Authors No Child Should Miss

“Please recommend four books that no child should miss.” Now, that is a tall order. But I get requests like these all the time. Children are individuals with widely different interests. We need to look at their ages, reading ability and the type of reading they do already. There is no “one size fits all.” You have the best shot at success if you customize books for a reader. Is he or she inclined towards sports, adventure, different countries, different periods in history, wildlife and animals, school stories, family sagas, fantasy, myth and legend?

But there are actually four authors that no child should miss, because they deserve a place on every bookshelf regardless of age or interest. I still re-read all of them with pleasure.

E. (EDITH) NESBIT is generally known for The Railway Children, which has been filmed and televised time and again. It is a sentimental Edwardian family story cherished by generations of readers. If I had to pick out a selection of E. Nesbit, I’d choose Five Children and It, The Story of The Treasure Seekers and The Phoenix and the Carpet as the unmissable ones. They all have a touch of fantasy and a family of children who are very real and appealing. They are also uproariously funny.

From these, you may move on to everything else she has written, and her works have fortunately never been out of print. Five Children and It has this family on holiday in the countryside. Bored and listless, they start digging around in a gravel pit and stumble on a prehistoric creature, which claims it can grant wishes. The only trouble is that the wishes (one a day) don’t go exactly as anticipated. For instance, one of the girls wishes they could all become “as beautiful as the day.” They become dazzlingly beautiful as promised, but returning home tired and hungry, they find the servants refusing to let them in because they don’t recognize them. For the rest of the story, go read the book.

Similarly, if I mention SIR H. (HENRY) RIDER HAGGARD, King Solomon’s Mines may be the only book of his that springs to mind—it’s a breathtaking adventure yarn that goes like a roller coaster ride. After I discovered him in my early teens, I scoured every library for more strange, vivid adventures by this gifted teller of tales. There are at least 15 more books that feature Allan Quatermain, the white hunter who also inspired the character of Indiana Jones in the swashbuckling movie series. I especially loved his books set in ancient Egypt (Cleopatra, Morning Star). Lost civilizations, archeology, history, the occult and exotic places are his themes and his books are thrilling stuff.