Classics of Children's Literature

Beyond Harry Potter: Great Kids’ Books Readers Might not Know

Nov 18, 2008

Harry has hung up his wand, but you still want to get a book for that ten year old on your list. Have you checked out these classics lately?

It can sometimes be hard to find age-appropriate books for kids between the ages of nine and fourteen, especially if the kid in questions devours books! One common mistake is to assume that all of the best books are new: here are some classics, each of which was written before 1970.

Plot Summary: Alien beings who live in giant tripods have invaded earth, enslaving the adult population by means of special caps that they are given when they are old enough. A young man from England, Will, flees with some of his friends before being capped and joins the resistance. The action is intense, the characters are believable and the books have aged very well. A prequel, When the Tripods Came, was written much later (1988) and tells the story of, well, when the tripods came. The characters are different and the consensus is that this fourth book should be read after the first three, if at all.

Young orphan James Trotter must move in with his two wretched aunts and his life quickly goes from bad to worse. Fortunately, a mysterious man gives him some magic wriggly things (supposedly crocodile tongues). When James spills them on a peach tree, the magic begins. It involves mutant bugs, an enormous peach, and of course, sweet revenge on those wicked aunts. A movie was made about it in 1996 which has some good animation, but it doesn’t really do the book justice.

Pirates! Treasure! Adventure! What more could you possibly want? This classic has been firing the imagination of youngsters since first published over one hundred years ago. Young Jim Hawkins and his friends must outwit charming pirate Long John Silver to find a legendary lost treasure. The language has aged somewhat – your young reader will have to get accustomed to it – but the action and adventure are every bit as intense now as they were back then. Long John Silver, Blind Pew and Israel Hands are enduring classic characters of pirate literature. Practice your best pirate voice before reading it aloud to your youngster.

Speaking of pirates...don’t forget Peter Pan, one of the all-time best children’s books. Peter Pan is a magical boy who refuses to grow up, instead residing in “Neverland” where he and his friends outwit evil Captain Hook and a crocodile that ticks. Whimsical, magical and apt for children of all ages, you can’t go wrong with a timeless classic like this. It has a bit of an edge to it and isn’t really “politically correct,” so if you want (or need) something sanitized for modern sensibilities, you may want to pass on this one, although it would be a pity. Characters such as the Lost Boys, Captain Hook and Tinkerbell are kids’ lit icons.

Any one of the books above is appropriate for kids from ages nine or so on up. The best part is that you'll enjoy them, too!

The copyright of the article Classics of Children's Literature in Young Adult Fiction is owned by Christopher Minster. Permission to republish Classics of Children's Literature in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.