7 TIMELESS CHILDREN'S BOOKS

 It is said that a great book can truly change a child’s life forever. The worlds that are encountered when a child opens a book for the first time are delightful, informative and downright magical. Whether it’s read aloud by a parent or covertly under the covers past bedtime or assigned as class reading – children’s books can capture the imagination more than any other genre.

In these times of advanced technology, children are known to get addicted to the screens, leaving parents with an excuse that they don’t like to read. But, there is no such thing as a child who doesn’t like reading; you only need to hand them the right book to fire up their reading habits.

We are living in the golden age of young-adult literature when books written apparently for teens are equally adored by adults. Here are a few such books which according to me fall in this category.

1. WINNIE THE POOH:

Written by A.A. MILNE, Winne the Pooh is a collection of short stories. These stories are about a yellow coloured, good-natured, honey-loving and adorable bear by the same name, sometimes also known as Pooh Bear,  his friends, Eeyore, Gopher, Kanga, Roo, Tigger and a Boy called Christopher Robin and their simple adventures together. The book is set in a fascinating fictional place called the Hundred Acre Wood.

The stories are written in a simple language which is just perfect for the young readers and in its own beautiful way teaches about a strong bond of friendship.

The mention of Winnie-the-Pooh always reminds me of this heart-warming quote:

“We’ll be friends forever won’t we, Pooh?” asked Piglet

“Even Longer” Pooh answered.

2. ALICE IN WONDERLAND:

Written by Lewis Carol, this book is about a girl named Alice who falls asleep in a meadow. She then awakes to follow a white rabbit through a rabbit hole and thus begins her adventure in this place called Wonderland.

In this place, with just a mere bite of a cake she can grow tall and short, and she even gets to meet some really strange characters: a caterpillar that smokes a pipe, a cat disappearing at will, a Mad Hatter and an evil queen who loves beheading her subjects. A book through and through filled with fantasy and artistry.

The author through the character of Alice has very simply and beautifully taught about life and the challenges of growing up.

3. WIZARD OF OZ:

This story written by L.Frank Baum is considered a modern-day fairytale. Wizard of Oz is a story about a girl named Dorothy who gets swept away in a cyclone along with her Dog and then finds herself in an enchanting land, Oz.

Here she learns that the only one who can help her go back home is a wizard named Oz. On her way to meet the wizard, she meets a Tinman, a Lion and a Scarecrow and befriends them and even defeats the wicked witches.

This story shows their magical and enthralling adventures in the land of Oz and how she finally manages to return back home.

4. FAMOUS FIVE:

Enid Blyton’s Famous Five is an adventure novel for kids. These stories feature the adventures of the siblings Julian, Dick and Anne along with their cousin Georgina (George) and her dog Timothy.

The story of these novels always takes place during school holidays when these cousins meet and they end up in an adventure which most kids dream about.  The backdrop of these stories is almost always set in the picturesque town on Kirrin Island, by the Kirrin bay, close to George’s home, the Kirrin cottage. 

Besides the adventure and the mystery, these kids going on camping or swimming in the ocean or even a simple picnic by the beach enables children to discover simple joys of life. Many times I would also imagine that my cousins and I would go to someplace like this island and face some mysterious adventure!

5. GOOSEBUMPS:

These stories will captivate any reader who likes suspense, horror and fantasy.

In these books by R.L.STINE, kids find themselves stalking a mutant librarian, or hiding from a possessed parent intent on killing them, or coming face to face with ghosts, or a fully haunted and a creepy theme park, or any number of other terrifying paranormal situations.

The kids have to find a way to stay alive and solve whatever problem they face alone since the adults in their world are either unaware, unapproachable or possessed. Issues are resolved at the end of each story, but not always wrapped up neatly, which only adds to the suspense. 

6. HARDY BOYS:

I was marvelled by a set of adventures: those of the teenage sleuths Frank and Joe Hardy, more famously known as the Hardy Boys. Their namesake books were written by Franklin W. Dixon.

The young detectives are often joined by their friends, to solve mysteries in the fictional town of Bayport. Frank and Joe Hardy are trained in the art of criminal detection by their father, Fenton, a former police detective.

7. HARRY POTTER:

Ah, where the magic all began. This book series needs no introduction. Harry Potter by J.K.Rowling has been the bestselling children’s series since, like, forever.

The language used in these books is very simple to increase readability. Also, the hero of the series grows with the kids reading it. The characters portrayed are pretty much the same as the real people with their own set virtues and vices.

With its magic and spells, flying brooms and amazing creatures, a school like Hogwarts and a scenic drive there in the Hogwarts Express, Harry Potter takes the imagination of the reader to a different level. Once aboard this train, there is no coming back from the land of Harry Potter!