Reading Children's Books as an Adult

[ItalianChineseIndianMexican]

I was a fairly avid reader as a child but feel I missed a lot of the children’s classics like Wind in the Willows, The Secret Garden, Black Beauty, Anne of Green Gables etc.

I’m thinking I might read them now as a (fairly mature!) adult. Has anyone else done this? It isn’t too weird is it?!

And if you have done / would do it, are there any books you’d recommend?

Thanks.

Noel Streatfeild was a woman

Oh I did know there were more books in the Bagthorpe Saga. The first three books are the funniest though.

Before the internet I didn't know anyone to talk to about The chalet school books, or Antonia Forest novels. I remember being so pleased when I found my first Chalet school thread on Mumsnet. It wasn't just me after all.

Well for 40 odd years I never knew!!! 🫢

she did… amongst many amazing books, probably my favourite author…
Tennis Shoes, Apple Bough, etc.
https://noelstreatfeild.storymole.com

We loved The Children who Lived in a Barn as kids and so I have read it to all of my children too.

Similar but different is A Growing Summer.

I don't think I have read Tennis Shoes! I think I have read all the others though and yes they are great books

That is pretty impressive as some are hard to get hold of, I have about 30 as first editions and am always hunting down more…

My mum had a lot of them as she loved them as a child

Mumsnet gave me a link to the Chalet School books online after I'd had a miscarriage some years ago. Brought me so much comfort that I could read through them, as I'd only ever been able to read the Austria books then bits and pieces of the rest. That's why I stayed!

Also, for those of you who like boarding school books,and are without a daughter to find them out, I'm a huge fan of the Murder most unladylike series - they're great!

I think 101 Dalmatians is my favorite children's book, its a real epic adventure compared to the Disneyfied version. Well worth a read.

My husband bought we a complete set of vintage Famous Five books for Christmas and my daughter bought me the St Clares and Malory Towers set. Absolutely loved them as a child and looking forward to them!
I think they bring back a sense of nostalgia and makes you remember when life was easier and not so serious.

So many of my favourite books listed here. I got DH to read some of my favourites to the DC that he had never read as a child and he loved them as a middle age man coming across them for the first time (particular highlights: Tom's Midnight Garden, Carrie's War, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, The Machine Gunners). I think the best children's books are some of the best stories ever written because they cover big themes in an accessible way.

Anyway, I don't think she's been mentioned yet, and her books are out of print, but Cynthia Harnett's historical novels for children are fabulous. I adored Stars of Fortune as a child but I think The Wool Pack is her most famous novel. Better than 99% of most adult novels.

Just reading it for the first time now and finding it very good. Actually using the German translation to improve my German so I'm listening to both the German and English audiobooks. Any book that is still interesting after I've replayed the same tricky bit several times, is definitely a good book.

I don't think anyone has mentioned one of my favourite authors, David Almond. His books are amazing, lyrical, hallucinatory. He has some books aimed at young kids, and others more around 10 and some for young teens. The Colour of the Sun, A Song for Ella Grey, Bone Music, Skellig and My Name is Mina are all fabulous.

Sue Barton nurse books, goes all through her career

Same here, want to get back to all the classics. I wish I’d kept all my books (my mum hadn’t decluttered them
out of my life!!)

Weird? Why would it be weird? I enjoyed the Arthur Ransome's S&W books far more as an adult than as a child.

The secret garden. I loved the BBC serial version, but was disappointed in the most recent film remake. It was overdone and had lost the magic.

Black Beauty was not written for children, btw, it was to draw attention to the poor treatment of many horses.

I knew a lady who was 'in service' with relations of Noel Streatfield - not the immediate family, but not far removed. Sorry, no anecdotes.

Somewhere I read or heard that 'there are no such things as childrens' books', meaning that all are for adults, too.
I've never read 'Charlotte's Web' and I mean to ask for it in the library.
Edited to put a word in.

As CS Lewis once said - "Someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again”.

I recently re-read the Anne of green Gables series and loved it which actually led to me discovering the Emily Starr trilogy which I had been completely unaware of as a child and absolutely loved it! But for nostalgia reasons, re-reading the Mallory Towers and St Clare’s books as an adult gives me such joy. I remember the feeling of being cosied up in my room as a child and reading them for the first time.

There are a couple of sequels, taking her up to adulthood.

Try Cue for Treason, A Wrinkle in Time, I am David. And the Laura Ingalls Wilder series is wonderful.

Just read A Wrinkle in Time, post stranger things! I enjoyed it, although probably not as much as if it had a nostalgia element.

My first intro to it was The Babysitter's club 🤣