As an infants teacher I am a big fan of Julia Donaldson and have read most of her books over the years. My own children are big fans too. There are the odd duds, as with all authors, but on the whole I think she's one of the best on the current market at what she does.
What I do notice though is that, whenever JD books are discussed, most people automatically think of her Axel Scheffler collaborations, possibly the Lydia Monks ones too. There are so many other wonderful JD stories out there to discover though.
My own personal favourites:-
Room on the Broom - probably the number 1 favourite of both of my girls when they were the target age.
The Highway Rat - seems to get a lot of bad press but I find it an absolute joy to read aloud and it always goes down well with my classes too.
Monkey Puzzle - the simplicity of it makes it perfect for the youngest of Donaldson fans to love and understand.
The Smartest Giant in Town - I'm not surprised many say they hate it, as I appreciate it doesn't rhyme in some accents, but it rhymes for us and is another that goes down so well with the children I teach.
The Snail and the Whale - the language and imagery are simply gorgeous.
Stickman - Always a popular request from every class over the years. There are some really beautiful lines in this book (Stickman is lonely, Stickman is lost, Stickman is frozen and covered in frost gets me every time!)
The Detective Dog - I love the positive messages about visiting the library and encouraging a love of reading.
The Everywhere Bear - as above
Night Monkey, Day Monkey - A lesser known Donaldson but it flows beautifully
The Giant Jumperee - I've not seen this one mentioned yet? We love it!
Fox's Socks - the Acorn Wood series is perfect for toddlers. This one was always our favourite though.
Jack and the FlumFlum Tree - Another lesser known Donaldson which has young children in hysterics.
Worst -
The Ugly Five - I hate everything about this one. Characters who think of themselves as ugly isn't for me, not language or a concept I want to introduce to young children.
The Scarecrow's Wedding - there's so much about his story that I love but the unnecessary smoking and inferno twist completely ruin it for me.
The Baddies - I think her newest Axel Scheffler collaboration will give many young children nightmares. Fancy creating a book for young children where a ghost creeps into a young girl's bedroom!
The Flying Bath - can't get the flow of this one at all and find it quite dull
Cave Baby - behave or we'll feed you to the bear. Top class parenting there! Gorgeous illustrations though.
Tyrannosaurus Drip - not a good message for adopted children or those in care. The concept is that Drip does not belong and absolutely must go back to their own. I don't like that message.
The Rhyming Rabbit - too long and tedious
Spinderella - I'm not sure why she released this as a picture book? She originally wrote it many years previously as part of a reading scheme, aimed at children around 6/7 to read independently. It's far too dull to be enjoyed as a book for adults to read to children.
The Girl, the Bear and the Magic Shoes (I think that's the right title?) - dull to read aloud and a very random plotline.
Overall though there are far more classics than duds when it comes to JD stories. So many I love that haven't even got a mention.