# It's just a kid's book!! Well, so are these. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031 "2005-07-18T20:28:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/41 "2005-07-19T02:10:15Z")
**Red Moon and Black Mountain** by Joy Chant. Also the two sequels. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/42 "2005-07-19T03:30:51Z")
Pratchett’s juvenile books are generally excellent. The **Bromeliad Trilogy** , the **Johnny Maxwell** trilogy (particularly **Johny and the Dead** ) and the **Tiffany Aching** and other juvenile **Discworld** books are all great. **The Amazing Maurice** is as good as they come. I’m looking forward to the new one with Vimes and young Sam. (His son, not his younger self from **Nightwatch** ) ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/43 "2005-07-19T03:46:26Z")
**Mandy** by Julie Andrews-Edwards and **A Dark Traveling** by Roger Zelanzy ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/44 "2005-07-19T05:10:35Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > Grimm’s Fairytales. Can I get a cite for that? From everything I’ve heard, Grimm’s (Grimms’?) original stories were quite grisly and not for the little 'uns. > [@cruel butterfly](#): > > _The Maze at the Center of the Castle_, but I can’t seem to find this book anywhere (even though I _know_ I read it over a summer once) so I don’t know the author. I remember reading this when I was ten? eleven? and _loving_ it! [Here’s](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385178174/qid=1121749675/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-6662488-7525439?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) the Amazon page, but from the used prices it looks as if it’s out-of-print. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/45 "2005-07-19T05:24:38Z")
> [@Miss Violaceous](#): > > Also, my ex’s favorite book is **Interstellar Pig** by the famous author **Ms V is too damned lazy to Google**. Oh. My. God. I’d completely forgotten about \*Interstellar Pig[/]! I LOVED that book! Thank you for reminding me of it. I think my kids would love it. William Sleator, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/46 "2005-07-19T05:53:23Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Oh. My. God. I’d completely forgotten about _ **Interstellar Pig** _! I LOVED that book! Thank you for reminding me of it. I think my kids would love it. > > William Sleator, btw. :eek: Is that the one about the weird statuette thingy? (Gah, I can barely remember!) That’s definitely one to search down when I get my stuff out of storage again. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/47 "2005-07-19T05:58:38Z")
That’s the one. Everyone is searching for the Pig. And they’re (supposedly) teenagers. They think it’s in the house the kid next door is spending the summer in with his family. ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/48 "2005-07-19T11:54:20Z")
Oh, man, I loved Interstellar Pig! I read it in Finnish at the age of 12 and had some very interesting dreams for the next few weeks. I also agree completely with the _Dark Is Rising_ series; those were some gooood books. And Diana Wynne Jones: the one about the boy whose sister seemed to have magical skills and they were sent to live with the magician…Chrestomanci? _googles_ Ah. _Charmed Life_. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/49 "2005-07-19T11:59:30Z")
> [@Tracy Lord](#): > > Can I get a cite for that? From everything I’ve heard, Grimm’s (Grimms’?) original stories were quite grisly and not for the little 'uns. > > I remember reading this when I was ten? eleven? and _loving_ it! [Here’s](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385178174/qid=1121749675/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-6662488-7525439?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) the Amazon page, but from the used prices it looks as if it’s out-of-print. Grisly they were. Also recited to children (the Grimm’s collected oral traditions). People had a different understanding of what children needed, at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/50 "2005-07-19T12:04:30Z")
The Star Wars trilogy (yeah, not a book, sue me) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/51 "2005-07-19T12:08:36Z")
> [@auRa](#): > > I also agree completely with the _Dark Is Rising_ series; those were some gooood books. And Diana Wynne Jones: Diana Wynne Jones is often overlooked, and she’s wonderful. I don’t get the affection for the Cooper series, though. I tried to read them a few years ago and was really unimpressed. It seems some series can be read _again_ as an adult, but not read for the first time as an adult. I wonder if Cooper’s books tend to be that way. ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/52 "2005-07-19T12:17:58Z")
Could be. I haven’t read them for a while, so maybe it’s just the memories talking. I do recall learning the poem about the rings out by heart, though. (Such a nerd.:D) Oh, oh! One I forgot! Walter Wangerin, Jr.s [The Book Of The Dun Cow](http://walterwangerinjr.org/new_web/publish_details.php?id=29). I recall that being an _awesome_ read. It’s been a while, though. I may need to steal it from my parent’s bookshelves again and see if it still holds up. ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/53 "2005-07-19T12:22:59Z")
Okay, it just now struck me that _The Book Of The Dun Cow_ might not be considered a kids’ book; it’s more along the lines of _Animal Farm_. I read it at 11 or so, so that’s why it popped into my head as a kids’ book. Not to say that kids couldn’t read it and get the deeper allegorical stuff; just that, now that I think about it, I wouldn’t really categorize it as a children’s book. I’ll stop rambling now. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/54 "2005-07-19T12:24:41Z")
I’ve always liked John Christopher’s post-apocalyptic children’s books - **The Tripods** , **The Guardians** , **Empty World** , **The Prince in Waiting** ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/55 "2005-07-19T12:27:00Z")
> [@auRa](#): > > Oh, oh! One I forgot! Walter Wangerin, Jr.s [The Book Of The Dun Cow](http://walterwangerinjr.org/new_web/publish_details.php?id=29). I recall that being an _awesome_ read. It’s been a while, though. I may need to steal it from my parent’s bookshelves again and see if it still holds up. I had never heard of that one, but I just read the excerpt and it’s great. ---
**Author:** ![Ithaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Ithaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ithaka)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/56 "2005-07-19T12:36:31Z")
Dismissing Harry Potter as ‘just a kid’s book’ is ridiculous. Dismissing it as a fairly average kid’s book is fair enough. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/57 "2005-07-19T12:43:17Z")
> [@Ithaka](#): > > Dismissing it as a fairly average kid’s book is fair enough. I disagree that it’s average. There are books that are better (though agreeing on which those are might be difficult) but there are thousands of books that are worse–books that were written as disposable entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/58 "2005-07-19T12:55:34Z")
Has anyone mentioned The Little Prince by Antoine de St. Exupéry? ( I think I may have butchered the name) And perhaps not little kids, but at least “young adult” book, Sophie’s World by Jonstein Gaardner. ---
**Author:** ![Ithaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Ithaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ithaka)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/59 "2005-07-19T13:02:06Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I disagree that it’s average. There are books that are better (though agreeing on which those are might be difficult) but there are thousands of books that are worse–books that were written as disposable entertainment. It doesn’t hold a candle to such things as The Hobbit, Huck Finn or Dark Materials. Ok, HP is better than a lot of other things, but it just isn’t _that_ good. ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031/60 "2005-07-19T13:15:59Z")
> [@Cheez\_Whia](#): > > ::Flounders around in dim memories:: > > Two books that I used to check out of the library together were **Black and Blue Magic** , and another one that sat right next to it on the shelf. I cannot remember the title, (maybe **The Secret Room** ), but it was about a girl whose parents were migrant farm workers who end up on a place with apricot trees and an abandoned house. I’ve been thinking about these books quite a bit lately. I may have to search for them. :smack: OK, it’s **The Velvet Room** , and both are by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. Both are wonderful books. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-just-a-kids-book-well-so-are-these/313031.md?page=4)