Children's and youth books of our youth: a trip of nostalgia and memories

Why worry about the 2020 catalog of children's books if there are so many mythical works already published with the best children's books? Ah… the children's and youth books of our youth. What nostalgia and memories. That unmistakable smell of enchanted stories, treasure hunts, adventurous characters. Those covers of youth and children's books with so many colors that indicated that inside there was a good plot to follow during the next nights before falling asleep. Not everything in life was going to be hard-core adult stories. The Great Gatsby or any text signed by David Foster Wallace. Books for young people are not usually taken very seriously even though their stories are the ones that most earnestly pursue us for the rest of our lives.

Recommended books for young adults: the trend before 'Twilight' and 'Harry Potter'

We are talking about the books that marked our childhood, some published years before, but that in the eighties and nineties were not lacking on the shelves of our homes. Do you still have some copies of these highly recommended readings for children?

1The tick pirate de Juan Muñoz Martin

Cover of El Pirata Garrapata, one of the most legendary children's and youth books.

Cover of El Pirata Garrapata, one of the most legendary children's and youth books.

'Tarrapata was a ferocious, pot-bellied man who had a wooden leg and a steel hook instead of a hand. It is one of the best recommended books for young people and children. This corsair was the terror of London. He had a fat red nose like an aubergine, but deep down, he wasn't a bad person, neither he nor his cronies…'

Who doesn't know this beginning of this mythical children's book? Yes right? This comic pirate created in 1982 by Muñoz Martín is not as bad as the image we have of the pirates in the stories. With a great sense of humor and rhymes, this character traveled from Africa to Chichen Itza, passing through Japan, India, Rome, went up to the Moon or was in the Prado Museum.

It was a success for the SM publishing house with its Barco de Vapor series that extended its saga until 2009 with sixteen volumes.

We cannot jump to another youth book without talking about another beloved character by the same author, as was Friar Perico and his donkey (1980). Crazy situations will live this friar chubby and his faithful companion Sock in a convent in Salamanca where peace reigned until they arrived full of joy and good humor. A classic.

2. 'The children's poet' was affectionately recognized in the literary world. Who has not fallen asleep listening to the voice of our parents telling us some of the 365 children's glories de Gloria Fuertes? More than recommendable author of readings for children. She was magical and unique writing for children, for decades she gave us a multitude of titles that would accompany us throughout our growth.

Readings for young people who make a dent: Wally's revolution and being able to choose the end of the story

Cover of Where's Wally?, one of the most legendary children's and youth books.

Cover of Where's Wally?, one of the most legendary children's and youth books.

3. And Wally? Where is Wally? Do we see it now? The stories of this character in a red and white striped sweater traveled half the world and always, always, always surrounded by a multitude of people. A list of children's books would be lame in the absence of the great Wally.

There was the grace that revolutionized the world of literature in the nineties, a mythical children's book that every child had and shared searches with other classmates between breaks. And it was not a youth reading book, it was a game that he created Martin Handford. A simple game with a formula for success - more than 40 million books sold - seven installments, a television series and a movie project.

4. A collection that we had in our hands were the Children's video stories that Planeta Agostini published in these years: The Snow Queen, Unicorn, The Golden Goose or classics like Pinocchio Snow White.

5. One of the most interesting things when you read is to create your own story, it was achieved thanks to Choose your own adventure de RA Montgomery and other authors. An adventure plot was proposed where the reader had to make decisions that constantly changed the story. It would be like a game book where we found many stories and where if you didn't do it right you could get killed. A total success with more than 250 million copies worldwide.

Scary books for children: is it a good idea?

6. It seems that because they are children, scary stories should be avoided so as not to have Nightmares  but it turned out that they loved spending those moments of anguish and nerves. This vein was exploited RL Stine -known as the Stephen King of children - with his more than 62 novels of NightmaresHalloween's RevengeThe House of Death o the smile of death are some of his most terrifying titles that began to dominate our shelves of new children's books from 1992.

Short and direct horror stories, always carried out by children and only read by the bravest.

7. Classic title of transition between children's books and youth books. The sweet protagonist that we are going to talk about next settled in the Barco de Vapor collection to stay for many years. Dear Susi, dear Paul of the Austrian Christine NostlingerSusi and Paul are very good friends but he has to leave the city and also his great friend. From then on, their communication would be through letters.

Cover of Dear Sudi, Dear Paul, one of the most legendary children's and youth books.

Cover of Dear Sudi, Dear Paul, one of the most legendary children's and youth books.

A story that moved us seeing how the characters were solving their adaptation problems and the importance of friendship. Without a doubt, the daily mode that its author chose made it a popular story with the public. And there would be a continuation with Dear grandmother: your Susi; Susie's Secret Diary; paul's secret diary y The real Susi.

8. Ten years have passed since the dazzling appearance of the magic eye, the youth book that revolutionized our visual perception and allowed us to discover totally new optical experiences. It was a matter of persisting until you found the hidden image that sold more than 20 million copies. Satisfaction or frustration? Can we find the hidden images?

9. The publisher The Green Goblin (Anaya) delighted us with a multitude of hilarious stories with titles like Memory of a Chicken, The Guardian of the Moon Amelia the trapeze artist, but there is much more.

10. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory It was one of the great successes of Roald Dahla story that shows how a decision can transform a whole life, is what happens to the protagonist of this story. A must on any list of children's and youth books. Who does not remember Mr. Wonka and his magnificent factory? Would you have done the same as Charlie by getting one of those gold tickets from his candy bar?

These are some of the titles that marked a stage but we could not finish without talking about other great works such as The Neverending Story by Michael EndéThe stories of William Brown de richmal crompton, Little Nicholas of the French Rene Goscinny, Matilda de Roald DahlThe five de Enid blyton or the endearing Celia by Elena Fortun. I am sure that many are forgotten but they are not less important for them, What is the children's and youth book that marked your childhood or youth?.


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