CHILDREN'S books you've enjoyed as an ADULT

[JellySnakesLadderedTights]

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?

Another Percy Jackson fan here. My mother (in her 70s) picked one up on holiday and liked it so much she asked me to find her the whole series on Amazon.

Rosemary Sutcliffe's, 'Brother Dustyfeet', about a boy who runs away and joins a group of medieval strolling players, and 'The Armourer's House', very sweet story about a little girl in Tudor times coping with being sent to live in London with her Uncle and his family. Love these now as much as I did when I was nine.

The Thirteen Days of Christmas by Jenny Overton, have to get that out and read that every Christmas, very funny.

The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett (no film has yet properly done the book justice)

Thursday's Child and When the Siren Wailed by Noel Streatfeild

Play Beatie Bow by Ruth Park, one of the best (and nice) ghost stories I've read as a child and since

I have always thought the mark of a good book is one which can be read at any age and stands up to rereading. When I say it can be read at any age - well, you may need to have reached a particular level of reading ability, and you may not have enough life experience to understand some themes - but once you're old enough for it, a good book will stand the test of time and rereading.

I reread books I enjoyed as a child, and I've read some which have been published since, like Philip Pullman, JK Rowling & Cornelia Funke. I've also read many of the ones mentioned in this thread (Charlotte Sometimes, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, Wizard of Earthsea, Chrestomanci and so on.)

However, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas wound me up. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas I suspect I would have enjoyed it as a child, before I studied German history at A-level and degree, and learnt German. I mean no German child would confuse Fuhrer and fury, and that's just at the start...

The Gideon Trilogy - Linda Buckley Archer

I love this thread! So many wonderful memories of a childhood spent at the library.

Penelope Lively,
Noel Streatfield,
Diane Wynne Jones,
Alan Garner,
Susan Cooper,
Joan Aiken,
Ursula Le Guin,
Arthur Ransome,
E E Nesbit,
Leon Garfield,
Judith Kerr,
J R R Tolkien,
C S Lewis,
Andre Norton,
Richard Adams.

I just wish I was a child again and could read them all for the first time.

Mammoth Pie and Little Rabbit FooFoo.

LetsFace

However, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas wound me up. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas I suspect I would have enjoyed it as a child, before I studied German history at A-level and degree, and learnt German. I mean no German child would confuse Fuhrer and fury, and that's just at the start...

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. I really really hope my dc never have to read it for school!

If you want an Australian blubfest of a book, and you enjoy reads like Little Women, I Capture, Flambards etc, look no further than 'Seven Little Australians.' It's deliciously tragic.

Sunday I loved Charlotte Sometimes. Still remember the hard-backed book I had with the picture of the jar of marbles. You've inspired me to read it again.

Ones I have re-read recently Have been Little Women, Children of the Dust (Louise Lawrence) and The Hounds of the Morrigan (Pat O'Shea).

Ballroomblitz, I bought a paperback edition a few years ago so I could reread it. I was worried that I might find it childish.

I was wrong, it truly is a remarkable book that can be read again as an adult.

Merrylegs, yes to 'Seven Little Australian' and its sequel 'The Family at Misrule' .
I am surprised no one has mentioned 'The Little White Horse' by Elizabeth Goudge, or the books by Violet Needham, including 'The Black Riders', 'The Woods of Windri' and 'The House of the Paladin'. Several of her books have been re-published by Girls Gone By.

Astrid Lindgren has fastastoc books, sadly coulddn't find any paperbacks to buy in UK

Fantastic !

I'm currently reading Ballet Shoes. I remember it being a long story. It isn't. But it's still wonderful (although, why, when they are allegedly poor and desperate for money do they have a cook and Clara (whoever she is). Surely if they were that poor they'd make their own toast.

chrome IIRC they work for their board and lodgings, although how I'd know that (as I wouldn't have thought the book mentions it) I don't know. Maybe that's what I was told as a child, or decided myself as a teen. It's my favourite book ever though, I've read 2 copies until they fell apart!

Harry potter or anything by Roald Dahl,Charlie and the chocolate factory or the BFG being 2 of my favourites.

Susan Cooper The Dark is Rising quintet is the best ever. The second book called The Dark is Rising is one of the best children's books I have ever read. In 1976 I wrote my dissertation on fantasy in Children's Literature post WW2 and used TDiR as my central work.

Danny the champion of the world, the best book ever

Oh, I absolutely agree with all those recommending Charlotte Sometimes. Brilliant book.

Theres a great book i read over and over as a kid called 'the stones are hatching'.
Also loved 'fire, bed and bone' about the peasants revolt as seen through the eyes of a hunting dog.
The farthing wood series by colin dann is excellent, especially 'the fox cub bold'.
If you're into horses 'fly by night' is an absolutely brilliant story, a horse story that isn't all pony club and tally hos. Theres also a sequel.
Anything by dianne wynne jones is brilliant, i was so sad when i found out she had passed away a couple of years ago, no more books from her...
If you're after something more 'teenage' then i recommend the ruby oliver series by e.lockhart and also the casson family series by Hilary McKay.

Astrid Lindgren has fastastoc books, sadly coulddn't find any paperbacks to buy in UK

There are some - I had only ever read Pippi Longstocking, but a year or so ago, following a conversation with a Swedish colleague about a book he was reading with his children, I got the Brothers Lionheart in English.

If you're into horses 'fly by night' is an absolutely brilliant story, a horse story that isn't all pony club and tally hos. Theres also a sequel.
KM Peyton's fab. I still look for any new ones if I'm in the library.

One thing I liked about the Ruth Hollis books (of which Fly-By-Night is the first), is that they feed into the Pennington books (starting with Pennington's Seventeenth Summer) and the Jonathan Meredith books (starting with Prove Yourself a Hero.)

Second Cynthia Hartnett's Wool Pack, got an old copy off ebay as it doesn't appear to be in print anymore.
Just finished reading Roald Dahl's Going Solo: a fantastic read about his time working in Africa and flying in the RAF during WW2. He did a great job of conveying the total unpreparedness/flying (literally) by the seat of your pants those men had to endure. I have been rooting around for Boy, the book about his school days, which I loved, but I think it may have been lost. Will have to join the library waiting list...

Don't think it's been mentioned yet:-

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupèry

Although it is even better in its original Le Petit Prince form in French.

I just adore it- one of those books everybody should read!!

I'm glad nobody has mentioned Twilight.....no doubt now I have mentioned it someone else will.

I did enjoy the Hunger Games. Harry Potter is a given obviously- niece has lent me her Percy Jackson books and might actually give them ago as they have good write ups.

Alan Garner The Owl Service.

Loosely based on the Welsh Mabinogion myths. Heady, realistic and magical. I think it's aimed at young teenagers.

Another title of which I can't recall, but there was a dilapidated isolated house, children, crows on the bed. I wonder if that was Susan Hill actually.

Going off to google...