The competition was tough, but in the end, The Giving Tree [1] was voted the best children's book [2] of all time by you, our readers. Shel Silverstein wrote his classic tale of unconditional love, forgiveness, and understanding in 1964, but it almost never came be. When Silverstein sent his manuscript to editors for publishing, he received some rather harsh feedback [3] that, "the trouble with this 'Giving Tree' of yours is that . . . it's not a kid's book — too sad, and it isn't for adults — too simple." And even though the book has sold more than 8.5 million copies, many moms refuse to read it, seeing it as an emotional look at a self-denying mother who wears herself out for the sake of her child.

But 50 years after it was first published, The Giving Tree continues to delight children and many of their parents, as do other classics like Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon and Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which both made it into the top 10.

Click through now to see which other children's books landed in the top 10.

The Giving Tree

Goodnight Moon

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Charlotte's Web

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Where the Wild Things Are

Green Eggs and Ham

On the Night You Were Born

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom