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  4. 34 Classic Children's Books Even Adults Love

34 Classic Children's Books Even Adults Love

Real Simple Author
By Real Simple Editors Updated June 25, 2018
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
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Two children reading a book in bed
Credit: JGI/Getty Images

It can be said that some of the most formative books you'll read in your lifetime are read during your childhood. So many of us remember the books we loved—whether it was the phenomenon that was Harry Potter or classic picture books like Goodnight Moon—and asked our parents to read every night at bedtime. 

So we asked Real Simple readers to tell us what children's books turned them on to reading and have stuck with them since. Here, dozens of readers reveal their favorites in their own words.

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The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats

The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
Credit: amazon.com

It was the first book that I encountered with characters whose skin color was the same hue as mine. It is also the first book that I have purchased for all of my great-nieces and -nephews. —Darlene Whi

To buy: Ages 5 to 8; $6, amazon.com.

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The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Credit: amazon.com

"As a child I loved the simple story and it has resonated with me more and more as an adult."—Samantha Sadler Layman 

To buy: Ages 4 to 8; $8, amazon.com.

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The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf

The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf
Credit: amazon.com

"My dad read it to me as a baby girl recovering in the hospital. We read together until his grandsons were born. And then we read to them. 'Just quietly under the cork tree.'"—Cindy Lee Claplanhoo 

To buy: Ages 3 to 5; $5, amazon.com.

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Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman

Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman
Credit: amazon.com

"Are You My Mother? showed love and opportunities were everywhere."—Denise Thompson 

To buy: Ages 3 to 7; $5, amazon.com.

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Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson

Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson
Credit: amazon.com

"I was so inspired by Harold's imagination and realized that books could take me anyplace I wanted to go, just like Harold."—Leslie Fischer 

To buy: Ages 4 to 8; $7, amazon.com.

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The Poky Little Puppy, by Janette Sebring Lowrey

The Poky Little Puppy, by Janette Sebring Lowrey
Credit: amazon.com

"My mom would read The Poky Little Puppy to me when I was a kid. I was soon addicted to the written word." —Chrystal Hogan Hood 

To buy: Ages 0 to 3; $5, amazon.com.

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Go, Dog. Go!, by P.D. Eastman

Go, Dog, Go, by P.D. Eastman
Credit: amazon.com

"I still want the houseboat the dogs jump into the water from!!" —Julie McQueen 

To buy: Ages 3 to 7; $5, amazon.com.

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Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans

Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans
Credit: amazon.com

"I truly started imagining living all over the world—and so I have."—Karin Thompson 

To buy: Ages 3 to 7; $9, amazon.com.

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Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, by Judi Barrett

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, by Judi Barrett
Credit: amazon.com

"I have a master's degree in English and it's still one of my favorite books." —Jessica Kosowski Zandan 

To buy: Ages 4 to 8; $7, amazon.com.

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Raggedy Ann & Andy, by Johnny Gruelle

Raggedy Ann & Andy, by Johnny Gruelle
Credit: amazon.com

"My mom ordered the Raggedy Ann & Andy series for me; they were my first hardcover books. I watched for them in the mail and devoured them, hiding from my five younger siblings." —Kim Bennett 

To buy: Ages 4 to 8; $13, amazon.com.

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Little Bear, by Else Holmelund Minarik

Little Bear, by Elsa Holmelund Minarik
Credit: amazon.com

"My first favorite book that I remember and still think about is Little Bear. There have been many books since then, but that is the one that I would read over and over and then read to my little sister. Sometimes I find it in a thrift store and have to open it up to see the pages." —Erin Almond 

To buy: Ages 4 to 8; $5, amazon.com.

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Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein

Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein
Credit: amazon.com

"I carried it around with me and read aloud to anyone who would listen (and some who wouldn't)!" —Meaghan Burke Proctor

To buy: Ages 4 to 8; $11, amazon.com.

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Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst
Credit: amazon.com

"I wanted to go to Australia some days too." —Adrienne Bartle 

To buy: Ages 2 to 4; $8, amazon.com.

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Amelia Bedelia, by Herman Parish

Amelia Bedelia, by Herman Parish
Credit: amazon.com

"I just loved her and her simple thinking." —LaFaye Tapper 

To buy: Ages 6 to 10; $4, amazon.com.

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The Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann David Wyss

The Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann David Wyss
Credit: amazon.com

"My mom read The Swiss Family Robinson to me. I don't know what I enjoyed more: the story or curling up with Mommy. Thank you, Mommy, for reading to me! One of the greatest gifts she gave me!" —Tosie Simmons 

To buy: Ages 7 to 9; $7, amazon.com.

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The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame

The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
Credit: amazon.com

"First book I read in one sitting." —Renee Perovich 

To buy: Ages 7 to 14; $20, amazon.com.

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Superfudge, by Judy Blume

Superfudge, by Judy Blume
Credit: amazon.com

"I can remember reading it and laughing out loud. After I read it, I couldn't wait to get my hands on another Judy Blume book." —Jaime Centers Morganroth 

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.

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The Giver, by Lois Lowry

The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Credit: amazon.com

"As a preteen it was the first book to give me a sense of the world in the future. Since then I've been drawn to books and novels that deal with a postapocalyptic society. Would you remain moral and civil? Does humanity remain when rules are lost? I've enjoyed reading similar books like the Divergent and Hunger Games trilogies with my preteen children and posing the same questions." —Stacey Grim Zappacosta 

To buy: Ages 7 and up; $15, amazon.com.

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Encyclopedia Brown, by Donald J. Sobol

Encyclopedia Brown, by Donald J. Sobol
Credit: amazon.com

"I paid attention to details and felt so smart when I could figure out the mini-mysteries. Encyclopedia Brown taught me it was okay to be smart." —Marcy Strohecker-Polletta 

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $6, amazon.com.

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The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford

The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford
Credit: amazon.com

"I read it a dozen times. Was mesmerized by the strength and challenges [the characters] faced. That book sucked me in and made me want to read more and more! One of those "flashlight under the covers" late-night reads when you were supposed to be sleeping." —Julie Schroeder Standley 

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.

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Goosebumps, by R.L. Stine

Goosebumps, by R.L. Stine
Credit: amazon.com

"I loved the whole series." —KE Higgins 

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $6, amazon.com.

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Henry Huggins, by Beverly Cleary

Henry Huggins, by Beverly Cleary
Credit: amazon.com

"In third grade I discovered Beverly Cleary—Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice, and Ramona. Henry was always my favorite, but now as an adult reading to my own daughter, she loves Ramona's books best." —Eileen Downey Fleming

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $6, amazon.com.

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The Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden

The Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden
Credit: amazon.com

"I grew up in the Little Apple (Manhattan, Kansas), not the Big Apple. The Cricket in Times Square transported me to a whole new world: a big city, public transportation, different ethnicities. I would read under the covers at night with a flashlight." —Angie May Priddle 

To buy: Ages 6 to 9; $7, amazon.com.

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Ramona the Pest, by Beverly Cleary

Ramona the Pest, by Beverly Cleary
Credit: amazon.com

"I hadn't read a chapter book on my own before, and I went through half the book in one night! I loved the book so much, I forgot about being an "early reader." I started reading my brother's "baby books" to him, probably mostly to show off. I felt so confident as a reader, I started picking up technical books about dog training and other things that interested me." —Bethany Ann Hagensen 

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.

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Bambi, by Felix Salten

Bambi, by Felix Salten
Credit: amazon.com

"The original Bambi, not the Golden Book or the Disney version. I read it when I was 6. Still have it—57 years later!" —Susan M. Sanders 

To buy: Ages 10 and up; $16, amazon.com.

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The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster

The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
Credit: amazon.com

"I cried when it was done." —Erin Hennessy Passmonick 

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $8, amazon.com.

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Ballet Shoes, by Noel Streatfeild

Ballet Shoes, by Noel Streatfeild
Credit: amazon.com

"Loved this; read it until the cover fell off. I danced, too, so it was very special." —Lauren Leahey 

To buy: Ages 3 to 7; $7, amazon.com.

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Betsy-Tacy, by Maud Hart Lovelace

Betsy-Tacy, by Maud Hart Lovelace
Credit: amazon.com

"I received the first book in the series when I was 9. I reread them last year and they are just as sweet as I remembered. I cherish those stories for building my love of books." —Melissa Kate Hjelle 

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $7, amazon.com.

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Lassie Come-Home, by Eric Knight

Lassie Come-Home, by Eric Knight
Credit: amazon.com

"Got it when I was 10 years old. Still have it." —Pegg Allen 

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $11, amazon.com.

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The Borrowers, by Mary Norton

The Borrowers, by Mary Norton
Credit: amazon.com

"My mom read to us all the time. This book was a favorite." —Katharine Holt Campbell 

To buy: Ages 9 to 12; $8, amazon.com.

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Mary Poppins, by P.L. Travers

Mary Poppins, by P.L. Travers
Credit: amazon.com

"I wanted her magic carpetbag!" —Christy Long 

To buy: Ages 10 to 12; $15, amazon.com.

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Old Yeller, by Fred Gipson

Old Yeller, by Fred Gipson
Credit: amazon.com

"I must have read it every other month as a kid." —Walt Nickell 

To buy: Ages 8 to 12; $8, amazon.com.

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Pollyanna, by Eleanor H. Porter

Pollyanna, by Eleanor H. Porter
Credit: amazon.com

"I think I read it 50 times." —Tammy Tunis Graves 

To buy: Ages 10 and up; $9, amazon.com.

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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor
Credit: amazon.com

"As a preteen I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I liked reading before, but that book was the first one that had a deep impact on me." —Jeanenne Reid Robinson 

To buy: Ages 10 and up; $8, amazon.com.

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    1 of 34 The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
    2 of 34 The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
    3 of 34 The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf
    4 of 34 Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman
    5 of 34 Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson
    6 of 34 The Poky Little Puppy, by Janette Sebring Lowrey
    7 of 34 Go, Dog. Go!, by P.D. Eastman
    8 of 34 Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans
    9 of 34 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, by Judi Barrett
    10 of 34 Raggedy Ann & Andy, by Johnny Gruelle
    11 of 34 Little Bear, by Else Holmelund Minarik
    12 of 34 Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein
    13 of 34 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst
    14 of 34 Amelia Bedelia, by Herman Parish
    15 of 34 The Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann David Wyss
    16 of 34 The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
    17 of 34 Superfudge, by Judy Blume
    18 of 34 The Giver, by Lois Lowry
    19 of 34 Encyclopedia Brown, by Donald J. Sobol
    20 of 34 The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford
    21 of 34 Goosebumps, by R.L. Stine
    22 of 34 Henry Huggins, by Beverly Cleary
    23 of 34 The Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden
    24 of 34 Ramona the Pest, by Beverly Cleary
    25 of 34 Bambi, by Felix Salten
    26 of 34 The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
    27 of 34 Ballet Shoes, by Noel Streatfeild
    28 of 34 Betsy-Tacy, by Maud Hart Lovelace
    29 of 34 Lassie Come-Home, by Eric Knight
    30 of 34 The Borrowers, by Mary Norton
    31 of 34 Mary Poppins, by P.L. Travers
    32 of 34 Old Yeller, by Fred Gipson
    33 of 34 Pollyanna, by Eleanor H. Porter
    34 of 34 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor

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    34 Classic Children's Books Even Adults Love
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