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

[PunchyAnts]

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?

Just 9 minutes? I'd give it more of a try than that before completely writing it off.

I wasn't hooked by the vibe of the first few scenes. Would you recommend the series?

Little House on the Prairie

@PunchyAnts I didn't like Anne with an e either. Much prefer the Megan Fellows one.
Loved the books as a kid.

The Harry Potter books. They were clearly children / young adult, but I still enjoyed them.

I used to love going through the DK board books on things like colours and animals with my kids when they were really little.

One was at day nursery and they were watching Jungle Book. Bagheera appeared and the nursery nurse said "Look at the big pussy cat"

My 2 year old said " That's a panther"

Other than that like PP Harry Potter for me.

One of the few I could get into as an adult was 'Goodnight Mr Tom'.

I love children's books, but generally only those I first read as a child. Most new ones I just can't get into.

The first five Percy Jackson books. When the last one came out I was working mornings only, so DD would read it after school and in bed, then I'd read it in bed and take it to read on my commute and return it to her after school.

Sophie Anderson's books are lovely to read.

Yes, Harry Potter here too. I was in my early 20s when they first came out and ignored the hype, but I read them to my kids recently and finally understood! Especially the HBP and the Deathly Hallows.

I also recently read The Space We’re In by Katya Balen with my children and cried like a baby. Such a beautiful, heartfelt book.

Watership down. Loved it although it made me cry

Goodnight Mr Tom was a favourite of mine growing up. Still in my top 10.

Another one that read the Anne of Green Gables novels as an adult, though I loved the TV series as a child. Megan is definitely the best and one and only Anne though DD likes the new Netflix one. I also read the Blue Castle and Jane of Lantern Hill by the same author, as an adult but couldn't get into Emily Moon. Might give it another go.

Also loved The Little House on the Prairie books as an adult. I think I would have found them a bit dull as a child, but I find the depictions of daily life really fascinating now. My favourite is The Long Winter.

I also discovered recently the rest of the What Katie Did Series which focuses more on Clover (the more interesting sister!) and one of the brothers. Katie and Rose Red make a few cameo appearances.

I missed Harry Potter the first time round, but really enjoyed the books when I read them with dd1 a few years ago.

My absolute favourite children's books I've read as an adult is the How to Train your Dragon series. They are so funny and really engaging. Cressida Cowell is such a fantastic writer.

@biddyboo i really loved reading the how to train your dragon books with DS too. And the Harry Potter books.

I also liked Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom books.

I capture the castle!

Ooh, will have to check out the Garth Nix ones.

See, I think this is a book for anyone, not specifically adults. Like The Wind in the Willows.

anyway to answer the question - Louis Sachar’s Holes.

I Capture the Castle isn't written for children at all, though it is about a teenage girl. I read it and the Cazalet Chronicles, along with anything from lots of YA and anything from James Baldwin and Colette and lots of poetry to Jackie Collins, in my teens,

Ones I missed out on until much later - several later books by Diana Wynne Jones and Joan Aiken - I am in my 50s with teenagers, so didn't even see the later Wolves books like Dido and Pa until my 20s, later Chrestomancis and many others until 30 I think.

Goodnight Mr Tom - I would have been the perfect age for this at 10 or 11 when it was published though I might have moved on to the teen shelves in the library and charity shop by then.

Philip Pullman, Northern Lights - again, I was an adult though i took me a few years to read it. I remember a friend and her daughter (quite young) both reading and enjoying in the mid 1990s but it took me a while to catch up.

L M Montgomery, Emily of New Moon and Emily's Quest - I had devoured the Anne books and had a copy of the first of these but probably as I was reading more books not for children at 14 up. I have read the whole trilogy and would not say don't read it but #3 is a disappointment.

I only discovered Penelope Lively as an adult and really enjoyed 'The House in Norham Gardens' as well as 'A Stitch in
Time'.

One of my absolute favourites (also discovered later in life) is 'A Traveller in Time' by Alison Uttley.

Harry Potter for me.

As an aside, I loved Anne with an E - didn't think I would as I loved the TV series as a child, but it's great. I'd give it more of a chance.

Harry Potter in my 20s for me too.

Also the King of the Copper Mountain and Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NiMH which I only discovered after I had kids.

The Borrowers, Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, and a few by Alan Garner that I hadn’t read when young.

I've revisited the Chalet School books after reading them as a child & fallen in love with them again. I have bought all the fill ins as well.

Harry Potter for me!

I remember reading them on the tube on the way to work. At one stage, 75% of the tube carriage were reading the same thing! 🤣