The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
As a child I loved the simple story and it has resonated with me more and more as an adult. —Samantha Sadler Layman
To buy: Ages 1 to 8; $17, amazon.com.
Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf
My dad read it to me as a baby girl recovering in the hospital. We read together until his grandsons were born. And then we read to them. “Just quietly under the cork tree.” —Cindy Lee Claplanhoo
To buy: Ages 3 to 5; $4, amazon.com.
The Saggy Baggy Elephant, by Kathryn Jackson and Byron Jackson
My grandma would read that to me when I was little. I was so proud when I could finally read it by myself. —Charmin Garst Savage
To buy: Ages 3 to 7; $4, amazon.com.
Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman
Are You My Mother? showed love and opportunities were everywhere. —Denise Thompson
To buy: Ages 3 to 7; $9, amazon.com.
Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson
I was so inspired by Harold’s imagination and realized that books could take me anyplace I wanted to go, just like Harold. —Leslie Fischer
To buy: Ages 3 to 7; $7, amazon.com.
The Poky Little Puppy, by Janette Sebring Lowrey
My mom would read The Poky Little Puppy to me when I was a kid. I was soon addicted to the written word. —Chrystal Hogan Hood
To buy: Ages 3 to 7; $4, amazon.com.
Go, Dog, Go, by P.D. Eastman
I still want the houseboat the dogs jump into the water from!! —Julie McQueen
To buy: Ages 3 to 7; $9, amazon.com.
Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans
I truly started imagining living all over the world—and so I have.... —Karin Thompson
To buy: Ages 3 to 8; $8, amazon.com.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, by Judi Barrett
I have a master’s degree in English and it’s still one of my favorite books. —Jessica Kosowski Zandan
To buy: Ages 4 to 8; $7, amazon.com.
Raggedy Ann & Andy, by Johnny Gruelle
My mom ordered the Raggedy Ann & Andy series for me; they were my first hardcover books. I watched for them in the mail and devoured them, hiding from my five younger siblings. —Kim Bennett
To buy: Ages 4 to 8; $13, amazon.com.
Little Bear, by Elsa Holmelund Minarik
My first favorite book that I remember and still think about is Little Bear. There have been many books since then, but that is the one that I would read over and over and then read to my little sister. Sometimes I find it in a thrift store and have to open it up to see the pages. —Erin Almond
To buy: Ages 4 to 8; $4, amazon.com.
The Five Chinese Brothers, by Claire Huchet Bishop
I was just learning to read. I took it out of the library all the time. The librarian told me I should ask my parents to buy it for me! —Charlene Sandone Weaver
To buy: Ages 4 and up; $6, amazon.com.
The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
It was the first book that I encountered with characters whose skin color was the same hue as mine. It is also the first book that I have purchased for all of my great-nieces and -nephews. —Darlene Whi
To buy: Ages 4 and up; $8, amazon.com.
Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein
I carried it around with me and read aloud to anyone who would listen (and some who wouldn’t)! —Meaghan Burke Proctor
To buy: Ages 6 to 8; $19, amazon.com.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst
I wanted to go to Australia some days too. —Adrienne Bartle
To buy: Ages 6 to 9; $8, amazon.com.
Amelia Bedelia, by Herman Parish
I just loved her and her simple thinking. —LaFaye Tapper
To buy: Ages 6 to 10; $5, amazon.com.
The Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann David Wyss
My mom read The Swiss Family Robinson to me. I don’t know what I enjoyed more: the story or curling up with Mommy. Thank you, Mommy, for reading to me! One of the greatest gifts she gave me! —Tosie Simmons
To buy: Ages 7 to 9; $7, amazon.com.
The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
First book I read in one sitting. —Renee Perovich
To buy: Ages 7 to 14; $20, amazon.com.
Superfudge, by Judy Blume
I can remember reading it and laughing out loud. After I read it, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on another Judy Blume book. —Jaime Centers Morganroth
To buy: Ages 7 and up; $7, amazon.com.
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
As a preteen it was the first book to give me a sense of the world in the future. Since then I’ve been drawn to books and novels that deal with a postapocalyptic society. Would you remain moral and civil? Does humanity remain when rules are lost? I’ve enjoyed reading similar books like the Divergent and Hunger Games trilogies with my preteen children and posing the same questions. —Stacey Grim Zappacosta
To buy: Ages 7 and up; $18, amazon.com.
Encyclopedia Brown, by Donald J. Sobol
I paid attention to details and felt so smart when I could figure out the mini-mysteries. Encyclopedia Brown taught me it was okay to be smart. —Marcy Strohecker-Polletta
To buy: Ages 7 and up; $5, amazon.com.
The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford
I read it a dozen times. Was mesmerized by the strength and challenges [the characters] faced. That book sucked me in and made me want to read more and more! One of those “flashlight under the covers” late-night reads when you were supposed to be sleeping. —Julie Schroeder Standley
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
Goosebumps, by R.L. Stine
I loved the whole series. —KE Higgins
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
Henry Huggins, by Beverly Cleary
In third grade I discovered Beverly Cleary—Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice, and Ramona. Henry was always my favorite, but now as an adult reading to my own daughter, she loves Ramona’s books best. —Eileen Downey Fleming
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
The Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden
I grew up in the Little Apple (Manhattan, Kansas), not the Big Apple. The Cricket in Times Square transported me to a whole new world: a big city, public transportation, different ethnicities. I would read under the covers at night with a flashlight. —Angie May Priddle
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren
It was wonderful finding a strong female character in the ’50s who knew how to break convention, have fun, and be kind. —Sharon Bandlow-Reese
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks
And now my daughter is loving it! —Tracey Lichon
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $18, amazon.com.
Ramona the Pest, by Beverly Cleary
I hadn’t read a chapter book on my own before, and I went through half the book in one night! I loved the book so much, I forgot about being an “early reader.” I started reading my brother’s “baby books” to him, probably mostly to show off. I felt so confident as a reader, I started picking up technical books about dog training and other things that interested me. —Bethany Ann Hagensen
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
Bambi, by Felix Salten
The original Bambi, not the Golden Book or the Disney version. I read it when I was 6. Still have it—57 years later! —Susan M. Sanders
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
I cried when it was done. —Erin Hennessy Passmonick
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
Ballet Shoes, by Noel Streatfeild
Loved this; read it until the cover fell off. I danced, too, so it was very special. —Lauren Leahey
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
Betsy-Tacy, by Maud Hart Lovelace
I received the first book in the series when I was 9. I reread them last year and they are just as sweet as I remembered. I cherish those stories for building my love of books. —Melissa Kate Hjelle
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $6, amazon.com.
Lassie Come-Home, by Eric Knight
Got it when I was 10 years old. Still have it. —Pegg Allen
To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $25, amazon.com.
The Borrowers, by Mary Norton
My mom read to us all the time. This book was a favorite. —Katharine Holt Campbell
To buy: Ages 9 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
Mary Poppins, by P.L. Travers
I wanted her magic carpetbag! —Christy Long
To buy: Ages 9 to 12; $7, amazon.com.
Greek Mythology
Sounds silly, but when I was a young girl, I read (and reread several times) a book called Greek Mythology. It was an old book then, but I just about wore that poor book out. —Pam Dickson
To buy: Ages 9 and up; $20, amazon.com.
Old Yeller, by Fred Gipson
I must have read it every other month as a kid. —Walt Nickell
To buy: Ages 10 and up; $9, amazon.com.
Pollyanna, by Eleanor H. Porter
I think I read it 50 times. —Tammy Tunis Graves
To buy: Ages 10 and up; $9.50, amazon.com.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor
As a preteen I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I liked reading before, but that book was the first one that had a deep impact on me. —Jeanenne Reid Robinson
To buy: Ages 11 and up; $8, amazon.com.
Tiger Eyes, by Judy Blume
Tiger Eyes is about a girl who is dealing with her parents’ divorce. I was dealing with my parents’ divorce also. That book began my love affair with reading. —Kara J Fallucco
To buy: Ages 12 and up; $9, amazon.com.
