movie version! After Dorothy reached the Emerald City she didn’t go home right away, she had another fantastic journey to meet Glinda in the Land of the Quadlings. This book has been re-illustrated many times over the years, but I highly recommend seeking out a text with the original illustrations by W.W. Denslow.
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin. (1903) Rebecca can be a bit cloying, but fans of Anne of Green Gables will most likely enjoy this story of an imaginative young girl who leaves her beloved farm to live with her two unmarried aunts.
Five Children and It. (1902) I could have chosen any number of E. Nesbit’s books for this list, they are all wonderful. In this story, five siblings find a Sand Fairy who grants them a wish a day. It’s a wonderful prospect, but it causes loads of trouble. For those of you unfamilar with Nesbit, you will be interested to know that J. K. Rowling cites her as one of her favorite authors.
The Wonderful Adventures Of Nils And The Further Adventures Of Nils Holgersson (1907). Selma Lagerlöf is a household name in her native Sweden, as famous as Astrid Lindgren. She was also the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature (1909). Nils is a naughty little boy who takes off on an aerial journey around Sweden when he climbs on the back of a goose. On his voyage Nils learns about the geography and natural landscape of Sweden and his encounters with wildlife and people teach him a few valuable lessons about humanity.  If you want an abridged version, I love this edition with cut paper illustrations.
Anne of Green Gables. (1908) It’s impossible to find fault with Anne, she is charming, imaginative and utterly beguiling. I probably don’t need to introduce her to you, but make sure you introduce her to your child. I also wholeheartedly recommend the wonderful 1985 screen adaptation.
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights. (1902) I read Howard Pyle for the first time just recently to make sure I wanted to include him on this list. (See how dedicated I am?) He wrote four books about the adventures of popular figures from the King Arthur Legend, all titles beginning with “The Story of…”: King Arthur and His Knights, Sir Lancelot and His Companions, The Champions of the Round Table The Holy Grail and the Passing of Arthur. While there are a lot of “methoughts” and “beseeches” and “hitherwards” when the characters speak to each other, I think kids who are enchanted by stories of knights and “olden times” will like these stories. There are abridged versions available, but they lack Pyle’s use of rich descriptive language.
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. (1906) This is the story of how Peter Pan became the “boy who never grows up.” It is not the story you find in the Disney movie (which was based on the later Peter and Wendy). The story originally appeared in Barrie’s The Little White Bird (1902) for adult readers, but after the runaway success of his stage play about Peter (1904), the chapters were excerpted and published as a book for children. Read it with Arthur Rackham’s gorgeous color illustrations.
The Call of the Wild. (1903) Jack London’s books were not written as children’s books but are often considered to be so since they have become part of high school curricula. The Call of the Wild is a novella, and is the story of Buck, a dog living a comfortable life in California who is uprooted and must learn to survive in the brutal landscape of Alaska. Told from the dog’s point of view, The Call of the Wild is exciting and suspenseful and may be better for older children, but it’s certainly no less violent than many movies they see. Follow it up with White Fang (1906).
The Wind in the Willows. (1908) I love Kenneth Grahame’s book about the adventures of Mole, Rat and their loopy friend, Toad, but I also think it is too often recommended for very young children. The content is appropriate, of course, but Grahame’s syntax and vocabulary is quite sophisticated. Although many parents start out reading this classic first, I suggest starting with something easier, like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz or even Just So Stories.
Just So Stories. (1902) Kipling followed up The Jungle Book with a wonderful collection of short stories for children. Similar to folk tales about the creation of various natural phenomenon, the fables have titles like “How the Leopard Got His Spots” or “How the Alphabet Was Made”. Younger children will enjoy this as a read aloud.
As I said, I left off several well-known books from this list to make way for a few others. Have you heard of all of these? Did I leave off your favorites? Leave a comment below and let me know.
Visit my other posts in this series:
- Classic Children’s Books: 19th Century
- Classic Children’s Books: 1910s
- Classic Children’s Books: 1920s
- Classic Children’s Books: 1930s
- Classic Children’s Books: 1940s
- Classic Children’s Books: 1950s
- Classic Children’s Books: 1960s
- Classic Children’s Books: 1970s
- Classic Children’s Books: 1980s
- Classic Children’s Books: 1990s
Even in Australia says
Edward Eager also cites E. Nesbit as an influence – and always credits her explicitly in his books.
Momand Kiddo says
I didn't know that, but I'm not surprised. I think she was probably a big influence on a lot of people.
Megan D. Neal says
I love these lists you're doing! Such a great resource.
I reread Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm many times as a ten year old. And of course the Anne books. I love everything by Kipling. He uses such delicious language.
A classic from that decade you haven't mentioned -that I also reread a few times as a child 'though it wasn't as beloved as Anne or Rebecca- is A Little Princess (1905). Then of course there's The Bobbsey Twins (the first of which was published in 1904) but I never read those.
Momand Kiddo says
It's true I bumped A Little Princess off the list for the less well know works since I figured everyone already knew about it (but I might make up for it next week with The Secret Garden, unless it, too, gets bumped). It's funny you mention The Bobbsey Twins. I actually included them at first and even wrote up a whole spiel, but in the end I deleted it. The 1904 version is so racist in its portrayal of Sam and Dinah in the end I couldn't stomach it. The 1960s rewrites are what people find in most libraries these days.
Fanny Harville says
I like this list because it includes some lesser known gems. We've only read about half this list… I'd love to read the Pyle books to N. soon.
Momand Kiddo says
That's my objective, but it was hard to find little known-but still good book for this decade.
Raising a Happy Child says
This is freaking fantastic! I am so going to get all these books for Kindle. Some of them are my favorites too – I remember reading Nils books as a child. Keep up good work. By the way, I'll link up to the bookshelf and announce it on my blog tomorrow.
Bethany says
I love this list! I am a huge fan of E. Nesbit too. I rediscovered her books a while book and read through The Children and It series. So much fun! Thanks for starting up The Children's Bookshelf. I look forward to co-hosting again with you Monday. : )
Corey Leithauser says
You have compiled a wonderful list, full of many of my favorites! But I would be remiss id I did not mention the inclusion of Beatrix Potter’s, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. This lovely story was a favorite of mine to read to my 3 children when they were small.
Erica MomandKiddo says
Yes, they are wonderful books, indeed.
Shawna says
I wish I had found your lists before I started my own series of reviews, but I thought I’d share my link with you for my first post that coincides with this one! [https://rushingtoread.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/themed-third-throwback-thursday-1900-1909/] (When I saw that a blogger whose posts I have been known to share had done what I’m doing four years before, I was a little embarrassed!) I plan to only consult your lists after I compile my own so that I don’t intentionally duplicate your lists, but I see that most of my list for the 1900-1909 publication dates matches up with yours even though I didn’t find it until I was searching for more books from the 1910s! Do you mind if I link to your blog so any readers can see another compiler’s choices for enduring classics?
Erica MomandKiddo says
Hi Shawna, I would love it if you would link to me, thank you! I’m not surprised there was a lot of crossover in the early years ans there are fewer books to choose from but I suspect we will have very different lists as the decades roll by. I look forward to reading your recommendations!
Denise says
My father read a book “The Gingerbread House” to us in the very early 1950’s It was old fashioned then, but my sister and I adored it. I think it may have been my mother’s book. She was born 1912, so either 1910’s, 1920’s would place the era it was written.
I have no idea of who wrote it or who the publishers were.
I have often wondered about it and put my love of books down to this and my dad’s wonderful reading of this book and many of the others on your list.
Allison De Wit says
Hi … I read a book to my girls years ago and can’t remember the name . It was Australian and set during the depression , the children’s mother becomes sick and is hospitalised with tuberculosis so the children undergo a long journey on foot to find their father who is away working on the great southern road. Does anyone know this story ? Cheers Allison
Erica says
Hmmm. That doesn’t sound familiar. I hope you figure it out!
Kate Wilson says
The Long Walk by Kerry Greenwood – I’ve not read it, however 🙂
Tharilyn says
In my search for a beloved book I read as a child, I stumbled onto your page. I have been scouring the internet and my memory for the title. I thought it was, Just a Cur, or Only a Cur. But, memories, like time, is fleeting.
It was about a dog, at the turn of the century, who was abused but eventually found a loving home. It was not Beautiful Joe, although the story is similar. I received the book as part of a collection of stories, dubbed children’s classics, in the early to mid seventies. Included in the red and black bound collection, were the normal fare…Black Beauty, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Treasure island, Robinson Crusoe, et al.
Has anyone heard of this book? I’m wracking my brain trying to remember.
By the way, thank you for your diligence and dedication to children’s literature! You rock!
Kate Wilson says
Could it be “Lad: A Dog” written by Albert Payson Terhune in 1919?
Ellen Keyes says
Have you read the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome? I am sad I didn’t know about them when my boys were younger. The author is exceedingly interesting, too! He was a journalist/spy in Russia.
Laura Montgomery says
I love “Five Children and It”! If I remember correctly, I found it at a thrift store. It’s part of my collection and always will be.
Eileen says
Can you help? Looking for this book 1890-1930
There was a children’s book, pub 1890s-1930s? Two kids, boy&girl – go to outer space, meet the Roman Gods/Goddesses, Mercury was their guide?
Renai. Nelson says
I wonder if everyone has that one book from their childhood that made a lasting impression, yet the title escapes them as an adult. My brother and I have searched for years for a book our mother used to read to us. We both remember that it had a brownie (irish/englis h elf type.creature) and a boy. The illustration we most vividly remember was an underground cave with a body.of water running through it. There was.a.boat on the water they were boarding . It was dark, yet illuminated by lamps on the boat and being carried by the boy. We seem to remember this was just one of the stories in this book.of different stories. Our mother commonly checked out foreign books from the library, and the brownie.is found in many European tomes. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Elaine Leahy says
I have been looking for a book I read as a child. My mother brought boxes of old novels from her mother’s house, so I believe it was written in the early 1900s. It was about an orphan girl who lived with an aunt in a big house in Pride’s Crossing, Massachusetts. I may have it mixed up with some other stories, but I seem to remember the house had a little shop in it. I also read a series about Girl Scouts (which even I knew reading it in the early 60s was ridiculously outdated with everyone having a maid do their ironing) but I read them with great fascination.