My All-Time Favourite Children's Books
15:11:00
I have been a reader since the age of 7. By 9, I had compiled a collection of short stories with illustrations that I planned to publish whenever I would get the chance. Basically, I was fascinated with the written word and getting lost in an imaginary world has been my haven since my childhood. I may not read as much as a lot of my fellow bibliophiles around the globe but I not only understand the importance of an early onset of the reading craze, I highly advocate it everywhere I go, especially to new parents. In the day and age of everything digital, I get asked this question by many concerned parents: "Which books should I get my child that would make him/her want to read?"
Before I get into the details, let me just say that NOT every child is a reader, hence it does not, in any way, reflect the child's intellect, learning capacity or overall potential. In my opinion, encouraging a child to read is a great way to boost their imagination and language skills.
The following is a (short) list comprising of some of the stories that stuck with me some decades down the line:
Abridged Versions of Classics
Here are four of my favourite classics that I read as abridged versions when I was pretty young. The advantage of abridged versions is the familiarity with the greatest pieces of literature that exist in an easy to read format- which may (or may not) instill interest to read the full versions later on in life. Regardless of the outcome, they are totally worth it!
1. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Buy this version here.
- Ages 10+
Written by Mark Twain, this is a tale of Tom and his friends who are a bunch of naughty boys who often get themselves into trouble.
2. Treasure Island
Buy it here,
- Ages 7+
A tale by Robert Louis Stevenson about a group of young boys who set sail to Treasure Island in search of Captain Flint's buried loot. A story of adventure, gold and pirates, Treasure Island is a must-read for all kids!
3. Oliver Twist
Buy it here.
- Ages 7+
This is definitely my favourite of the lot. I still remember reading it over and over again. Oliver Twist is a tale written by Charles Dickens about an orphan boy who is mistreated by the public workhouse. Having had enough, he runs away only to find himself amongst thieves and pickpockets. Follow Oliver's journey as he finds his true identity and family.
4. Around the World in 80 Days
Buy it here.
- Ages 7+
Jules Verne writes this magnificent story about Phileas Fogg who sets of on a journey he aims to complete in 80 days to win a bet worth 20 000 pounds!
5. Black Beauty
- Ages 8+
Buy it here
Anna Sewell narrates this story of a horse as an autobiography of the animal that details its experiences with humans of different types. This book is simply mesmerizing.
Must Read Roald Dahl Stories
I am pretty confident that everyone is familiar with Roald Dahl. He has to be my favourite author of all time. And his books are those that I can still read as an adult, in fact, i think i can erad them even when I am very very old! The following are just four (but possibly the BEST) of his numerous writings:
1. Matilda
Buy it here
- Ages 7+
The story of a young and exceptionally gifted girl who has the bad luck of having extremely selfish parents and a tyrant of a principal. I guarantee that everyone who reads this will instantly fall in love with Matilda!
2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Buy it here
- Ages 9+
I was delighted when I was given this book to teach an English class to a bunch of 9 year olds. It brought back so many memories and it made me enjoy planning for the lessons! This story is about Charlie who finds one of the five golden tickets to visit Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Read to get swept away into a sugary and chocolicious world!
3. The BFG
Buy it here
- Ages 9+
The BFG is nothing like the other giants! He is friendly and caring. Read about Sophie's friendship with the BFG and the adventures that followed! This book has the funniest non-English words that Dahl could come up with!
4. The Witches
- Ages 9+
Buy it here
An interesting story about a little boy who listens to the many tales about witches that his Grandmamma tells him. Yet, nothing can prepare him for the day he actually meets the Grand High Witch herself!
Wizard of Oz Collection
- Ages 9+
L. Frank Baum is the author of this marvellous collection which has 14 titles! Sadly though, I never found all of them in the market. The two that I did read were just magical, i.e. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Emerald City of Oz. But I would suggest you keep a look out for the whole series (maybe one day I'll end up collecting all too!)
Nancy Drew Series
- Ages 8+
Alright, so Nancy Drew was my go-to series for mystery and suspense. I think it had the adequate amount of thrill that I needed at that age ( even today to be honest). Carolyn Keene has published the Nancy Drew novels for various ages, early readers and teenagers alike, so you will have to do a survey of the market to get a good idea! I have read a multiple titles and all of which were excellent!
Misty & Me
Misty & Me
Buy it here
- Ages 8+
Last but by far not the least, Misty and Me is one of the books that has really stayed with me all these years. In fact, I still want to adopt a dog because of it. This is a story of Kim who realises that keeping a pet dog as a secret is a very difficult task indeed!
I think this list would suffice for now. If there are any books from your childhood that you think belong in the list, please comment and let me know!
4 comments
I love Nancy Drew and trying to get my daughter hooked too! I've bookmarked your page as I agree with your list entirely. I will get kindle versions for my kids.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for appreciating! I hope your kids enjoy them as much as I did! :)
Deletenice collection of books , brought back many memories of my own childhood which I had forgotten. will add these to my kids reading list.
ReplyDeleteThese are definitely some classics that you should add to their list. They'll love them!
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