Culture The Best Overall Books for Kids  

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Originally by Ranker Community
13.9k votes 616 voters 54.2k views 126 items

List Rules Books for kids ages 4-9

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The best overall books for children, ranked by readers of all ages. Anyone can vote on this kids' book list, which makes these rankings a trustworthy way to find out which books your kids will love. Is a title missing? You can also add your own books to this list, and see how your taste stacks up against everyone else's. No matter if your kids are 9 year old budding lit experts, 5 year-olds just beginning to read on their own, or pre-schoolers still having you read aloud -- these are the books you remember and hope your own kids will.

For children in pre-school or younger, check out this list of the best books for toddlers.
list ordered by

1
248 79
Charlotte's Web is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
E. B. White

2
281 32
Green Eggs and Ham is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Dr. Seuss

3
260 43
How the Grinch Stole Christmas... is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Dr. Seuss

4
204 92
The Lion, the Witch and the Wa... is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
C. S. Lewis

5
259 43
The Cat in the Hat is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Dr. Seuss

6
195 51
The Lorax is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Dr. Seuss

7
192 50
Goodnight Moon is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Margaret Wise Brown

8
176 51
Are You My Mother? is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
P. D. Eastman

9
225 57
Charlie and the Chocolate Fact... is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Roald Dahl

10
162 80
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
L. Frank Baum

11
208 53
Where the Wild Things Are is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Maurice Sendak

12
124 79
Stone Soup is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Marcia Brown

13
158 73
James and the Giant Peach is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Roald Dahl

14
116 49
Little House in the Big Woods is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Laura Ingalls Wilder

15
128 54
Alexander and the Terrible, Ho... is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Judith Viorst

16
147 22
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blu... is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Dr. Seuss

17
167 42
Clifford, the Big Red Dog is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Norman Bridwell

18
105 61
Aesop's Fables is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Aesop

19
164 60
Matilda is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Roald Dahl

20
137 66
Grimm's Fairy Tales is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Wilhelm Grimm, Jacob Grimm

21
123 34
Three Little Pigs is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Heather Amery, Betty Root, Marie-Louise Gay

22
144 57
Where the Sidewalk Ends is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Shel Silverstein

23
131 79
The Hobbit is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
J. R. R. Tolkien

24
132 28
Oh, the Places You'll Go! is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Dr. Seuss

25
113 39
Harold and the Purple Crayon is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Overall Books for Kids
Crockett Johnson