Children's books still enjoyable for adults

[Tigertots]

Anne of Green Gables

Richmal Crompton's William books

Jacqueline Wilson (my own personal faves being Sleepovers, Candyfloss, and Bad Girls)

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett: I first read it when I was 14, nearly 15, having seen it in WHSmith's, and correctly identified it as a book with "Anne of Green Gables appeal". When my English teacher learned I was reading ALP, she said "That's very young for you; really good stuff, but it is a book for 11-year-olds."

Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce, and Cold Christmas by Nina Beachcroft (two very similar books; the latter is, sadly, out-of-print and under-rated).

I've always loved Cold Christmas!

The Thirteen Days of Christmas by Jenny Overton

The Box of Delights - John Masefield

The Children of Green Knowe - Lucy M. Boston

The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgeson Burnett

Playing Beatie Bow - Ruth Park . Loved this as a kid and still do

I love Paddington!
Harry Potter.
Boy In The Striped Pyjamas.
Ballet Shoes.

Glad I'm not not the only one who enjoys these books. I'm making my way through the Swallows and Amazons series and loving the escapism.

Watership Down is my all-time favourite, first read when I was about 11. I know part of it is nostalgia but I have never read an adult book I love as much as that "children's" book.

Agree with pp on Children of Green Knowe as well.

Swallows and Amazons
Narnia
Anything by E Nesbit - esp 5 children and it
Apparently David Walliams ones aren’t but I haven’t read them

Lion Witch and Wardrobe...in fact all of the Narnia books

I wish I could include Enid Blyton, who was an ingeniously talented lady, and provided many happy childhood memories; but I'm afraid to say that I think her books have to be read when you're a child: in recent years I've attempted to read some that I missed when I was the right age, and I had to admit that the magic had gone.

My Friend Flicka

Most of Noel Streatfeild's books.
Robin Steven's Murder Most Unladylike series.
The Chalet School

I think I've enjoyed the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder more as an adult than I did as a child (and I loved them as a child).

Recently re-read Carrie's War and loved that as well, the ending in that is very much for the adults! Agree with Tom's Midnight Garden, we went to see a stage production of it a few years ago and the adults were all in tears at the end and my daughters didn't understand why!

Following

Love all of these. I wanted to live at Greene Knowe as a child. Probably still do in fact!

Adrian Mole Although I’m not sure if the later ones in the series are even aimed at children.

Susan Coopers Dark is Rising series

Anything by Ursula La Guin

Dora Chance - have you ever been to the Green Knowe house? It is fabulous, and so how you'd imagine it to be. Years ago my mum and I had a magical trip there

Oh my god there's an actual Green Knowe house?!

Green Knowe

Am amazed no one has mentioned Alan Garner.

Green Knowe is real? Oh my. Where is it?

Agree with so many of these: The Dark is Rising, A Little Princess, My Friend Flicka, The Secret Garden. I think many of them have more resonance for adults in many ways.

Can I add A Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge, one of my all time favourites as a child and still loved now.

It's at Hemingford Greys near Cambridge - just beautiful

Pretty much all these book listed here
Also a book called, The Enchanted Horse by Magdalene Nabb, I still love it as an adult.

puts Green Knowe on bucket list

The Cynthia Voigt books are excellent.

I have even enjoyed reading Little Plum, The Dolls' House etc. by Rumer Goden. DS has not been that interested but maybe DD will be.

I have reread some of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books but they can be quite racist (I know everyone says this about children's books in their defence but it is really more a reflection of the time than the people) so would need some editing/explanation for my DCs.

I think that is probably partly why the Enid Blyton books have dated so much (racist and classist, oh and also sexist). Because they are fiction it seems more unnecessary - LIW was reporting on what real people actually did (blackface) and said ("the only good Indian...)

Charlotte's Web

Yy to Beatie Bow, thought I was the only adult fan!

Harry Potter hasn't been mentioned yet...

Virtually anything by Diana Wynne Jones

Dark is Rising

Antonia Forest’s Marlow books

Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials

I still reread books by Jean Ure and Anne Fine.

Actually pretty much any well written children’s book should be enjoyable for adults too. It pisses me off immeasurably that so many celebrities think they can just knock off a children’s book because there’s no need for good, interesting writing.