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Original poster

What children's book did you first enjoy as an an adult?

116 replies

PunchyAnts · 04/08/2022 12:10

I only read L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables for the first time earlier this year. I watched the series with my Granny and loved it but never got around to the book. It was a rare (for me) case of hoping the book lived up to my happy memories of the film and thankfully it really did.

As a side note, I watched 9 minutes of Anne with an E on Netflix last night and sorry to anyone who adores it, but there's only room in my heart for one Anne.

Any children's books you read first as an adult and enjoyed?

OP posts:
ScarletWitchM · 03/09/2022 20:49

I started reading DS the Percy Jackson books
& ended up reading on my own!
i also really liked the Stone Heart series by Charlie Fletcher

Bouledeneige · 03/09/2022 20:46

I really enjoyed reading 'Ballet Shoes' by Noel Streatfield to my DD - I really re-captured my feeling as a little girl reading it first time around. Despite it being very old fashioned DD loved it too. I also really enjoyed reading the Young Bond series - 'Silverfin' etc by Charlie Gibson to my DS (DD snuck in too to listen). Adventurous, nerve wracking and funny too. We laughed a lot.

Offredismysister · 03/09/2022 20:44

War Horse. I never considered it a Children's book. But everyone says it is.

Newuser82 · 03/09/2022 20:38

Harry Potter! Oh and I love the velveteen rabbit and before you sleep books that I have for my kids .

LikeAnOldFriend · 03/09/2022 20:16

(My username is a quote from them but I promise no spoilers!)

LikeAnOldFriend · 03/09/2022 20:15

Meant to say it is the Anne books that are that for me - I think I read the first one as a child but could barely remember it, discovered them in adulthood and they are my favourite comfort.

LikeAnOldFriend · 03/09/2022 20:14

Op keep reading.... there are some things wonderful Anne books later in the series. My very favourite is Anne's House of Dreams right in the middle.

Midwinterblues · 31/08/2022 22:06

Love Carrie’s War too.
Also Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt - utterly beautiful.

Annettyy · 31/08/2022 09:59

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

happysunr1se · 30/08/2022 21:02

The knife of never letting go by Patrick Ness, also like garth nix and the windsinger books.

DorritLittle · 30/08/2022 20:51

Marianne Dreams and Carrie's War I read only as an adult and loved. I have yet to read Harry Potter!

939300EJL · 30/08/2022 00:50

SushiSuave · 24/08/2022 20:31

The faraway tree by Enid blyton.

That was my favourite book …am going to order it today!

Ballyhoobird · 30/08/2022 00:46

Like others, was in my 20s when HP series came out and loved them, total fangirl. Ditto for TPs Tiffany Aching series, although they just slot in with the rest of the discworld I suppose.

The most recent is The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Gouge, bought for me as an adult by an older friend who had loved the book as a kid. I don't think I got into it at the time, but later read it to my kids and fell in love with it (as did they). Just very lovely to read aloud perhaps.

Also has the added bonus of being an enthusiastically requested bedtime book, but guarantees sleeping children within a couple of pages, unlike HP et al where they're still up 2 chapters later & desperate to hear what happens next...

SushiSuave · 24/08/2022 20:31

The faraway tree by Enid blyton.

MajorCarolDanvers · 24/08/2022 08:26

Harry Potter series

Fairislefandango · 24/08/2022 08:25

Harry Potter and His Dark Matetials. Also Diana Wynne Jones books that I hadn't read as a child. My favourite is Archer's Goon.

Coldhandscoldheart · 24/08/2022 08:19

I read The weirdstone of Brisingamen and Elidor as an adult, there’s a bit in one of them that scared the absolute pants off me, I don’t know if it would have had the same effect when I was a child.

i think I read The Owl Service as a child & didn't really get it, so had missed these two. I re read TOS as an adult, and still didn’t really get it.

I love childrens literature, I took the Horse and his Boy into hospital with me when I was getting induced. We are listening to the audio books of Ramona read by Stockard Channing which I think I am appreciating much more as an adult.

Devo1818 · 24/08/2022 08:07

The Morris Gleitzman Once series. Absolutely gripped. Also Hunger Games.

More YA but also love Between Shades of Grey and Only Ever Yours

ShirleyJackson · 12/08/2022 12:56

Definitely not!

Footle · 12/08/2022 09:44

@ShirleyJackson and they're definitely not by Shirley Jackson.

ShirleyJackson · 11/08/2022 21:09

I’m an idiot. The Earthsea books are by Ursula K Le Guin, not Diana Wynne Jones.

As you were…

Paranoidandroidmarvin · 10/08/2022 16:53

My first would have been the Magic Faraway tree the wishing chair. Anything Enid blyton. Moved onto Malory towers etc.

Then as a teenager I moved onto sweet valley high and sweet dreams books. Then I started down the whole horror line and stayed with that genre.

AKnitterofThings · 10/08/2022 16:46

Another Anne and Megan Follows fan here. I love LMM’s books. I had the AOGG theme tune at my wedding to walk down the aisle. I discovered the books when the tv series came out (I was 20)

ShirleyJackson · 10/08/2022 16:37

The Earthsea books by Diana Wynne Jones. I read them last winter at the grand old age of 47 and loved them.

Tom’s Midnight Garden - I cried at the end, of course.

Goneistheday · 10/08/2022 16:27

Eva Ibbotson books - I'd read Which Witch as a kid but didn't realise it was her. My eldest has really enjoyed reading her books and it's been a nice discovery for me as well.

Robin Jarvis was a childhood favourite and I've read a few more as an adult. Still brill.

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