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Maybe it’s time for a nostalgia read.
My book club crew may fall in love with a new bestseller—but there’s always plenty of space in our hearts for the books we adored as kids.
We’ve been buzzing lately about the books we devoured back then, and honestly—we can see a lot of parallels between our favorite kid lit and what we’re drawn to now. (Would I be the book club’s resident scream queen if I hadn’t cut my teeth on Nancy Drew—and inexplicably, reading Cujo in elementary school? Probably not.)
So why not make this a summer of nostalgia and pick up a few of these easy readers that we’ve been reminiscing about to slip into your vacation bag—for you, or a kiddo you know and love. (We think you’ll see some all-new things the second—or tenth—time around!)
01 of 10
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
This clever mystery sets its cast of characters into teams to try to solve the mystery of wealthy Sam Westing’s death—and it’s chock-full of clever puzzles that bring the readers along for the ride. It’s a standout for several members of our book club, who also shared it with the next generation of readers. “I recommend it to middle readers all the time,” Kate says. “I love a mystery and a female heroine figuring it out with the help of her friends.”
02 of 10
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The beloved classic is basically a gateway drug into the fantasy genre, and many of us opted to continue on that quest. (And hey, Tolkien is appropriate for all ages!)
03 of 10
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
My fantasy fandom started with this book—which is well worth a reread, now that I understand all the political subtext in the original. But I plowed through plenty of this fantasy series—which boasts 40 official books total. (And that doesn’t count spin-offs like Wicked.)
04 of 10
Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
Was this really appropriate for us back in the day? Probably not, but we all devoured this wild series before we hit puberty. Some of us “borrowed” the books from our moms, while others pooled copies amongst friends, or were given them by people who definitely should have known better.
It has everything a future horror fan would love—a creepy house, a hidden villain, a tragic death, and some very not-safe-for-kids behavior.
05 of 10
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
I feel like we all deserve a book retreat to Prince Edward Island at least once in our lives—and this sweet tale (and its many sequels) seems like it might just be a balm if you’re a ball of stress right about now. I’ll be stealing this from my daughters’ bookshelves ASAP.
06 of 10
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
Could the idea of running away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art have subconsciously convinced all of us to live an easy commute away from New York City? Who’s to say? But the adventurous spirit behind this nearly 60-year-old book probably influences us to pick grand adventures in our book club picks.
07 of 10
Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene
I started my love of mysteries young, and both Nancy and the Hardy Boys were in heavy rotation on my bookshelves. The Hidden Staircase may be my favorite, but there are so many stellar mysteries (often with a ghostly element) that were a thrill to read.
08 of 10
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Meredith and Kara were both super hardcore about this series—which has likely inspired many a historical fiction book club pick. “I used to run around in the woods with my best friend for hours pretending we were pioneers on the wild frontier,” Kara says. And Meredith? She engaged in a little cosplay. “I spent one whole summer attaching this partial wig from the ‘60s to the back of my head so that I could make two long braids and then wore it with a prairie girl bonnet,” she says.
With all the buzz around the new series—and the controversy about the books themselves—it may be time for a reread.
09 of 10
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Kid detectives was a huge genre when we were younger—and my book club was clearly on board. “Anything with kids being detectives I loved—Harriet the Spy, Encyclopedia Brown,” Meredith says.
10 of 10
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Any story about iconic kid or YA lit is not complete without the grande dame herself—and Judy Blume’s ability to connect to and share those everyday dramas that kids and teens face is unparalleled (and may be worth a reread if you’re looking to relate to a young child in your life). “She talked about all the things we didn’t really, as a girl growing up,” Robin says.
Read the original article on Real Simple
