I’m back with another Classic Spotlight inspired blog post and this time we’re talking all things Children’s Classics. I feel like children’s classics are a great place to start if you are introducing classics into your reading as they are relatively easy to understand and are also accessible! It might be time to dig out your old copy of your favourite childhood book….
I’ve got a list of 8 children’s/YA classics that I think are great reads and would be really good places to start. I’ve read all of these except Little Women which I’ve had on my tbr for the longest time…April may be the month I will finally read it!
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
I’ll be completely honest and say that I didn’t actually read this until my final year of university as part of my children’s literature unit. I don’t know why I hadn’t read it before because I absolutely loved it! Although this is an older classic it is such an enduring tale, if you’re struggling with the language check out My Top 10 Tips on Reading Classics post which you can find here!
Genres: Fantasy and Historical Fiction.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Alice is such a timely classic and everyone knows the story about the girl who fell down the rabbit hole, but have you actually read it? It is full of imagination and the original illustrations really bring the story to life. The sequel, Through the Looking-Glass is also great too!
Genres: Adventure and Fantasy.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
I had to include this book as my childhood was full of reading all things Roald Dahl! I love Matilda which is an absolute classic as well as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which is equally amazing. Dahl’s innovative and magical mind really comes to life in this whimsical tale.
Genres: Adventure and Fantasy.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
When I was a child I really wanted to go to Narnia (anyone else?). The magic of going through the wardrobe and finding a new world is definitely something that has stayed with me (is that a spoiler? I’m sorry if it is!) and I loved re-reading this for university last year. Although we’re in Spring now, I still think this wintery tale is fun and can be enjoyed at any time of year!
Genres: Fantasy and Adventure.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The first of a more ‘Young Adult’ recommendation in this list has to be The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I remember reading this bildungsroman novel during my teens and absolutely loving it! It is haunting and wonderful, and the line “we accept the love we think we deserve” has always stuck with me. Check TW before reading!!
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance and Mental Health.
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
The other YA recommendation I have is The Catcher in the Rye, another I read during my teenage years. This is full of teenage angst, alienation and is at times confusing and irrational which mirrors the protagonist’s feelings. This is definitely a book I want to re-read soon!
Genres: Young Adult and Contemporary.
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
Peter Pan was shockingly another book I didn’t actually read during my childhood and I read for university. I really enjoyed this, but it was at times darker than I thought it would have been after seeing the Disney adaptation dozens of times during my childhood. That being said, this is gripping and an interesting read!
Genres: Fantasy and Adventure.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
I saved this one for last because I haven’t read it yet, however I’ve heard amazing things about both the book and film. I want to read the book first before I watch the film, I may do a comparison of them both in the future if that’s something you’d want to see.
Genres: Romance and Historical Fiction.
So that’s it for my children’s classics recommendations! Let me know what your favourite childhood classic is in the comments – I’d love to read some more in the future.
Books and Baking 