There’s no questioning that you should encourage your kid to start reading as soon as possible. But children’s books have other purposes than getting them to learn new words and start enjoying reading from an early age. They’re supposed to introduce children to topics such as sadness and hardships. But how do adults react when they read the heart wrenching stories for kids? Their deeper perception works against them and even brings them close to tears. Yes, you’ve read that correctly. Read all about the 10 children books that make grown-ups tear up.
10. Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse, 1982
Morpurgo’s main character is a horse named Joey who carries an officer into war where he witnesses death and cruelty. At the same time, he remains courageous and loyal, but misses his former master, Albert, and wonders if they’ll ever meet again.
9. Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting, 1975
This beautiful children’s book tackles with immortality and the question if this is desirable. When Winnie, aged 10 meets the Tuck family she finds out that they are immortal after they have drunk water from a magic spring. Forced to go into hiding, one member of the Tucks offers Winnie some of the magic water and lets her decide if she wants to remain forever young or if she’d rather live a short but happy life.
8. Wilson Rawls’s Where The Red Fern Grows, 1961
This book revolves around a little boy named Billy and his two redbone coonhound dogs. The three of them get into trouble with another little boy and his dog, leading to a series of dark events. Where The Red Fern Grows wasn’t initially thought up as a children’s book, since it first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. However, when it was finally published as a book it was directed towards kids, becoming a bestseller.
7. Doris Buchanan Smith’s A Taste Of Blackberries, 1973
Another book that deals with death at an early age, A Taste Of Blackberries tells the story of a little boy who loses his friend. The death of Jamie is used to show how children deal with death, how they can move on and surpass the terrible event. A Taste Of Blackberries was unique when it was published due to the fact that it explored dead and healing after it at a young age.
6. Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time, 1962
This sci fi story is perfect to spark up the imagination of children and adults alike. After Meg’s father mysteriously disappears following some scientific experiments with a fifth dimension, she and two of her friends embark on an adventure to try and rescue Mr Murry.
5. Margery Williams’s The Velveteen Rabbit, 1922
This heart warming story is about a little boy’s stuffed rabbit. The rabbit’s strongest wish is to be loved by his owner, since this would help him become real. But when the boy gets sick with scarlet fever all his toys must be burned. After his recovery, he sees a rabbit in the woods that resembled his toy.
4. Fred Gipson’s Old Yeller, 1956
Old Yeller tells the sad story of a boy who is taking care of the family farm when a dog arrives on his land. Travis doesn’t want to keep the stray dog around, but he is convinced by the dog’s loyalty that it could be useful on the ranch. A fight with a rabid wolf leaves the Old Yeller infested with rabies and Travis is forced to take action.
3. Katherine Paterson’s Bridge To Terabithia, 1977
Another heart breaking story about the friendship between a boy and a girl. Leslie and Jess are 11 years old, they become best buddies and imagine they have their own kingdom in the woods, Terabithia, where they rule as queen and king. One day, Jess leaves Leslie by her own in their kingdom to go to a gallery with a teacher he liked and the little girl ends up drowning in the woods.
2. Robert Munsch’s Love You Forever, 1986
This book is one of a kind. It is about a mother who has a little boy, and it tells the story of his upbringing. We get glimpses of the two of them at different stages in their lives. One thing always remains the same. The mother soothingly holds and sings to her son, even when he is already a grown-up. Sadly, the roles are reversed when the mother is lying on her death bed.
1. Michael Rosen’s Sad Book, 2004
This is a very personal story and it mirrors Rosen’s tragic life. Sad Book is about losing your teenage son and the way it affects you: “Sometimes I’m sad and I don’t know why.
It’s just a cloud that comes along and covers me up.” The illustrations by Quentin Blake bring everything to life, but the nostalgic taste persists throughout the entire read.
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