# Children's books in 1st person POV?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [March 26, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920 "2009-03-26T21:51:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/1 "2009-03-26T21:51:52Z")
I have the impression, which might not be correct, that most books for children in the eight to twelve-year-old range are written in third person. There are plenty of YA/teen novels (for kids at least old enough to be reading the later Harry Potter books and Twilight) and adult novels written in the first person, but are there many for younger kids?
My impression may well be false, considering I mostly read the children’s classics, which tend to be in third person, before transitioning to novels. Though I’ve read a lot of contemporary young adult books, I know I missed out on a lot of kids’ books written after the modern period.
If I _am_ incorrect about there being a dearth of first person narrators in kids’ books, could you please recommend some in first person?
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### Author:  [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/2 "2009-03-26T21:52:49Z")
**Diary of a Wimpy Kid** (3 books and counting)
The whole **Fudge** series
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### Author:  [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/3 "2009-03-27T00:35:44Z")
_Green Eggs And Ham_.
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### Author:  [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/4 "2009-03-27T00:38:50Z")
The Cat in the Hat
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/5 "2009-03-27T00:39:11Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#):
>
> _Green Eggs And Ham_.
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#):
>
> The Cat in the Hat
Not really books for kids 8-12 :dubious:
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/6 "2009-03-27T00:46:33Z")
[Danny, Champion of the World](http://www.amazon.com/Danny-Champion-World-Roald-Dahl/dp/0142410330/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238114575&sr=1-1).
[The Witches](http://www.amazon.com/Witches-Roald-Dahl/dp/014241011X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238114698&sr=1-1)
[Ivy and Bean](http://www.amazon.com/Ivy-Bean-Book-Annie-Barrows/dp/0811849090).
[Hurricane](http://www.amazon.com/Hurricane-David-Wiesner/dp/0395629748)
[How I Became a Pirate](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b_0_13?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=how+i+became+a+pirate&sprefix=How+i+became+&x=15&y=14).
[The Great Brain](http://www.amazon.com/Witches-Roald-Dahl/dp/014241011X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238114698&sr=1-1) and all its sequels.
It’s especially hard for me to think of picture books written in first person, but there certainly are some.
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/7 "2009-03-27T00:47:53Z")
> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> Not really books for kids 8-12 :dubious:
Depends on the kid; I have second graders for whom _The Cat in the Hat_ is appropriate reading. True, it’s simpler than the ones on my list, but it really does depend on the kid.
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### Author:  [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/8 "2009-03-27T01:12:00Z")
_Island of the Blue Dolphins
My Side of the Mountain_
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### Author:  [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/9 "2009-03-27T02:00:11Z")
**Huckleberry Finn** and **Treasure Island** are classic first-person stories that may be advanced for an 8-year-old but are within the reach of a bright 12-year-old.
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### Author:  [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/10 "2009-03-27T02:41:16Z")
_The Best Christmas Pageant Ever_.
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/11 "2009-03-27T02:48:46Z")
Ooh, I think [The Watsons Go to Birmingham](http://www.amazon.com/Watsons-Go-Birmingham-1963/dp/0440414121) is first-person.
Many of Katherine Paterson’s books are first-person, such as [Jacob Have I Loved](http://www.amazon.com/Jacob-Have-Loved-Katherine-Paterson/dp/0064403688/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238122012&sr=1-1), [The Great Gilly Hopkins](http://www.amazon.com/Great-Gilly-Hopkins-Katherine-Paterson/dp/0064402010/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238122050&sr=1-2), and [Bridge to Terabithia](http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Terabithia-Katherine-Paterson/dp/0060734019/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238122050&sr=1-3) are all first-person.
Similarly, Mildred Taylor often writes in the first person, e.g., [Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry](http://www.amazon.com/Roll-Thunder-Hear-My-Cry/dp/B001JEN8W8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238122088&sr=1-2).
All of these books are very highly regarded.
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/12 "2009-03-27T02:52:33Z")
[Dear Mr. Henshaw](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_Mr._Henshaw) is an epistolary (sp?) novel, written as a series of letters from a child to a favorite author, and may therefore qualify.
The more I think about it, the more I can think of children’s novels written in first person. Again, I think it’s rarer (though by no means impossible) to find picture books in the first person.
Daniel
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### Author:  [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/13 "2009-03-27T03:04:13Z")
The Babysitters Club books (not GOOD literature, but there you go)
The War with Grandpa
My Brother Sam is Dead
Shiloh
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/14 "2009-03-27T03:12:14Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#):
>
> [Bridge to Terabithia](http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Terabithia-Katherine-Paterson/dp/0060734019/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238122050&sr=1-3) are all first-person.
You know, I could have sworn it was in first person too, but I just reread it a couple of weeks ago, and it’s in third person. Her other book **Jacob I Have Loved** is indeed in first, though. Thanks for reminding me of one I own 🙂
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### Author:  [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/15 "2009-03-27T10:17:59Z")
Many of Judy Bloom’s books were written in first person (ex: _Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret_.) I think it was another way in which she was a really daring and authentic writer for children. She wasn’t condescending, and even more her writing style pushed the reader to see you could just as easily _be_ that kid.
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/16 "2009-03-27T11:10:36Z")
> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> You know, I could have sworn it was in first person too, but I just reread it a couple of weeks ago, and it’s in third person. Her other book **Jacob I Have Loved** is indeed in first, though. Thanks for reminding me of one I own 🙂
:smack: I suppose I should add a disclaimer: while I tried to double-check that the books I listed were all first-person, I’m mostly operating from memory. It’s hard to find out the voice of a book from online sources. Thanks for the correction!
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/17 "2009-03-27T12:49:54Z")
_To Kill A Mockingbird_ is good for older children.
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### Author:  [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/18 "2009-03-27T13:37:06Z")
How about the [Heinlein juveniles](http://www.heinleinsociety.org/rah/works/novels/heinleinjuveniles.html)? All in 1st person, some are a bit dated but all “good reads”. Suitable for any reasonably bright 12 year old with any interest in science/technology and for quite a few 10 year olds.
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### Author:  [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/19 "2009-03-27T13:47:35Z")
Oh, also the Phyllis Reynolds Naylor “Alice” books. Good call on Judy Blume up thread–a lot of her books were, too.
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### Author:  [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-books-in-1st-person-pov/490920/20 "2009-03-27T14:36:37Z")
Junie B Jones.
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