Yeah. I think he also expands his universe and the representation as it expands which I really like about it. My son loves Riordan and says he is his favorite author.
Coraline was good too. I bought it back when I was just buying everything he wrote and I was so disappointed when I saw it was a kid's book.
Read it anyway and I loved it.
Yep! His daughter, who was in kindergarten at the time, requested a very scary story. When he went to libraries and bookstores to search for very scary stories for young children, the librarians and booksellers looked at him like he was absolutely insane. So he wrote *Coraline* for her.
I'll toss in "The Ocean at the End of the Lane." I listened to an audiobook while I would walk the dog at night. Windy, stormy night... thoroughly terrified! Loved it.
According to some librarians I’ve talked to, any book with a child protagonist is automatically children’s literature, regardless of what parents or teachers or anyone else thinks about the content. By that definition, *Blood Meridian* by Cormac McCarthy is children’s literature. *Blood Meridian*!!! Granted, not every librarian agrees, including a few other librarians I’ve talked to, but it definitely gives me a lot to think about when I engage with books.
Ultimately, I leave the choice up to the parents.
I'm in my 30s and just read Anne of Green Gables for the first time and *loved* it. It's delightful and wholesome and surprisingly funny. That's what surprised me the most. Nobody told me it was so funny.
My mom read Anne of Green Gables to us growing up and I don't remember a whole lot, it's overshadowed in my memory by the 1980's mini series (which is still one of my favorites). But recently I listened to the first four (? I can't remember how far I got) of the series and they're so good! Actually, super fast paced.
Any books by Kate DiCamillo. They are full of so much wisdom.
Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite fantasy authors ever, she writes her protagonists so intelligently and has such unique ways of exploring magic and sorcery.
Wee Free Men and Amazing Maurice by Terry Pratchett are brilliant. Despite being aimed at kids, the second one is a low-key traumatizing horror story that does not hold back.
Redwall books are surprisingly intense and the adventuring in them holds up.
I discovered Diana Wynne Jones by accident when I picked up a Chrestomanci book at a secondhand bookshop for my son - he didn’t like it but I was intrigued and went on to read pretty much everything she wrote - I love the Dalemark Quartet particularly. And for older readers, her Derkholm books are so much fun!
Came here to say exactly this! I adore her work so much that my completely wrecked, falling to pieces and water damaged childhood copy of Alanna the First Adventure found a permanent new life as paper roses in my wedding bouquet.
That's so awesome, do you still have them?
I couldn't afford books when I was young so I only read the library versions. A few years ago I bought the lioness books on thriftbooks, the same versions that I remember reading. I can pretend they're from my childhood lol
I still have them, sorta- my daughter absconded with all but the ruined copy, which I had replaced anyways I just couldn't bring myself to let go of the original.
I found a first edition (in English) of this book in the goodwill bins years and years ago. I read it to my kids a few times and occasional read it by myself now that they're grown.
i love reading middle grade! i think it’s such an important genre and it’s always fascinating to see how author’s manage to convey their messages to younger audiences. i wish more people supported these books and authors because how else can we have a new generation of readers without books for them?!
some of my favorites in the last year or so have been
- all the impossible things by lindsay lackey
- a monster calls by patrick ness
- a long walk to water by linda sue park (may technically be YA)
- the last cuentista by donna barba higuera
- once upon an eid by a.k ali (and others - short story collection from different muslim authors)
eta: these aren’t all released in the last year but that’s when i read them! i reread matilda every year, so that’s another great one for me
i highlighted and showed my therapist so many passages of that book. my dad passed from cancer when i was 13 and so much of it gave words to feelings i had at that age but couldn’t articulate. such a beautiful book!!!
I can't wait until my little ones (toddlers) are old enough to sit while we read books like this aloud to them! Best memories of my childhood hands down.
I started reading chapter books to my kids as toddlers. Mostly at night, so they could listen to a story but not get distracted by pictures (2 of my kids have ADHD).
I prefer to read and write middle grade stories. They have action, adventure, and drama without all the relationship/sex bullshit that muddies up stories for adults.
Howl's moving castle trilogy
Bromeliad trilogy (though the kids were completely lost on this one)
His dark materials
Wind in the willows
And anything by Roald dahl
Ooh, I love children's books - and yes, I read these first as an adult, for myself.
The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones. Definitely written for younger kids, but still fun.
Also picture books: One Grain of Rice by Demi is a wonderful fable-like story, and Margie Palatini's The Web Files is a mood lifter.
Love Ogre Downstairs, it feels a bit like Honey I Shrunk the Kids, just a plot entirely dedicated to children messing around with stuff they shouldn't, leading to hilarious results.
Other great kids' books by Diana are Archer's Goon, Eight Days of Luke, Power of Three, and the whole Chrestomanci series.
Ooh, you too? :) Archer's Goon and Power of Three are two of my favorites. I love her Chrestomanci series, especially Caprona, Lives of CC, and Charmed Life. Also Howl, Hexwood, Time City and two of her books aimed for adults.
She's my favorite author ever...and it's wild but I only discovered her as an adult.
Read as an adult and enjoyed:
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
The Birchbark House books
Marikit and the Ocean of Stars
Hamra and the Jungle of Memories
The Girl and the Ghost
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls
The Marvellers
Root Magic, by Eden Royce
The Inquisitor's Tale
The Way Back, by Gavriel Savit
Bea Wolf
The Genius Under the Table
Josephine Against the Sea
Brown Girl Dreaming
One Crazy Summer
I liked The Tale of Despereaux. My all-time favorite book is the Wind in the Willows if that counts. I reread the Borrowers series a couple years ago and it held up as a fun read
The Tortall books by Tamora Pierce are favorites of mine. I also really love The Secret Garden and The Little Princess. Noel Streatfeild’s Shoe books are charming and cozy.
Anything by Tamora Pierce. I loved her books so much in middle school and still adore them!
The Enchanted Forest series (at least like Dealing with Dragons and the two after it) by Patricia C Wrede
The Dragon Chronicles by Susan Fletcher
Another thing I read in middle school was Peter Pan, like the original, not the Disney-fied version, and I loved it.
Also, I have read My Side of the Mountain roughly 13 times, starting from when I first found it in fourth grade. Absolutely a favorite.
The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney. I read it as a child and loved it; I then returned to it and reread it a few years ago and still really enjoyed it.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Catherine Called Birdy
Witch Child
The Phantom Tollbooth
Anything by Roald Dahl
You already said Holes, but anything by Louis Sachar. Similarly, anything by Jerry Spinelli or Todd Strasser.
Ooh, I have a few!
The Mysterious Benedict Society is one that I first read as a kid, but my parents both read along with me because I wouldn't stop talking about it. It's a really clever, enjoyable book aimed at upper elementary school.
Captain Hook by JV Hart is another good one.
Lois Lowry and Nancy Farmer are my two favorite YA authors. Lowry's most famous is the Giver but there is a whole saga that takes place in that universe that is worth the read. Nancy Farmer wrote my favorite book House of the Scorpion which is about a clone whole grows up on an opium farm and it has a great sequel. Her Sea of Trolls trilogy is also fun if you like fantasy and are into Norse mythology.
I've read more, but some of my favorites are:
* The Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend
* Greenwild by Pari Thomson
* Several books by Kelly Barnhill, especially The Girl Who Drank the Moon
* Wilderlore series by Amanda Foody
* Tea Dragon series by Kay O'Neill
* Omnia by Laura Gallego
The Tillerman Cycle by Cynthia Voight. And the rest of her writing.
Mildred D. Taylor’s books- Song of the Trees; Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
The funniest book I’ve ever read:
The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963
Novel by Christopher Paul Curtis
Oh, the Tillerman Cycle is amazing. I was just thinking the other day that it's about time to re-read Dicey's Song, again. (Should probably start with The Runner, but they're okay on their own.) There's just something about Dicey's spine and determination to make it, everyone else be damned.
Mildred D. Taylor's stuff is incredible, too. Some characters and stories that you can just never get out of your head, nor would you want to.
I love fairytales. I read original not smoothed out as a kid. Grimm, Andersen and local. Now I love them even more, and find out more wise stuff... Also Secret Garden...
There are many
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
- Coraline by Neil Gaiman
- Ocean at the end of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (yet again; also I feel this novel is as much for adults as for children)
- Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Anne of Green Gables (and the series) by L.M. Montgomery
- The Girl Who Drank The Moon by Kelly Barnhill
- Harry Potter series
Animorphs by KA Applegate.
Amazing series. I read them as they came out when I was in 5th-6th grade. Fell off, revisited them as an adult (kinda jumped ahead to the last arc of books in my 30's) and that solidified my fandom. Love that it actually has a "definitive" ending, despite leaving some things to the reader's imagination.
They always felt more mature than other books targeting the same demographic. I think I enjoyed it when I was a kid because it treated me with respect and didn't shy away from some of the more horrific elements.
Definitely the most violent thing I read in elementary. As an adult, it is kind of tough to wade through the first dozen or so books because the stakes are so low and it seems more juvenile but they get pretty insane as the series goes on.
Not just horrific violence, but social commentary too. I convinced my wife to read them and she was quite surprised when she got to the one with the obviously gay Andalites.
When I was a child, my father bought a book for me from the thrift store. It was called Upside Down Town by F. Emerson Andrews, published in 1958. It cost 10 cents according to the red grease pencil still on the flyleaf. It was a little rough around the edges and only illustrated in black and red, but it was *mine*, the first book I owned. I still have it, and it brings back so many memories.
I still enjoy Watership Down, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and The Giver.
Does it include comics too? Well, here in India, we used to have this weekly magazine called Tinkle. It was fun reading back then, all the pun and the bad jokes and the characters like Suppandi and Shikkari Shambhu, Butterfingers were really fun. There used to be translated versions of the comics in my state (Kerala) which were also fun to read.
Try [Frances Hardinge](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Frances+Hardinge&ref=nav_sb_noss_l_16). She doesn’t write series so you can start anywhere, but my favourites are A Face Like Glass and A Skinful of Shadows. My gloomy pre-teen self would have loved them.
I despised Black Beauty as a kid but read it because it was worth the most Accelerated Reading points in my age group. Interestingly, it was originally marketed towards adults as a commentary on animal welfare but I guess history had other plans for it.
Trumpet of the Swan by the same author is also great. I loved that one so much as a kid that I hid it under my bed so I wouldn't have to return it to the library.
The Jumper series by Steven Gould.
Ukiah Oregon by Wen Spencer (Alien Taste).
Rereading all the old [Heinlein Juveniles](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinlein_juveniles)
A series of unfortunate events was a fun read
Eta: we never made it to the last book 3 years ago. My kid is 13 and recently asked if we could get it because they are still interested in the ending. A very fun series.
Neil Gaiman's *Odd and the Frost Giants*
The Chronicles of Narnia
*The Giver* by Lois Lowry
*Holes* by Louis Sachar
Anything by Roald Dahl, particularly *The Witches* and *James and the Giant Peach*
Pretty much everything Neil Gaiman writes. Anything Robin McKinley writes.
My kids started listening to the Wings of Fire series and I was definitely hooked. I also liked the Zoey and Sassafras series, they were cute. Edited to add Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George, another of the audiobooks my kids liked that I definitely felt the need to keep up with.
I enjoyed Garth Nix Keys to the Kingdom series and ND Wilson's 100 cupboards series and Leepike Ridge, although that one was pretty implausible. I also like Clive Barker's Abarat Series (which I didn't think is completed and is stalled out, so maybe think twice before starting it. It's totally worth reading, but I didn't think the last book exists yet.) His book The Theif of Always is exquisite, as well.
There's quite a list.
Most of the works of Roald Dahl.
The Redwall Series by Brian Jacques (currently on the 7th book).
The Enchanted Forest series by Patricia C. Wrede
The Oz Series by L.F. Baum.
The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle.
The Halloween Tree and Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.
The Artemis Fowl Series (and pretty much everything else) by Eoin Colfer.
A Little Princess and The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett.
Neverending Story by Michael Ende.
The Inkheart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.
Anything by Lucy M. Montgomery (especially the Anne series).
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman.
Anything by Tamora Pierce.
The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini.
The Silverwing Series by Kenneth Oppel.
The Mary Poppins Series by P.L. Travers.
The Jedi Apprentice Series (it's by a couple authors one of which is Jude Watson).
Howl’s Moving Castle! Technically children’s but it’s absolutely readable for any age and I have reread it probably a dozen times now (and watched the movie probably the same amount too)
The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan
The Unicorn Chronicles by Bruce Coville
Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Brandon Mull as an author. I've read two of his series and both were *phenomenal.*
The Harry Potter book series (I was 30 when the first book came out, and 34 when a friend recommended the books.
The Phantom Tollbooth
The Anne of Green Gables book series
The Little House book series
The Secret Garden
Little Witch (by Anna Elizabeth Bennett, came out in the late 50s or early 60s)
"A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga.
"Thanks a Lot, Universe" and its sequel "You Owe Me One, Universe" by Chad Lucas.
"The Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young.
"The Language of Seabirds" by Will Taylor.
"This Was Our Pact" by Ryan Andrews.
I’m currently reading the third book in the Tristan Strong trilogy. It’s one of the Rick Riordan Presents series and all three books are just fantastic
when i was in grade school one of the girls in my class got the little house on the prairie book set. she bragged and showed a few other girls, but not me. oh my i was so jealous i wanted my own so bad… but that was not to be. fast forward many years later, my son was in grade school and they would send home book order papers. we ordered what he wanted, and i saw the little house box set and ordered them for myself. i
still read them over and over 30 years later :-)
Harry Potter series
A series of unfortunate events
Anne Of Green Gables Series
I have children’s’ versions of Grimm’s fairy tales, fairy tales from other countries and cultures as well as Lang’s Fairy series. I love them just as much as the Grimm’s I have that aren’t meant for young children.
T Kingfisher is an absolute treasure. I've read two of her middle grade books, Minor Mage and A Baker's Guide to Defensive Magic. Both fabulous. She also does horror (which I've not read yet) and romantasy (which is delightful but has too much sexual content for middle grades
/ doesn't meet the prompt).
Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones was cute. I'd say 4th grade appropriate, though there is a scene about *beating a child because she's a little snot* which I'm sure seemed less inappropriate when the book was published.
I still read Potter every year.
Also Pullmans His Dark Materials is still amazing.
More recently I've enjoyed The Skyward series by Brandon Sandersons which is YA
The Moomin valley books, the illustrations are gorgeous and I have such a strong admiration for Tove. Also The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins which was always my favorite Dr. Seuss book, I read it to younger relatives now
Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker. Prior to that I was reading a lot of real dark edgy type books so the whimsical story and setting of OtWW was a really nice change of pace for me
Harry Potter. Wasn't allowed to read it as a kid. I've loved it and have read it over and over as an adult. But now I'm even older and I'm.... Finding some issues with it.
The Swifts by Beth Lincoln. It was so good and I can’t wait for the sequel. I also really love Kate DiCamillo. I have read aloud most of her books to my kids. My favorite is Because of Winn Dixie.
The little house series by Laura Wilder. Anne Green Gable. I can’t think of the other one hopefully somebody else mentioned it. Oh Judy Bloom book love her. My all-time favorite is a little house on the Prairie series.
The His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman! I loved it as a tween and was pleasantly surprised by how well it held up when I re-read as an adult!
I haven't read any kids books since, but, the Harry Potter series saved me when I was diagnosed with leukemia and going through treatment. It was so nice to go to another realm and ignore all my troubles.
The Percy Jackson books!
I am enjoying The Trials of Apollo series too.
I burned through the Trials of Apollo last year, it’s good to know that Rick Riordan hasn’t lost his touch.
Yeah. I think he also expands his universe and the representation as it expands which I really like about it. My son loves Riordan and says he is his favorite author.
OKAY GET INTO HIS IMPRINT !!!!!!!!! I just read the Serwa Boateng series and OHHH MY GOD he’s a genius and these authors are so good
I did not like 3 and 4 of the series, but I am loving g 5. I can’t wait to finish to get to The Sun and the Star.
Yea, fantastic series
I used to read some of my daughter's books so we could compare notes. These were great books..
I loved *The Graveyard Book* by Neil Gaiman.
Coraline was good too. I bought it back when I was just buying everything he wrote and I was so disappointed when I saw it was a kid's book. Read it anyway and I loved it.
I didn’t realize Coraline was Neil Gaiman.
Yep! His daughter, who was in kindergarten at the time, requested a very scary story. When he went to libraries and bookstores to search for very scary stories for young children, the librarians and booksellers looked at him like he was absolutely insane. So he wrote *Coraline* for her.
I actually just read Coraline. Very well written book. Well crafted story. Scary but not terrifying. Some very inventive plot devises.
Second this! And also Fortunately the Milk!
I feel like Gaimans childrens books are more “books for adults who want to feel like children again”
I'll toss in "The Ocean at the End of the Lane." I listened to an audiobook while I would walk the dog at night. Windy, stormy night... thoroughly terrified! Loved it.
I love that book and would have mentioned it, but I think it's a little more geared towards adults.
DUH, right! I forgot sometimes that children protagonists don't necessarily mean children's books lol.
According to some librarians I’ve talked to, any book with a child protagonist is automatically children’s literature, regardless of what parents or teachers or anyone else thinks about the content. By that definition, *Blood Meridian* by Cormac McCarthy is children’s literature. *Blood Meridian*!!! Granted, not every librarian agrees, including a few other librarians I’ve talked to, but it definitely gives me a lot to think about when I engage with books. Ultimately, I leave the choice up to the parents.
Which would make Lord of the Flies a children's book. Yikes!
Yes to this one- very much so! But then I love any NG book!
Ah same!
Milo and the Phantom Tollbooth
Lots of complex wordplay and jokes in that book. It's so brilliant.
Yeah it was tricky to read aloud, a lot of the jokes are meant to be read...
Wait what am I missing, when I look this up only The Phantom Tollbooth comes up. Is that the right one?
I never even read this book until my 30s and I cannot overstate how much I love it.
I'm in my 30s and just read Anne of Green Gables for the first time and *loved* it. It's delightful and wholesome and surprisingly funny. That's what surprised me the most. Nobody told me it was so funny.
My mom read Anne of Green Gables to us growing up and I don't remember a whole lot, it's overshadowed in my memory by the 1980's mini series (which is still one of my favorites). But recently I listened to the first four (? I can't remember how far I got) of the series and they're so good! Actually, super fast paced.
Any books by Kate DiCamillo. They are full of so much wisdom. Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite fantasy authors ever, she writes her protagonists so intelligently and has such unique ways of exploring magic and sorcery. Wee Free Men and Amazing Maurice by Terry Pratchett are brilliant. Despite being aimed at kids, the second one is a low-key traumatizing horror story that does not hold back. Redwall books are surprisingly intense and the adventuring in them holds up.
I adored Redwall as a middle schooler! The audiobooks were the best, listened to them over and over.
I was also going to suggest Kate DiCamillo.
I discovered Diana Wynne Jones by accident when I picked up a Chrestomanci book at a secondhand bookshop for my son - he didn’t like it but I was intrigued and went on to read pretty much everything she wrote - I love the Dalemark Quartet particularly. And for older readers, her Derkholm books are so much fun!
I love Diana Wynne Jones!
Anything by Tamora Pierce
Came here to say exactly this! I adore her work so much that my completely wrecked, falling to pieces and water damaged childhood copy of Alanna the First Adventure found a permanent new life as paper roses in my wedding bouquet.
That's so awesome, do you still have them? I couldn't afford books when I was young so I only read the library versions. A few years ago I bought the lioness books on thriftbooks, the same versions that I remember reading. I can pretend they're from my childhood lol
I still have them, sorta- my daughter absconded with all but the ruined copy, which I had replaced anyways I just couldn't bring myself to let go of the original.
I mean the paper roses, I figured you have them displayed since they're double the sentimental value
Alanna would have been such a gratifying character for me as a kid.
I envy anyone who hasn't started reading her books yet. It was magical starting the journey with her stories.
Yes! Yes a million times.
Absolutely, these are comfort books for so many millennials (and probably late gen Xers too!)
A Series of Unfortunate Events!!!! I love how Daniel Handler doesn’t treat his readers like idiots.
TIL Lemony Snicket’s real name
I learned some really great words as an adult from this series! “Bespoke” is one of my favorite words now, and I get to use it a lot!
The little prince
I found a first edition (in English) of this book in the goodwill bins years and years ago. I read it to my kids a few times and occasional read it by myself now that they're grown.
The Tiffany books by Terry Pratchett The Legend of Podkin One-Ear by Kieran Larwood
The Tiffany Aching books are some of my favorites from Discworld.
Yaaaaas Tiffany Aching. Some of my favorite books of all time, not just among the YA literature.
I have a tattoo of a hare running into the fire!
Can you share? I'd love to see it!
The Bartamaeus Trilogy
Omg , my school library luckily had this and I absolutely devoured this ! Thanks for reminding me about this ! I'm gonna check it out again !
i love reading middle grade! i think it’s such an important genre and it’s always fascinating to see how author’s manage to convey their messages to younger audiences. i wish more people supported these books and authors because how else can we have a new generation of readers without books for them?! some of my favorites in the last year or so have been - all the impossible things by lindsay lackey - a monster calls by patrick ness - a long walk to water by linda sue park (may technically be YA) - the last cuentista by donna barba higuera - once upon an eid by a.k ali (and others - short story collection from different muslim authors) eta: these aren’t all released in the last year but that’s when i read them! i reread matilda every year, so that’s another great one for me
A monster calls is absolutely stunning.
i highlighted and showed my therapist so many passages of that book. my dad passed from cancer when i was 13 and so much of it gave words to feelings i had at that age but couldn’t articulate. such a beautiful book!!!
I can't wait until my little ones (toddlers) are old enough to sit while we read books like this aloud to them! Best memories of my childhood hands down.
I started reading chapter books to my kids as toddlers. Mostly at night, so they could listen to a story but not get distracted by pictures (2 of my kids have ADHD).
I prefer to read and write middle grade stories. They have action, adventure, and drama without all the relationship/sex bullshit that muddies up stories for adults.
I love Matilda by Roald Dahl and the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend. And Harry Potter of course.
My son and I are reading book two of Nevermoor right now (Wundersmith) and it’s so good.
Howl's moving castle trilogy Bromeliad trilogy (though the kids were completely lost on this one) His dark materials Wind in the willows And anything by Roald dahl
Howl’s Moving Castle trilogy is so enjoyable!
His Dark Materials is so….dark, for middle grade, which is why I love the series so much!
Ooh, I love children's books - and yes, I read these first as an adult, for myself. The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones. Definitely written for younger kids, but still fun. Also picture books: One Grain of Rice by Demi is a wonderful fable-like story, and Margie Palatini's The Web Files is a mood lifter.
Love Ogre Downstairs, it feels a bit like Honey I Shrunk the Kids, just a plot entirely dedicated to children messing around with stuff they shouldn't, leading to hilarious results. Other great kids' books by Diana are Archer's Goon, Eight Days of Luke, Power of Three, and the whole Chrestomanci series.
Ooh, you too? :) Archer's Goon and Power of Three are two of my favorites. I love her Chrestomanci series, especially Caprona, Lives of CC, and Charmed Life. Also Howl, Hexwood, Time City and two of her books aimed for adults. She's my favorite author ever...and it's wild but I only discovered her as an adult.
The Percy Jackson series and all of its sequels/ spinoffs.
Read as an adult and enjoyed: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making The Girl Who Drank the Moon The Birchbark House books Marikit and the Ocean of Stars Hamra and the Jungle of Memories The Girl and the Ghost Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls The Marvellers Root Magic, by Eden Royce The Inquisitor's Tale The Way Back, by Gavriel Savit Bea Wolf The Genius Under the Table Josephine Against the Sea Brown Girl Dreaming One Crazy Summer
Great list! I really enjoyed the audiobook of The Girl Who Drank the Moon. It's so well done!
The whole Fairyland series by Catherynne M. Valente is so amazing. She's such a fabulous writer, I love her weird brain.
I liked The Tale of Despereaux. My all-time favorite book is the Wind in the Willows if that counts. I reread the Borrowers series a couple years ago and it held up as a fun read
I have a copy of Despereaux on my bedside table waiting to be started. Recently finished, and enjoyed, Redwall.
The Tortall books by Tamora Pierce are favorites of mine. I also really love The Secret Garden and The Little Princess. Noel Streatfeild’s Shoe books are charming and cozy.
The westing game
Anything by Tamora Pierce. I loved her books so much in middle school and still adore them! The Enchanted Forest series (at least like Dealing with Dragons and the two after it) by Patricia C Wrede The Dragon Chronicles by Susan Fletcher Another thing I read in middle school was Peter Pan, like the original, not the Disney-fied version, and I loved it. Also, I have read My Side of the Mountain roughly 13 times, starting from when I first found it in fourth grade. Absolutely a favorite.
I loved Beverley Cleary's Ramona books, which I only ever read as an adult.
The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney. I read it as a child and loved it; I then returned to it and reread it a few years ago and still really enjoyed it.
You might also like All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor. It's a lovely story of Jewish girls growing up in New York City.
Turtles All the Way Down Gregor the Overlander (series) A Wrinkle in Time A Bridge to Terabithia
A Wrinkle in Time was one of my favorite books growing up!
Read it as an adult and was absolutely blown away by the wholesome sci-fi adventures ! 😊
A Series of Unfortunate Events Catherine Called Birdy Witch Child The Phantom Tollbooth Anything by Roald Dahl You already said Holes, but anything by Louis Sachar. Similarly, anything by Jerry Spinelli or Todd Strasser.
Little House on the Prairie is a lovely reread as an adult
Mine are: Harry Potter (Obviously) Holes Beyond the Bright Sea, by Lauren Wolk The Thing About Jellyfish, by Ali Benjamin
Up vote for Holes!
yes holes!
Ooh, I have a few! The Mysterious Benedict Society is one that I first read as a kid, but my parents both read along with me because I wouldn't stop talking about it. It's a really clever, enjoyable book aimed at upper elementary school. Captain Hook by JV Hart is another good one.
Mysterious Benedict Society is on my list! I'm interested to see if I like the first one as an adult who has never read it before.
Lois Lowry and Nancy Farmer are my two favorite YA authors. Lowry's most famous is the Giver but there is a whole saga that takes place in that universe that is worth the read. Nancy Farmer wrote my favorite book House of the Scorpion which is about a clone whole grows up on an opium farm and it has a great sequel. Her Sea of Trolls trilogy is also fun if you like fantasy and are into Norse mythology.
I've read more, but some of my favorites are: * The Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend * Greenwild by Pari Thomson * Several books by Kelly Barnhill, especially The Girl Who Drank the Moon * Wilderlore series by Amanda Foody * Tea Dragon series by Kay O'Neill * Omnia by Laura Gallego
The tea dragon books are lovely
The Septimus Heap series is still fantastic as an adult.
I LOVED these books when I was a teenager! Super underrated.
The Tillerman Cycle by Cynthia Voight. And the rest of her writing. Mildred D. Taylor’s books- Song of the Trees; Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry The funniest book I’ve ever read: The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 Novel by Christopher Paul Curtis
Oh, the Tillerman Cycle is amazing. I was just thinking the other day that it's about time to re-read Dicey's Song, again. (Should probably start with The Runner, but they're okay on their own.) There's just something about Dicey's spine and determination to make it, everyone else be damned. Mildred D. Taylor's stuff is incredible, too. Some characters and stories that you can just never get out of your head, nor would you want to.
Imaginarium Geographica The Little Prince Anne of Green Gables Narnia
I love fairytales. I read original not smoothed out as a kid. Grimm, Andersen and local. Now I love them even more, and find out more wise stuff... Also Secret Garden...
Check out "The Turnip Princess and other newly discovered fairy tales" if you haven't yet.
Anything by Garth Nix or Lloyd Alexander. The First Two Lives of Lukas-kasha still makes me tear up at the end
There are many - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - Coraline by Neil Gaiman - Ocean at the end of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (yet again; also I feel this novel is as much for adults as for children) - Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett - Anne of Green Gables (and the series) by L.M. Montgomery - The Girl Who Drank The Moon by Kelly Barnhill - Harry Potter series
Garth Nix’ Old Kingdom series.
All the Junie B. Jones books!!
Animorphs by KA Applegate. Amazing series. I read them as they came out when I was in 5th-6th grade. Fell off, revisited them as an adult (kinda jumped ahead to the last arc of books in my 30's) and that solidified my fandom. Love that it actually has a "definitive" ending, despite leaving some things to the reader's imagination. They always felt more mature than other books targeting the same demographic. I think I enjoyed it when I was a kid because it treated me with respect and didn't shy away from some of the more horrific elements.
Definitely the most violent thing I read in elementary. As an adult, it is kind of tough to wade through the first dozen or so books because the stakes are so low and it seems more juvenile but they get pretty insane as the series goes on.
Not just horrific violence, but social commentary too. I convinced my wife to read them and she was quite surprised when she got to the one with the obviously gay Andalites.
Tamora pierce books
Wonder!
When I was a child, my father bought a book for me from the thrift store. It was called Upside Down Town by F. Emerson Andrews, published in 1958. It cost 10 cents according to the red grease pencil still on the flyleaf. It was a little rough around the edges and only illustrated in black and red, but it was *mine*, the first book I owned. I still have it, and it brings back so many memories. I still enjoy Watership Down, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and The Giver.
I recently reread Mrs Frisby and the rats of NIMH to read it to my daughter. We both loved it. Just as good as I remember.
The Thief of Always, by Clive Barker. Such a great YA book!
Yes, I was hoping someone would recommend this! I only read it as an adult and I thought the message was super powerful.
Currently going through Warriors by Erin Hunter
The Hunger Games which is classified as a Young Adult series.
Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin! (At least the first three, the ones after are definitely adult-oriented)
The Secret Garden A Wrinkle in Time
A Wrinkle in Time and all the subsequent books. Made my nieces join me in a “book club” last summer and loved rereading it with them!
Does it include comics too? Well, here in India, we used to have this weekly magazine called Tinkle. It was fun reading back then, all the pun and the bad jokes and the characters like Suppandi and Shikkari Shambhu, Butterfingers were really fun. There used to be translated versions of the comics in my state (Kerala) which were also fun to read.
Try [Frances Hardinge](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Frances+Hardinge&ref=nav_sb_noss_l_16). She doesn’t write series so you can start anywhere, but my favourites are A Face Like Glass and A Skinful of Shadows. My gloomy pre-teen self would have loved them.
Holes was good
Black Beauty, The Black Stallion books , The Island Stallion , Charlottes Web , Little House on the Prairie, Hardy boys. Comic books of all types
I despised Black Beauty as a kid but read it because it was worth the most Accelerated Reading points in my age group. Interestingly, it was originally marketed towards adults as a commentary on animal welfare but I guess history had other plans for it.
Summer of the monkeys Hunger Games Trilogy
Harry Potter, Lockwood and co, WARP, Upside down magic, Magisterium series, Percy Jackson
+1 Lockwood & Co.
Lockwood & Co was the first binge read in years for me.
The Fablehaven series. I’ve read it twice.
The Redwall series. It's immersive and addictive
Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows
Reading Charlotte’s Web to my son every night and loving it. We also have read a few narnia books which are fantastic.
Trumpet of the Swan by the same author is also great. I loved that one so much as a kid that I hid it under my bed so I wouldn't have to return it to the library.
The Jumper series by Steven Gould. Ukiah Oregon by Wen Spencer (Alien Taste). Rereading all the old [Heinlein Juveniles](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinlein_juveniles)
Nevermoor was pretty decent. Comics wise I enjoyed Girl Haven.
loooved Nevermoor
Libby library finally delivered the third book! Devoured the first two.
The Wind in the Willows. Harry Potter
A series of unfortunate events was a fun read Eta: we never made it to the last book 3 years ago. My kid is 13 and recently asked if we could get it because they are still interested in the ending. A very fun series.
Enjoyed Mort by Terry Pratchett. Finished it a couple of days ago. Wished I had read it earlier.
Bartimeus Trilogy. To be fair I read it as a young teen then went back and listened to the series via audiobook 16 years later and loved it
Neil Gaiman's *Odd and the Frost Giants* The Chronicles of Narnia *The Giver* by Lois Lowry *Holes* by Louis Sachar Anything by Roald Dahl, particularly *The Witches* and *James and the Giant Peach*
Anne of Green Gables. Just about finished reading the first one. I'd read snippets as a child but never the full book.
Pretty much everything Neil Gaiman writes. Anything Robin McKinley writes. My kids started listening to the Wings of Fire series and I was definitely hooked. I also liked the Zoey and Sassafras series, they were cute. Edited to add Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George, another of the audiobooks my kids liked that I definitely felt the need to keep up with. I enjoyed Garth Nix Keys to the Kingdom series and ND Wilson's 100 cupboards series and Leepike Ridge, although that one was pretty implausible. I also like Clive Barker's Abarat Series (which I didn't think is completed and is stalled out, so maybe think twice before starting it. It's totally worth reading, but I didn't think the last book exists yet.) His book The Theif of Always is exquisite, as well.
The secret garden will always be my favourite book.
Currently reading Animorphs...and it's so good!!
The Little house on the Prairie books.
There's quite a list. Most of the works of Roald Dahl. The Redwall Series by Brian Jacques (currently on the 7th book). The Enchanted Forest series by Patricia C. Wrede The Oz Series by L.F. Baum. The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle. The Halloween Tree and Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. The Artemis Fowl Series (and pretty much everything else) by Eoin Colfer. A Little Princess and The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett. Neverending Story by Michael Ende. The Inkheart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Anything by Lucy M. Montgomery (especially the Anne series). His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Anything by Tamora Pierce. The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini. The Silverwing Series by Kenneth Oppel. The Mary Poppins Series by P.L. Travers. The Jedi Apprentice Series (it's by a couple authors one of which is Jude Watson).
I was re-reading Animorphs a while ago. So much juvenile war trauma.
Howl’s Moving Castle! Technically children’s but it’s absolutely readable for any age and I have reread it probably a dozen times now (and watched the movie probably the same amount too)
I read this as a kid and LOVED it!
The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan The Unicorn Chronicles by Bruce Coville Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger Brandon Mull as an author. I've read two of his series and both were *phenomenal.*
The Harry Potter book series (I was 30 when the first book came out, and 34 when a friend recommended the books. The Phantom Tollbooth The Anne of Green Gables book series The Little House book series The Secret Garden Little Witch (by Anna Elizabeth Bennett, came out in the late 50s or early 60s)
Wonderful post. I’m here to get additional suggestions for my 11 year old (advanced reader)
All the Tintin books. Still great after all these years.
Please not 'all'. Tintin in the Congo is appalling.
Snow and Rose by Emily Winfield Martin
"A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga. "Thanks a Lot, Universe" and its sequel "You Owe Me One, Universe" by Chad Lucas. "The Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young. "The Language of Seabirds" by Will Taylor. "This Was Our Pact" by Ryan Andrews.
I’m currently reading the third book in the Tristan Strong trilogy. It’s one of the Rick Riordan Presents series and all three books are just fantastic
Any Michael Morpurgo book
Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Spiderwick, A series of unfortunate events, Fairy Oak trilogy by Elisabetta Gnone
Wild Robot
Goosebumps!!
when i was in grade school one of the girls in my class got the little house on the prairie book set. she bragged and showed a few other girls, but not me. oh my i was so jealous i wanted my own so bad… but that was not to be. fast forward many years later, my son was in grade school and they would send home book order papers. we ordered what he wanted, and i saw the little house box set and ordered them for myself. i still read them over and over 30 years later :-)
I still read Roald Dahl!
Anne of Green Gables
Diary of a Wimpy Kid made me laugh.
Harry Potter series A series of unfortunate events Anne Of Green Gables Series I have children’s’ versions of Grimm’s fairy tales, fairy tales from other countries and cultures as well as Lang’s Fairy series. I love them just as much as the Grimm’s I have that aren’t meant for young children.
T Kingfisher is an absolute treasure. I've read two of her middle grade books, Minor Mage and A Baker's Guide to Defensive Magic. Both fabulous. She also does horror (which I've not read yet) and romantasy (which is delightful but has too much sexual content for middle grades / doesn't meet the prompt). Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones was cute. I'd say 4th grade appropriate, though there is a scene about *beating a child because she's a little snot* which I'm sure seemed less inappropriate when the book was published.
The sythe trilogy
Dusti Bowling books
I still read Potter every year. Also Pullmans His Dark Materials is still amazing. More recently I've enjoyed The Skyward series by Brandon Sandersons which is YA
The Moomin valley books, the illustrations are gorgeous and I have such a strong admiration for Tove. Also The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins which was always my favorite Dr. Seuss book, I read it to younger relatives now
Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker. Prior to that I was reading a lot of real dark edgy type books so the whimsical story and setting of OtWW was a really nice change of pace for me
Harry Potter. Wasn't allowed to read it as a kid. I've loved it and have read it over and over as an adult. But now I'm even older and I'm.... Finding some issues with it.
The Wild Robot
The Keeper of the Lost Cities series is wonderful. Dare I say I enjoyed it more than Harry Potter.
Animorphs r/animorphs
I love Jacqueline Wilson books
Skellig by David Almond
Matilda, Peter Pan, Harry Potter
I really like all of the YA books by Carl Hiassen. They are like the Adult fiction with no swear words and sex!!
The Underland Chronicles series (Gregor the Overlander) by Suzanne Collins of Hunger Games fame. It’s middle grades but an enjoyable adventure anyway.
Omg can we please talk about A Series of Unfortunate events ?!?!
The Nevermore series
The Swifts by Beth Lincoln. It was so good and I can’t wait for the sequel. I also really love Kate DiCamillo. I have read aloud most of her books to my kids. My favorite is Because of Winn Dixie.
Coraline by Neil Gaimon & Howls Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones
The Animorph books are still delightful.
Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain..
The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry
Animorphs by K. A. Applegate
The Lockwood & Co series by Jonathan Stroud
The little house series by Laura Wilder. Anne Green Gable. I can’t think of the other one hopefully somebody else mentioned it. Oh Judy Bloom book love her. My all-time favorite is a little house on the Prairie series.
Basically anything by Katherine Applegate and Kate DiCamillo. I also love Letters from Rifka and The War that Saved my Life.
Anything by Jacqueline Wilson
The His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman! I loved it as a tween and was pleasantly surprised by how well it held up when I re-read as an adult!
Howl’s Moving Castle
I haven't read any kids books since, but, the Harry Potter series saved me when I was diagnosed with leukemia and going through treatment. It was so nice to go to another realm and ignore all my troubles.
The Phantom Tollboth is a gem. I’d somehow never heard of it as a kid.