Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult
Slide Nr 1With the exception of books that deal in difficult or mature themes and situations, we’d argue there’s often no reason – outside of marketing strategy – to classify books as either ‘for children’ or ‘for adults’. Many books can be enjoyed by readers of all ages, albeit with differing levels of understanding, and some are even worth revisiting decades after the first reading. Here, we look at 19 timeless titles that touch the soul and pull the heartstrings of every reader, whether they’re eight or 80.
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Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 2Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery – A beloved children’s novel since the mid-20th century (and a delightfully wholesome, albeit cancelled, Netflix show), L M Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables tells the story of quirky, imaginative and highly eloquent Anne Shirley, an orphan girl who’s sent by mistake to live with her two middle-aged siblings on their farm. The novel follows her through her daily life and fanciful adventures in the fictional town of Avonlea, where she makes friends, finds love (yes, we’re still in love with Gilbert Blythe) and grows into a bright young woman. This one’s worth rereading if you’re looking for a charming tale that will instantly cheer you up.
1/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 3The Three Questions by Jon J Muth – Jon J Muth’s The Three Questions adapts a Tolstoy story into a fable fit for readers of all ages. In his version, young protagonist Nikolai is trying to answer three very important questions: What is the right thing to do? When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? It’s only when he comes to a stranger’s aid that he finds the answers. Besides the riveting tale and profound messages woven into the telling of it, the stunning watercolour illustrations make this an unforgettable book.
2/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 4The Giver by Lois Lowry – Many readers and critics have argued Lois Lowry’s The Giver doesn’t fit neatly into the children’s category. In fact, it’s one of the most controversial (and frequently banned) children’s books to ever exist. Depicting a world that poses as utopian but is in fact the opposite, dealing in themes that range from religion to violence and eugenics (yes, really), and presenting a society that has eliminated pain, strife and emotional depth… Maybe it’s best for you to make up your own mind about it.
3/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 5The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein – Another incredibly divisive story, Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree splits readers of all ages into those who believe the relationship between the boy/man and the tree is one of selfless love, and those who think it portrays an abusive relationship. In reality, there’s more than one way to read and interpret the book, and the passing of time might allow you to see it in a different light now – whatever your stance on it was before.
4/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 6The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis – Did you know that C S Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia fantasy novels are heavily influenced by Christian beliefs and themes? Neither did we when we read them decades ago, but it’s true: Aslan, for instance, is widely accepted by literary critics to be based on Jesus Christ. Rereading the text as an adult, you may spot these themes more readily, but you’ll also be intrigued by the imaginative world-building, engrossing characters and classic struggle between good and evil.
5/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 7Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak – Max dresses in a wolf costume and wreaks havoc throughout his house when he’s sent to bed without his supper. To be fair, we’d probably do the same if we were sufficiently hangry. He ends up going to an island full of Wild Things, who try to scare him and fail. And guess what? Little Max ends up sending them to bed without their supper. A classic illustrated children’s book found in many American households, it’s also a reminder to adults that we should validate children’s feelings and emotions.
6/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 8Watership Down by Richard Adams – Pulitzer award-winning author Junot Díaz told us this is one of his favourite comfort reads, and that honestly should be more than enough reason to pick up a copy. Featuring a story that centres on a group of rabbits, Watership Down is often misunderstood to be a children’s book, and while a precocious young reader can handle it, the book was actually written for adults – a fact that becomes clear through its grown-up themes of authoritarianism, violence, power and the exploitation of the natural world. But it’s also an epic story about friendship, heroism and community, and well worth another go, especially if you read it as a child.
7/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 9Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson – Get extra tissues ready for this one. Personally, we’ll have our therapist on speed dial when we crack open Bridge to Terabithia again, and that’s putting it mildly. If you were (un)lucky enough not to come across the story of Leslie and Jesse and their magical forest kingdom as a kid, here’s a clue as to why it’s still one of the most gut-wrenching books we’ve ever read: author Katherine Pearson drew inspiration for her novel from a real-life event, when her son’s friend died after being struck by lightning. It’s a sweet, wonderful book about friendship and imagination, but proceed with caution!
8/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 10The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett – Is The Secret Garden the first children’s book with a, ahem, hard-to-digest protagonist? Not sure, we’ll get back to you on that, but allow us to make our case: Mary Lennox is fighting to survive, and her difficult ways are a symptom of how lonely and abandoned she feels. And rightfully so! But that’s something you’ll only understand with a second, more mature reading of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel.
9/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 11Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll – It can be easy to forget that Alice in Wonderland is actually a prime example of the literary nonsense genre; it’s probably the Disney effect. As a matter of fact, Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece is one of the most influential and best-known works of Victorian literature. If you’re looking for a book to expand the limits of your mind, or simply one that’s incredibly entertaining, you might follow Alice into the rabbithole once again.
10/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 12The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby by Charles Kingsley – One of the lesser-known titles on this list, Charles Kingsley’s The Water-Babies was once one of Britain’s most popular children’s books, before falling out of favour due to certain passages that were insulting to, well, a lot of people. That being said, it’s always good to read for yourself and get your own perspective on the subject. The book follows Tom, a young chimney sweep (it was, after all, 19th-century England) who falls into a river after chasing an upper-class girl. He’s then transformed into a water-baby, and his moral education begins. Give it a try and let us know how you feel about it.
11/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 13Peter Pan by J M Barrie – Folks of all ages are familiar with The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up and his unending youth. Whether you’ve watched any of the film adaptations (we’re partial to Robin Williams’ live-action Hook), or read the original tale by J M Barrie, you’re likely familiar with his archenemy, Captain Hook, and his Jolly Roger crew, with the mischievous Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys – if you close your eyes, you can probably even make out the images of mermaids, fairies and other magical creatures from Neverland. A story worth seeking out for adults looking to relive the joy of childhood – though you might now find some of Peter’s mischief and adventures more than a little alarming.
12/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 14The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – One of the bestselling books around the world, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince really needs no introduction. Here’s the thing: despite it being labelled as a quintessential children’s read, the illustrated book holds profound conversations about loneliness, human nature, relationships, friendship and loss, among a myriad of other topics. It’s not really a book you can categorise neatly; in fact, the publisher had issues when first putting it on the market, precisely because readers didn’t know what to do with its nuanced storytelling. Truth be told, The Little Prince is one of those stories that reveals something entirely different with each reading, so it’s never a waste of time to crack it open again.
13/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 15Coraline by Neil Gaiman – To be completely honest, this book still gives us the heebie-jeebies. Coraline is a dark fantasy novella by acclaimed author Neil Gaiman that follows the eponymous Coraline Jones when she moves with her parents into an old house – and, naturally, all sorts of weird, dark things start to happen. Though we’re not really sure this was child-appropriate back when we first got our hands on it, we feel better equipped to face the darkness now. But we’ll keep the lights on, just in case.
14/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 16The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg – Reality and illusion are easy to confuse sometimes, a theme which Chris Van Allsburg often explores in his acclaimed books like Jumanji and The Polar Express. The Garden of Abdul Gasazi is no exception. Intricate pencil illustrations accompany a (slightly macabre) story that involves a dog, a little boy, a magician and an eerie garden full of topiary trees. One of the most innovative, interesting children’s books we’ve ever encountered, we were hooked from the very first page.
15/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 17The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce – The starting point to a fascinating, award-winning animated short, William Joyce’s The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is a gorgeous illustrated book that deserves a spot on every bookshelf around the world. A grappling tale of love, sorrow and hope, its creation was inspired by William Morris, a children’s books publisher (and the author’s mentor) who died just a few days after Joyce read the story to him.
16/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 18Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm – A sweetly treacherous fairy tale about two siblings who fall into the hands of an evil witch living in a magical gingerbread house in the middle of a gloomy, abandoned forest. Her plan? To fatten Hansel and Gretel enough to turn them into a juicy meal! Of course, the children eventually outwit her and make their escape. The reason this famous folktale is on this list? It’s always good to revisit classic children’s tales as an adult – there’s always more to the story than you recall, and chances are it’s a lot more messed up than you remember.
17/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 19Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank – Another case of a book that doesn’t fit neatly into an editorial category, The Diary of Anne Frank is a firsthand account of a young Jewish girl’s life experiences in the two years her family spent hiding out in the Netherlands during the Nazi occupation. Tragically, Anne and her family never saw freedom again, but her diary was eventually salvaged and published. Much like Elie Wiesel’s Night or Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, it’s a tale of survival and the endurance of the human spirit. In all honesty, no words can really do Anne’s writing any sort of justice, so it’s best to just let you experience it yourself.
18/19
Culture
19 Children’s Books Everyone Should Reread As An Adult.
Slide Nr 20Ida, Always by Caron Levis – Gus, a polar bear, spends his big city days with his best friend, Ida. Thick as thieves, the pair laugh and play until one sad day, when they find out Ida is very sick – and she’s not going to get any better. We’re not crying, you’re crying! A beautiful picture book, loosely inspired by the real-life friendship of two polar bears, it’s one of the most emotional and heartwarming stories we’ve ever read. Will it break your heart? Most definitely. Will it also hold a special place in your heart? Absolutely.
19/19
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