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10 books that defined your childhood in the 1960s and 1970s
These books featured so many fiercely independent characters.
Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, children had some pretty amazing literature to devour. Classics like A Wrinkle in Time and Island of the Dolphins attracted young readers and helped shape a generation.
As kids, reading books took us on adventures and taught us valuable lessons like selflessness and tolerance. We didn't know it back then, but these lessons would stick with us into our adult lives. Now that we're older, we can fully appreciate what these books taught us. Here's a look back at some of the most cherished books, and the lessons they taught us.
What was your favorite book growing up?
1. Julie of the Wolves (1972)
Jean Craighead George tells the story of a young Inuk girl surviving on her own in the tundra and experiencing changes from the outside world forced on her culture. The children's book received a Newbery Medal in 1973, but it also appeared on the American Library Association's list of most challenged books due to some graphic scenes.
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2. The Cay (1969)
Theodore Taylor brings to life the story of a boy stranded on a deserted island after a German submarine torpedoes his ship. With an old man named Timothy by his side, the two wait to be rescued. The book has received praise and criticism for touching on the subject of race.
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3. The Pigman (1968)
A staple for elementary curricula across the country, Paul Zindel's The Pigman gives different versions of a story about an incredible man named Mr. Pignati.
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4. A Wrinkle In Time (1963)
Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time might be one of the biggest young adult novels of all time. The sci-fi book is a standard in classrooms around the country and received a Newbery Medal in 1963.
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5. Island of the Blue Dolphins (1960)
"Kids being stranded" was a popular theme for young adult novels in the 1960s. Scott O'Dell's tale was actually based on a true story about a Native American girl left alone on an island off the California coast for 18 years. The novel won the Newbery Medal in 1961 and has lived on children's bookshelves ever since.
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6. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (1970)
The quintessential coming-of-age tale was published in 1970 and vaulted author Judy Blume to national prominence. Every girl growing up in the 70s could relate to Margaret, and may have even learned a thing or two following her on her journey to womanhood.
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7. Summer of the Swans (1970)
Betsy Byars tell the story of Sara, who tries to find her mentally challenged brother after he goes missing one summer. Throughout the search, the self-centered teen ends up learning some important lessons about selflessness and growing up.
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8. The Cricket in Times Square (1960)
1960 was a big year for children's literature with the release of this classic and Island of the Blue Dolphins. The story, authored by Garth Williams, tells the tale of a cricket from Connecticut who gets whisked away on a commuter train to the Big Apple.
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9. Gentle Ben (1965)
Walt Morey's Gentle Ben is a story about Mark, a teenage boy, and Ben, a giant bear. The two companions connect over their shared loneliness and quickly become friends. But their friendship is threatened when some people become frightened of Ben. The book spawned a TV series on CBS in the late 1960s.
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10. The Egypt Game (1967)
Zilpha Keatley Snyder's novel brings to life the Ancient Egyptian rituals created by a group of kids in the storage yard of an antique store.
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13 Comments
Books which defined my childhood:
The Girl with the Silver Eyes - Willo Davis Roberts
The Forgotten Door - Alexander Key
A Swiftly Tilting Planet - Madeleine L'Engle
The Little House Books - Laura Ingles Wilder
Eight Cousins - Louisa May Alcott
