There are numerous lists out there, all claiming to include the “Best” of something – “top 100 books” lists and “top music” lists are the most familiar to me. I am always a little skeptical – who makes the decisions of what qualifies as best? What are the criteria? How thorough is the research?

You would have to read or listen to a LOT in order to create such a list. And even then, other people will have different ideas. I wonder if it’s possible to create a definitive “best” list of anything (maybe with divine criteria?) or if such things will always be subjective….

The Baltimore Examiner has given the “Best list” idea a try, with children’s picture books (in English). Their criteria are that the books must:

1. Never tire us. We are willing to read it again and again to our children and they want to hear it over and over.
2. Stay in our hearts and minds, even after the pages are closed, because they tell us something about life.
3. Have a seamless marriage of text and illustration
4. Use language well.

They seem like good criteria to me. Yet I’m sure that what we are “willing to read again and again,” and what “stays in our hearts and minds,” are as many and diverse as the people who read. I am curious to know what kind of board or panel made these decisions, and what its diversity was like.

I recognized 10 of the 25 titles, three of which I consider personal favorites: “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” “Make Way for Ducklings,” and “Where The Wild Things Are.” Other favorites, like “Goodnight Moon” and “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” were not on the list. 

Either way, the books on this list will certainly be wonderful to read.