Children’s Literary Classics That Are Must-Reads For Today’s Kids (Stories From Our Childhood We Grew Up With)
It's fair to say that most kids have a different relationship with reading than their peers or siblings. Some children struggle with reading and avoid it whenever possible, while other kids seem to be naturally born bookworms.
One way to ensure your child develops a healthy (and early) relationship with reading is to offer them literature that they will actually enjoy. Consider our tailor-made list of books from our childhood that we can't wait to share with our children. Keep reading to learn more!
The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis (1950)
Described as "a story for children" on the cover of the book, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is a fantastical adventure for children who are branching into the chapter book stages of their reading level.
The mythical tale follows four children who disappeared into a magical world hidden behind the doors of an old wardrobe. The world of Narnia is intriguing, heartwarming, and heartbreaking.
Charlotte's Web - E.B White (1952)
This story about an intelligent spider who stunned the world with her silken messages is a must-read for kids.
The topics covered include love, family, loss, sacrifice, and empathy, wrapped up in a brilliantly illustrated tale about a girl, a spider, and some pig.
James And The Giant Peach - Roald Dahl (1961)
Roald Dahl's beloved classic about an enchanted peach was the first of two books that he dedicated to his daughter Olivia. Unfortunately, she died one year after it was published at the age of seven.
His story about a giant magical peach and the orphan boy who climbed inside it still captivates children everywhere, sharing Olivia's favorite story with the world.
The Berenstain Bears Series - The Berenstain Family (1962)
The Berenstain Bears followed the story of a family of bears living in a tree in Bear Country and all the silly family challenges they encountered.
The Berenstain family co-authored the series, beginning with Stan and Jan Berenstain in 1962 and continued by their son Mike in 2012. It's no surprise that the family central themes really ring true in this series!
The Giving Tree - Shel Silverstein (1964)
The Giving Tree has the power to break your heart and make it feel full at the same time.
The story is a brilliant anecdote for children about the nature of giving, and the ways that the earth continually provides for humans, even when we take advantage of it. The lesson rings even more true now, nearly 60 years later.
Tales Of A Fourth Grade Nothing - Judy Blume (1972)
The quirky, relatable stories of sibling misfortune that happen between fourth-grader Peter and his two-and-a-half-year-old brother Fudge is on-brand for a lot of school-aged kids.
Children are able to laugh along to the chaos of Fudge's antics, but also feel sympathetic for Peter at the same time. Dribble the turtle is the real loser in the story, poor guy.
Where The Sidewalk Ends - Shel Silverstein (1974)
This book is a wonderful collection of poems that are all different shapes and sizes.
The short stories told in rhyming words are easy to digest and so fun to animate when reading out loud.
Bridge To Terabithia - Katherine Paterson (1977)
Katherine Paterson's novel about the power of imagination and the bond of young friendship was assigned to many student reading lists.
For students like myself, the emotional weight of the book still feels heavy years later.
Sideways Stories From Wayside School - Louis Sachar (1978)
The Wayside School series is about a school that was built sideways when the architect misread the blueprints, resulting in a wobbly 30-floor tower (minus floor 19 of course).
The ridiculousness of the story only gets weirder when you meet the students who each have their own quirks. The stories promote creativity on the highest level—the 30th level, some might say.
Hatchet - Gary Paulsen (1986)
This is one of those book covers you forgot you knew existed until you see it and the memories come flooding back.
Gary Paulsen's coming-of-age story about a 13-year-old boy whose plane crashed in the woods hooked young readers. They nervously rooted for Brian while he fended for himself with nothing but a hatchet.
The Baby-Sitters Club Series - Ann M. Martin (1986-2000)
Even though the covers and art style for The Baby-Sitters Club changed over the years, the clever plotlines directed toward young female readers still hold relevance today.
Tackling topics like friendship, crushes, bullying, and even a bit of mystery, of course, The Baby-Sitters Club is a great introduction to chapter book reading for kids.
The Magic School Bus Series - Joanna Cole (1986-2020)
Ms. Frizzle's adventures on the big magic school bus were designed to teach her class about the world.
They also teach the students reading her stories about things ranging from basic geography to science and biology.
Eyewitness Books Series (1988)
The Eyewitness series is great for those kids who have a little extra fascination with one thing in particular.
They're also great for school projects and cover a wide variety of subjects and nature-related topics.
Matilda - Roald Dahl (1988)
Roald Dahl's imagination remains a gift to children everywhere.
His magical tale about a special girl named Matilda who loved books more than anything inspires kids to read different kinds of literature, and always act with kindness.
The Rainbow Fish - Marcus Pfister (1992)
The picture book about a unique fish learning the importance of sharing is a classic for a few reasons.
The moral fable reveals the lonely dangers of being rude and selfish, and highlights the happiness we get from sharing the things that make us special.
Goosebumps Series - R.L. Stine (1992)
R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series caters to a particular niche of kids who are super into creepy stuff.
Ghost stories, scary clowns, and creepy dolls were all staples in the Goosebumps series. The books became so popular that a cartoon series was created for kids who wanted to feel the scare.
Stellaluna - Janell Cannon (1993)
Janell Cannon's story about a tiny fruit bat named Stellaluna is great for children for a few reasons.
Firstly, she wanted to highlight the idea that bats aren't scary creatures like most people think. Secondly, she wanted to tell a story about how families may look different from one another but they have more similarities than differences when it comes down to it.
Animorphs Series - K. A. Applegate (1996-2001)
The Animorphs series was a staple in most school libraries which made it many kids' earliest introduction to the idea of science fiction.
The various shapeshifter stories hit on mature themes for preteens including war, dehumanization, morality, leadership, innocence, family, and growing up.
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling (1997)
The worlds of Muggles and magic collide in the first installment of Harry Potter's coming-of-age story.
His initial acceptance and trip to Hogwarts are full of all the literary magic you might imagine, and as a child, I waited in bookstore lines to get my hands on the next copy.
