Around the holidays every year, I find myself in a reading slump. Despite the weather being perfect to curl up with a hot drink and a book, I can never settle on something to read, or I don’t have the mental energy to invite a new story into my life. So for the past few years, I’ve used it as an opportunity to revisit some old favorites from my childhood. Sometimes I find that my favorites from childhood no longer hold up, but more often than not, classics are classics for a reason. These five books are no exception. So this winter, I suggest taking a moment to revisit one of these classics, and maybe take an opportunity to share an old favorite with your kids, as these are age-appropriate for most young readers!
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
This book, published in 2003, follows a young girl named Lina who lives in the city of Ember, a once great city built to contain everything humans need for survival. But as time goes on, the power begins to fail and the food stores run low, leaving some to wonder about the future. When Lina’s baby sister finds and chews up a set of ancient instructions, she realizes that everything they need for escape may be right in front of them, if they could only decipher it. This is a wonderful example of dystopian fiction, with mystery and puzzles to keep you guessing along with the characters!
In another dystopian book, this one published in 1993, main character Jonas lives with his parents and sister in an idyllic community where everyone does the jobs assigned to them and no one asks any questions. Until Jonas is assigned the job of ‘Receiver of Memory’ of which only one exists. He has been chosen to have the memories of the outside world and the secrets of the community shown to him, but this is not as easy as it might seem. There are great dark feelings that Jonas has never experienced that come with these memories, and Jonas must decided what to do with the new knowledge he is receiving.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
A mind-bending sci-fi, this book was first published in 1962 and followings siblings Meg and Charles Wallace along with their neighbor as they meet otherworldly creatures that guide them on a journey to save their father, who disappeared years ago. The three must travel through the universe and defeat a growing evil in order to save their father, and life as everyone knows it. Some of the science is difficult to follow, but not understanding physics doesn’t take away from the messages of family and the fun of the magical world.
While it seems as though everyone has seen the movie (1996), far fewer have read the book that it is based on, which is just as good. Published in 1988, Matilda is a young genius born to an awful family who think she is a nuisance as she prefers to read rather than watch TV or wants to go to school rather than help her father sell junky cars for outrageous prices. Though she loves her teacher, the evil headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and seems to have it out for Matilda. When Matilda discovers she has powers that can help her fight back against the bully, her and her classmates find that strength isn’t everything.
Wilbur is likely the most famous fictional pig, and yet the book is not even named after him. First published in 1952, this is the story of Wilbur, a young pig who starts his life as a little girl named Fern’s pet pig. Eventually, when Wilbur outgrows the house, he is sent to live on a farm with other farm animals, most of which do their best to help Wilbur feel welcome at the farm and less alone. There is also a large grey spider in the corner of the doorway named Charlotte, who takes on a motherly role for Wilbur. When Wilbur discovers that he is being raised for meat, the animals and Charlotte assist him in becoming unforgettable, as they would not kill a famous pig. This begins the adventure of the barnyard friends in making their friend unforgettable, utilizing some clever spelling with webs. A heartwarming story about anthropomorphic animals, this is fun for the whole family.