Tea or Books? #54: Reading Children’s Books as Children vs Adults, and Tom’s Midnight Garden vs The Secret Garden

A children’s books special today, featuring Frances Hodgson Burnett and Philippa Pearce. Not in person, you understand.   In the first half of the episode, we discuss whether it’s better to read children’s books as children or as adults (especially

A children’s books special today, featuring Frances Hodgson Burnett and Philippa Pearce. Not in person, you understand.

https://www.stuckinabook.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Tea-or-Books-episode-54.mp3

 

In the first half of the episode, we discuss whether it’s better to read children’s books as children or as adults (especially if we ended up missing those particular books as children). We enjoy ranging over the different children’s books we’ve enjoyed at different times – and would love to hear your thoughts.

In the second half, we look at two garden-focused children’s books – Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was great fun to read them – thanks Lauren for the suggestion!

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(Quick note: I say in the episode that I never met someone who loved reading until I went to university – I meant anybody my age! I did meet some older people who loved reading :) )

The books and authors we mention are:

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson

So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

Tea With Walter du la Mare by Russell Brain

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Enid Blyton

Jennings series by Anthony Buckeridge

Jacqueline Wilson

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

Lady Daisy by Dick King-Smith (not Anne Fine!)

Little Women by Lousia M. Alcott

Mallory Towers series by Enid Blyton

The Naughtiest Girl in the School by Enid Blyton

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

William series by Richmal Crompton

Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine

Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Judy Blume

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Moondial by Helen Cresswell

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

Beauty by Robin McKinley

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

Redwall by Brian Jacques

The Time Garden by Edward Eager

Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede

Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones

Charlotte Bronte

A Dog So Small by Philippa Pearce

The Priory by Dorothy Whipple

Housebound by Winifred Peck