# What children's books are you reading? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 5, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238 "2004-11-05T19:33:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/1 "2004-11-05T19:33:50Z")
I’m in my twenties and just recently rediscovered how much fun the children’s section of B&N is. Repeatedly, I’ve found myself pushing aside my “adult” books in favor of the latest and greatest something I found on the kiddie shelves. Recently, I’ve read: _Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unforunate Events_ Books 1-4 _Warriors: Into the Wild_ & _Fire and Ice_ by Erin Hunter Not so recently, I’ve read: _Alice in Wonderland_ and _Through the Looking Glass_ Susan Cooper’s _The Dark is Rising Sequence_ _The Ralph S. Mouse Collection_ by Beverly Cleary Harry Potter Books 1-5 And I just picked up: _Warriors: Forest of Secrets_ _Eragon_ by Christopher Paolini (who is a bestseller at age 19!) Is anyone else enjoying the children’s/young readers section right now? If so, what else would you recommend? \*The Edge Chronicles \* by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell have caught my eye on occasion, too. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/2 "2004-11-05T19:38:24Z")
I recently ordered and just received Philip Pullman’s _His Dark Materials_ series. I read about them somewhere (either here or the UnaBoard), did some research, and decided to order them. I’m also going to find a copy of Ellen Raskin’s _Figgs & Phantoms_, a Newberry Honor book. Other than that, I’ve been re-reading John. D. Fitzgerald’s _Great Brain_ series. ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/3 "2004-11-05T19:49:28Z")
Oh–you’ve got to read the Pendragon books by D.J. MacHale. It’s intended to be a series of 10 books, and he’s written up through the first five. I really like them. I also enjoyed His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. Some others that I’ve read and enjoyed within the last year or so: _Romiette and Julio_ by Sharon Mills Draper _Speak_ by Laurie Halse Anderson The Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer–just delightful _Monster_ by Walter Dean Myers _Stargirl_ by Jerry Spinelli—I really loved this one _The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4_ by Sue Townsend _Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale_ by Holly Black _City of the Beasts_ by Isabel Allende _The Thief of Always_ by Clive Barker I could probably bore you by going on and on, but I’ll refrain. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/4 "2004-11-05T20:03:16Z")
I recently re-read _Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH._ It was as good as I remembered. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/5 "2004-11-05T20:11:32Z")
**Skip** , I’m re-reading the Great Brain books too! I read a chapter a night to my son, so it will take some time. The wish giver : three tales of Coven Tree by Brittain, Bill. We all fall down Cormier, Robert. Fade Cormier, Robert. Crazy lady! Conly, Jane Leslie. The boy who lost his face Sachar, Louis Dirty laundry : stories about family secrets Fraustino, Lisa Rowe. You don’t know me Klass, David. The Star of Kazan Ibbotson, Eva. The fear place [sound recording] Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Life in the fat lane Bennett, Cherie. Rachel and the angel and other stories Westall, Robert. The Amazing Maurice and his educated rodents [sound recording] Pratchett, Terry. These are the ones in the to-read pile at the moment. Thanks to Banned Books Week, I have started to read all the Alice books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Also, I’m pestering my library to get the latest Lemony Snicket book on audiotape. Tim Curry does such a fabulous job reading those! I actually had the book in my hand, but I put it back down to wait for the sound recording. I read the first of the Edge Chronicles and found it a little too cute, but my daughter liked it (she’s 13). ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/6 "2004-11-05T20:12:02Z")
I’m waiting for the next Tortallan book from [Tamora Pierce](http://www.tamora-pierce.com/) (love all her books really), pondering rereading His Dark Material’s, have placed on hold Lemony Snicket and a few others. I found this one called The Light Princess by George MacDonald recently. It’s about a Princess who ‘lost her gravity’, it looks to be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/7 "2004-11-05T20:14:19Z")
Ack! I forgot my sworn duty in these threads, namely, to recommend William Sleator. The best are House of Stairs and Singularity, IMHO. John Bellairs/Brad Strickland are also not to be missed. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/8 "2004-11-05T20:47:21Z")
I just finished Cornelia Funke’s _Inkheart_, which I thought better than her _The Thief Lord_. Funke can write compelling beginnings but things tend to end with a whimper rather than a bang. Currently, I have the second book to Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus Trilogy _The Golem’s Eye_ on my shelf, as well as Pamela Dean’s _The Hidden Land_. I’d recommend both series based solely on the first book in each. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/9 "2004-11-05T20:51:18Z")
Great Thread: Currently reading and recommending: Debi Gliori’s Pure Dead Magic and her two other books in the same series. very funny stuff. Recently read and highly recommend: Gerald Morris’ series of Arthurian fantasies. Starts with The Squire’s Tale . I also recently read a bunch of John Bellairs and second that recommendation. On the other hand I thought Eragon was dull; way over rated. And I absolutely hated the one volume of His Dark Materials that I managed to slog through. I found it so pretentious as to be off-putting. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/10 "2004-11-06T03:42:38Z")
Geronimo Stilton books and also Dear Dumb Diary ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/11 "2004-11-06T04:11:32Z")
Rereading Terry Pratchett’s _A Hat Full of Sky_ and _Wee Free Men._ _Big jobs!_ ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/12 "2004-11-06T05:14:47Z")
I’m lucky in that as a teacher, I’m always reading a children’s book…aloud. I started out the school year reading Cornelia Funke’s _The Thief Lord_ which is a great book about street children in Venice Italy…a little like _Oliver Twist_ Then I just finished Neil Gaiman’s _Coraline_ a scary book good for Halloween. Today I started _Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key_ about a boy with ADHD…who is from such a dysfunctional family, that he’s the voice of sanity. Sounds depressing, but is actually quite funny. ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/13 "2004-11-06T10:42:07Z")
Recently bought A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett for my hubby’s 11 year old daughter. It’s a Discworld book geared for teens, the sequel to Wee Free Men. It’s amazing, every T.P. book I read, I’m more amazed by his genius. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/14 "2004-11-06T11:40:10Z")
The Earthsea trilogy, by Ursula Le Guin: A Wizard Of Earthsea, The Tombs Of Atuan, and The Farthest Shore. Fantasy, but very far removed from the usual Dungeons-and-Dragons rubbish. I’m not sure it isn’t better than Lord Of The Rings, and it shits on Harry Potter. It IS a trilogy, by the way. Tehanu never happened. You must have imagined it. Move along, nothing to see. Another vote for His Dark Materials. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/15 "2004-11-06T17:07:29Z")
Isn’t there another books after _Tehanu_, called _The Other Wind_? I rather liked _Tehanu_. Haven’t read the most recent one, though. I love Le Guin. She’s a fantastic, thoughtful, intelligent writer. Read _Sabriel_, by Garth Nix, a little while ago. I’ve just got the sequels, _Lirael_ and _Abhorsen_. I’ll start them tonight. I’ll probably reread _Rilla of Ingleside_ next week in honour of Remembrance Day. I’ve also read _Angus, Thnogs, and Full-Frontal Snogging_. It was fun. Bridget Jones for kids. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/16 "2004-11-06T17:29:15Z")
Rereading the Little House series while I wait for my kid to get old enough to read them 🙂 ---
**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:** [November 6, 2004, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/17 "2004-11-06T17:44:23Z")
> [@Lissla Lissar](#): > > Read _Sabriel_, by Garth Nix, a little while ago. I’ve just got the sequels, _Lirael_ and _Abhorsen_. I’ll start them tonight. Ooh, I envy you. I wish I could read those books again for the first time. I was blown away. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/18 "2004-11-06T17:48:00Z")
Most of my favorites have been listed – I just rediscovered YA fiction a year or so ago, and it’s fun catching up. I’d add **Dust** by Arthur Slade, it’s sort of Bradbury-esque, and **Swords for Hire** by Will Allan – it has all the fantasy tropes, the farm boy, the quest, the pretty maiden, the funny sidekick – it can be read straight or as a parody. ---
**Author:** ![Selkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Selkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Selkie)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/19 "2004-11-06T18:32:52Z")
Much love here for [Leave it to Chance](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582402531/qid=1099766364/sr=2-2/ref=pd_ka_b_2_2/104-6548531-9771105) and [Courtney Crumrin](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1929998600/qid=1099766441/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/104-6548531-9771105). ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238/20 "2004-11-06T19:07:02Z")
I haven’t been reading them recently, but I do have the entire\* collection of _Meitante Conan_ in Chinese. \*well, there’s probably been a few more volumes out, but I’m not getting those until the next time my cousin goes back to Taiwan. I also have the original, uncensored Grimm’s fairy tales in Chinese. Those are awesome, but I dunno if I’d read them to small children. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-childrens-books-are-you-reading/273238.md?page=2)