The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury: Celebrated Picture Books and Stories to Read Aloud is a compilation of picture books. This group of books is special due to the choice of wonderful classics and award winners all in one edition.

More than 40 favorites will entertain one’s family for hours. This collection is comprised of classics such as Curious George, as well as bestsellers like Guess How Much I love You. In addition, Caldecott Medal Winner Where the Wild Things Are is featured, and some all time favorites like The Sneetches and Goodnight Moon are also contained within this masterpiece. All of the selections included cover a vast array of topics, needs and themes. There are wordless books and short stories, color and letter topics, stories about: families, going to school, animals, fantasies and much more.

The main complaint for Schulman’s work is that some of the original illustrations have been abridged to fit formatting. Some stories are shortened down to fit on only two pages. This could be problematic to some younger readers if the pictures help them to follow the story. For others, this is a small price to pay for such a comprehensive collection. Overall, however, the book is tastefully edited.

We, at Reading Jungle, believe this book to be a wonderful gift idea for the expectant mother or a child’s birthday. It is also a great choice to take along on that long car ride or vacation to keep many readers entertained. Anyone wishing to expand their family library is encouraged to delve into this children’s treasury.