Old School Review Index

This is a chronological index of my "old school" children's book reviews - that is, reviews of books for kids published prior to 2000.

The last update to this list was made on June 1, 2016.
 

1880s

• The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald (1872)
• The Birds' Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin (1886)

1900s

• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (1900)
• The Railway Children by E. Nesbit (1906)
• The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit (1907)

1910s

• Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher (1917)

1920s

• Downright Dencey by Caroline Dale Snedeker (1927)
• The Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly (1928)

1930s

• The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene (1930)
• Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome (1930)
• Swallowdale by Arthur Ransome (1931)
• Peter Duck by Arthur Ransome (1932)
• Winter Holiday by Arthur Ransome (1933)
• Coot Club by Arthur Ransome (1934)
• A Day on Skates by Hilda van Stockum (1934)
• Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink (1935)
• The Good Master by Kate Seredy (1935)
• Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (1936)
• Pigeon Post by Arthur Ransome (1936)
• Winterbound by Margery Williams Bianco (1936)
• Bright Island by Mabel Robinson (1937)
• The Far Distant Oxus by Katharine Hull and Pamela Whitlock (1937)
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)
• Walter the Lazy Mouse by Marjorie Flack (1937)
• We Didn't Mean to go to Sea by Arthur Ransome (1937)
• The White Stag by Kate Seredy (1937)
• Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright (1938)
• Boy with a Pack by Stephen W. Meader (1939)
• Secret Water by Arthur Ransome (1939)
• The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy (1939)

1940s

• Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace (1940)
• The Big Six by Arthur Ransome (1940)
• Blue Willow by Doris Gates (1940)
• Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry (1940)
• Betsy-Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace (1941)
• Missee Lee by Arthur Ransome (1941)
• The Moffats by Eleanor Estes (1941)
• A Tree for Peter by Kate Seredy (1941)
• Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill by Maud Hart Lovelace (1942)
• Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown by Maud Hart Lovelace (1943)
• Fog Magic by Julia Sauer (1943)
• The Open Gate by Kate Seredy (1943)
• The Picts and the Martyrs by Arthur Ransome (1943)
• Theater Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (1944)
• The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes (1944)
• Heaven to Betsy by Maud Hart Lovelace (1945)
• The Mitchells by Hilda van Stockum (1945)
• Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski (1945)
• Betsy in Spite of Herself by Maud Hart Lovelace (1946)
• Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge (1946)
• Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace (1947)
• Great Northern? by Arthur Ransome (1947)
• Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace (1948)
• Canadian Summer by Hilda van Stockum (1948)
• Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey (1948)
• King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry (1948)
• My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett (1948)
• The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (1949)
• No Boats on Bannermere by Gregory Trease (1949)

1950s 

• All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (1951)
• Eddie and Gardenia by Carolyn Haywood (1951)
• The Light at Tern Rock by Julia Sauer (1951)
• Strong Wings by Mabel Louise Robinson (1951)
• Under Black Banner by Gregory Trease (1951)
• The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh (1952)
• Betsy and the Great World by Maud Hart Lovelace (1952)
• Nancy and Plum by Betty MacDonald (1952)
• The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter (1953)
• Black Banner Abroad by Gregory Trease (1954)
• The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh (1954)
• The Wheel on the School by Meindert deJong (1954)
• Betsy's Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace (1955)
• A Lemon and a Star by E.C. Spykman (1955) 
• Fifteen by Beverly Cleary (1956)
• Five on a Secret Trail by Enid Blyton (1956)
• Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson (1956)
• The Sword in the Tree by Clyde Robert Bulla (1956)
• Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (1957) 
• Debutante Hill by Lois Duncan (1957)
• Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (1957)
• The Happy Orpheline by Natalie Savage Carlson (1957)
• Sun Slower, Sun Faster by Meriol Trevor (1957)
• The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz (1958)
• Henry Reed, Inc. by Keith Robertson (1958)
• The Luckiest Girl by Beverly Cleary (1958)
• The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden (1958)
• Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce (1958)
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (1958)
• A Brother for the Orphelines by Natalie Savage Carlson (1959)
• The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall (1959)
• Jean and Johnny by Beverly Cleary (1959)

1960s

• Katie John by Mary Calhoun (1960)
• The Little Leftover Witch by Florence Laughlin (1960)
• Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engle (1960)
• The Secret Language by Ursula Nordstrom (1960)
• The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare (1961)
• Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary (1961)
• The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw (1961)
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (1961)
• Return to Gone-Away by Elizabeth Enright (1961)
• Alligators All Around by Maurice Sendak (1962)
• Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak (1962)
• The Diamond in the Window by Jane Langton (1962)
• One Was Johnny by Maurice Sendak (1962)
• Lotta on Troublemaker Street by Astrid Lindgren (1962)
• Pierre by Maurice Sendak (1962) 
• The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken (1962)
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (1962)
• Greg's Microscope by Millicent Selsam (1963)
• Henry Reed's Journey by Keith Robertson (1963)
• The Moon By Night by Madeleine L'Engle (1963)
• The Rose Round by Meriol Trevor (1963)
• Sister of the Bride by Beverly Cleary (1963)
• The Orphelines in the Enchanted Castle by Natalie Savage Carlson (1964)
• The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas by Madeleine L'Engle (1964)
• The Arm of the Starfish by Madeleine L'Engle (1965)
• The Galloping Goat and Other Stories by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (1965)
• Grasshoppers in the Soup by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (1965)
• I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino (1965)
• Jazz Country by Nat Hentoff (1965)
• The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh (1965)
• The Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz (1965)
• McBroom Tells the Truth by Sid Fleischman (1966)
• The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald (1967)
• The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1967) 
• Knee-Deep in Ice Cream by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (1967)
• The Owl Service by Alan Garner (1967)
• Veronica Ganz by Marilyn Sachs (1968)
• The Young Unicorns by Madeleine L'Engle (1968)
• About the B'nai Bagels by E.L. Konigsburg (1969)
• The Witch Mobile by Miriam Young (1969)

1970s

• The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia M. Scarry (1970)
• Altogether, One at a Time by E.L. Konigsburg (1971)
• A Long Day in November by Ernest J. Gaines (1971)
• The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) by Ellen Raskin (1971)
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (1972)
• Me and Fat Glenda by Lila Perl (1972)
• William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow (1972) 
• How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell (1973)
• The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox (1973)
• A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle (1973)
• Me and the Terrible Two by Ellen Conford (1974)
• The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy (1974) 
• My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier (1975)
• The Second Mrs. Gioconda by E.L. Konigsburg (1975)
• The Telltale Summer of Tina. C. by Lila Perl (1975)  
• The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues by Ellen Raskin (1975)
• The View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts (1975)
• Dragons in the Waters by Madeleine L'Engle (1976) 
• Father's Arcane Daughter by E.L. Konigsburg (1976)
• Nina in That Makes Me Mad by Steven Kroll and Hilary Knight (1976)
• The Pinballs by Betsy Byars (1977) 
• The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson (1978)
• The Pistachio Prescription by Paula Danziger (1978)
• A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle (1978)
• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (1978)
• Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry (1979) 
• The Captive by Scott O'Dell (1979)
• A Gathering of Days by Joan W. Blos (1979)
• The Goodbye Summer by Crosby Bonsall (1979)
• Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library by Eth Clifford (1979)
• Sport by Louise Fitzhugh (1979)
• Throwing Shadows by E.L. Konigsburg (1979)
• Yours Til Niagara Falls, Abby by Jane O'Connor (1979)

1980s

• Cassie Binegar by Patricia MacLachlan (1980)
• The Fledgling by Jane Langton (1980)
• A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle (1980)
• Amelia Bedelia and the Baby by Peggy Parish (1981) 
• Anastasia Again! by Lois Lowry (1981)
• Angie's First Case by Donald Sobol (1981)
• The Cybil War by Betsy Byars (1981)
• Hello... Wrong Number by Marilyn Sachs (1981)
• Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade by Barthe DeClements (1981)
• The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron (1981) 
• Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume (1981) 
• Anastasia at Your Service by Lois Lowry (1982)
• Journey to an 800 Number by E.L. Konigsburg (1982) 
• To All My Friends, With Love, From Sylvie by Ellen Conford (1982)
• Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (1983) 
• Holly in Love by Caroline Cooney (1983)
• Margaret & Taylor by Kevin Henkes (1983) 
• Anastasia, Ask Your Analyst by Lois Lowry (1984)
• Dede Takes Charge by Johanna Hurwitz (1984)
• The Fragile Flag by Jane Langton (1984)
• A House Like a Lotus by Madeleine L'Engle (1984)
• Jolly Old Santa Claus by Alice Leedy Mason (1984) 
• Anastasia on Her Own by Lois Lowry (1985)
• Cracker Jackson by Betsy Byars (1985)
• George Shrinks by William Joyce (1985)  
• Herbie Jones by Suzy Kline (1985)
• In Summer Light by Zibby O'Neal (1985)
• Katie's Babysitting Job by Martha Tolles (1985)
• Momo by Michael Ende (1985)
• Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia Maclachlan (1985)
• The Worry Week  by Anne Lindbergh (1985) 
• Anastasia Has the Answers by Lois Lowry (1986)
• The Blossoms Meet the Vulture Lady by Betsy Byars (1986)
• Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls by Ann M. Martin (1986) 
• Just As Long As We're Together by Judy Blume (1986)
• Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin (1986)
• Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle (1986)
• The Not-Just-Anybody Family by Betsy Byars (1986)
• Sixth Grade Sleepover by Eve Bunting (1986)
• The Truth About Stacey by Ann M. Martin (1986)
• The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman (1986)
• Anastasia's Chosen Career by Lois Lowry (1987)
• A Blossom Promise by Betsy Byars (1987)
• The Blossoms and the Green Phantom by Betsy Byars (1987)
• Dawn and the Impossible Three by Ann M. Martin (1987)
• Different Dragons by Jean Little (1987)
• The Haunting of Grade Three by Grace Maccarone (1987)
• Kristy's Big Day by Ann M. Martin (1987)
• Mary Anne Saves the Day by Ann M. Martin (1987)
• Messy Bessey by Frederick McKissack and Patricia McKissack (1987)
• The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan (1987)
• All About Sam by Lois Lowry (1988)
• The Beginners by Elizabeth Levy (1988)
• Dump Days by Jerry Spinelli (1988)
• Horrible Harry in Room 2B by Suzy Kline (1988)
• Ten Kids, No Pets by Ann M. Martin (1988)
• The Zebra Wall by Kevin Henkes (1988)
• Fog by Caroline Cooney (1989)
• Jessica by Kevin Henkes (1989) 
• An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle (1989)
• Afternoon of the Elves by Janet Taylor Lisle (1989)
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (1989)
• 38 Weeks Till Summer Vacation by Mona Kerby (1989) 
• What Could Go Wrong? by Willo Davis Roberts (1989)

1990s

• Chicken Pox Strikes Again by Jean Marzollo (1990)
• The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney (1990)
• Is There Life After Sixth Grade? by Leslie McGuire (1990)
• Marci's Secret Book of Flirting by Jan Gelman (1990)
• The Real-Skin Rubber Monster Mask by Miriam Cohen, illustrated by Lillian Hoban (1990)
• Toughboy and Sister by Kirkpatrick Hill (1990)
• Anastasia at This Address by Lois Lowry (1991)
• Dragon's Merry Christmas by Dav Pilkey (1991)
• Eleven Kids, One Summer by Ann M. Martin (1991)
• Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli (1991)
• The Gift of the Girl Who Couldn't Hear (1991)
• The Honeycutt Street Celebrities by Joan Lowery Nixon (1991)
• Lyddie by Katherine Paterson (1991)
• The Midnight Mystery by Betty Ren Wright (1991)
• Nobodies and Somebodies by Doris Orgel (1991)
• Sammy Carducci's Guide to Women by Ronald Kidd (1991)
• The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson (1991) 
• Strider by Beverly Cleary (1991)
• There's a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli (1991) 
• Wanted... Mud Blossom by Betsy Byars (1991)
• Weasel by Cynthia de Felice (1991)
• Attaboy, Sam! by Lois Lowry (1992)
• Eek! Stories to Make You Shriek by Jane O'Connor (1992)
• The Great Science Fair Disaster by Martyn Godfrey (1992)
• Rosy Cole Discovers America by Sheila Greenwald (1992)
• Words of Stone by Kevin Henkes (1992)
• Bull Run by Paul Fleischman (1993)
• Camp Murphy by Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna (1993)
• The Secret at Solaire by Carolyn Keene (1993)
• The Toilet Paper Tigers by Gordon Korman (1993)
• Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney (1993)
• Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman (1994)
• Marvin Redpost Alone in his Teacher's House by Louis Sachar (1994)
• Mr. Tucket by Gary Paulsen (1994)
• Troubling a Star by Madeleine L'Engle (1994)
• Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (1994)
• Anastasia Absolutely by Lois Lowry (1995)
• Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon (1995)
• The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis (1995) 
• Juliet Fisher and the Fool-Proof Plan by Natalie Honeycutt (1996)
• See You Around, Sam! by Lois Lowry (1996)
• The Voice on the Radio by Caroline B. Cooney (1996)
• The Gypsy Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1997)
• Annie Bananie and the Pain Sisters by Leah Komaiko (1998)
• 26 Fairmount Avenue by Tomie dePaola (1999)
• Skellig by David Almond (1999)
• Zooman Sam by Lois Lowry (1999)