Favorite Children's Series

So here is the end of my children’s list. The theme this time was series, a story that was more than one book. This is not the complete list, so look for updates or revisions to the post in the upcoming hours/days. It's not in any discernable order.

1) The Dark Is Rising Sequence – Susan Cooper.
There’s a reason this series garnered so many awards. I was obsessed with it as a kid. Based on Celtic and Welsh legends, the plotline was excellent and often unexpected.

2) Prydain Chronicles – Lloyd Alexander.
I would describe this as the Wheel of Time (by Robert Jordan) series for children, except of course it’s not quite as painful and by the fourth book, you don’t have to get a prosthetic hand just so you can support the weight of the book. Oh and it wraps up neatly and the characters are much more likeable.

3) A Wrinkle in Time Series – Madeline L’Engle.
I have to admit, as a kid I didn’t find this series as likeable as some of the others. Maybe it was because the protagonists were so know-it-all, gifted, or maybe the plot was just too confusing for me to grasp at the time. My favorite book of the series (Many Waters) is one that I always feel somewhat guilty admitting to. Anyways, I appreciate L’Engle as an author and believe that this is essential on the list of children’s series. (While doing this post, I found out that they're making a film... I wish Hollywood would stop plundering children's books)

4) His Dark Materials Trilogy – Phillip Pullman.
I didn’t like this series... “duck”. Believe me I tried; I didn’t like the first book, and had a horrible time trying to get through the second. Someday I will try again, and have to eat my words, but for some reason, I was not drawn into these books. I felt the first book was too simple and while the concepts were interesting, they weren’t interesting enough to pull me in. Also I didn’t find any of the characters except the daemons likeable and the writing for some reason, especially the start of the second novel, just irked me. This is surprising because I was obsessed with the other series that Phillip Pullman wrote: the Sally Lockhart trilogy---well the first book, the Ruby in the Smoke, and half of the second. Who knows, anyways it’s on my list because people I trust keep on telling me it’s amazing, and I believe them. Personal preference I guess.

5) Little House on the Prarie – Laura Ingall Wilders
Surprisingly, I love this series. I always thought that Laura Ingall Wilders managed to be incredibly engaging and disarmingly honest in her writing for children.

6) Chronicles of Narnia – C.S. Lewis
I loved this series as a kid! Stupid movie, and the massive commercialized display of the books, and books on the movie and books on books on the movie and books on religion in the books and books that analyzed the crap out of every word that C. S. Lewis ever wrote at Barnes and Noble almost ruined it for me. All that was missing was tiny talking demonic dolls jumping up and down screaming buy! buy! buy! .

7) Redwall Series – Brian Jacques
Fuzzy animals wielding swords---what’s not to love? Well admittedly the 20th book about fuzzy animals wielding swords needed a little inspiration, but the first couple of hefty volumes were quite good.

8) The Hero and the Crown Duet – Robin McKinley
This left a great impression upon me when I was a kid. I liked the first novel better than the second.