Because I work with children, I read a lot of children’s books. Most of the time, I enjoy them just as much as books written for adults. We all know what a hit Harry Potter was with people of all ages. Here are some more books my fellow adults might love.

The Mapmakers series by S.E. Grove: The story takes place in a world like ours, where a great “Disruption” has divided the globe into different time periods, or Ages. The main character, Sophia, lives in Boston, which exists in the late 1800s. Other parts of the world are covered in glaciers or home to futuristic cities. Explorers, including her uncle and parents, travel the globe discovering all of its hidden pockets of time. Mapmaking is now an art dedicated to geography but also time and memory. Maps made of different materials hide different types of information for those who know how to activate them. Sophia decides she must learn to read maps, in hopes that she can track down her missing parents. Begin your own journey into this wondrous world with book one, The Glass Sentence.

River Runs Deep by Jennifer Bradbury: While I was reading this, I kept talking about it to anyone who would listen. I was so entranced by the setting and characters that I had to share. It tells the story of a boy named Elias who is sent to a doctor in Mammoth Cave, where the air will supposedly help his consumption. Soon bored and frustrated with the doctor’s odd remedies, he happily agrees to accompany one of the resident slaves on a tour of the cave. Soon he learns that a whole camp of runaway slaves are hiding deep in the tunnels. While battling his own illness, he must help to protect them from capture.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Have you read this yet? Read it. Seriously. This is the story of Auggie, a boy born with facial differences and hearing problems. Entering mainstream school for the first time, he encounters classmates who have trouble dealing with the way he looks. As he makes friends, deals with bullies and navigates his new school, you’ll see why this book is so beloved. Read it before the motion picture comes out next year.

If you haven’t picked up a children’s book since you were a child yourself, I encourage you to try one. If you do read children’s books, hooray for you! Either way, share your own favorites in the comments.

Happy reading.

-Megan

Megan is a Children’s Library Assistant at CLP – East Liberty. When she isn’t reading fantasy, magical realism and/or pretty much any children’s book, she enjoys gaming, watching movies and writing fiction, some of which has been published.