Why You Should Read Children's Books as an Adult
Books for Children Who Need Them

25 Children's Books (and Series) that Adults Will Enjoy

A list like this is by its very nature subjective, and subject to criticism. People like different things. But I hope to stave off some of the criticism by pointing out that I'm not saying that these are the only children's books that adults will like. Or even the best ones. The idea is to provide a starting point. I welcome your feedback.

  1. Watership Down by Richard Adams
  2. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
  3. The House with a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs
  4. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  5. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
  6. The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
  7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
  8. Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
  9. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
  10. From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
  11. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
  12. The Narnia Books by C. S. Lewis
  13. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
  14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
  15. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
  16. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
  17. The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini (Eragon, Eldest)
  18. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
  19. The Complete Adventures of Curious George by Margaret and H. A. Rey
  20. The Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling
  21. Holes by Louis Sachar
  22. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
  23. The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
  24. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
  25. Charlotte's Web by E. B. White

Bonus book: As I started sharing this with people, several immediately complained about the absence of The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster. Since people never publish "top 26 lists", we'll just call it a bonus book.

I'll be starting an email newsletter on Children's Books for Adults sometime in the near future. It will contain further recommendations, as well as discussion by adults reader's of children's books. If you are interested in being notified when sign-up begins, send me an email.

(c) 2005 by Jennifer K. Robinson

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