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This children’s classic makes heroes of two of the most maligned members of the animal kingdom: the spider and the pig. Charlotte, a spider, and a little pig Wilbur form a barnyard friendship that eases Wilbur’s loneliness — and ultimately saves his life. Both kids and adults will be moved by these animals’ courage and devotion to each other, and the power of empathy, no matter how humble the package.

Want to see the movie? The 2006 live-action adaptation features Julia Roberts as the voice of Charlotte.

Perfect for: Kids who like classics.

Find at your local library.

Is it ever too early to teach compassion? That’s what this astounding and beautiful picture book aspires to do. When schoolchildren make fun of Wanda Petronski, both for her name and for the fact that she wears the same dress to school every day, Wanda begins to tell the tall tale that she has “one hundred dresses” at home. When the children learn the truth, they are given the chance for self-reflection. The lessons learned here will last your child a lifetime.

Perfect for: Kids who like classics.

Find at your local library.

From the moment my mom ripped out the mail-in coupon from Highlights magazine, I loved receiving my monthly mailing from the “Dr. Seuss Beginning Readers” book club. Of all the books I received, I Wish That I Had Duck Feet was my favorite. Written by Theo. LeSieg (Geisel backwards — a charming pen name Dr. Seuss used when he did not illustrate a title), this funny book is a charmer. Now I grin from ear to ear when my first-grader reads it to me.

Perfect for: Kids who like classics.

Find at your local library.

“The Little House was curious about the city and wondered what it would be like to live there.” She just might find out… This classic book, by the author of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, asks the reader: What happens when the world around you changes? Seen by some as a commentary on urbanization, this beautifully and simply illustrated book won the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1943.

Perfect for: Kids who like classics.

Find at your local library.

A pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert. A thousand miles from any habitation, while attempting to fix his plane, he meets a strangely dressed little boy who seems to have come from nowhere, and who demands that he draw a sheep. “When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey,” so the pilot attempts to draw a sheep. Gradually the Little Prince reveals his story. He comes from a small asteroid, where he lives alone until a rose grows there. But the rose is demanding, and he is confused by his feelings about her. Eventually he decides to leave and journey to other planets in search of knowledge. After meeting many confusing adults, he eventually lands on Earth, where he befriends a snake and a fox. The fox helps him to understand the rose, and the snake offers to help him return to his planet — but at a price. Many adults look back on this book with a catch in the throat and have a special place for it in their hearts. This gentle picture book, concerned with the true “matters of consequence,” was as much a part of growing up for those of a certain age as The Lord of the Rings or the Beatles. There quite literally has never been anything like it, though others have certainly tried.

Perfect for: Kids who like fantasy stories.

Find at your local library.

The hook: Mr Popper’s Penguins is one of those classic childhood books that kids always remember, and even ranks up there with Charlotte’s Web and James and the Giant Peach. The chapter book’s witty dialogue (albeit with dated language), clever characters and an ethical predicament make this book as enjoyable today as in the 1930s. In fact, many teachers today use it as part of their language arts curriculum. Mr. Poppers Penguins is a good fit for most first- and second-grade readers, and can also be read aloud to kindergartners.

Want to watch the movie? The 2011 adaptation is only loosely based on the original story but has plenty of slapstick gags to keep the elementary school crowd entertained.

Perfect for: Kids who like classics.

Find at your local library.