7 books I loved as a child (that I’ll force my kids to read too).

As a kid I was reading all the damn time.

Anything and everything I could get my hands on. Sure there were a few duds (The Twilight series, anyone?) but there were many I’ll never forget.

These are the books I go back to time and time again. These are the ones I loved so much I will force my hypothetical future children to read. And hey, if the ‘having kids’ thing doesn’t work, out I’ll just continue reading them over and over and over.

1. Where the Wild Things Are.

A boy called Max creates a little trouble around his house and is sent to him room by his parents. This is where his imagination takes hold transporting him into a jungle where he becomes King of the Wild Things.

This 1963 picture book by Maurice Sendak sticks with me as one book that really opened up my imagination at a young age. It’s only 338 words long, but in those few sentences the story takes you further than many epic novels can.

2. Matilda.

This Roald Dahl book tells the story of a young girl who by the age of three has taught herself to read. Her mysterious magical powers only grow from there, alongside her parent’s neglect and the ire of her sociopathic Headmistress Miss Trunchbull.

It’s a great lesson on not only the importance of reading but standing up for what’s right.

3. The Faraway Tree.

The Faraway Tree was Enid Blyton at her finest. It was about a group of kids who had an enchanted tree near their house that was filled with magical creatures. At the very top of the tree they discover a ladder that leads them to a magical land, which is different on each visit.

The children are free to come and go from this world, but have to leave at a certain time or else they get stuck there forever. Reading this book as a kid gave me a huge sense of adventure and a desire to discover new places. I especially wanted to find that world where everything is made of lollies. No luck yet.

4. The Velveteen Rabbit.

This classic 1922 children’s story by Margery Williams was a bit of eye-opener about the way the universe works. You know- you try so hard for the boy to love you while he looks at all the pretty, shiny other toys and then when he finally comes around he gets sick, you get quarantined and then thrown out in the garden.

But through all that crap, love makes you real and you get to go hop around with all the other rabbits.

5. The Harry Potter series.

Honestly, I could have made this a list of every single Harry Potter book because I have legitimately re-read this series at least 30 times. I can’t possibly justify the worth of this series in just a few sentences- it’s a magical (duh) story that teaches you incredible life lessons about friendship, loyalty and love.

Add magic spells in there and you’ve got a seriously entertaining read.

6. The Fault in Our Stars.

Okay, so technically I didn’t read this one as a child, maybe more of a semi-adult.

It’s a truly traumatic, but darkly funny, read. Hazel Grace is a 16-year-old with terminal cancer who meets fellow sufferer Augustus Waters at a cancer kid support group. Their subsequent relationship is beautifully written and tragically developed by author John Green and it will leave you wailing for days.

7. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants.

I don’t care what the haters say: The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants was a classic. Four girls of different shapes and sizes fitting into one pair of jeans that ultimately keep them together no matter how far apart they travel. It sounds like BS but you just can’t help but #believe. Most importantly it taught me the true value of female friendship.

Forgive me if some of these book selections make it seem like I want to emotionally torture my future children. But I swear, these are the books that have shaped me — and no matter how sad some of them might be, every single one of them had made me appreciate life that much more.

That’s exactly what future generations need too.

What books did you love as a child or teenager?

Here are some more children’s books that we absolutely loved…

Want more? How about:

Kate Morton: Why I will always love bookstores.

The 8 books that helped me grow up.