Books to Read Before You Die

Today, one of my classes was in the library, and I stumbled upon the book 1001 Books to Read Before You Die.  Now, generally, must-read book lists contain modern junk and hardly ever a single classic.  This one, however, had a section for each century, beginning with Before 1700s and going up to 2000s.

Anyway, my immediate thoughts, being a book junkie, was "whoa, I wonder how many of these 1001 books, I've ACTUALLY READ!"  So I went back during lunch break to see.

I flipped through the pages and took a tally.  You will all be so proud of me!  Of the 1001 books to read before you die, I have officially perused a grand total of 22!  Anyway, I've obviously got a long life ahead of me.

In all seriousness, though, as I went through the book, I couldn't help but notice that it lacked several books that I believe to be incredibly significant.  I think this is due to the fact that there was a noticeable lack of children's books, among which I believe to lie some of the greatest works of fiction.  Things like, Anne of Green Gables, Peter Pan, The Secret Garden,  and The Trumpet of the Swan.  They're SO important!  I can't stress how important children's books like these are! 

Anyway, if I had to have a list of books to read before you die, it would include:

• All the Sherlock Holmes books (my favourites of all times)
• The Lord of the Rings
• The Anne of Green Gables books
• The Chronicles of Narnia,
• All books by E. Nesbit
• All books by Virginia Woolf
• All books by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• National Velvet
• The Trumpet of the Swan
• Anna Karenina
• The Moonstone
• Wuthering Heights
• and many more which presently aren't balancing on my brain's frontal lobe. 

I honestly and eagerly question you, my dears, what books do you believe are among the most essential books ever?  If you give me your answers, I'll get them all together, and we'll see what 'funny fruits' we get.