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Children's Books We Love as Adults
The Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear
Kin Platt
Call Number:
J PLATT
A 12-year old boy has a psychological speech problem. His self-absorbed parents are divorced and not involved in his life. After moving to New York City he develops schizophrenic withdrawals.
“Very moving and heartbreaking. I read this more than once in my younger years. I still think about this book off and on.” —Cynthia, Vancouver Mall Community Library
The Call of the Wild
Jack London
Call Number:
J LONDON
CASSETTE LONDON
JPB LONDON
LGE-TYPE LONDON
“I first read this book when I was 11 years old. I loved books about animals and naively thought it was about a dog. It IS about a dog. . .but so much more. I think it was my first experience realizing there was a bigger world out there with people and mysteries I would never know first-hand, but could experience through books” —Dawn, Vancouver Mall Community Library.
Double Fudge
Judy Blume
Call Number:
J BLUME
CASSETTE J BLUME
CD J BLUME
Another story about the irrepressible Fudge—again told from his older brother's perspective. This time Fudge is obsessed with money.
—Sharon, Battle Ground Community Library
Harold and the Purple Crayon
Crockett Johnson
Call Number:
E JOHNSON
CASSETTE E JOHNSON
Harold goes for a walk in the moonlight with his crayon drawing the way through imaginary adventures.
—Brynn, Administrative Services
His Dark Materials Trilogy:
The Golden Compass
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
Philip Pullman
Call Number:
J PULLMAN
YA PULLMAN
LGE-TYPE YA PULLMAN
CASSETTE J PULLMAN
CD J PULLMAN
YAPB PULLMAN
An exciting read from start to finish, with characters who range from likeable, funny and loving to hateful and terrifying. These fantasy books conjure fully-realized other worlds and provide a whole new slant on the good versus evil question. These books linger with the reader long after they are finished.
—Carole, Vancouver Community Library
—Eddie, Library Facilities
Homecoming
Cynthia Voigt
Call Number:
YA VOIGT
YAPB VOIGT
LGE-TYPE YA VOIGT
In this story of survival, four children abandoned by their mother search for a home and identity.
—Janet, Vancouver Community Library
The House with a Clock in Its Walls
John Bellairs
Call Number:
J BELLAIR
CASSETTE J BELLAIR
CD J BELLAIR
“I can't recommend enough John Bellairs' books, especially starting with this one. Not only does it capture the sense of wonder and magic that kids have found more recently in the Harry Potter books, it's often better written.” —Jeff, Vancouver Community Library
Just a Dream
Chris Van Allsburg
Call Number:
E VAN ALL
Walter's contempt for the environment changes when he has a terrifying dream of a future world crowded with landfills.
—Michelle, Vancouver Mall Community Library
Little House in the Big Woods, Little House on the Prairie and other titles
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Call Number:
J WILDER
Classic autobiographical stories of pioneer family life, first in the woods of Wisconsin, then on the Great Plains.
—Gabrielle, Vancouver Community Library
“Little House in the Big Woods was the first full length English language book I read after coming the U.S. and entering the 4th grade. I read the series aloud with my children a generation later, with equal enjoyment.” —Mara, Stevenson Community Library
The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Call Number:
J SAINT E
LGE-TYPE J SAINT E
A classic story. An aviator whose plane is forced down in the Sahara Desert encounters a little prince from a small planet who relates his adventures in seeking the secret of what is important in life.
“I really enjoyed the subtle samples of personalities and learning to appreciate what you have.” —Joanette, Processing & Distribution Services
Missing May
Cynthia Rylant
Call Number:
J RYLANT
CASSETTE J RYLANT
12-year old Summer and her uncle leave their home in a search for strength to go on after Summer's aunt dies.
“It is a story with odd characters dealing with a death. The characters make the story good.” —Lindsay, Vancouver Community Library
The One-Eyed Giant
Mary Pope Osborne
Call Number:
J883.01 OSBORNE
Book 1 of the new “Tales from the Odyssey” series by the author of the popular “Magic Treehouse” books. What could be more exciting than tangling with the man-eating Cyclops and incurring the wrath of his father Neptune, god of the sea, during your ocean voyage?
—Laveda, Vancouver Community Library
The Phantom Tollbooth
Norton Juster
Call Number:
J JUSTER
CASSETTE J JUSTER
CD J JUSTER
JPB JUSTER
A journey through a land where Milo learns the importance of words, and numbers cure his boredom.
“Rereading this as an adult, I enjoyed the dry humor—true ‘pun’ishment.” —Christi, Vancouver Community Library
“When I was in college, I read this for the first time. I liked the grammar fun.” —Heather, Cascade Park Community Library
The Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Call Number:
J BURNETT
CASSETTE J BURNETT
LGE-TYPE J BURNETT
The story of children who discover the key to an abandoned, overgrown walled garden. Though entry is forbidden, the garden brings healing to psychologically abandoned children.
—Chris, Vancouver Community Library
William Butler Yeats
W. B. Yeats
Call Number:
J821.8 YEATS
Yeats was something of a stumbling block while studying literature. When this gorgeously illustrated new collection arrived in the library, I could truly appreciate some of his most lyric poems, and was inspired to buy a copy for my personal bookshelf so I will always have “The Wild Swans at Coole” handy when I need it.
—Linda, Vancouver Community Library
A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L'Engle
Call Number:
J LENGLE
LGE-TYPE J LENGLE
CASSETTE J LENGLE
CD J LENGLE
An atomic physicist disappears, and his children and a friend must journey through time and space to find him.
“I reread it as an adult, because I so enjoyed it when I first read it in elementary school. There's a lot of love in the story, and the strengths and understanding the characters find within themselves was inspiring to me at both ages.” —Sue, Library Communications.
“Another wonderful author I didn't discover until adulthood.” —Dawn, Vancouver Mall Community Library
“I loved it as a kid and still enjoyed it as an adult. . .It deals with overcoming group conformity. . .For an 11-year old, it opened my mind to the freeing power of reading.” —Christi, Vancouver Community Library
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