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?

A Traveller in Time, Alison Uttley - loved that book, Francis Babbington was my first literary crush at the age of 11, bought a copy for my DD, read it again, the ending is so poignant.

Oh help, I read the thread title and was thinking little children's books. I was going to say The Gruffalo or anything by Julia Donaldson like a bit of rhyming, I do

Haven't read a teen book in years though. Sorry, no help.

Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series (starts with Wee Free Men).

I've just reread the Narnia Chronicles and really enjoyed them.

Sheldon - Frances Babbington was also my first literary crush. I never bought the book, but took it out of the library very, very frequently. The thought of him dying himself with walnut juice was oddly stirring .

Also Tom's Secret Garden and Silver Snaffles.

Slam by Nick Hornby.

It's about a teenager who talks to Tony Hawk (well a poster of him) and Tony talks back to him (in his mind) he gets his girlfriend pregnant and doesn't know what to do. He goes on the run, comes home and ends up learning lots of lessons at a young age. I found it a really good and easy read

Does anyone else love the Casson family books? Everyone of them made me cry, but from happiness.

Anne of Green Gables, Roald Dahl, so many others have mentioned.

Chris Wooding - The Haunting Of Alaizabel Cray and Storm Theif
Philip Pullman - especially the Sally Lockhart books. Does anyone know if they made any more of them into films? matt Smith was in the one I saw.

Artemis Fowl by Colin Golfer was good but not so much the sequels.

Many already mentioned especially Arthur Ransome, Susan Cooper, Diana Wynne Jones, CS Lewis, Noel Streatfield, Anne of Green Gables, Frances Hodgson Burnett, E Nesbit.

Has anyone mentioned Judy Blume?

I also like American author Zilpha Keatley Snyder.

I haven't read the whole thread, so apologies for any repeats.

the Judy Blume books
Ultramarine/Rainbow and Mr Zed
Anne of Green Gables
The Little Princess
The Secret Garden
any books by Sarah Dessen
The Northern Lights series.
Alice in Wonderland
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby.

If you like Phillip Pullman I recommend Garth Nix. His Sabriel trilogy is great.

Loving the suggestions on this thread.

Another vote for The Diddakoi. It was made into a programme when I was a child and called "Kizzy". It was brilliant! I grew up having a lot to do with gypsies so understood a lot about it already!

I'm going to save this thread too for books to read myself

Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan for y/a fantasy books.
lots of my favourites listed here- saving this thread for future reference!

To the poster who mentioned Astrid Lindgren - OUP publish lots of her titles including the Pippis, Karlsons, and Emils

I'd also reccomend Neil Gaiman.

Lots of the above plus:
T H White, The Once and Future King
Lucy M Boston, Green Knowe books
Rumer Godden, The Greengage Summer
Pamela Brown, The Swish of the Curtain
Noel Streatfield, The Vicarage Family (one of the most harrowing endings I'd met aged 12)
Anthony Hope, The Prisoner of Zenda
I think someone's mentioned Lorna Hill's Sadlers Wells series?
And definitely Violet Needham - delighted to hear that at least one other person knows who she is! The Black Riders, Stormy Petrel, The Horn of Merlyns, The Emerald Crown etc
Surprised to find I have any time to read adult fiction...

Oh, that's reminded me of how I sobbed at the end of Vicarage Family! A lovely book, although somehow frustrating too.

Harry Potter obviously
The Alanna books by Tamora Pierce
Roald Dahl
Alan garner
Divergent series

I've not read Percy Jackson so will try that
Loving this thread

Eva Ibbotson's books are gorgeously written.

I reread Judy Blume's Forever as an adult and found it...incredibly...annoying...as she overuses...ellipses to a...ludicrous...extent.

Another one, not sure if it's a children's book, is The Princess Bride by William Goldman (also a film), the book is great and I was very chuffed to point out an R.O.U.S. in the Natural History Museum this week to DD. I have a US import which has a lovely fold-out map in it.

Yes to Book Thief, Silver Sword (just re-read to DS and had to stop for a snivel more than once) and also the Tillerman series.

I never 'got' the Arthur Ransome books as a child, but loved reading them with DS.

Michell Paver's Wolf Brother books, and another vote for the Lemony Snicket books. I can't persuade DS to even look at them though .

Was just having a look on the shelves there - would also add The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and The London Eye Mystery.

I love this thread, so many reminders! The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier is amazing - it coloured my reading tastes. Also - Emil and the Detectives. Honor Arundel's Emma series. Joan Lingard's Kevin and Sadie series.

There are a number of them but Goodnight Mister Tom is incredible every single time.

We're going on a BAR hunt

The Otterbury Incident by C Day Lewis. I remembered it from junior school and spent a while searching for it as it was out of print. Very much of its time - post-war, place full of debris from the bombs, but the freedom to play that those children had probably won't be known by children again in this country.