Short answer:
Anything by Dr. Seuss
Also, The Father Christmas Letters by JRR Tolkien

Call me lame, but I always liked the pictures in Beatrix Potter books.

For content, I'll have to agree that Zeuss is pretty darn good.

"Where the Red Fern Grows," "A Day no Pigs will Die," and anything by Roald Dahl or Lewis Carol are great for older children (7-11)

Most public libraries have been expanding their websites and include what they read in their children's corner. There are like little bibliographies. I know the Berkeley (California) Public has one such.

As for children's books i would suggest--
Ruth Manning Sanders (brit, mostly folklore-ish tales)
As for illustrated items my own collection is heavy on Trina Schart Hyman, and Mercer and Marianne Mayer
Jan Yolen
Robert San Souci
Edward Lear with the greats Lewis Carroll, A.A. Milne, Roald Dahl, L. Frank Baum
Search Newberry winners...
I could keep going really but have you thought about specializing your list?

www.amazon.com/gp/product...697-5668926

www.ucalgary.ca/~dKbrown/

Have a good day,
iris

coraline by neil gaiman, also, the day i sold my dad for two gold fish (same author).