Being extremely dyslexic growing up I didn’t read a whole lot when I was younger. Almost all of my reading came from either school or someone reading to me. I never really picked up a book myself because it was just so difficult. I really wish that audiobooks were a thing when I was a kid because I would have read a lot more. Today, I’m listing 10 books that I wish people would have read to me that may have sparked a love of reading earlier on for me.
1. Matilda by Roald Dahl
I watched the movie version with Danny Davito many times growing up, and I absolutely loved it. I think I was vaguely aware that it was based on a book, but I never paid any attention to that.
The book really goes into more detail about Matilda and how intelligent she actually is. Maybe seeing a little girl who had superpowers because she read so much would have made me want to read more. I think growing up every kid wants superpowers. It also would have been a very early exposure to a different culture, everything in it having to do with England when the only thing I experienced was Canada. Although, if it was only the book I read, I would have lost out on the infamous chocolate cake scene
2. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
It was early on I got tired of seeing boys in the protagonist’s seat and a girl sidekick character that was little more than either a love interest, a character to be constantly saved, or just a token character. So to see a little girl going on an adventure of her own, on her own terms, making decisions, and meeting people while not being controlled by anyone else would have been very refreshing.
And of course, I’ve watched various movie renditions of this, but there’s something so beautifully charming about the written work.
3. Coraline by Neil Gaimon
Another movie that I watched growing up was based on a book. I loved the movie, it was creepy and disturbing, and wonderful. But they changed so much to make the book less creepy. There was no boy to help her out, the cat was even more aloof, and the other father tried to kill her under the control of the other mother. The creepy song the rats sing! The entire scene of her in the theater with the dogs in the audience.
Thinking about it, it’s probably for the best my parents didn’t read this to me. They would have been terrified, especially my mom. But my sister would have been entirely game for it.
I am glad that I was finally able to enjoy Coraline because it was such a wonderful book that I highly encourage any child to read. I do wish I picked it up earlier because I think I would have loved it even more.
4. Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
Written and illustrated by Kat Leyh, Snapdragon is a beautifully colourful graphic novel about finding out who you are, magic, and family.
I know that this book only came out in 2020, but it was so beautiful and spoke to me on so many levels I really wish it was would sooner so I could have had this on my bookshelf growing up.
Everything from smashing gender norms to discovering magic to realizing that while you may not be ‘typical’ it doesn’t make you any less wonderful. There are so many questions about sexuality and gender expression and what is true love that I can’t begin to describe them.
Really the only thing I can say is, as a little girl who liked more traditionally boy things but never identified as a boy who also loves everything magic related I felt so much for Snap.
It’s so beautifully illustrated too with such rich and wonderful colours. I don’t think I have enough good things to say about this. I wouldn’t just recommend this for children either, but it can be a wonderful and easy read for adults as well.
5. The Graverobber’s Apprentice by Allen Stratton
This is a typical lost heir, a prophecy that has a double meaning, an evil uncle, and a cast of unlikely characters and allies book.
Heir lost as a baby was picked up by an old man who makes his living as a graverobber. Their heir doesn’t like it but it’s the only way of life he knows. Meanwhile, his evil uncle is marrying his way through young heiresses to steal their fortune before killing them. The latest heiress thinks she’s smart because she’s going to fake her death but she gets locked in the tomb and that’s where our unlikely hero meets her and they set out to save both the kingdom and her captured parents. They meet up with a troupe of french circus performers who are a massive family with like 30 kids that serve as the backdrop for their master escape plan. Evil uncle’s prophecies for losing are things like ‘when the eagle blocks out the sun’, ‘when the forest marches on you’, etc. Good guys win at the end, of course.
It was a really fun and fast read. It was also nice to read about a typical lost hero story where the love interest, who is admittedly a spoiled princess, actually takes an initiative to participate and help out and get her hands dirty instead of expecting everyone else to do things for her.
6. Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer
This is the story of Robin Hood’s daughter Rosemary who goes by Rowan after her mother is killed, she disguises herself as a boy to go and find her father because he had no idea she existed. Along the way, she meets a cowardly boy who can enchant the world with his music, a runaway princess, a wild boy, and a loyal wolf companion.
It’s a nice twist on the classic tale of Robin Hood while bringing a little girl to be front and center.
I think this could be a wonderful read for a kid, especially one who already really likes the story of Robin Hood.
7. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Now would be a good time to mention that if you ever decide to play a drinking game when reading my posts, ‘watched as a movie is probably going to be the most used phrase to drink too. Because I watched this movie growing up, but haven’t read the book until the past couple of years.
I’m sure everyone has at least watched the movie if not read the book, but I encourage you to read it if you haven’t yet. Especially if you have a little girl. Sara is entirely correct, every girl is a princess. It doesn’t matter what they look like, what life they came from, how intelligent they are, etc. As long as a girl is special to someone, she is a princess and I think that is the biggest thing to take away. And the best princesses are the kind ones.
8. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede
This is a beautiful four-book fantasy series about all of the typical fairy tale tropes and magic with an interesting and diverse cast of characters. If you aren’t a fan of dragons, I highly suggest skipping this because dragons are a very large part of this series.
It follows a princess who hates the restraints of princess hood and arranged marriages and doesn’t understand why she can’t study magic or learn to bake or learn to throw a proper punch. So, faced with the reality of having to marry a very stuck-up prince she has no desire for, she sets out to find a dragon. Dragons kidnapping princesses is very common, you know. But through a series of being polite to everyone, uncovering a plot with wizards(the enemy of dragons), and friendship she becomes an advisor and the head cook to the King of the dragons.
Eventually, she meets, falls in love with, and marries the king of the enchanted forest, but that’s because they went on amazing adventures and got to know each other first.
It’s full of fantasy cliches, but it’s done in a way that wants you to roll your eyes at it because the cast also thinks these are ridiculous.
9. Nightbooks by J.A. White
This is a great book about being yourself, no matter how weird you are or what others might think. The backdrop is a Hansel and Gretel witch captor brought into the 21st century.
There is apparently a second book in this series. I haven’t read it yet, so I can’t say anything about that yet.
I think this book resonated so strongly with me because I was weird growing up. People thought I was strange. I didn’t have a lot of friends, and a lot of my classmates didn’t want anything to do with me. To find out that those weirdnesses could be a strength and that my interest in weird things or things not ‘normal’ for little girls, is no different than someone being really into sports or video games.
I think for a little kid, especially one with very niche interests, this could be a wonderful window to see themselves as a hero because of their weirdness not in spite of it.
10. Monster Blood Tattoo by D.M. Cornish
Okay, so. One of my all-time favourite book series is The Last Apprentice by Joseph Delaney, a creepy dark fantasy series full of witches and ghosts and strange terrifying creatures.
When I found this series, I fell in love. Yes, it starts out a little slow because it’s almost time to leave the orphanage and you need to get acquainted with all the characters in the world. But it picks up so fast.
You meet sleazy boat captains, good monsters, people who you think you cant trust but end up being super nice and awesome, celebrities with a heart of gold, and creatures that make your nightmares look like bunnies. Characters keep coming up too, so once someone’s gone, unless they’ve been killed assume they’re going to come back somehow.
It shows how large the world is and how big it can be for people who have only ever experienced their small corner of the world. It starts a discussion of what you want versus what you’ve been told to do. It blurs the lines between what is good and what is evil because despite there being monsters in the world, many of whom feed on or attack humans, humans can be just as if not even eviler.
I love this series. And I highly suggest reading this in the audiobook format because the narrator, Humphrey Bower, is the best person ever! He does voices for every character, he does the sounds, and his monster voices send shivers down your back. I felt like I was a small child being read to sleep the entire time. And yes, I snapped wide awake again when he did the monster’s voice. 10/10 highly recommend.
And there you have it! 10 books I read in recent years that I really wish I read or someone read to me when I was younger. I’m also pretty sure that most if not all of these books have been available as of 2010. And I hope this helps if you have a child in your life who’s maybe not that interested in books or reading, maybe this will give you some ideas.
Have you read any of the books listed above? If so, which ones? Were there any books on my list that you’ve never heard of? Are you maybe considering picking up one now? What were some books you read later in life that you wish you read as a kid? I would love to know if you would like to share.
I hope you are having a wonderful day. If it isn’t wonderful, I hope it gets better. Stay safe, and I will see you next time.
-T.R. Flynn.
T.R.FlynnOfficial 