Books
You can sort the list of great children's books, winnow it down by age and genre, or use Advanced Search to see many other ways to explore the Treasury of Great Children's Books.
“Captains Courageous” A Story of the Grand Banks (1897)
Harvey Cheyne falls overboard from his liner on the Grand Banks and is picked up by a cod fisherman who proceeds to make a man of him. Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Rudyard Kipling
Illustrator(s):
Isaiah Taber
Kim (1901)
Kim O’Hara grows up unsupervised in British India and is recruited into the secret service. Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Rudyard Kipling
Illustrator(s):
John Kipling
Smuggler’s Island and the Devil Fires of San Moros (1928)
Five children, one only a baby, are abandoned on a desert island in the Sea of Cortez. Marian, the eldest, keeps them alive for seven years, waiting for the baby to grow big enough to survive the sea voyage to safety.
Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Clarissa Kneeland
Illustrator(s):
F. C. Yohn, Wallace Goldsmith
The Big World and the Little House (1949)
The whole family -- three generations and the dog -- join together to make a rundown old house into a home.
Author(s):
Ruth Krauss
Illustrator(s):
Marc Simont
Rock Hounds (1958)
When Eddie’s cousin Priscilla joins him at science camp he is certain she will ruin it for him.
Author(s):
Evelyn Lampman
Illustrator(s):
Arnold Spilka
Prince Ricardo of Pantouflia (1893)
Having found his father King Prigio’s magic gifts, Ricardo becomes reckless and has to seek assistance from the Princess Jaqueline. Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Andrew Lang
Illustrator(s):
Gordon Browne
The Diamond in the Window (1962)
Following the clues scratched on a window in their attic Eleanor and Eddy embark on a series of adventures across time and space.
Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Jane Langton
Illustrator(s):
Erik Blegvad
Dragon John (1943)
Dragon John can only be returned to his true form as a prince if someone freely gives him a flower.
Author(s):
Marie Lawson
Illustrator(s):
Marie Lawson
The Sea is Blue (1946)
The story of Tim and Cissy, growing up on Nantucket and the rainbows they shared.
Author(s):
Marie Lawson
Illustrator(s):
Marie Lawson
Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town (1912)
The classic collection of stories about a small town in Canada, including The Marine Excursions of the Knights of Pythias. Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Stephen Leacock
Illustrator(s):
Cyrus Cuneo
Catwings (1988)
Thelma, Roger, James and Harriet Tabby were born in a dumpster, but they have wings.
Author(s):
Ursula Le Guin
Illustrator(s):
S. D. Schindler
Cowboy Small (1949)
The adventures of Cowboy Small.
Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s):
Lois Lenski
Strawberry Girl (1945)
Birdie Boyer and her family move to Florida to raise strawberries.
Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s):
Lois Lenski
The Little Family (1932)
Introducing the Little family.
Author(s):
Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s):
Lois Lenski
The Little Farm (1942)
Farmer Small has chores to do from morn ‘til night.
Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s):
Lois Lenski
The Ship that Flew (1939)
Peter buys a model ship from an antique store for “all the money he has in the world -- and a little bit more” and discovers it can carry its owners through space and time.
Author(s):
Hilda Lewis
Illustrator(s):
Nora Lavrin
Bill Bergson, Master Detective (1952)
The first battles of the War of the White Roses and the Red are interrupted by a mysterious Uncle.
Author(s):
Astrid Lindgren
Illustrator(s):
Louis Glanzman
Pippi Longstocking (1950)
In this, her first adventure, Pippi moves in to Villa Villekulla.
Author(s):
Astrid Lindgren
Illustrator(s):
Louis Glanzman
Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and the New Dotted Dresses (1939)
The triplets are wearing their new dotted dresses when they meet Aunt Helma and end up helping her with the chores, but the new dresses need washing when they get home.
Read online at archive.org.
Author(s):
Maj Lindman
Illustrator(s):
Maj Lindman
Snip, Snap, Snurr The Red Shoes and The Buttered Bread (1935)
This edition includes the story of how the triplets earn money for a birthday present for their mother and how the sun must shine for them to have butter for their bread.
Author(s):
Maj Lindman
Illustrator(s):
Maj Lindman