Children's books that adults should (re)read

When I was starting to plan my dissertation last year there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that I wanted to write about Children’s Literature. It was something I hadn’t really studied before at uni, and I didn’t know anyone else doing it, so I was a bit nervous but I knew it was what I really cared about and wanted to explore in depth. I think there is something so special about the craftmanship that goes into writing a children's story. There were so many adult’s books I studied that I found dull and only saw their intrigue after a lecture. In my opinion, having interesting ideas you have to squint to find, does not constitute a good book. A book should be entertaining or engaging, making you want to dig deeper and learn more. Then, when you do, the book becomes even more layered and impressive. With children’s literature the priority is the engagement factor because without that you just won’t be able to keep a child’s interest. I think the skill of subtly weaving important lessons and ideas through an exciting story is practically a magic trick and that is why I love children’s literature so much. I love reading children’s books I haven’t read before through adult eyes and really appreciating the craftmanship, symbols, archetypes and imagination within. The following list explores a few (okay a lot) of my favourite children’s books that I strongly believe all adults would benefit from reading. Some are childhood favourites, and some are ones I read recently, but they are all wonderful reads with something to teach you.

The Boy, the Horse, the Fox, and the Mole by Charlie Mackesy

You could read The Boy, the Horse, the Fox and the Mole in an afternoon, but what it has to say will stay with you always. It is something I can see myself coming back to again and again over the years whenever I feel lost or unsure. It tells a simple story, of love, friendship and finding yourself with a boy who is lost, finding companions and in doing that, finding himself. Mackesy’s writing is bursting with sentiment, soft words and ideas so bonnie they could be proverbs that genuinely made me cry the first time I read it. I can only imagine how lovely it would have been to read his wise words when I was wee and carried them with me, as I will from this point onwards.

Favourite lesson(s):

“Sometimes I feel lost.” Said the boy. “Me too,” said the mole, “but we love you, and love brings you home.”

“Nothing beats kindness.” said the horse. “It sits quietly beyond all things.”

Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Sometimes classics are classics for a reason and according to that ever-reliable source - Wikipedia, Le Petit Prince is the best-selling children’s book of all time and has been translated into over five hundred languages. Despite being published 80 years ago, the story of a pilot and a little prince is just as poignant and enchanting today. De Saint-Exupery asks what it is that children might have to teach adults. I think it is quite unusual to have an adult be the lead narrator of a children’s book. Not only that, but here is a story that is not telling you how great and big and clever adults are and instead is telling you how actually there is something special and precious about being a child. Maybe that is part of why it still appeals to children! Reading it as an adult, I found it had so much to say about ways to view the world and the aspects of yourself that you might have lost along the way. This sweet story teaches the value of finding out who you are, friendship, loneliness, love and human nature and is incredibly touching.

Favourite lesson: “What is important cannot be seen.”

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

I read Coraline last year as part of my adventures into Neil Gaiman’s work and absolutely loved it. You can read more in depth about Coraline in my 'Spooky Autumn TBR list'! Gaiman's world building here is truly at its best and I loved Coraline’s inquisitive nature and bravery, but that is not what makes her unique! Coraline is not blindly brave without fear. She is, at many points, terrified but she carries on anyway. Coraline is scared but she accepts her fear and harnesses it. I think Coraline can teach us a lot about boredom, observation, loneliness, fear and how to accept these things as a part of life and go on.

Favourite lesson: “She had never been so scared, but she still walked forward”

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

Winnie the Pooh has to be the ultimate bed time story. It is a warm blanket and toast before bed in literature form. My mum and dad used to read Winnie the Pooh to me and my sister when we were wee and my Dad even painted a Winnie the Pooh mural in our room, but what I remember most was a free audiobook CD we’d got in a newspaper. We used to listen to it on long drives and especially on late night journeys home to send us off to sleep. It is still one of the most relaxing things in the world for me. It seems almost silly to explain what it’s about because I’m sure you all already know. If you don’t, it’s kind of about nothing but that is part of its charm! There’s a wee boy called Christopher-Robin who lives in the Hundred Acre Wood with his friends (who also happen to be his soft toys): Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga and Roo. Each chapter is its own wee story where not much really happens there’s a lot of strolling around and honey and small smackerels of something to eat. Really, it’s about friendship and contentment. If you sit and reread it you’ll find A.A. Milne’s philosophies and heartfelt advice littered throughout the sweetest wee stories. The lesson I’ve chosen might seem silly but I love the way Pooh finds excitement in the everyday!

Favourite lesson: “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?” / “What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say Piglet?” / “I say I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet. / Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This is definitely the darkest and most serious book in this list and might even be leaning towards the teen or YA genre but it is one of my favourite books of all time so I’ll just sneak it in! Zusak’s The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel living in Nazi Germany who learns to read and write from her foster father in the midst of bombings, censorship and persecution. Liesel discovers the power of literature and begins to steal books that are being banned by the regime. Interestingly, the narrator is none other than Death. It is a moving story that explores themes of love and loss, but most importantly the power of literature and the importance of stories. Sharing and owning your own stories and hearing the stories of others becomes an extremely high stakes exchange in The Book Thief. Zusak asks the reader to think carefully about what it is to speak freely and what a gift that is. Sadly, the experiences of the characters in The Book Thief are just as relevant and poignant for so many people in the world today and it continues to be a must read of children’s literature.

Favourite lesson: “The words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out, like the rain.”

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is at its core about pushing against societal norms and pressures to behave in a certain way. Daring to think differently and see the ways other people think and live. Caroll’s novel is an example of the ‘literary nonsense’ genre which was so different from a lot of the other books at the time that were more explicitly preachy and ‘how to be a good adult’ heavy. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland celebrates the absurd and revels in its fun and ridiculousness. Wonderland is completely without logic and the insides of Carroll’s fabulously mad imagination are strewn across every page which makes it so much fun to read at any age. It’s also so full of puns and jokes that you find new details with every read. I think really, the lesson of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is that not everything has to be a lesson and sometimes the only way forward is to embrace the madness.

Favourite lesson: “She would keep, through her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood”

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I’ve saved my favourite for last! The Harry Potter series were probably the first books that I was truly excited to read. I remember racing through them when I read them for the first time and feeling like I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Over the years I have read, and re-read and re-read this series again until it feels somewhat like an old friend. I have favourite chapters I come back to when I feel anxious and know every inch of that world like it is my own. I don’t think I could ever get tired of them and that’s saying something because I wrote about The Philosopher’s Stane (Scots translation of the first book so amazing!) for my dissertation and still didn’t get bored. Maybe that’s something I should be a bit embarrassed about but I honestly don’t care. It is a level of immersion I have yet to find with another book and although I do not agree with much of her politics, I have to admit that J.K Rowling’s writing and world building is still some of the best I have read. The level of craft that went into creating the wizarding world is evident and I still find new details and connections on ever reread. The emphasis on self-belief, support and valuing the people you love is a message that is still so relevant. If you read Harry Potter when you were young but haven’t in many years, I would so recommend starting them again for so much nostalgia and joy in finding things you didn’t notice last time. If you’ve never read them before then I am so jealous that you get to experience the magic for the first time. It really is one of the most joyful and detailed fantasy worlds I have ever encountered.

Favourite lesson(s): I’ve chosen ones from the Scots Edition so you can get a sneak peek of what it’s like!

“Buiks! And cleverness! There are mair important things – friendship and bravery”

“Tae hae been loved sae deeply, even though the person wha loved us is gane, will gie us some protection for aye and aye. It is in yer verra skin.”

I hope you enjoyed my wee (or not so wee!) list. What are some of your childhood favourites you still find joy in reading?

Love, Grace xx