10 Kid-Friendly Classics You Must Read

I've been trying to balance out my reading of web-comics with paper books recently.  I'm currently reading a book my sister gave me that is not clean.  However, considering her goal was to give me a book in which I could not predict the ending, her gift could still be deemed a success.

Anyway, this post is mostly in honor of the commenter, Big Daddy, who suggested some books I could recommend on the forum.  To this day I wonder if I should have censored that username.

#1 Chronicles of Narnia Series

What I love about the Narnia series is the way it mixes dry humor with a magic that inspires child-like wonder.  The author specifically aimed to make a series for children that adults could read too, and it shows.  Each book is memorable because they play out with quirky characters and plots packed with fairytale-like adventure.

There is some action and death in this series, but no gore.  Think of it like the Disney version of Cinderella compared to the Grimm version, her parents die and her stepfamily is mean to her, but nobody’s getting blinded by crows.  I think this series is perfect for elementary schoolers and up.  My parents started reading these books to me when I was around five years old.

I love how the boxcar children are so kind to each other and work hard to help others.  They are wonderful role models for children, and represent a family that actually gets along.  So often in stories the children are naughty and the family is a mess.  Not all stories have to have perfect little angels as characters, but for the sake of variety, it's interesting to see the dynamic of a family of obedient children and siblings who enjoy each other's company.  Family, along with responsibility and roles in a group, is a strong theme throughout the book, which is a great way for kids to learn and understand more about social settings.

That being said, not all of the books are written by the same author.  In some of the later books, the children are more discordant.  Other than that, the books are extremely kid-friendly.  The Boxcar Children is a series in the mystery genre, but it doesn’t involve anything too scary (such as murder).  Each book involves a new mystery, so the series is great for fostering curiosity and learning.

#3 Anne of Green Gables Series

This series really took me through all of the emotions.  To me, reading it was like listening to that one friend who always has embellished gossip to share.  There were comedic moments, random anecdotes, and interactions with Gilbert that would often bring a cringe or smirk to my face.  There were even, occasionally, stories that held a depth of emotion that touched my heart.

This coming-of-age series was written for children, and is therefore quite kid-friendly.  The only thing to note is that Anne grows up through the books, so later books feature her as an adult.  The books are still kid-friendly, just more mature.  When I read this series somewhere around 4th-5th grade, I found that I preferred the books in which she was older, so that’s not to say kids can’t read those ones.

Other than that, there may be some instances of kissing and instances that deal with topics like bullying or the death of a loved one. Once again, these books are meant for kids so they aren’t very graphic.  Anne was a firecracker as a kid, so I would say that if a kid reads this book, they may be motivated to hit someone over the head with a chalkboard afterward, in the style of the main character.

#4 To Kill a Mockingbird

Since this is a historical piece with a focus on Civil Rights, there may be use of the n-word.  I can’t recall because I read this book when I was too young to know what the n-word was.  There are also instances of other swear words such as darn (but the more extreme word :P), though they are included for a purpose.

That aside, To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my personal favorites.  I’m a sucker for coming-of-age stories, and I feel that this book does such a delicate, profound job of it.  One of the main themes of this story is empathy, and it weaves its way into every moment, teaching the readers about understanding people who seem different from you, and about realizing the differences in people who seem similar to you.  The main character, Scout, realizes over the trajectory of the book that each person is unique and is more than their first impression, more even than what others think of them.

Beyond the theme of empathy, this book is set in the Great Depression and deals with a lot of the social issues that dominated the period.  It covers the racial disparities and economic disparities of different families.  It is very committed to detailing what the location and time were like, so it’s a great story for kids (or even older people) to learn about and come to understand that part of history, and everything that would come after it.

#5 Tom Sawyer

This book, I’m quite sure, uses the n-word, though once again for the purpose of calling attention to the behavior of the period.

I asked my bro his opinion on the book since he read it recently for school, and he said, “Just don’t watch the movie. Also, I don’t like kid romances.”  Personally… well, yes, I enjoyed the satire and adventure in the story much more than the romance between the kids.

What I appreciate is the commitment to the setting in this story. We learn about the atmosphere of the period, and specifically what life was like across social classes in a small town in the South. The satire allows us to laugh, while also conveying some deep themes. The young characters grow and learn throughout the story, though more minimally than in To Kill a Mockingbird.

If you like Halloween, and if you like Christmas, read this book. Ghosts, time travel, grumpy old rich guys, this book's got it all.  A Christmas Carol centers on a snobby main character full of selfishness and regrets. The reason this story has become so popular, adapted so many times, is that it has a universal theme and it gives you some hope in humanity.

It's a bit mature for young kids since it deals with death, struggles of the lower classes, and decisions we come to regret. However, I was well-acquainted with this story when I was in lower elementary.  Charles Dickens is one of my favorite authors, and his books are quite family friendly and thought provoking. The main issues to be aware of are his focus on poverty and more mature themes (like death and regret), though he likes to give stories happy endings that leave you satisfied.

#7 Nancy Drew Series

As a kid who loved mystery books, Nancy Drew was always at the top of my list. I felt like her mysteries were believable and satisfying without the ending being too obvious.  I also liked her attitude, which was inquisitive but still polite.

There are several different Nancy Drew series out there now, and they're not all written by the same author, so you get a lot of variety. There's a series specifically for younger kids, a series targeted at teens, and the original series in which Nancy was more adult (but still kid-friendly). In every series, Nancy is a positive role model that exhibits the desire for truth, but also the desire to help others.

#8 Holes

I just read Holes for the first time this year, and it is really good.  I didn’t think it would be kid-friendly, but I only caught a couple "h*lls," mentions of kissing, and murder. I suppose the book is more for upper elementary kids, but it’s definitely targeted towards children.

It's a bit modern, but since I know a lot of people who've had to read it for school I figured it could be counted as a classic.  Like a lot of American classics, this book deals with themes of racism, too.

What I like about the story are the symbolism and circular storytelling, which are incredibly satisfying. I also love the main character's attitude and growth.  He’s definitely a positive role model.  The friendship that develops in this story is so wholesome, too.  ♡⸜(˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝

#9 Little Women

I love Louisa May Alcott, and Little Women is an undisputed masterpiece, so it had to be included in this list. It has several movie adaptations and has undoubtedly influenced the fiction that has come after it.  Fun fact, many scenes from Little Women are based on the author's own life.

Little Women is quite clean, though it deals with aspects of life like death, grief, and financial struggles. It's a really great way to address these issues for little kids though. The book is quite clean, the only other issue probably being kissing. The book focuses on a group of sisters and how they support each other through the years, so it's filled with positive role models and depictions of community.

#10 Hans Brinker; or, The Silver Skates

Hans Brinker; or, The Silver Skates is completely kid-friendly. The only things to know are that the father of the main character's father receives a brain injury at the beginning, and the rest of the plot centers around how they cope with this.  It's not too graphic or dark, though, and is full of themes of hope and perseverance.

The main characters are positive role models as well, as they work hard and make sacrifices for their family. They are still relatable as they struggle with their responsibility and sometimes feel overwhelmed.  Overall, the book uses simple language so that kids can enjoy the story as much as adults.

We finally did a books post!  Now there is no longer any section on this blog that doesn't have something.  ＼(＾O＾)／  I've been debating what sections to focus on and what new series to start, but I'm thinking the next posts will be about summer songs and Kpop songs.  On another note, what should we do for the blog's two-year birthday?