Peters' Five Faves: our experts' favourite children's books and why you should read them too

October 13th 2022

While our team of expert reviewers may be used to making comprehensive children’s book reviews (including Jude, who has raised more than a few eyebrows for reading books about underpants on the bus), for most of us it’s been a while since we were able to experience the simple pleasure of enjoying a book written for children or books for teenagers. So we tasked our librarians with not just listing recommended books for teachers, but picking five of their favourite in-print children's and teen fiction books, new and old.

These much-loved stories - whether sad, inspiring or laugh-out-loud - hold significance in our reviewers' professional or personal lives. Even when books for teenagers a read through an adult's eyes, they still have the ability to make us laugh, cry and want to explore the world around us. This makes them perfect for parents and teachers to enjoy with children, particularly as studies have shown that children who are read to or have a positive reading role model are more likely to read for pleasure. 

Can adults enjoy children's books?

Absolutely! Many recommended books for teachers are ones written for younger audiences. Bestselling author Katherine Rundell's essay - Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise - analyses the nostalgia that reading children's books can evoke, with the writer explaining that they can help us to 'refind things we may not even know we have lost.' Other noted authors, including Philip Pullman and C.S. Lewis, have also lauded the power of children's literature. Far from being juvenile, texts for children and teenagers often explore diverse and complex issues. Many inclusive books discuss racism, sexuality and poverty while providing a safe space to fully absorb and emotionally respond to these concepts. 

Reading children's books, especially those with illustrations, can help to relax the mind after a stressful day of 'adulting', while letting your imagination roam free. You may even be inspired to ceate your own stories, or gain confidence when reading aloud to children. Revisiting old favourites from your childhood can often uncover some welcome surprises: adult in-jokes that slipped under the radar, or the return of long-forgotten characters whom you once saw as friends.

Our experts' picks

Diane Gill Professional Services Manager First on Diane's list is one of the most popularly stocked books for libraries. Richard Adams' heart-rending 1972 novel Watership Down, which follows a group of rabbits as they flee their endangered warren. "This was bought for me by my dad when it won the Carnegie Medal," says Diane. "I remember thinking, 'Rabbits? Really?!' (I was into mystery and adventure at the time). But I couldn't put it down, I didn't want it to end and it was the first book to make me cry."  Her other top picks include J.R.R. Tolkien's epic high-fantasy Lord of the Rings trilogy, (which she says is her "desert island book"), and Truckers by Terry Pratchett. The latter, which details the hilarious escapades of a gang of 'nomes' tackling the dangers of the great Outside, particularly tickled Diane during her evening commute. She adds: "I was reading this on the train going home and it made me laugh so much that I missed my stop!"

Emma McElwee Children's Librarian As a former teacher curating books for libraries, Emma understands how important reading aloud to children is when engaging them with a book. One of her choices is the football-themed Keeper by Mal Peet, which follows a World Cup-winning goalkeeper as he recounts his life story to a top South American journalist. She explains: "I read a chunk of this in a school assembly and it was wonderful to watch the children sit up straighter and lean in towards me as the story captured their imaginations." The dystopian imagery of the global warming themed Exodus by Julie Bertagna lives on in her memory two decades after its publication. But her favourite is The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo, an atmospheric tale of an elephant who helps a brother be reunited with his long-lost sister. Emma says: "This is my go-to book when I can't settle on anything else. Kate DiCamillo is a spellworker and I'm held safe in this story."

What would your top picks be? Let us know on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook! 

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