L-P Twentieth Century Children's Literature

C.S. Lewis, Agatha Christie, Dr. Seuss, and More…

Aug 22, 2009

Adventure and misadventure, fantasy and fairy tale, monsters and mystery...growing up isn't easy, but some story from this guide suits the sympathies of any child.

It is often said that children have active imaginations, and nothing appeals to the imagination more than reading fiction.

Continuing from G-K Twentieth Century Children’s Literature, ranging from the ordinary to the extreme this diverse collection of twentieth century novels, stories, and poems offers something for all literary appetites.

L - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (1950), first novel in The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

This fantasy novel begins The Chronicales of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Although published in 1950, it is set during World War II in the prior decade. Four siblings are evacuated to a country home, where they discover a secret passage to another reality.

This adventure can be enjoyed both as an adventure and for its historical and biblical parallels.

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien, friend of C.S. Lewis anf fellow former member of The Inklings, bares similarities to the tone of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

Written by one of the accepted experts of murder mystery, Murder On The Orient Express is one of the most enduring works of Agatha Christie.

Belgium detective Hercule Poirot boards the elegant Orient Express, but during the train journey one of the first-class passengers is murdered by being stabbed twelve times in his bed. Each of the other passengers keeps suspicious secrets, but no clue escapes the expert sleuth.

N – Nancy Drew Mystery Series

Young Nancy Drew has an unusual hobby. In her spare time she solves crimes from theft to murder. Written for a younger audience, this extensive series of mysteries was written by a series of different authors between 1930 and 2004.

O - One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (1960) Green Eggs and Ham (1960), The Cat in the Hat (1957) by Dr. Seuss

Theodor Seuss Geisel a.k.a. Dr. Seuss was a writer and cartoonist who published more than 60 children’s books. These books are characterized by their distinctive characters and their entirely rhymed words.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Green Eggs and Ham, and The Cat and The Hat are among the most widely read works of Dr. Seuss.

Written in the tradition of stories about an imaginative and positive orphan spreading their spirit to the community of their new home, “Pollyanna” tells the story of Pollyanna Whittier, who comes to live with her stern but good-hearted aunt.

Pollyanna proved to be such a successful book that Porter followed it two years later with the sequel, Pollyanna Grows Up, and other writers have also authored several sequels about the character.

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, The Secret Garden, To Kill A Mockingbird, Very Good Jeeves, Winnie-the-Pooh

The copyright of the article L-P Twentieth Century Children's Literature in Children’s Books is owned by M.L. Costa. Permission to republish L-P Twentieth Century Children's Literature in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.