The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury: Picture Books and Stories to…

Too many to list contents, but it really does have all the best-known stories & books, including a lot of our family favorites.
The biggest drawback to these compilations is that they are too heavy to hold comfortably while reading to children, and too thick to turn the pages easily, which also obscures some of the illustrations. ( )

Selected stories and fairy tales

There are so many different books contained in here! A trip down memory lane for you as the child gets to enjoy some classic stories. I have bought this book for 5 of my friends and family. ( )

Unparalleled in scope and quality and designed for reading aloud and sharing, this splendid anthology brings together some of the most memorable and beloved children's books of our time. ( )

Not perfect, after all it includes Babar and The Berenstain Bears.  And, of course, all sense of book design is lost when picture-books are condensed to fit an anthology.  Still, one could do worse than investing in this collection rather than buying all the individual titles.  And, of course, the authors get publicity: if you love a particular story, you can look for more by that author or illustrator next time you go to the library.  Iow, a good gift for a new parent or teacher,  of course. ( )