50 books that every child should read by 16

At the beginning of the month, to celebrate World Book Day, a survey of 2,000 readers by Sainsbury's found that the classic books parents grew up with are popular choices to read to their own kids.  It's certainly true in this house with Magic Faraway Tree, Famous Five, Flat Stanley and Roald Dahl tales already hitting our read pile before Ben is even 7 years old.

Something that really shocks me - where are the Mr Men, Thomas the Tank Engine or Topsy and Tim books?  I lived on Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley Kids/ Twins/ High/ University books and Naughtiest Girl in the school series shame none of them have hit the top 50.  What favourites did you have that are missing from the list?

How many have you read or are planning on reading with your children?  

I have taken the list and rearranged it but if you want to see the original order it's here.

Books I have already read with Ben (and/ or Noah)

Five on a Treasure Island – Enid Blyton  our current book

The Tale of Peter Rabbit – Beatrix Potter   we have the whole set, but to be honest the boys have never been that interested in them.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea – Judith Kerr

Where The Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak

Funny Bones – Janet and Allan Ahlberg

Each Peach Pear Plum – Janet and Allan Ahlberg  Is there a bookshelf in any kids home that hasn't got or had a copy of this?  Or any parent that can't quote most of it off the top of their head?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle - ditto

Books we have in the bookcase ready to read

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl  

James and The Giant Peach – Roald Dahl

The BFG – Roald Dahl 

Matilda – Roald Dahl

The Twits – Roald Dahl

Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll   though we have watched the film

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – CS Lewis   in fact I have the whole set.

The Magician's Nephew – CS Lewis

Winnie The Pooh – AA Milne

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – J.K. Rowling   have seen the film though

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – JK Rowling  not quite brave enough to let them watch the film of this one yet.

The Railway Children – E Nesbit

Bambi – Felix Selten

Tom's Midnight Garden – Phillipa Pearce

Books I didn't read (or don't remember) but we do have

A Bear Called Paddington – Michael Bond   Have got the boys this for Easter at Ben's request after seeing the film.

Books I did like but would consider to girly to read to the boys

Black Beauty – Anna Sewell

The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson–Burnett

Books I had no interest in as a child and therefore unlikely to read unless the boys come across them themselves and request them.

Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain

The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame

Charlotte's Web – EB White

Watership Down – Richard Adams

The Hobbit – JRR Tolken

Lord of the Flies – William Golding

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, aged 13 ¾ – Sue Townsend

Great Expectations – Charles Dickens

The Cat in the Hat – Dr Seuss

Green Eggs and Ham – Dr Seuss

The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas – John Boyne

Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery

The Day of the Triffids – John Wyndham

Little House on the Prairie – Laura Ingalls Wilder

Carrie's War – Nina Bawden

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon  I read this as an adult

Northern Lights – Philip Pullman

The Story of Doctor Dolittle – Hugh Lofting

The Story of Tracy Beaker – Jacqueline Wilson

The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

Curious George – HA Ray

We have a chapter book challenge going on for this year - perhaps you'd like to join in?