I loved reading when I was a child. I was born in 1982 and enjoyed reading, visiting the library and, even more special, visiting bookshops. I remember that often on a Thursday evening, which was late night opening, we would visit Waterstones on Milsom Street in Bath. My dad would go and browse all the adult books or just disappear somewhere, and my mum would take us to the children’s section which was always bright, full of beautiful books and lots of fun. My younger sisters would love to look through the books and play on the little slide they had and as I got older I was allowed to wonder alone, I would visit the slightly older sections and look through all the wonderful books, selecting all the ones I wanted to read and very occasionally I would have saved up enough to buy myself a book, I loved those visits the most!
I was thinking about this recently, which got me thinking about book’s that I loved back then and ones which have stood the test of time and I have since read to my own children and given as gifts to others.
So in no particular order here are my top ten 80s and 90s children’s books that have stood the test of time!
- “The BFG” by Roald Dahl – a novel about a friendly giant who befriends a young girl named Sophie and helps her stop other, less friendly giants from eating children.
- “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis – the first book in the beloved “Chronicles of Narnia” series, about four siblings who discover a magical world hidden inside a wardrobe.
- “Matilda” by Roald Dahl – a novel about a brilliant young girl named Matilda who develops telekinetic powers and outwits her cruel family and school principal.
- “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White – a heartwarming story about the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a spider named Charlotte.
- “The Indian in the Cupboard” by Lynne Reid Banks – a fantasy novel about a young boy who discovers that a plastic Indian toy comes to life when placed in a magic cupboard.
- “The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾” by Sue Townsend – a hilarious coming-of-age novel about a teenage boy who dreams of being a famous writer.
- “The Famous Five” series by Enid Blyton – a popular series of adventure novels about a group of children who solve mysteries and go on exciting expeditions.
- “The Witches” by Roald Dahl – a spooky and entertaining story about a young boy who discovers a secret society of witches and tries to stop their evil plans.
- “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett – a classic novel about a young girl named Mary who discovers a hidden garden and brings it back to life.
- “The Enormous Crocodile” by Roald Dahl – a fun story about a crocodile who wants to eat children but is foiled by other jungle animals.
Of all of them, I loved ‘The Indian in the Cupboard’ the most. My sister read it years after me and when we were adults, I remember we had an argument about who owned the copy of the book that we had at our childhood home! I doubt she remembers that, especially as she won, as always, but it just shows how much that book meant to us both.
Strangely enough, I rarely read fantasy now, but I would love to read that trilogy again, I may just have to buy myself a new copy!
What are your favourite childhood books and which do you think have stood the test of time?
