Nothing can capture a child’s imagination better than a good book with great illustrations. Starting them off at an early age encourages and stimulates their mind and after they’ve read it, they’re full of questions and love to discuss the characters and plot line, especially when they’re young.
As you encourage them along on this amazing journey that broadens their world, they will delight in every genre that they read. Children love characters and the more they read, the more they want to read. There are so many awesome books to choose from with great authors, these are a few wonderful classic childrens books to get you started.
It really doesn’t matter what version you buy from a bookstore or borrow from your local library, the stories are all very similar. For younger readers the Disney edition is great and when they see the movie they’ll be blown away. This is a love story of how a young girl falls in love with a beast. The story is enchanting because he turns back into a prince because she was pure of heart. The story will teach your kids about the beauty inside, and how external appearances don’t matter. It’s also a great way to introduce them to the book – they can read the book and watch the movie together.
2. Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
This is a fantastical adventure story for any child and a beloved favorite of millions all over the world. There isn’t a man, woman or child who hasn’t simply loved this story. Who can’t remember Alice falling down the rabbit hole into a fantasy world where nothing is as it seems? This is a tale that grips the imagination, the characters are brilliant if not a little bizarre, but it’s an excellent read and a wonderful story for your reading list. Your children will adore the weird characters, and there’s a sequel Through the Looking Glass that tells us more about Alice’s strange adventure.
3. Jack And The Beanstalk – An English Fairytale
This is a story about Jack and his widowed mother. They were poor and he was sent to sell a cow, but came back with some beans instead of money. His mother was furious, but the beans grew into a massive beanstalk and the story tells of how Jack climbed it, and the adventures he had with the ugly giant. Try to get hold of this story in its original format, so that you get all the classic language and wonder at the same time. There have been many adaptations, but the original is always best. The illustrations in the original are also more charming and less commercialized, which immortalizes the story in your children’s eyes.
4. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Disney
Snow White is a touching story with all the ingredients that make it special. There’s a wicked Queen, the magic mirror, a prince and the cutest little cottage in the forest where all the dwarfs live. With themes of family struggle, true love and friendship, this story is a must-read for your children. Disney has a knack of showing you timeless characters that your kids can enjoy over and over again. In book form, this story might be more resonant for your child than if they watch the movie.
5. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis
This is one the of the greatest children’s fantasy novels ever written. It’s a gripping story, written during the turbulent years of World War 2, with lots of adventure and triumph over evil. Four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, from the Pevensie family, have gone to live in the countryside in London, as most people were evacuated from the city to escape the Blitz. Whilst they are playing a game, Lucy finds a portal in a wardrobe that takes them to a fantasy land called Narnia. The adventures they have are excellent reading for your kids.
6. Harry Potter Series – J.K. Rowling
Nobody needs an introduction to Harry Potter, one of the greatest children’s series of all time. It appeals to the age groups 9 – 12 and beyond, because there are many adults who have followed this series in awe of its excitement. It’s a popular 7-novel fantasy series that is brilliant in every respect and highlights the adventures of Harry Potter, a young wizard, and his friends Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger at the Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Strong moral lessons abound in this book, which makes it great for young readers. While many Christian readers complain that these books have witchcraft in them, fantasy, wonder and imagination fuels this story.
7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was an amazing author, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a great adventure about Charlie Bucket - a really nice little boy from a poor family. He wins a Golden Ticket, and then has amazing adventures in the Chocolate Factory with a rather strange confectioner named Willy Wonka. Dahl has a way with words, and will capture the imagination of your children to the point where they’ll want to read all of his books. The BFG, The Witches, and Matilda are three that are sure to please.
Post by the KrazyKorean
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