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If these books didn’t shape your identity as a young child, did you even have a childhood? There are certain books we all read as kids and teenagers that have imprinted themselves on our minds forever. The characters seemed like friends, especially if you were the kid who spent many of your lunchtimes in the library hanging out with the librarian (shoutout to my fellow nerds!).
Let’s take a nostalgic trip down memory lane. It might encourage you to pick up one of these classics again or read them for the first time.
Goosebumps
Goosebumps books were nothing short of iconic, and there was little chance of running out of reading material because there are over 200 Goosebumps books in publication. R.L. Stine became a household name (at least among eleven-year-olds) and although most of us don’t remember actually buying any Goosebumps books, a few always seemed to appear on our shelves.
The great thing about Goosebumps is that there isn’t a real sense of continuity. You can read the books in pretty much any order, which means that as an adult you can wander into any op shop with a couple of dollars and enjoy Goosebumps all over again.
The Venn diagram of millennials who devoured Goosebumps books as a kid and now like true crime as an adult is probably more like a circle.
Animorphs
What were you doing when you were in primary school if not being traumatised by the Animorphs book covers featuring children slowly morphing into reptiles and rodents?
The series started as a pretty lighthearted tale of kids who turn into animal superheroes and morphed (or should I say Animorphed) into exploring the PTSD experienced by these poor intergalactic child soldiers, including the manslaughter of other teenagers and aliens. And we ate it all up without a second thought. We swaggered into the Scholastic book fair with $20 and left with a bag of trauma and a novelty pen.
Revisiting these books as an adult will have you on the edge of your seat. The suspenseful and somewhat dark themes are just as enjoyable, if not more, for an adult audience. And there are 54 books, so they’ll keep you busy for a while.
Magic Treehouse
A theme with 90s book series is that there are so many books. There are 63 Magic Treehouse books, and only very dedicated fans will have read them all, let alone purchased every single book.
Revisiting these books as an adult will lead to the discovery that these books can be astonishingly deep and emotional, as well as educational and wholesome. They’re simple and short enough to be read by 5-6-year-olds or by adults looking for a nostalgic cosy read.
Tomorrow, When the War Began
Possibly the most iconic young adult book series to come out of Australia, Tomorrow, When the War Began raised a cheer from Year 8 students everywhere when we had to read it in English class. It was also one of the few books from our childhoods that passed the Bechdel test, had a female narrator and protagonist, and wasn’t consequently spurned by teenage boys. This book is perfect for readers who love to see most of their favourite characters die- see also, The Hunger Games series.
Hatchet
We all sat, captivated and silent, as our teacher read this aloud, and we all actually groaned when the bell rang. You probably wrote a book report on this book. And, despite the fact that it spellbound you at the time, you probably never picked it up again. Well, now is your chance. Gary Paulsens Hatchet was the definition of a page-turner, a survival novel that made some kids actually hope to be in a traumatising plane accident.
Sweet Valley High
Sweet Valley High walked so Gossip Girl could run. Seriously, these books were a soap opera in novel form. And like most iconic 90s series, it has enough books to keep you occupied for years.
If you grew up with these twins you probably remember the parties, boys, cars, drama, and that everyone spoke in a husky voice and kissed hungrily. Rereading as an adult will remind you that these kids had, like, way too much going on, and Jessica might be a sociopath.
Rainbow Magic
Ending on a wholesome note, Rainbow Magic books number over 200 and were a staple in every primary school library. It follows the same formula as many other 90s and early 2000s series- a problem (in this case, a fairy who needs help from our schoolgirl protagonists) used as the main plot point and stretched out for a million more books. Finding the Rainbow Magic book with your name was like striking gold.