In college my English professors would ask the question: What makes a book a “Great Book”?

Is it because it is old or found on many classics booklists? Or does it have to do with what lies between its pages: the ideas it contains and the quality of its story-telling, prose, and characters?

When I became a mother, I began asking myself similar questions: What makes a good children’s book? What books will best form my child’s heart and mind? What books will prepare my child to read the Great Books? What books will help my child treasure reading for a lifetime?