Skip to content
Scan a barcode
Scan
Added to your cart

Again! Again! Childhood Books We Wore Out

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • November 15, 2019

Books On Repeat

It can be difficult for grownups to remember the feeling of wanting to hear/read the same story again and again. It definitely seems to be something that many adults grow out of, but then again, exploring some of the books on these lists reminded us how much we loved them. (We may have even felt the need to order some new copies for our shelves.)

Classics That Never Get Old

You get to know your child's favorite books pretty well. Some days, the words repeat in your brain like a Greek chorus. You may even be tempted to bury these volumes in the yard. But developmentally, it's so beneficial for young children to hear the same stories repeatedly. It helps them develop vocabulary and reading comprehension. They actually need that repetition for language fluency. They memorize the text as well and that helps them start to recognize the look of those words on the page. It also gives them confidence and satisfaction as they "pretend" to read a book they've committed to memory.

Here are five classic stories that we (almost) never get tired of reading.

Stories That Are Like Best Friends

For older kids reading on their own, book repetition often continues. You may furrow your brow when your 12-year-old is reading the Chronicles of Narnia for the tenth time. But then perhaps you remember yourself at that age, reading The Secret Garden or The Hobbit until the binding split and velvet-worn pages began to come loose.

While the developmental benefits are less obvious for older kids, rereading clearly serves some purpose. Reading a favorite book can be like reconnecting with a beloved friend. It's comfortable, familiar. Growing up can be difficult and scary and these stories, even if we know them by heart, feel like a virtual security blanket. Here are six favorites that we wore out.

What books did you read over and over again? Let us know in the comments! And follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily book suggestions, book news, and more.

Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon

Books mentioned in this article
Reading with Babies, Toddlers, and Two's
Reading with Babies, Toddlers, and Two's
Susan Straub

from: $5.79

Bear Says Thank You
Bear Says Thank You
Michael Dahl

from: $5.89

Goodnight Moon
Goodnight Moon
Margaret Wise Brown

from: $4.19

Baby Loves Quarks!
Baby Loves Quarks!
Ruth Spiro

from: $4.99

Moo, Baa, La La La!
Moo, Baa, La La La!
Sandra Boynton

from: $3.59

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (The Five Little Monkeys)
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (The Five Little Monkeys)
Eileen Christelow

from: $3.59

The Last Unicorn
The Last Unicorn
Peter S. Beagle

from: $16.39

Pastoralia
Pastoralia
George Saunders

from: $15.12

The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride
William Goldman

from: $6.09

The Magicians
The Magicians
Lev Grossman

from: $4.19

May Cause Happiness: A Gratitude Journal
May Cause Happiness: A Gratitude Journal
David Steindl-Rast

from: $7.79

The Lightning Thief
The Lightning Thief
Rick Riordan

from: $3.59

Charm & Strange
Charm & Strange
Stephanie Kuehn

from: $5.49

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Benjamin Alire Sáenz

from: $4.69

The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas

from: $4.59

Grave Mercy
Grave Mercy
Robin LaFevers

from: $4.29

Wink Poppy Midnight
Wink Poppy Midnight
April Genevieve Tucholke

from: $4.99

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Jon Scieszka

from: $4.19

The BFG
The BFG
Roald Dahl

from: $3.99

Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
Dr. Seuss

from: $6.09

Bridge to Terabithia
Bridge to Terabithia
Katherine Paterson

from: $3.59

The Land of Stories: The Ultimate Book Hugger's Guide
The Land of Stories: The Ultimate Book Hugger's Guide
Chris Colfer

from: $4.59

Wonder
Wonder
R.J. Palacio

from: $4.49

Straight Talk About Reading : How Parents Can Make a Difference During the Early Years
Straight Talk About Reading : How Parents Can Make a Difference During the Early Years
Susan L. Hall

from: $4.89

Parenting a Struggling Reader
Parenting a Struggling Reader
Susan L. Hall

from: $4.79

The Secret Life of the Dyslexic Child: How she thinks.  How he feels.  How they can succeed.
The Secret Life of the Dyslexic Child: How she thinks. How he feels. How they can succeed.
Kathryn E. Livingston

from: $3.99

An Awesome Book of Thanks
An Awesome Book of Thanks
Dallas Clayton

from: $5.29

Frindle
Frindle
Andrew Clements

from: $4.09

A Wrinkle in Time
A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L'Engle

from: $3.59

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Siegfried Engelmann

from: $7.09

Andy and the Lion: A Tale of Kindness Remembered, or the Power of Gratitude
Andy and the Lion: A Tale of Kindness Remembered, or the Power of Gratitude
James Daugherty

from: $5.99

The Grouchy Ladybug
The Grouchy Ladybug
Eric Carle

from: $3.89

Piggie Pie!
Piggie Pie!
Margie Palatini

from: $4.99

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Laura Joffe Numeroff

from: $4.19

Llama, Llama Red Pajama
Llama, Llama Red Pajama
Anna Dewdney

from: $4.69

Leave a Comment

Books Mentioned in this Post

Reading with Babies, Toddlers, and Two's
Reading with Babies, Toddlers, and Two's
Susan Straub

from: $5.79

Bear Says Thank You
Bear Says Thank You
Michael Dahl

from: $5.89

Goodnight Moon
Goodnight Moon
Margaret Wise Brown

from: $4.19

Baby Loves Quarks!
Baby Loves Quarks!
Ruth Spiro

from: $4.99

Moo, Baa, La La La!
Moo, Baa, La La La!
Sandra Boynton

from: $3.59

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (The Five Little Monkeys)
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (The Five Little Monkeys)
Eileen Christelow

from: $3.59

The Last Unicorn
The Last Unicorn
Peter S. Beagle

from: $16.39

Pastoralia
Pastoralia
George Saunders

from: $15.12

The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride
William Goldman

from: $6.09

The Magicians
The Magicians
Lev Grossman

from: $4.19

May Cause Happiness: A Gratitude Journal
May Cause Happiness: A Gratitude Journal
David Steindl-Rast

from: $7.79

The Lightning Thief
The Lightning Thief
Rick Riordan

from: $3.59

Charm & Strange
Charm & Strange
Stephanie Kuehn

from: $5.49

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Benjamin Alire Sáenz

from: $4.69

The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas

from: $4.59

Grave Mercy
Grave Mercy
Robin LaFevers

from: $4.29

Wink Poppy Midnight
Wink Poppy Midnight
April Genevieve Tucholke

from: $4.99

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Jon Scieszka

from: $4.19

The BFG
The BFG
Roald Dahl

from: $3.99

Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
Dr. Seuss

from: $6.09

Bridge to Terabithia
Bridge to Terabithia
Katherine Paterson

from: $3.59

The Land of Stories: The Ultimate Book Hugger's Guide
The Land of Stories: The Ultimate Book Hugger's Guide
Chris Colfer

from: $4.59

Wonder
Wonder
R.J. Palacio

from: $4.49

Straight Talk About Reading : How Parents Can Make a Difference During the Early Years
Straight Talk About Reading : How Parents Can Make a Difference During the Early Years
Susan L. Hall

from: $4.89

Parenting a Struggling Reader
Parenting a Struggling Reader
Susan L. Hall

from: $4.79

The Secret Life of the Dyslexic Child: How she thinks.  How he feels.  How they can succeed.
The Secret Life of the Dyslexic Child: How she thinks. How he feels. How they can succeed.
Kathryn E. Livingston

from: $3.99

An Awesome Book of Thanks
An Awesome Book of Thanks
Dallas Clayton

from: $5.29

Frindle
Frindle
Andrew Clements

from: $4.09

A Wrinkle in Time
A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L'Engle

from: $3.59

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Siegfried Engelmann

from: $7.09

Andy and the Lion: A Tale of Kindness Remembered, or the Power of Gratitude
Andy and the Lion: A Tale of Kindness Remembered, or the Power of Gratitude
James Daugherty

from: $5.99

The Grouchy Ladybug
The Grouchy Ladybug
Eric Carle

from: $3.89

Piggie Pie!
Piggie Pie!
Margie Palatini

from: $4.99

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Laura Joffe Numeroff

from: $4.19

Llama, Llama Red Pajama
Llama, Llama Red Pajama
Anna Dewdney

from: $4.69

Related Subjects

Childrens
Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
GoDaddy Verified and Secured