50 books all kids should read before they're 12

Few things can generate more excitement about a subject than a clever, thought-provoking, beautifully illustrated children's book. Getting your child interested in reading can be as simple as picking up a colorful book that catches their eye. There's a wide selection of fun and colorful books for toddlers, storybooks for young children, and classics including dr. Seuss or disney stories for children who are just starting to read by themselves. Encourage your little ones to read on their own by getting books adapted to their reading level. Shop for books featuring your children's favorite characters, such as peppa pig or the avengers, to get them to read.

The 1960s saw an age of new realism in children's books emerge. Given the atmosphere of social revolution in 1960s america, authors and illustrators began to break previously established taboos in children's literature. Controversial subjects dealing with alcoholism, death, divorce, and child abuse were now being published in stories for children. Maurice sendak's where the wild things are in 1963 and louise fitzhugh's harriet the spy in 1964 are often considered the first stories published in this new age of realism.Buy Children Books  At the end of the victorian era and leading into the edwardian era, beatrix potter was an author and illustrator best known for her children's books, which featured animal characters. In her thirties, potter published the tale of peter rabbit in 1902.

Little women, a story about four sisters, is said to show power of women in the home and is seen as both conservative and radical in nature. The character of jo is observed as having a rather contemporary personality and has even been seen as a representation of the feminist movement. It has been suggested that the feminist themes in the wonderful wizard of oz result from influence of baum's mother-in law, matilda gage, an important figure in the suffragist movement.

Potter eventually went on to produce 23 children's books and become a wealthy woman. Isn't it just important to get books into the hands of children? While fantastic children's books can spark a love of reading and learning, average or boring books can, sadly, have the opposite effect. Children who are repeatedly exposed to uninspired children's books eventually find reading, well, uninspiring.

Baum's significant political commentary on capitalism, and racial oppression are also said to be part of gage's influence. Examples made of these themes is the main protagonist, dorothy who is punished by being made to do housework. Another example made of positive representations of women is in finnish author tove jansson's moomin series which features strong and individualized female characters. In recent years, there has been a surge in the production and availability of feminist children's literature as well as a rise in gender neutrality in children's literature.