There’s nothing wrong with an adult who likes to read children’s books. (I’m a children’s librarian; therefore, an expert on these matters.) Children’s books can provide a much-needed escape, along with being quick reads – you can devour these in a day or two. If you’re an elder millennial, a ’90s kid, like me, these titles might be just the thing to unlock a core memory, provide a satisfying jolt of nostalgia, and remind you of the joy of childhood.
Sideways Stories from Wayside School tells the completely off-the-wall story of a class on the 30th floor of a school that was accidentally built sideways, beginning with Ms. Gorf, the meanest teacher in this strange school, who turns all the children into apples one by one.
The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin is finding new popularity as a modern graphic novel series, but before all that, the babysitters were dealing with rival clubs, rambunctious kids, crushes and heavy topics like death and divorce in a 1990s series of over 100 books.
Christopher Paul Curtis’ The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 is tender and funny until the moment it fully gives way to a harrowing landmark event of the civil rights movement. This book will make you laugh out loud and then rip your heart out.
Catherine, Called Birdy is a funny diary-format book set in the year 1290 in England. Some elements of the story are timeless and relatable; others are exotic, medieval-specific issues. (So many fleas everywhere!)
If you’re in the mood for a fairy tale (one with a feminist bent), pick up Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted. Feisty heroine Ella of Frell is cursed with obedience, but goes on a quest to break the curse and claim her own destiny in this book that is now a modern classic.
Jerry Spinelli has created an utterly singular character in Maniac Magee. A homeless orphan, Maniac Magee literally runs around for a year encountering offbeat situations and characters. The book deals sensitively with racial divisions in a small town (a central theme in the book), as Maniac establishes himself as a local legend and searches for a place to call home.
Esperanza Ortega overcomes her obstacles in a different way in Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. Esperanza, the only child of wealthy Mexican parents, is forced to flee penniless to California in the Great Depression and work as a farm laborer after a sudden change in fortunes. Issues of immigration and workers’ rights are at the forefront as Esperanza struggles to find hope and make a new life in America.
If you prefer a creepier tone to your children’s books, pick up one of The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids books. Beginning with Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots in 1990, Debbie Dadey’s series deals with teachers who aren’t what they seem. If these are too tame (the target audience is second-graders), you can graduate to the Goosebumps and Fear Street books by R. L. Stine.
Anne Wilmoth is a children’s and collection services librarian at Iowa City Public Library. This article was originally published in Little Village’s March 2024 issue.
