Added the beloved day of October 5, 2008

Remember hopping into bed in your footie pajamas, cuddling up to hear a bedtime story and letting your imagination dance along from page to page as you followed wondrous characters beautifully inked or painted in fantastic worlds? Even to this today, we're sure there are books from your childhood that have held your imagination, so much so you've enjoyed passing them along to modern children, even if not your own.

Needless to say, we love the boundless prettiment and inspiring sentiments of many children's books, from the classics of Maurice Sendak ('Where the Wild Things Are') and Dr. Seuss to modern classics like 'The Polar Express' by author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg (also creator of 'Jumanji') and newer, marvelously presented stories like 'The Tear Thief' (pictured above) by author Carol Ann Duffy and illustrator Nicoletta Ceccoli.

Although there are countless stacks of kid wonder, we decided to round up a collection of some of our favorite children's books, those with illustrations and stories overflowing with fanciful fun and heartfelt sentiment. We hope you'll recall a few all-time classics and discover a few newer wonders, as books are some of the best gifts you can give any child. Let their pretty imaginations run wild -- and yours too!