Ranked most important

by me
Bell Hooks - Critical Thinking
Keith Gilyard - Children, Arts, and Du Bois
Jerry Large - Gift of Grit, Curiosity Help Kids Succeed
Barry Boyce - A Real Education

by group
Jerry Large - Gift of Grit, Curiosity Help Kids Succeed
Bell Hooks - Critical Thinking
Keith Gilyard - Children, Arts, and Du Bois

I especially liked the one on critical thinking, especially after a Theory of Knowledge class I took, which was about about critical thinking and examining how we know things. I think critical thinking is a fundamental skill and should be at the core of education. It stabs right into the heart of Gatto's writing on the controlling effects of school and doesn't include any of the childhood limiting bits I don't agree with (more in detail in some other entry, can't remember which). The group thought that Gift of Grit was better, but it made my number three spot, so I'm fine with agreeing with that.