Have you ever stopped and really considered the importance that children’s books have on our lives, from childhood to adulthood? Who doesn’t remember the daunting tales of Dr. Seuss, Berenstain Bears, and Magic Tree House? These time honored stories provide an action plot filled with drama, popularity, and conflict while keeping a gentle undergrowth of awareness suited for the minds of these young readers. Whether you are reading to your children or they are reading for themselves, it is a great way to start off their scholastic adventure with a few memorable classics.

Randolph Caldecott Medal The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to the most illustrious children’s picture book in America. These can include 3d “popup” books or regular story books with delicate images, usually filled with lots of colors and scenery. The 2008 winner of the Caldecott Medal is Brian Selznick with the release of his book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a story about a boy living in a French train station who strives to complete a mysterious invention left to him by his father. This story consists of over 500 pages of both text and images, neither of which can tell this story alone. Black and white pencil sketches show the silent films to which this book pays homage. It is a masterpiece and must be honored with such a fabulous award as the Caldecott Medal.

Duck for President is a great book for readers of all ages. The book is similar to the process for those who are running for president. In this humorous tale Duck who lives on a farm with many other animals, and owner Farmer Brown. He's kind of a lazy duck and doesn't like being told to chores and he surely didn't enjoy doing them. So he thought that he would take a stand and have a vote against Farmer Brown so he could take over the farm. Duck won the election but soon learned that it was even harder to be a farmer than it was to do the few chores that he originally had to do. Next he decided that by running for governor that life would be much easier. Adding to his winning streak he won the election hands down for governor, but again he soon realized that running a state was even harder than being a farmer and it was no fun at all. He soon became bored with this and decided he should move on. What will he do next?

A Counting Book by Margaret Wise Brown (with pictures by Clement Hurd) is an excellently written bed time story for children from the ages of two to six. It incorporates many of the same ideals from the classical Goodnight Moon book which was also created to entertain readers after a tiring day of learning and playing. The book begins by painting a detailed description of the “green room” from the original story. It then lists the many animals, people, and objects inside of the massive room. With colorful illustrations and short sentences, this is a great book for children to begin their learning experience at a young age. It teaches them not only how to read and count, but also how to laugh and enjoy learning. Your child will love this soothing lullaby as he or she searches for more and more objects to say good night to. “Good night cow. Good night stars. Good night moon.” Will fill your home with the soft voices of you and your child.

Best Children's Christmas Picture Books of 2004 - What makes "Brown Paper Teddy Bear" by Catherine Allison so appealing is that it is oversized, all of the pages are made out of sturdy brown paper, and the watercolors by artist Neil Reid beautifully illustrate the astonishing events in this children's Christmas picture book.

Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins is the story of the historic sit-ins in Greenboro, North Carolina, that began February 1, 1960, and impacted the Civil Rights Movement. Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins is told in picture book format by Carole Boston Weatherford, with illustrations by Jerome Lagarrigue. Freedom on the Menu is a good children's books for 7-12 year olds.

Find out about the 2010 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature Award Winner and Honor Books. Going Bovine is the 2010 Printz Award winner. Four 2010 Printz Award Honor Books were also named. If you are looking for award-winning YA books, take a look at the Printz Award winners.

The best illustrated children's books of 2009 include Tsunami by Kimiko Kajikawa. Take a look at the cover art and get an idea of why I think My People and the other books on my list are the best illustrated children's books of 2009.

The 2010 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winners include five beginning reader books for beginning readers. The 2010 Medal winner is Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!. The four 2010 Geisel Award Honor Books are I Spy Fly Guy!, Little Mouse Gets Ready, Mice and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends and Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day.

In his The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary, author Jeff Kinney describes the making of the movie version of the first book in his Wimpy Kid series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The subtitle of The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary

My best illustrated children's books of 2009 list includes All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee. Take a look at the cover art of All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee and get an idea of why I think All the World and the other books on my list are the best illustrated children's books of 2009.