Ten Childhood Favorites Still Worth a Read

I'm linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for another Top Ten Tuesday.

I so rarely reread books, but for the first six months or so after my son was born I used his bottle feeding time to listen to audiobooks of children's literature with him, so I revisited a bunch of old favorites. I've also picked up some other childhood favorites in the past few years for book club or just to skim through. These are the ones I'm happy to keep on my shelf.

1. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
As both a kid and an adult, I enjoyed seeing how the kids in this book strategize running away, set up a routine for themselves in the museum, and go about trying to solve a mystery.

2. The Giver by Lois Lowry
I actually didn't fall in love with this book when I read it as a kid, but on rereading it as an adult I understood why it's a classic — there's so much to think about regarding the trade-offs we make as humans and as societies.

3. Matilda by Roald Dahl
As a lifelong bookworm who thrived in gifted classes, I appreciate the character of Matilda each time I read this, and I appreciate Dahl's humor even more each time.

4. Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater
This book strikes the perfect balance of silly and practical, which allows it to hold up for audiences of all ages.

5. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
I adored this book the first time I read it, and I have not yet stopped enjoying the clever wordplay on every page.

6. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
This is another one I don't think I had strong feelings about as a kid, but on rereading it as an adult I see how nicely it brings up topics of homesickness and the different ways to create a family.

7. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
I picked this up again after rereading Catch-22, as it takes much the same absurdist approach that Heller used to satirize war and business and applies it to a satire of education that both kids and adults can recognize and appreciate.

8. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
I related strongly to the main character as a child, and when I reread this as an adult, I appreciated it mostly for the nostalgia it created for my younger self.

9. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
I have a collection of many of Silverstein's books, of which this is just one. Many of his poems are so memorable that they've stayed with me even until today.

10. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
I knew I loved this book as a child, but I wasn't expecting to love it so much when returning to it as an adult. It's a sweet story about overcoming prejudices and finding what truly makes you happy.

Which childhood favorites do you still enjoy as an adult?

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