Source: Parents' Choice Foundation

In researching this exceedingly difficult assignment, our friends at Parents' Choice Foundation went first to their in-house library – a twenty-five year archive – and compiled a list of titles selected, throughout those years, by parents, grandparents, librarians, educators and many, many children.

The Parents’ Choice “Best 25 of 25” Book Committee, comprised of parents, teachers, librarians and critics, then reviewed and reevaluated the selections, honed the list again, and again, and came up with what they believe are very fine choices. When making the final selections, they looked for a balance of humor, history, character and ethics. They had to divide the list into two age groups – infant through age nine, and ages 10 and up.

Best 25 Books for Children Ages 10 & Up

Because of Winn-Dixie
By Kate DiCamillo

Anastasia Krupnick
By Lois Lowry, Illustrated by Diane de Groat

Maniac Magee
By Jerry Spinelli

So far From the Bamboo Grove
By Yoko Kawashima Watkins

The Boy and the Samurai
By Erik C. Haugaard

The Great Gilly Hopkins
By Katherine Paterson

The Whipping Boy
By Sid Fleischman, Illustrated by Peter Sis 

Walk Two Moons
By Sharon Creech

Wayside School is Falling Down
By Louis Sachar, Illustrated by Adam McCauley

Or Give Me Death
By Ann Rinaldi

Baseball Saved Us
By Ken Mochizuki, Illustrated by Dom Lee

Catherine, Called Birdy
By Karen Cushman

Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush
By Virginia Hamilton

Joey Pigza Loses Control
By Jack Gantos

Eva
By Peter Dickinson

Missing May
By Cynthia Rylant

Redwall
By Brian Jacques, Illustrated by Gary Chalk

The Darkangel
By Meredith Ann Pierce

The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm
By Nancy Farmer

The Ghost in The Tokiado Inn
By Thomas Hoobler & Dorothy Hoobler

The Kestrel
By Lloyd Alexander

Fallen Angels
By Walter Dean Myers

Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind
By Suzanne Fisher Staples

Weetzie Bat
By Francesca L Block 

The New Way Things Work
By David Macaulay