So, having blogged about it and discussed it and generally obsessed about it, I think I’m ready to draw up my list of 12 Books Every Child Should Read Before They Turn 12.

Koala Lou, by Mem Fox
Diary of a Wombat, by Jackie French
Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney
Fox, by Margaret Wild
Selby’s Secret, by Duncan Ball
I am Jack, by Susanne Gervay
Naming Tishkin Silk, by Glenda Millard
Rowan of Rin, by Emily Rodda
45 & 47 Stella Street, by Elizabeth Honey
Storm Boy, by Colin Thiele
Charlotte’s Web, by EB White
Danny, Champion of the World, by Roald Dahl

Of course, this is really a list of twelve authors every child should read – because each author on the list could well be there for other books they have written. And. I could probably have written twelve lists of twelve – there are so many wonderful books that I think every child should read, or at least have read to them. In my list I’ve tried to balance books which are fun with those which are important for the message they contain (though of course these can be fun as well). My list is heavily biased towards Australian books, but I do think it’s important that we offer kids a blend of home grown and imports.

Do you agree with my list? Have a list of your own? Please leave a comment.

Now I’m heading over to The West Australian site to post my list.