Snuggle up.
It’s much harder these days to keep any child’s attention for longer than twenty-five seconds, but these stories are timeless classics. If you break these out at bedtime, we are sure you will get the reaction these books deserve.
1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
Arguably the greatest children’s writer of all time, any one of the many Roald Dahl titles would be perfect reading for your children, particularly Matilda, The BFG and The Witches. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, however, has taken on a life of its own. Revolving around Charlie who wins a golden ticket and therefore a tour of the local sweet factory run by the eccentric Willy Wonka, the book delved straight into the world of a child’s fantasies. The amazing illustrations by Quentin Blake make a wonderful addition to the now classic children’s novel.
2. Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White
Charlotte, a barn spider, befriends a pig named Wilbur; and that simple plotline has managed to engage millions of readers for years. Wilbur is in danger of being slaughtered by their owner so Charlotte sets out to write messages in her web in praise of the pig. The farmer is so shocked by the brilliance of Wilbur that every day, he spares his life. The story made a move to the big screen on several occasions, but the film adaptations have never been able to eclipse the success of the wonderful original work.
3. The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
An older classic, but still one of the best stories that has ever been written, The Secret Garden tells the story of Mary Lennox, whose parents die from infection in India. She is returned to her uncle in Yorkshire, who lives alone with his servants following the death of his wife. Mary is given free reign, as long as she stays within her side of the manor and does not explore where she is not supposed to. However, she soon hears of a garden which is kept secret and it becomes her mission to find its location. Told from the perspective of Mary who suffers a dramatic change on her return to England, The Secret Garden is one the finer classics from children’s literature.
4. The Giver – Lois Lowry
Included in the syllabus for a considerable amount of American schools, The Giver continuously makes it onto various best children’s books lists. Set in a Utopian society, the book follows the life of Jonas, a young boy who has been chosen by the society to receive all the past memories from previous generations. In his world, there is no colour, no hills, no music and everything is dictated by a committee who remain in control of the people. However, when Jonas receives the memories of previous generations, he discovers a terrible secret with it. A reasonably short read, The Giver packs a lot of punch in a short time.
5. Under the Hawthorn Tree – Marita Conlon-McKenna
It’s safe to say that nearly everyone read this in primary school, or at the very least knew of its existence. Written by Marita Conlon-McKenna, Under the Hawthorn Tree was the first in the Children of the Famine trilogy. The book tells the story of three young siblings, Eily, Michael and Peggy O’Driscoll, who we meet when their family potato plot suffers an infection of blight. Bridget, their younger sister dies and is buried under the hawthorn tree, their father departs in order to find food and when he does not return, their mother leaves the family to find him. The story follows the children as they decide to make the long journey to their aunt’s house in the hope of survival. Harrowing in sections, Under the Hawthorn Tree is an Irish classic that will remain timeless.
What was your favourite childhood book? Let us know in the Facebook comments.
