It’s interesting reading as an adult these days, because there has been a real explosion in great books for young people. Books for kids, pre-teens and teens, books about important issues and that show people from all different backgrounds and identities. They showcase the growing awareness of the sheer range of gender and sexual identities out there, but also they just show real life as a teenager – the things that have always been true at that age, but also things that are new, like social media and smartphones and online bullying. Books for kids, too, seem to be so much more interesting and exciting than when I was a kid. Not that there aren’t some great classics as well, but I love how huge the kids’ section of my local library is, and just how much there is for kids to discover. So today I’d like to look at some of the books that were around when I was a kid/teen but that I never read – and wish I had, and also some of the books that didn’t yet exist back then, but oh, do I ever wish they did!
Books that did exist when I was a kid or teen but that I didn’t read
1984 by George Orwell
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
Books that I wish had existed when I was a kid
Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson
Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland
Garlic & the Witch by Bree Paulsen
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman
So that’s my week! The books I could have read when I was a kid and teen but didn’t, and lots that I wish had been around back then in the dark ages! What about you guys? Which books did you skip as a young person that you wish you’d read? Which new books do you wish you could send back to your younger self?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.
I read ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND when I was a kid, but it was a very weird read for me (same with the Disney movie). I didn’t read any of the classics you listed either and I still haven’t. Oops!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I feel like I remember being told that Alice in Wonderland wasn’t actually intended to be a kids’ book – it was a drug trip or something. I don’t know if that’s true, but I feel like it would explain a lot! 🤣
I read 1984 for my 12th-grade Government class. When I was a kid, I just wished we had more options for books for kids. When I was in high school, my classmates were all reading VC Andrews and Stephen King. What was I reading? Outside of the required reading for school, I was reading the Hardy Boys. But that’s because when my friends were reading those, I was reading things like Homer’s Odyssey.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/celebrating-more-canadian-authors-ten-more-authors-from-canada/
I hear you. It was VC Andrews and Stephen King when I was in high school too, neither of which I was that into! Honestly I think the Hardy Boys was probably better….
What a great list. I really need to read The Story of Doctor Dolittle. I don’t think I ever read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland either. Thanks for sharing.
I started Doolittle but can’t even remember if I tried Alice!