A bit of background info… I was a good reader as a young child and did well on reading assignments. However, around upper elementary school and middle school, I started experiencing mental health issues and by high school was in survival mode for much of the time, and never developed reading as a hobby. Now, at age 35 I have discovered that I really do enjoy reading and have been reading for pleasure recently. I have been into cozy novels and memoirs mostly.
As part of healing my inner child, I would like to go back and read some of the books that I could have read maybe from ages 10-13 that I missed out on. Sadly, reading for fun was not an interest to me during those ages and I want to immerse myself in those early chapter books for a while.
I am thinking like Roald Dahl and E.B. White, a step above Junie B. Jones/Amber Brown/Magic Treehouse in difficulty. I am not looking for longer young adult novels, but “innocent” chapter books that a 10-13 year old would read.
Thank you!
by Opening_Diver_8725
17 Comments
Anne of Green Gables, Little House series, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Westing Game, The Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil G Frankenweller, Beverly Clearly and any of the non-adult books of Judy Blume.
Nancy Drew, Pippi Longstocking, Ella Enchanted, Little Witch, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Black Beauty are some that come to mind! I love that you’re doing this for your inner child, best of luck on this wonderful journey.
Anne of Green Gables. Anne is, in my opinion, on of the greatest literary characters of all time. The first book is a masterpiece, I really enjoy the entire series!
Dealing with dragons and Harry Potter
I will always recommend Harriet the Spy. The Melendy family series by Elizabeth Enright is also great, starting with The Saturdays. And the Half Magic series by Edward Eager.
You will love the Guests of War Trilogy by Kit Pearson. The first book is The Sky is Falling. It’s a coming of age story of two young children being evacuated from England in WWII. The characters are nuanced and relatable, and have the best of intentions even though they don’t always know it.
Why not try the Harry Potter books? Yeah they’re long but lots of fun.
The Secret Garden and The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
I was obsessed w/Nancy drew books.
And the Anastasia books by lois lowery.
Witch of Blackbird Pond, Artemis Fowl, Redwall, Westing Game, anything by Tamora Pierce
The Tale of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo are amazing! The last one will rip your heart out much like Charlotte’s Web.
If you missed them the first time around, I would suggest Beverly Cleary’s Ramona books. Ramona is the closest I’ve ever seen to a real life girl with the way she thinks and reasons.
Chronicles of Narnia. Agatha Christie mysteries.
Love this! The phantom tollbooth is great.
Daniel Pinkwater- The Education of Robert Nifkin
Lemony Snicket- A Series of Unfortunate Events
Diana Wynne Jones- Howl’s Moving Castle, the Chrestomanci Quartet
Holly Black- The Spiderwick Chronicles
Series of Unfortunate Events, Millicent Squibb, and Wayside School – are light and fun, but have some interesting moments of irony/humor for an adult too.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The Hobbit, Harriet The Spy, A Wrinkle in Time, Tuck Everlasting. Those were my favorites at about that age.