As an Adult, What Children's Books Have You Enjoyed?

[SprinkledGlitter]

I've seen an old thread about this and I thought I'd create a new one.

What would you recommend? I love discovering new books!

My mother read the Little House books at the same time I first did, and it was interesting how her tale on them differed - I identified with Laura, but she was with Ma and thought she must have got so fed up with Pa wanting to move on all the time, and having to pack up and set up home again and again.

Many of the above, but I don't think anyone has mentioned Margaret Mahy or KM Peyton yet.

The Murderer's Ape by Jacob Wegelius. Wonderful adventure story about Sally Jones (the ape) trying to prove her Chiefs innocence who was framed for murder. I have the sequel on my tbr.

Kill the Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky. More of a young adult fiction but the story is about what you would expect from the title.

I don't have kids

Goodnight Mr Tom. I read this when it first came out, checking out resources for teaching the Home Front in WW2. At first I was embarrassed to be reading a children's book on the train, but I got involved in it and didn't care any more.

The first book I remember reading to a class as a student teacher was The Witches by Roald Dahl. A lot of Dahl has needed softening, to put it mildly, but I still think The Witches stands up well. And I like the fact that (spoiler alert) it doesn't have the expected ending - the main character doesn't get turned back Into a boy, but he's OK about being a mouse.

I haven't seen Dogger by Shirley Hughes mentioned yet. Not a dry eye in the house - well, not among the adults anyway - as you read 'Then Bella did a very kind thing...'

I also love the classic Peace at Last by Jill Murphy. I had to buy my son a second copy because he'd worn out the first.

As a child I read some books over and over and they still bring me pleasure some 40 years later.
Heidi - Johanna Spyri
Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
The Bobbsey Twins series - Laura Lee Hope.
The Swish of the Curtain - Pamela Brown
Pollyanna - Eleanor H Porter
Alice's adventure in wonderland- Lewis Carroll
I still love Enid Blyton classics - St Clare's / Mallory Towers / Famous Five / Five Findouters and am working my way through these on BorrowBox with my daughter

When my DD was little I loved reading The Terrible Underpants by Kaz Cooke to her doing a really strong Australian accent (I am not Australian) It always made me laugh. I also liked reading Julia Donaldson's books aloud. When she got older I enjoyed reading her copies of Harry Potter, all the Percy Jackson series and spinoffs, Lockwood and Co.

The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer is a good read.

Charlotte's Web.

So many wonderful books mentioned! A few I need to dig back out.
I love Goodnight, Mr Tom. It was the saddest book I had ever read age 12. I cried inconsolably for ages and I can’t even think about it now without welling up, 30 years later.

I see some love for Rumer Godden too. I adored Holly and Ivy. Another one I can’t read without crying my eyes out. I read it to my daughter recently and I got so choked up at the end I could barely read the words.

I capture the castle is a huge favourite of mine. I will also always love The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Alan Garner is also an absolute legend.

Yes @Thingsthatgo ! Just recently read it to my DD. She asked me if she was my magnum opus.

Oh and The Little Princess. Frances Hodgson Burnett. A favourite of mine throughout childhood.

Another vote for Charlotte's Web.

Danny Champion of the World
They Both Die At the End
How to Train Your Dragon
The Ramona Quimby books

anyone who's on this thread might enjoy Lucy Mangan's Bookworm - a brilliant account of her childhood reading

I loved this, it was so evocative, I felt like I was right back in my childhood.

Laura ingalls Wilder
Flambards
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Anne of Green Gables
Monica Dickens - Follyfoot
Just William
CS Lewis
Mary Poppins
The Box of Delights
The 'Shoes' books
The Swish of the Curtain
The Children of Greenknowe
Tom's Midnight Garden
Joan Aiken - especially anything with Dido Twite
Charlotte Sometimes

Skellig is amazing (discovered as an adult)
Moondial
Charlotte’s Web
Carrie’s War
Private, Keep Out (very of its time, in many ways, but utterly charming and cry-with laughter funny)
The Sally Lockhart Philip Pullman books

Trebizon chalet school and Antonia forest are ones I have reread recently

Plus the what Katy did series. Particularly the last 2 -clover and in the high valley which I only discovered as an adult -girls gone by publishing publish them (and chalet stuff)

All of them! The cat in the hat is a personal fave. I like re-reading Enid blyton, judy Blume, RL Stine etc.

This thread had brought back great memories of books I loved as a child. Laura Ingalls Wilder seems a common favourite. I think it was my favourite series We went to the library every week as children and it was my favourite time of the week. Although many series I had to read out of order! This was the 60's!
Others I loved:
The Silver Sword- Ian Serralier
The wolves of Willoughby Chase-Joan Aitken
5 children and it-E Nesbit
Mrs Pepperpot
Pippi Longstocking
Anne of Green Gables
Little Women
What Katy did
Heidi
Mallory Towers and St Clare's, 5 go etc
All Enid Blyton
I look forward to introducing my granddaughter to these books as I did with my daughter.

If you like fantastic fiction then Frances Hardinge is an excellent modern author. I also adored Wed Wabbit by Lissa Evans.

I loved Diary of a Chav books by Grace Dent. I'm not a reader and wasn't as a teen but read these at about 18 and laughed the whole way through. Gave them to my mum when I finished and she laughed lots too. Completely opposite to her usual Ian Rankin and James Patterson!

Philip Pullman Lara/Dust books, the Hunger Games series and lots of Michael Morpurgo books.

The above I enjoyed as an adult. The books I enjoyed as a child that have been mentioned upthread are Tom's Midnight Garden, Flambards series, The Dark is Rising series and Goodnight Mr Tom.

I love children's books. I tell myself it's because I'm a primary school teacher so I need to read them to stay relevant, but really I just love them.

Here are my favourites:

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and its prequel series All the Wrong Questions.

The Murder Most Unladylike series and its prequel series The Ministry of Unladylike Activity by Robin Stevens.

The Diamond Brothers series by Anthony Horowitz.

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo.

The Secret Garden and A Little Princess by Frances Hodgeson Burnett.

I'm sure I'll think of more later!

Ramona Quimby,
Goodnight Mr Tom
The wolves of Willoughby chase.

I think there is nothing wrong with reading children's books, as an adult. To me, the sign of a well written children's book is that it is enjoyable as an adult too. And we don't have to stick to gritty reality or intellectually challenging books all the time - nothing wrong with a bit of relaxation and nostalgia.

I had forgotten one of my favourite series of books - the Sue Barton series, by Helen Dore Boylston.

Katherine Rundell wrote an essay about why adults should read children's books. I'd rather read a children's classic like 'Tom's Midnight Garden' or 'Carrie's War' than most genre fiction.

One that is even better as an adult is Adrian Mole. My children are teenagers now and they make me howl with laughter.