TTT: Books I Wish I’d Read as a Kid

Alright, I’m caving to another book-related meme, because just reading about people’s faves lists in their blogs kind of made me want to participate along! So I’m taking a chapter from The Broke and the Bookish and doing their Top Ten Tuesdays meme. Here’s hoping I follow through (but why shouldn’t I? I love lists!).

It’s a good thing I started on a Freebie week, because then I went ahead and chose a past TTT subject, which is: “Top Ten Books I Wish I’d Read as a Kid.” This is actually interesting, because starting out, I did a lot of reading, but mostly I read the fantasy books that verged into YA and adult fantasy than anything else. Sure, I did find some fabulous child-friendly books, but most of them eventually landed on my lap when I was in high school and then-some. It took me onto my later teenage and adult years to actually unravel a whole set of literature that I could have read as a kid, and wished I did. Or, you know, wish I started reading as a kid.

In no particular order:

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – by Lewis Carroll
I think reading this as a kid and then reading it again as an adult would have been interesting. It’s always different how your child-self views a book the first time around, especially since now I have historical context attached to the series.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – by L. Frank Baum
I still haven’t actually read this book. No, seriously. I’m trying to remedy this, though.

Coraline – by Neil Gaiman
Okay, it’s a little unfair to put a Gaiman’s children’s book in this list, ’cause it looks like most of his children’s books were written when I was in my later teens and then-some. But this would have been a great addition.

A Series of Unfortunate Events – by Lemony Snicket
I’ve by far only read book 1 of the series, so I really should have finished it by now. Will also work on that.

Leviathan – by Scott Westerfeld
Here’s one that came out during my college years that I really, really, really wish I’d gotten a hold of as a kid. I might have been an early steampunk otherwise (not that that makes any difference…).

Mary Poppins – by P.L. Travers
Here’s another one I haven’t read and should probably have done so.

The Witches – by Roald Dahl
Or anything from him, really. I’d only just read Matilda a few years back. In all other cases, I’d only seen the movie adaptations of the books.

Green Eggs and Ham – by Dr. Seuss
Again, I was severely lacking in Dr. Seuss books growing up (but Mother Goose kept me company, so it was all good). Clearly I was more attuned to fairy tales, fables, and nursery rhymes back then, but it couldn’t have hurt to read about green eggs and ham and cats in hats!

The Lightning Thief – by Rick Riordan
This would have been an interesting–albeit misinformed–introduction to mythology. Not that I regret my own mythological introductions, but still.

Fablehaven – by Brandon Mull
This was definitely something I should have read growing up, and it’s only been at the recommendation of a friend that I actually picked book 1 of the series up! Another thing I should follow up on sometime soon…