I’ve noticed that it’s time to list the “best books” for the end of the year. I have to admit that my tastes are so lowbrow that even reading some of these lists makes me yawn. I doubt I would make it through the preface of many of the recommended books, and I consider myself a bookish gal. The more I read, the more I know that I haven’t read, or something like that. A few books on these lists look intriguing, though, so here you go. Anyone is welcome to list their favorite books read in 2003 in the comments section.

Andrew Sandlin’s list
Bill Clinton’s 21 favorite books
ABE Book’s staff’s favorite picks
Top 50 bestselling books at ABE
Books and Culture’s annual roundup, Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four is still to come
Marvin Olasky’s Christmas treadmilling
From last summer, Gene Edward Veith with Western culture’s top 50 books
*Update: The last in the series from Christianity Today.

If reading these lists has made you dizzy, let me spin you back the other direction with this laid-back list of the Friedrich Family’s top ten picture books (you can find other top ten lists here):

The Maggie B. by Irene Haas. A little girl wishes on a star and gets to sail in a cozy little boat with her “dear baby” brother, James, practicing her domestic skills. Watercolor illustrations enhance the dream-like tale which includes some Longfellow poetry.

The Little Fur Family by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. by Garth Williams. First published in 1946 with a faux fur cover, it is again being published with a furry cover, making it not only a cute story of a funny little creature with a loving home, but a comforting toy to clutch in chubby hands. It’s teeny-tiny size makes it easy to pop into a bag or a pocket.

A Kiss For Little Bear by Else Holmeland Minarik, illus. by Maurice Sendak. The illustrations resemble old-fashioned woodcuts, and the animals are lifelike while conveying human characteristics. The kiss is delivered to Little Bear, from his mother, in a round-about and amusing fashion. The skunks who hold up its delivery are precious.

Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain by Edward Ardizzone. I have reviewed this book at my reviews page. All the Little Tim books are wonderful!

The Church Mouse by Graham Oakley. The books in this series are very collectible, although some have been reprinted. They are still available at many libraries, and we were excited to find many at a library book sale a couple of years ago, in excellent condition. The mice in the story really reside in a church with a (usually) friendly cat named Sampson. The illustrations are very detailed and add a great deal to the enjoyment of the story, with funny asides and extra dialogue, as well as humorous touches with the author’s British humor quite evident. When I bring out these books (they are so valuable I put them in a special location), my children fight wait patiently to read them :-).

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. Another classic story, about Mr. and Mrs. Mallard who go to great lengths to provide a safe home for their babies. The Boston setting, the realistic illustrations by the author and the delineation of proper family roles make this book a treasure.

The Young Artist by Thomas Locker. For older children. The paintings are reminiscent of the artists from the Hudson River School of Art, particularly Thomas Cole or Albert Bierstadt. Read the Amazon review by my son, Hans.

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle. Everyone knows about the author’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, but this story about a ladybug who woke up on the wrong side of the leaf is my favorite. She can’t find anyone to take up her challenge to fight, so she keeps finding bigger and bigger creatures to challenge. The book is cleverly designed to show the passage of time during the day, and a whale’s tale is built into one of the pages to make a big splash!

Barn Dance! by Bill Martin, Jr., illus. by Ted Rand. Every child dreams of toys that wake up while he is sleeping. This is about an entire farm that comes to life after everyone has gone to bed…but the skinny kid can’t sleep and he stumbles upon the animals and the scarecrow having a dance. Rhyming and bouncy text makes this a very lively read.

Henry the Explorer by Mark Taylor, illus. by Graham Booth. Henry is a little boy who thinks of himself as an intrepid explorer in his very rich imagination. He leaves home quite well-prepared to meet any challenge, with his faithful dog, Laird Angus McAngus. With their inexhaustible supply of flags to claim new territory, they calmly face a real adventure. This is another out-of-print (OOP) book which has become highly collectible, although I noticed a used copy is available at Amazon for good price. There are a couple other books about Henry, as well, and they should be easy to find at the library.