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CHILDREN'S books you've enjoyed as an ADULT

200 replies

JellySnakesLadderedTights · 30/01/2014 17:57

Looking for something nice to read that won't take up too much time or mental energy.

Has anyone read any children's books, as an adult, that they have really liked and would recommend?

I personally have read a book called Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin. This is aimed at young teens. It's a very sweet little novel about the afterlife (It' s not a religious book), and I found it very comforting whilst grieving.

So, what are your suggestions?

OP posts:
Astralabe · 30/01/2014 18:04

Tottie's House by Rumer Godden - I watched it as a kid and kept the book - the storytelling is rich and layered, I loved discovering it again.

GandTnow · 30/01/2014 18:05

Read 'The Hunger Games', very readable, also the 'Skulduggery Pleasant' books by Derek Landy are quite funny. My DH got me to read 'Eagle of the Ninth' by Rosemary Sutcliffe as he loved it as a boy - quite good.

Weekipper · 30/01/2014 18:08

I like 'A bit lost.'

VoldysGoneMouldy · 30/01/2014 18:13

Harry Potter (obviously), the Heidi collection, and am now wanting to reread Charlotte's Web.

kiwiscantfly · 30/01/2014 18:15

Anne of Green Gables! All of them, one after each other!

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 30/01/2014 18:15

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas? Or the Philip Pullman 'His Dark Materials' trilogy, starting with Northern Lights.

AlpacaPicnic · 30/01/2014 18:16

Anything by Sarah Dessen - her books make me sob!
Also enjoyed Love, Aubrey for the same reasons...

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 30/01/2014 18:16

Philip Pullman's "Northern Lights" trilogy

NinjaBunny · 30/01/2014 18:18

Goodnight Mister Tom.

First read it aged 9/10 when I didn't actually have feck all clue about the war, London bombings, etc.

Now I've watched Blackadder and read the Horrible History books educated myself I can appreciate it more.

GossamerHailfilter · 30/01/2014 18:19

'This is how I live now' is great.

colleysmill · 30/01/2014 18:21

I read The Hobbit recently for the first time and rather enjoyed it

OneWaySystemBlues · 30/01/2014 18:23

If you've got a kindle, I've just finished reading this: PsiCo Only £1 and a cracking good read. Written by a friend of a friend - he recently won a competition. It's a supernatural thriller, but I was gripped and couldn't put it down, despite just reading it initially because my friend recommended it!

I've also enjoyed the Anne of Green Gables stories as an adult, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, The Power of Five series by Anthony Horowitz, and The Knife of Never Letting Go series by Patrick Ness. All fantastic.

frugalfuzzpig · 30/01/2014 18:25

Artemis Fowl!

BasketzatDawn · 30/01/2014 18:27

Malory Blackman's Knots and Crosses etc.
Heidi

beans37 · 30/01/2014 18:27

Holes by Louis Sachar. Or There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom by the same author. And also Wonder by RJ Palacio. All three very uplifting.

jellycat · 30/01/2014 18:32

The Percy Jackson books, Harry Potter, The Dragonsdome Chronicles by Lucinda Hare, and I recently skimmed though a Michael Morpurgo book (The Nine Lives of Montezuma) which I enjoyed.

LittleBabyPigsus · 30/01/2014 18:33

Anne of Green Gables (the full series), the Little House books, Little Women, What Katie Did series, A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, Black Beauty. All available for next to nothing, whether a physical book or an ebook. Also, Michelle Magorian's books.

FixItUpChappie · 30/01/2014 18:34

Well, I am guilty of really enjoying Teen lit. So here are few fun suggestions:

Divergent - Veronica Roth
The Hunger Games Books - Suzanne Collins
The Beautiful Creatures Series - Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia
The Percy Jackson Series - Rick Riordan

I read C.S Lewis's Narnia Series as an adult after discovering Harry Potter and quite enjoyed (most of) them.

TheNunsOfGavarone · 30/01/2014 18:35

Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines series.

Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book

Eva Ibbotson's Journey to the River Sea and The Star of Kazan

....are some that spring immediately to mind.

TravelinColour · 30/01/2014 18:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FixItUpChappie · 30/01/2014 18:38

I don't think its a teen book per se, but TheNuns suggestion of Neil Gaiman made me want to recommend to you "Neverwhere" by that author which is a fantastic and entertaining read.

IamGrimalkin · 30/01/2014 18:39

The Wardstone Chronicles by Joseph Delaney are very good. They are a series though!

If I'm in the bath and have nothing new to read I will go and find the Faraway tree books :-)

Taffeta · 30/01/2014 18:41

All the Ottoline books are wonderful. And second Neil Gaiman, loved reading Fortunately the Milk to DD

FixItUpChappie · 30/01/2014 18:42

Also, I just finish City of Ember and that was a fun and very short little read. I will definitely pick up the others in that series.

Sorry, I like this topic Grin

MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 30/01/2014 18:42

Another vote for Anne of Green Gables. Also the What Katy Did books, all of Arthur Ransome if you want a bit of gentle adventure.

I love Goodnight Mr Tom. I've read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas but found it harrowing.

Penelope Lively's The House in Norham Gardens. One day I'm going to travel to Oxford and read it from cover to cover in the Pitt Rivers Museum - if you've read it you'll know exactly why.

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