Many parents and grandparents ask me "Which classics should I buy for my kids?"
Every teacher, librarian or parent has different ideas about what makes a book a classic.
I do have favorites, and I use a certain criteria to judge which books I consider classics! I look at how old the book is. A newly written book may be well written, and popular, but I don't consider it a classic - yet. A classic will stand the test of time. It will still be popular and people will want to read it many years after it was written. A classic should be part of our cultural literacy. In other words, you've grown up knowing about it. If someone mentions Winnie the Pooh, you should know who they're talking about!