The children's book editor of The New York Times has compiled summaries of the 1,001 "best" children's books of the 20th century. My son always loves books about trains, trucks, airplanes, etc., but beyond that, I'm stumped. So I consult this guide to give us new ideas for what to read next. I'm not about to buy all 1,001 titles, so we put some on hold at the library and put some on our wishlist at Paperback Swap. Ten, Nine, Eight is now my son's favorite bedtime book.

This guide has also become my trusty consultant for finding age-appropriate gifts for kids.

The book is divided into age appropriate sections: picture books (Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?), story books (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), early readers (Amelia Bedelia), middle readers (The Cricket in Time Square), and young adults (The Outsiders).