These old fashioned books offer heart-warming stories that ring true today — because at the end of the day, kids are still just kids no matter when they lived. Children will connect with the adolescent characters while being transported to a different time and place.
These books are perfect for older elementary and middle-school children (ages 8-12). You can find these old fashioned books at your local library or purchase through the affiliate links provided for your convenience.
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
Homer Price by Robert McCloskey
Centerburg Tales: More Adventures of Homer Price by Robert McCloskey
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Strawberry Girl 60th Anniversary Edition by Lois Lenski
Little Pear and His Friendsby Eleanor Frances Lattimore
The Moffats by Eleanor Estes
Like these old fashioned books? Find even more engaging book lists for kids with more than 100 book-themed reading lists!
Barbara Mojica says
June 23, 2014 at 12:59 pmLots of great suggestions here…including a few that I had not seen.
Jennifer says
June 23, 2014 at 1:14 pmNow that surprises me, because Barbara you are the one person I would have thought would know all of those books 🙂
Rachel @ My Wholesome Home says
June 23, 2014 at 2:43 pmI’ve got about half of these and I’ll definitely have to check out the rest…Thanks for sharing 🙂
Kim @ In Our Write Minds says
June 24, 2014 at 4:56 pmI love these recommendations. So many great memories came flooding back just reading the titles! I’ve read most of these, but there are some new ones I need to look at. 🙂
Have you heard of Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace? That would be another wholesome, old-fashioned book (series) to add to the list.
Jennifer says
June 25, 2014 at 9:12 amI actually haven’t heard of Betsy-Tacy before, Kim. I’ll have to check out that series. Thanks for the tip!
Kim @ In Our Write Minds says
June 25, 2014 at 11:50 amThe Betsy-Tacy books are just delightful–about best friends growing up together at the turn of the 20th century. Very imaginative, sweet, family-centered.
Dapoppins says
June 24, 2014 at 5:53 pmI haven’t seen a couple of these. Can’t believe I missed a good book! It looks like a great list, and I’m a big fan of old fashioned values and the days before every kid was a whiny “whimpy kid.”
Crystal Green says
June 27, 2014 at 8:04 pmThis is an amazing list of books to read for sure. I loved the Secret Garden. I’ll never forget reading that book as long as I live.
joan tazisalady says
November 14, 2014 at 5:21 pmgreat old books. You just reminded me to get copies of little women for my 2 granddaughters. TY
Jennifer says
November 14, 2014 at 5:38 pmLittle Women is one of my all-time favorites! Hope they enjoy the book 😀
Jenny says
March 21, 2015 at 9:59 amOh my goodness, it’s like you stepped into my childhood! I had completely forgotten about The Moffets! But I know I read it and loved it as a child. I’ll have to dig it up from my parents’ house. I also was obsessed with the All of a Kind family series! And The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew! And of course The Secret Garden, Little House, and the Little Princess. I think it is safe to say I trust your taste in kids’ books, and will have to check out everything else on this list. Thank you for sharing!!
Jennifer Hughes says
March 21, 2015 at 2:26 pmCan I just say I am grinning from ear to ear? I am SO thrilled to hear that I’ve jolted you back to your childhood. Personally, some of my favorite memories are actually of books as a kid. I even remember where I was when reading some of them… including The Secret Garden, which I read on an Amtrak train on my way to my grandmother’s house 🙂 I hope you pull some of your favorites out and read them all over again. Who says we’re too old?
Shannon Reads says
June 30, 2015 at 6:35 pmTo add to the list:
The Railway Children — E. Nesbit
Half Magic — Edgar Eager
The Treasure Seekers — E Nesbit
The Secret of Platform 13 — Eva Ibbotson
One Dog and His Boy — Eva Ibbotson
Journey to the River Sea — Eva Ibbotson
The Little White Horse — Elizabeth Goudge **
Linnets and Valerians — Elizabeth Goudge
The Good Master — Kate Seredy
An Old-Fashioned Girl — Alcott
(The Little White Horse is back in print largely because JKR named it as her favorite book growing up.)
Jennifer Hughes says
July 1, 2015 at 9:32 amThere were just too many to include! And these are all terrific additions 🙂