This time, it was to celebrate the ten year anniversary of the children’s laureateship. The current Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen and his four predecessors, Jacqueline Wilson, Anne Fine, Quentin Blake and Michael Morpurgo selected the 35 best books for young readers. Seven of the books were published during the 19th century, with the oldest being Charles Dickens’ 1838 novel Oliver Twist. The most recently published book to feature was Mr Gum and Dancing Bear by Andy Stanton. Controversially, none of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books appeared on the list! Instead, the list displays a clear preference for classic children’s literature; including Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge, Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild, The Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling, The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit and Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Click here to view the full selection.
Let me know if you agree/disagree with the choices!
