Saving up your money for the school book fair, picking out a book, and getting to escape into the fictional world of your chosen novel is a core memory for many. Our first experiences with reading stay with us for a long time, often shaping the way we think now. Reading a good book has the ability to transport us to magical lands far, far away due to our never-ending imagination. This is why we’re going on a trip down memory lane to revisit some of the books you might’ve read during your childhood for all the nostalgic feels.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
This comforting book, which has high emotions and great tales, tells the story of young Max as his imagination turns his ordinary bedroom into a forest. Here, he sails to a land with many wonderful creatures called Wild Things. He becomes king of this land and gets up to all sorts of things, but he becomes homesick and returns home to his family. You probably had this book read to you, or it was one of the first books you read. Some excellent illustrations can also be found in this book, making it truly memorable.
The Cat in The Hat by Dr. Suess
At least one Dr. Suess book should’ve been read during your childhood. It tells captivating stories with catchy rhymes. The Cat in The Hat, in particular, tells a lesson about cleaning up after yourself. This is done by showing two siblings who find the cat accompanied by Thing One and Thing Two in their house on a rainy day. They make a mess in the house, while the children worry about their parents coming home to the mess. However, the cat quickly cleans up the mess just in time for the parents to come home, saving the children.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Before watching the film, you probably read this popular Roald Dahl book. It shares lessons about greed by showing poor boy Charlie, who wins a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Here, he meets a number of greedy people and gets punished for it. As Charlie is the only generous child, he remains at the factory and becomes heir to the chocolate factory, saving his family from poverty.
Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
As you got older, you might have picked up A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. This dark comedic novel follows siblings Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire after their parents die in a fire. The series then follows the siblings as they are thrust upon different guardians while Count Olaf gets in the way by trying to steal their prosperous family fortune. These witty and quickie books tell the tales of the Baudelaires series of unfortunate events.
The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
This book holds stories of friendship, life lessons, and magic potions! The Worst Witch is about a clumsy young witch named Mildred Hubble who starts to attend Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches. Here, Mildred seems to struggle with flying her broomstick, making potions, and casting spells. This leads her to hold the unfortunate title of The Worst Witch. However, these obstacles don’t stop Mildred from trying her best at the Academy, and she quickly finds herself saving the day when things don’t go so well at school. This shows young readers that while you might not be the most graceful, you can still do amazing things.
Candyfloss by Jacqueline Wilson
Jacqueline Wilson is bound to be a nostalgic author from your childhood. Her novels are sure to be page-turners with captivating stories. Candyfloss, specifically, is a heartwarming story about a young girl named Floss who decides to live with her Father after her mother and stepfather decide to move to Australia. Floss’s father isn’t as well off as her mother and stepfather, so Floss has to adjust to a new life of poverty, changing schools, and making new friends. This story follows Floss as she navigates this new life and learns to live differently.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
This amazing novel is sure to have been a nostalgic childhood read. It’s a great fantasy about four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, as they are forced to evacuate their homes during the Second World War. As they stay at a new house, Lucy starts exploring and finds a room with a magical closet that leads her to a magical land known as Narnia. While her siblings don’t believe Lucy at first, they soon follow her to the closet and find out just how real Narnia is. Here, the siblings go through a number of trials and tribulations as they keep going back to Narnia for more adventures.
Only seven books were mentioned. Do you feel like we missed a childhood classic? Let us know what your favorite childhood book is on our socials.
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