10 Top Books to Take to a Desert Island for Children (2025)
Every mama knows the comfort of gathering her little ones close with a beautiful story in hand. To me, it sounds like a dream to be stranded (maybe just for a little while) with just our books and all the time in the world to read.
If we were stranded on a deserted island with only a handful of books, which ones would we long for most? I surveyed a bunch of Christian families in order to discover what they were reading with their children and which books were their all time favourites.
These aren’t just books to pass the time on your small island. They are companions and friends. They teach us about courage, kindness, perseverance, and friendship—the very virtues that would sustain us even on a lonely shore. In total, 120 books were nominated for the children’s desert island books category. Here are the Top 10 that received the most votes.
1. The Chronicles of Narnia
The Narnia series swept the highest number of votes by far. We will be discussing more about the literary use of magic, spells, witches etc from a Biblical perspective throughout our Storyschooling Journey but it is clear that Lewis’ classic series about the Pevensie children is an enduring choice for Christian families.
Lewis’ series transports children into a world where ordinary children stumble through a wardrobe into a land filled with talking animals and other mythical creatures, brave warriors, deep sorrows, and resounding joys.
Why Narnia belongs on our desert island:
- The stories point us to Christ Himself through the majestic lion, Aslan.
- They stir courage in timid hearts, reminding children that even small acts of faith can tip the balance of a battle.
- They are endlessly re-readable. New truths shine through with each visit to the land of Narnia.
Growth often feels invisible in the moment, but step back and we see God’s faithfulness weaving change, one quiet day at a time.
“Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different…“
– C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian
2. Little House series
The Little House on the Prairie biographical series has long been an absolute favourite of mine. I never got to watch the television series as a child so I was able to enjoy every series for the first time along with my children when the complete series DVDs became available at a local store. We read the books and listened to the audio versions in the car. I am now enjoying them with my grandchildren and love the beautiful picture book version, A Little House Picture Book Treasury: Six Stories of Life on the Prairie and the Christmas stories taken from the Little House series, A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories.
The Ingalls clan, a loving family with their fiddles and firelight, would feel right at home on an island. The Little House books follow the ordinary but heroic adventures of pioneers carving out life with grit, faith, and family devotion. The events in this biographical series will naturally spark a lot of conversations with your children as they learn what life was like and the hardships that came with navigating new people, places and homes.
Why Little House matters:
- It reminds us that family is a refuge, even when the world is harsh.
- Children learn resilience by watching Laura face storms, grasshopper plagues, and long winters.
- The stories are beautifully domestic—bread rising, maple syrup boiling, Pa playing his fiddle—which bring comfort even when life feels uncertain.
What better than tales of making do with what you have and finding joy in the simplest blessings? Simple pleasures, like a shell, a fire, or a song, can make life sweet.
“The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.“
– laura ingalls wilder
3. Anne of Green Gables series
The stories of Anne Shirley and her turbulent growing up years are some of my favourite books and I am glad they made it into the Top 10. This is a great choice to include in your list of favourite young adult books as well as for children.
Why Anne belongs in your survival pack:
- She shows children how imagination can transform even the bleakest circumstances.
- She embodies loyalty, forgiveness, and the joy of friendship.
- She helps children laugh at their own mistakes, while still valuing growth and grace.
On lonely Prince Edward Island, Anne’s delight in “scope for the imagination” encourages your children to see beauty even in seashells and sand dunes. Anne teaches us to greet each sunrise with hope, even if all we see is endless sea.
“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”
– l. m. montgomery, anne of green gables
4. The Secret Garden
Every child’s heart yearns for transformation, and The Secret Garden delivers just that. With a nod to the Garden of Eden and God’s perfect home for us, Mary Lennox’s garden displays the beauty and delight and hope in God’s beautiful and restorative creation.
Why it still enchants:
- It shows that neglected places (and hearts) can bloom again.
- It highlights the healing power of creation and the longing for a perfect world.
- It reminds children that hope and love change everything.
Where growth might seem impossible, Mary Lennox’s hidden garden can teach children to believe in God’s ability to bring life from barrenness. This was God’s plan from the beginning. Children can learn to see beauty everywhere—even in unexpected, forgotten places.
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
– Frances hodgson burnett, The Secret Garden
5. A Little Princess
Pairing beautifully with The Secret Garden, A Little Princess also by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a story of dignity and hope in the face of crushing loss. Even when all seems lost, we still must choose whom we will serve.
Why it’s essential:
- Sara Crewe’s unwavering kindness, even when mistreated, offers a model of Christian character.
- It invites children to imagine themselves as princes and princesses of the true King.
- It assures us that no matter how dark the story, light breaks through.
When hardship may feel overwhelming, Sara’s “princess spirit” would remind children of their true identity. True royalty comes from character, not circumstances.
“If nature has made you for a giver, your hands are born open, and so is your heart; and though there may be times when your hands are empty, your heart is always full, and you can give things out of that—warm things, kind things, sweet things—help and comfort and laughter—and sometimes gay, kind laughter is the best help of all.”
– Frances hodgson burnett, A Little Princess
6. Heidi
High in the Swiss Alps, a little girl brings healing love to everyone she meets. Heidi is the kind of story that breathes fresh air into weary souls.
Why Heidi is perfect company:
- It celebrates the childlike faith of a young girl and the way love softens even the hardest hearts.
- It shows the restorative power of nature—sunshine, fresh goat’s milk, wildflowers.
- It reminds us that joy and kindness are contagious.
Heidi’s mountain meadows show us God’s good creation. She reminds children to flourish where God plants them. His ways and timing are perfect.
“I’ll always say my prayers… and if God doesn’t answer them at once I shall know it’s because He’s planning something better for me.”
– johanna spyri, Heidi
7. Little Britches series
Little Britches is often called “the boy’s Little House series.” Ralph Moody recounts his childhood as a young boy on a Colorado ranch with breathtaking honesty. An inspiring coming-of-age story, this series is a great choice for young adults as well as children.
Why families love Little Britches:
- It models fatherhood, hard work, and integrity in unforgettable ways.
- It doesn’t shy away from loss and hardship, yet it teaches perseverance.
- It opens up discussions about character, grit, and what it means to grow into men and women of honor.
This series teaches Godly virtues and how to ride out the storms by leaning on God when things seem impossible. Hardship builds character and becomes evident in the way we respect and treat others.
“Always remember, Son, the best boss is the one who bosses the least. Whether it’s cattle, or horses, or men; the least government is the best government.”
– Ralph moody, Little britches
8. The Wind in the Willows
These last three classics are generally targeted at younger children but don’t be fooled, any adult or older child is likely to love and laugh along with the delightful antics of these lovable characters as much as the younger ones.
Cozy and whimsical, The Wind in the Willows is very much a journey of discovery and a perfect book to read together with the whole family. Mole, Ratty, Badger, and the irrepressible Toad remind us that home and friendship matter most of all.
Why Wind in the Willows charms us still:
- It teaches loyalty—standing by your friends even when they blunder.
- Its pastoral setting soothes the spirit.
- In the midst of adventure, the humorous moments create shared family memories of beautiful stories shared.
Mole’s longing for his burrow and Ratty’s love for the river echo every child’s desire for a safe, familiar home. Wherever we are, may a warm and loving place be always calling us back to those we love.
“Home! That was what they meant, those caressing appeals, those soft touches wafted through the air, those invisible little hands pulling and tugging, all one way.”
– kenneth grahame, the wind in the willows
9. The Winnie-the-Pooh Collection
A favorite book of mine, I love gifting this beautiful edition to any little ones in our lives. Read my full review here. However, these timeless stories are able to be enjoyed by the big kids (and adults) in your life too.
Why Pooh matters:
- It delights children with gentle humour and whimsy.
- It models friendship, patience, and the art of enjoying small pleasures.
- It’s as endearing and comforting to parents as it is to children.
Don’t we all love to be reminded of Pooh’s gentle words whispering, “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart”? Small blessings and loved ones can sustain us in hard places.
“Piglet: “How do you spell ‘love’?””
– a. a. milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
“Pooh: “You don’t spell it… you feel it.”“
10. The Frog and Toad Collection
Finally, rounding out the top ten, are those simple and humorous but profound tales of Frog and Toad. These short stories were not just enjoyed as beginner books for young readers in our house but were loved long afterward as bedtime stories.
Why these little amphibians matter:
- They embody the give-and-take of true friendship.
- They remind us that ordinary days are full of small adventures worth noticing.
- They are short, sweet, and endlessly re-readable.
Frog and Toad reassure children that companionship and faithfulness make life sweet. Simple moments and friendship are worth celebrating.
“They sat there, feeling happy together.”
– arnold lobel, frog and toad
The Picture Books category had so many nominations with such a broad scope that it was too underpowered to come up with a definitive Top 10 List. There were … books that received just 1 or 2 votes each because participant nominations were so broad and diverse, which is testament to the number of quality picture books we have available to us today.
Some side note advice here is to try to avoid the relentless number of cheap AI-produced children’s books that are now on the market. There are so many picture books that are written by talented authors. It is a well-honed skill to be able to pull out the main points of a story or biography and to condense them succinctly into a beautifully written story that speaks to young and old alike. You want books that are going to acquaint your children with truth, goodness and beauty, not cheap, mass-produced, ‘money-making as the primary object’ schemes.
As well, the other most important appeal of picture books is in the very word “picture”. The most popular picture books are not just about the beautful story but the illustrations from talented illustrators whether these are in the form or paintings, sketches or other. Although AI can clearly do a good job of producing stories and images fast, these are never going to make it to the top of the best seller lists or be enduring classics in the life of your child.
Observe the heartwarming illustrations (called “decorations”) of E. H. Shepard in Winnie-the-Pooh. Delight in the paintings of Ruth Brown and Peter Barrett in James’ Herriot’s Treasury of Inspirational Stories for Children. Which brings me back to the Top 10 Picture Books category …
Let me first clarify the terms Picture Books as opposed to Children’s Books. Some people included Frog and Toad and Winnie-the-Pooh in the Picture Books Category and James Herriot also could be considered a Children’s Book as opposed to a Picture Book. I considered the weighting (or ratio) of words to pictures. If each page was predominantly illustration with just a few lines of text, I placed it in the Picture Book category. If the number of illustrations were outweighed by the text, even if there were only minimal lines of text, then I placed it into the Children’s book category.
For example, Frog and Toad are often used as early readers and have large font with minimal text, but the text still generally outweighs the illustrations, even though there are illustrations on most pages, hence why I have placed it in the Children’s Book category. James Herriot’s Treasury has more text than Frog and Toad but the text is more complex with more advanced vocabulary. This indicates that it is assumed an adult will be reading these books to children and only older competent readers would be able to read this independently. The pages are also typically dominated with 2-page spread full illustrations making it a visual feast for children who may not typically sit through long passages of text.
Clearly, there is a lot of crossover between these two categories and there should be no offence taken should nay of us prefer to place them in both categories or in just one or the other. I have simply utilised this criteria in order to consolidate my Top 10s for each category. Because of this criteria, I could not complete my list of Top 10 Picture Books as it was too underpowered to come up with a definitive list. However, I am very happy to say that James Herriot’s Treasury (one of my all-time favorite books for children) received the same number of votes as the Winnie-the-Pooh Collection and The Frog and Toad Collection so I have added here as a bonus Number 11!
11. James Herriot’s Treasury for Children
This collection of warm, true-to-life animal tales from the beloved country vet brings laughter, tenderness, and delight to readers young and old. Herriot’s gentle storytelling and Ruth Brown and Peter Barrett’s charming illustrations make farm life in the English countryside feel close and comforting—even from a faraway island.
Why Herriot is important:
- His stories celebrate the simple joys of life with animals and the bonds of kindness and care.
- They open children’s eyes to the wonder of God’s creation—whether in the antics of a misbehaving pup or the quiet dignity of a horse.
- They invite both giggles and empathy, teaching compassion through every page.
Herriot’s animal friends become beloved companions, reminding children that love, laughter, and care for creation are treasures that never run out. Herriot shows us that the best adventures often come through unexpected moments, and that joy can be found, whatever our circumstances.
“Animals are unpredictable things, and so our lives became unpredictable as well.”
– James Herriot
What do these great books all have in common?
- Timelessness—stories that never grow old.
- Moral beauty and excellence—examples of courage, kindness, perseverance, and hope.
- Imaginative escape—worlds where children can dream beyond their circumstances and imagine what might be and what they might become.
Together, they form a mini-library of comfort, inspiration, and delight, with lessons to learn in virtue and living well. They make perfect companions for children everywhere, transforming and shaping even their own story.
Honorable Mentions
The following books didn’t receive the votes to make it to the Top 10 but they did still receive several votes each and amongst them are some of our favourites.
Along with the honorable mentions, this list gives you plenty of choices to build your home library of classic children’s literature and a quick go to should you ever actually be faced with a lifelong trip to a desert island heehee. Having a great home library based on quality literature rather than just a great quantity, is one of the best ways to inspire a love of literature and reading in your children. Build their character as you build your library.
These classics remind us that no matter how small our library, when the stories are rich, our children’s hearts and minds are full.
Storyschooling Bible Journey
A 16-year homeschool journey through the whole Bible and Christian History.
YEAR 1: Old Testament, Part 1: Genesis-2 Samuel
- Launching April 2026!
YEAR 2: Old Testament, Part 2: 1 Kings-Malachi
- Launching 2027!
YEAR 3: New Testament: Acts-Revelation
YEAR 4: Christian History: Deeper Bible studies
