7 Children’s Books Every Adult Should Read

I’ve always said that kids tell better stories than adults.  Any book written from the perspective of a child is almost always guaranteed to have more insight, more kindness, and more love than any type of book meant for adults.

Just because you’re all grown up doesn’t mean that you have to give up reading some of the best written books around! There are plenty of books all adults should read. Whether it’s for entertainment, for perspective, or for the enticement, children’s books are great for any age!

There are a few children’s novels that all adults should read regardless if they like kid’s books or not. Check out my seven suggestions for children’s books all adults should read! (And I promise, I’ve read each one, so this is a guarantee!)

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Wonder is probably my most favorite book of all time. That’s how good it is! It’s soon to be a major motion picture featuring Julia Roberts, Jacob Tremblay (the kid from Room), and many more!

The story is about ten year old Auggie Pullman and his life in Manhattan. Auggie is a kid who has abnormal facial features and therefore has trouble when he starts school. The novel goes through multiple perspectives so you can really get into the minds of each and every character. Readers follow Auggie and the people who surround him for one whole school year.

You can purchase the book here. There’s also a few other tag-along books that go with Wonder including Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories, We’re All Wonders, and 365 Days of Wonder.

A Handful of Time by Kit Pearson

A Handful of Time is a book of the year novel from the 1980’s. It’s about a young girl named Patricia who is forced to leave the city for a summer and visit her family in the country while her parents work out their seperation.

This novel is great for all ages because it’s about something that everyone experiences: the feeling of being different. Patricia feels different from her mom, her cousins, and essentially anyone she meets. When she finds a way to travel into the past and be an observer during her mother’s childhood, Patricia finally starts feeling like she’s not alone.

You can purchase the book here.

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Because of Mr. Terupt is actually the first of a three novel set. It’s written by a former teacher, so it has a lot of themes that are from his real life experiences as an elementary school teacher.

This novel follows a few different kids, giving each one a unique perspective. It follows both boys and girls as they deal with trauma after something happens to their favorite teacher. This story deals with blame, accepting differences, and fear. It’s nothing unusual to what an adult has to deal with from time to time.

You can purchase the book here. You can also purchase the second book, Mr. Terupt Falls Again, as well as the third book, Saving Mr. Terupt.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

If you haven’t heard of Harry Potter, then you must have been living under a rock for awhile now. That being said, if you never read it, that’s okay. But just because you never had the chance to read it during it’s prime, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it now.

The Harry Potter series is life changing. I don’t think there’s any sort of writing like it. It’s one of those things that anyone at any age needs to experience. Following Harry and his friends from a young age, you get to read along as the kids grow up into full-grown adults in the wizarding world.

You can purchase the series here.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Westing Game was a novel that most of you probably had to read while in school. This was my first ever mystery novel and I absolutely fell in love with the genre after having read it back in the day!

The book follows a group of people who live in an apartment building. The building is located near Sam Westing’s old house, but he’s been dead. That is, until one day, they start seeing smoke coming from his home which means that someone, or something, is still inside the house. And to make it even stranger, Sam Westing has chosen someone from the apartment to be his heir.

You can purchase the book here.

Penguin Problems Jory John and Lane Smith

Penguin Problems is not a chapter book. It’s a straight-up picture book, but that doesn’t mean you can’t read it because it was totally written by a true adult!

The book follows a penguin who complains about everything. He’s never happy. He sees the world negatively. He hates everyone. Then, someone tells him to get over it and the penguin does… until he reverts back to his old self. This picture book is hilarious and great for anyone who has their fair share of pessimistic days (and needs a laugh).

You can purchase the book here.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Another book you probably read while in school, To Kill a Mockingbird is still one of the best books of all time. It deals with issues such as race and class.

I loved this book when I was a kid, but reading it as an adult, I forgot that it was one of the first instances where I realized reality isn’t perfect. This book brings people out of the mindset that they’re in their bubble and no one else matters. It touches on unjust things and shows how complex life is. Plus, Scout is such a character, and a good one at that.

You can purchase the book here.

Books are fluid. Don’t ever let any genre, age range, or anything else get in your way! (Because those are silly reasons to miss out on an amazing read.)