Curious George

Author: H. A. Rey

First line: This is George.

Why you should read this book: Over sixty-five years ago, Margaret and H. A. Rey escaped Nazi Germany carrying the manuscript for their enduring children's classic about George, who was a good little monkey, but always very curious. In his literary debut, George tries to fly, is arrested for making a spurious call to the fire department, and conducts a first-hand study of the properties of helium. Kids never get tired of his antics, and this story is as fresh as it was six decades ago, with the possible exception of the image of George smoking a pipe before bed.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're vehemently opposed to the idea of taking wild animals from their natural environment and imprisoning them in zoos.