Top Ten Favorite Childhood Books That I Own

Since the libraries closed, I haven’t had the chance to read many new books. Instead, I decided to search my house for books to reread. This is a list (not in any particular order) of my favorite childhood books that ended up in my permanent collection. 

Harry Potter series by JK Rowling: 

The Harry Potter series has been my favorite book series for a long time. I first read this series when I was 7 and have reread it many times since. In case you don’t already know, Harry Potter is a 7-book series about an 11-year-old boy (Harry) who was raised as a Muggle (non-magic person) in a Muggle family, but discovers he is an immensely famous wizard. His parents, Lily and James Potter, were killed by the magical world’s biggest enemy: Lord Voldemort. Harry somehow survived Voldemort's killing curse, and over the course of the series, he learns the skills necessary to defeat Voldemort at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Accompanied by his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermionie Granger, Harry is guided by his teachers and friends to find the strength to finally defeat Voldemort. I really like this series because a lot of the characters are funny, and each protagonist has their own unique personality, so I would give this series a 5/5. 

Inside out and Back Again by Thanhhà Lai

I first heard about Inside Out and Back Again when my 4th grade librarian read it aloud to my class on our library day. I immediately loved Lai’s simple prose and unique story-telling and was one of many classmates to request it from our school library. Because the public libraries are closed now and I don’t have any new books to read, I recently reread Inside Out and Back Again and enjoyed it just as much as I had the first time I read it. This book is short, and is intended for a lower reading level, but it’s perfect for younger siblings, and anyone looking for a short read. Kim Hà is forced to immigrate to the United States after the Vietnam War jeopardizes her family. Unfortunately, Hà struggles with learning English and facing bullies. This novel is an especially poignant, first person book based on Lai’s own immigration experience. I would give Inside Out and Back Again a 4.8 out of 5. 

Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder 

Starting with Little House in the Big Woods until The First Four Years, this series is simple and easy to understand. Wilder narrates her own life growing up as a girl in the 1870s and 1880s. She narrates her adventures with her family (Pa, Ma, Mary, Carrie, and Jack), including moving multiple times and having to build their own homes (including several log cabins and one sod house), grasshopper plagues, blizzards, and more. Mary eventually goes blind from scarlet fever and Laura is tasked with the additional burden of caring for her. Wilder manages to capture many unique parts of her life, which has made this series more interesting than some historical fiction, which often focuses on only one theme. I would give this series a 4.7 out of 5 stars because it’s a fun series for all age levels. 

Wonder by R.J.Palacio 

Wonder follows 10-year-old August “Auggie” Pullman’s transition into public school for the first time. Auggie was born with a severe facial deformity and his parents had homeschooled him up until 5th grade. In the beginning of the novel, Auggie is beginning his first year as a 6th grader at Beecher Prep. Unfortunately, while some classmates (Summer and Jack Will) are friendly and treat him like anyone else, some (Julian) make fun of the way he looks. Although I read Wonder in 5th grade, this is another book perfect for all age levels. I would give Wonder a 4.9 out of 5 because I can’t think of any reasons not to read/reread this book. 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 

In this 14-book series about middle school life, Greg Heffley tries to navigate his new school. Greg’s only real friend is Rowley Jefferson, whom Greg is constantly trying to teach how to be “more cool.” At home, Greg is stuck dealing with his immature older brother Rodrick, annoying younger brother, Manny, embarrassing mom, and grumpy dad, but believes he is destined to be a millionaire. This series has been one of my family’s favorites since Kinney started writing books. Greg’s school is a stereotypical middle school, and Kinney plays into these stereotypes by making fun of these cliches. Greg records his daily life in a journal, including cartoon sketches for most events. This series is fun, personable, and an overall great series, I would give these books a 5 out of 5. 

Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce 

The Big Nate series is written with a similar style and humor to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Nate Wright along with his friends Teddy and Francis navigate through P.S. 38’s middle school. Nate, a cartoonist, alternates his experience through comics and text between two main settings: school and home life. Nate’s older sister, Ellen, is a model student who set an impossibly high bar for him. As a result, many of Nate’s teachers are often disappointed with his behavior and academic performance and Nate spends most afternoons in detention. I would give this series a 4 out of 5 because most of the books are funny, but some parts are bland. 

Roald Dahl Books

I own most of Roald Dahl’s books and have always loved his witty humor. Even though his books are all unique and not part of the same series, he consistently writes in the same style (and I couldn’t choose which book I liked the best :). Roald Dahl has published many books for children, some extremely famous (The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, etc.) as well as other, lesser known books that are still fantastic (The Twits, Danny the Champion of the World). Most of his stories involve a young protagonist, usually about 10 years old, who goes on a huge adventure, intentionally or not, and ends up with a better life than he or she had in the beginning of the book. Overall, I would give these books a 3.9 out of 5 because most are great books, but some are a little boring. 

Warriors series by Erin Hunter

The Warrior series is an incredibly long series made up of four main sub-series and special edition books. In the first sub-series (my personal favorite), Rusty, an ordinary house cat, is convinced by a group of wild forest cats to join their “clan.” The four clans (Thunderclan, Shadowclan, Windclan, and Riverclan) live somewhat peacefully together in a forest. Rusty learns how to live like these cats and eventually lead them. In the next sub-series’, the focus switches to different cats, which becomes repetitive. I would give this series a 3.5 out of 5 because the first books are really good, but after that the series starts to deteriorate. 

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis 

During a simple game of hide and seek, Lucy Pevensie hides in a wardrobe, and, while trying to hide behind coats at the back, she unwittingly discovers the enchanted world of Narnia. This seven book series begins by capturing the adventures of Lucy, Susan, Peter, and Edmund, but over time the focus shifts from these siblings to other children. I enjoyed reading all of these books, but my favorites were probably the books with the Pevensie children as the main characters. Newer protagonists, like Eustace and Jill, aren’t as personable, and I didn’t feel like I knew who they were. I would give this series a 4 out of 5 because some books were extremely captivating, but others were slightly less interesting. 

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Number the Stars is told from Annemarie Johansen’s perspective. Annemarie lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the fall of 1943, the third year Nazis have occupied Copenhagen. Coming home from school, Annemarie and her best (Jewish) friend Ellen have their first direct encounter with Nazi guards. As the novel progresses, Jewish shops are forced to close, and eventually Ellen’s parents decide they must flee Denmark and Annemarie’s family agrees to help them escape. This book was extremely suspenseful and well written. I liked getting the perspective of a young girl trying to understand the war and help people who were being persecuted even though her family was in no danger. I would give Number The Stars a 4.8 out of 5 because the entire book is filled with action and is easy for any age to understand. 

--Miriam A