It would be hard to measure the impact certain books and stories had on us as kids, but when I think back to reading “Eragon” or “The Ranger’s Apprentice” and I get that sudden, gut-wrenching longing, that nostalgia for story, I know these stories mean more to us than we realize. Some take us spiraling away to worlds unknown, some ground us more firmly in the world we do know, and the best ones do a little bit of both. Young Adult and Children’s authors have a simplicity of writing that is accessible to even the youngest readers, but many have a depth in that simplicity that makes their writing worth reading far past the age they were “intended for” (whatever that means). Today, you might cringe thinking about books you read as a kid, but when you were a kid you absolutely adored reading them, you were completely taken by what the author had to say, and that is not something to forget. Here are a few of the editors’ favorites, which I hope will take you back, however momentarily, to that state of wonder. Maybe you’ll even pick one of these up off your tragically dusty shelf and give it another read.
Editor: Jacob Kortenhoeven
Choice: “Alex Rider” by Anthony Horowitz
This now eleven-book series of teenage espionage and British danger probably fueled my pre-teen angst, but I do not regret it for a moment. Gloriously predictable yet somehow still full of unexpected twists and turns, I found myself consuming these adventures faster than Anthony Horowitz could produce them. Though I was obviously in it for the action-packed, death-defying, world-saving, terrorist-fighting aspects of the series, I think I also appreciated the themes of love and family. Oh boy, I am still amazed Alex got himself out of that last one.
Editor: Suzannah Guthmann
Choice: “Redwall” by Brian Jacques
Credited by my mother as the books that got my older brothers to read, this series introduces us to a world where badgers rule mountains, gentle mice grow gardens, otters sing sea tales and wildcats are the ultimate villains. With sweet friendships, some genuine intrigue, and feast scenes that will make you drool, I really wish that I hadn’t given my copies to Goodwill in a fit of middle school “I’m too old for this.” A great book to read if suddenly, legally, all you can do is grocery shop (for ingredients to recreate those iconic feast scenes) and hang out outdoors.
Editor: Paige Hungar
Choice: “The Indian in the Cupboard” series by Lynne Reid Banks
The five books in this series contain a coming-of-age story about change, friendship, and sacrifice. A birthday gift to a nine-year-old boy named Omri launches him onto a magical adventure when it brings his action figures to life. With elements of fantasy and historical fiction, this series has a wide appeal but also challenges the reader to, along with Omri, grapple with stereotypes, tragedy, and the truth.
Editor: Henri Lowe
Choice: “A Swiftly Tilting Planet” by Madeleine L’Engle
Somehow, this one seemed appropriate. Madeleine L’Engle is fairly typical middle-school reading fare, though she’s most often highlighted for “A Wrinkle in Time,” which, admittedly, is a lovely book. I always preferred this one, though—the third book in her Time Quintet, “A Swiftly Tilting Planet” follows Charles Wallace Murray, a brilliant young teenager, who’s been tasked with navigating a global crisis by journeying through time, oscillating between bodies and centuries, trying to figure out what went wrong in history and how to right that moment. Atop a unicorn, traveling through time with the help of a lilting rune, Charles Wallace follows the threads of history, in the hopes of undoing the threat posed to the world as he knows it. It’s a really lovely, really poetic, really intricate story.
Editor: Will Payne
Choice: “The Mysterious Benedict Society” by Trenton Lee Stewart
This trilogy of children’s novels, about a team of uniquely talented kids who have to take down an evil supervillain with their wits, their cunning, and their (in one case) unusual ability to measure things by looking at them,
Editor: Kyle Kraus
Choice: “A Series of Unfortunate Events” by Lemony Snicket
This children’s story spans thirteen books, (and four prequel books,) and follows three siblings with some of the worst luck in the world. What starts slowly as a bad adoption experience quickly morphs into a global conspiracy. Snicket’s dry humor never ceases to delight, mocking topics from common phrases to random words. These thirteen books also delve into themes rarely addressed in most adult media, let alone children novels. And with the “anyone can die” mentality, anything is possible and you’ll be on the edge of your seat until the end of “Chapter 14.”
Editor: Elias Ferenczy
Choice: “The Children of the Red King” series by Jenny Nimmo
As a child, I never remember being told I wasn’t allowed to read “Harry Potter.” It was one of those things I just assumed. However, I do remember peering in on my older sister Abigail as she sat atop her sparkly queen bed with one of these magically thick books in her hands, which she read alongside my brother Zebulun. As I heard their discussions and conjectures about children with various magical endowments, cruel and elusive relatives, and pianos being played at midnight, I anticipated the time I would read them for myself. As one of the first book series I read on my own, Nimmo’s story-telling will always be something I look back fondly upon.