Roald Dahl books! They're whimsical and fun. I think that's what Dumbledore would have liked when he wasn't reading super serious deep magic stuff.

esso ~ hufflepuff

Yeah I think you're right. He reminds me of one of those kids that the parents like stare at in awe because they're so brilliant when they're so young haha. So he'd probably know about all of the different kinds of novels, but isn't necessarily interested. Maybe he just reads them to get knowledge?

Meghan//Hufflepuff

Yeah I completely agree. I don't think he would like Shakespeare of any kind of difficult poetry. Maybe he would even be a fan of those books [gosh i can't remember the authors name] but the book I'm thinking of is called the Hungry Hungry Caterpillar. Where in the end, it would make cricket noises and it was a bright, colorful book to read. Sorry I can't remember the author.

Meghan//Hufflepuff

But what kind of kid would that make him? I can't see him being the kind who rolls around in the mud OR the kind who spends all day reading books. I have had a hard time thinking of a suitable response, even though I created the question. It's really fun to think about, though!


What do you bet his favorite book would be Where's Waldo? :P

keri // hufflepuff

I bet he spent his days trying to make blue flowers, mix up paint stripper, or train fleas for the circus.

I think anything Dr. Suess (if you mean like real little DumbleD) since they are as quirky as he is.

That's a good idea, I bet Dumbley would get a great kick out of books that have to do with muggles who have no idea about the actual wizarding world, but they decide to write a book on it anyway. Can't you just see him laughing about it in his room because he knows those people have no idea? haha


Meghan//Hufflepuff

Is A Hat Full of Sky part of the Discworld series, do you know? I just got started on that, and I want to read them in order of publication, but your little description "about witches and drunken fairies" sounds awfully fantastic, and I'm inclined to snag it with the last of my Christmas giftcard to B&N.


keri // puff

Ooooh, I think he would love the entire Discworld series!!! They're irreverant enough that he would highly enjoy them, I'm thinking.

I also think that he would very much enjoy Spyder Robinson's work, for much the same reason - irreverance.

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Yeah, I agree. Something like Oh, the Places You'll Go.

Josh // Ravenclaw

The Princess Bride by William Goldman, hands down. Dumbledore is so random and witty; he would definitely get it. I suppose he'd have to be an older child, twelve at least (I read it when I was thirteen), but then, I don't really see him as a screaming six-year-old who wants macaroni&cheese, so he'd be mature enough to read it basically when he's right out of the womb.

(And sorry, forgot to sign my last comment.)

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I think you're right about him being able to read it as a younger child, rather than most people who read it. I can just see him being a super calm child, but at the same time, one of those kids that gets really excited by like blinking lights and colorful things haha.

Meghan//Hufflepuff

(Sorry, forgot to sign last comment (again!))

Yeah, he and I would be good friends in that way. :p

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I love that book! I have a really good friend who never read it, but she lives in Alabama and I'm in Florida, so I mailed it to her as a loan, so she has it now, and I can't read it again, and I keep wanting to. It's so fantastic! I think Dumbledore would probably have it in his office! and in a hardback with moving pictures.

Can you imagine the ROUS scene? or the bits of really long description that got interrupted and never finished? I think I need to ask said friend to send the book back. >.> and SOON


keri // puff

I have both the book and the movie.

I wonder if Goldman ever finished with Buttercup's Baby??

I agree with you all about DD liking Dr. Seuss and fun witty books, so I also think he would like the Chronicles of Narnia because it's so childish, yet lots of adults like it and it's a fun story line that I think he would really enjoy and get a good chuckle out of the different characters.


Meghan//Hufflepuff

Perhaps similar to Dr. Suess, I think Dumbles may have enjoyed reading Shel Silverstein's poetry. It's fun and simple enough for a child to love, but subversive enough to make it one of those books people wanted banned from libraries.

Angela//Slytherin

Haha I totally agree. I used to love those wacky poems and I think he would too. When I was trying to think of an author that no one else had said, I was thinking of Shel Silverstein and then I like could NOT remember his name! haha so I'm glad you said it :]

Meghan//Hufflepuff

My brother has "The Light in the Attic" sitting on his bookshelf, so I looked it up. He's the one I thought of for Dumbles straight away.

Angela//Slytherin

Shel Silverstein is AWESOME. Okay, hands down, I bet this is definitely the ultimate kiddy-Dumbledore book. Some of the things people say, about Dumbledore's character and age-relevance - Silverstein's "A Light in the Attic" and "The End of the Sidewalk" (those are the titles, right?) totally answer all those requirements. And they pan-agenarian...or, uhm, did I just make up a word? I meant that they're for ages 2 to a billion!

(I used to memorize his poetry for fun, when I was 12. I wish I still remembered it.)

keri // puff

Oh, yeah!! Good choice!!

I read and memorized Sick aloud for a poetry contest in elementary school. It's still my favourite poem today, though I don't remember it any more. XD

Katie//Ravenclaw

I have to agree with some of the things that have already been said. Im sure Dumbledore would have read wizdarding books but I think he would have been more intriqued with Muggle books because they would be more obscure. I imagine he would read the muggle books on magic just to laugh at how "off" they are. For instance A wrinkle in Time.

As far as the whimiscal ones go I too can see him reading Sliverstein's poems being as bright as he is reading things into them that other children would not necessiarly see. Another author I can see him getting a kick out of is Lewis Carroll. Yes, I can see him reciting the Walrus and the Carpenter, and going on about thinking before you act.

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The Sun was shining on the Sea,
Shining with all his might.
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright.
And this was odd because it was
The middle of the night.

The Moon was shining sulkily
Because she thought the Sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done.
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun."

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sand was dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud because
No clouds were in the sky.
No birds were flying overhead --
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking hand in hand.
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand.
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "It would be grand!"

"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
As he shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach.
We cannot do with more than four
To give a hand to each."



and so on and so forth. I had that sucker memorised, but I keep getting stuck on the next line, about "The eldest Oyster shook his head" I think it is. Or that might be the next stanza.

But I think Carroll's books might also be staples in his personal library. The Alice books are probably crucial to his worldview. I mean, he probably took lessons from the various characters on how to act.


A Wrinkle in Time, though, I dunno. It doesn't seem as much D-man's style to me. It's very preachy, you know? And I don't think he'd ever sit down to read something so serious, even if it does have "magic" and fantasy, which may be appealing. I think he'd be more likely to pick up the Narnia books instead, if that's hwat he were after. Or maybe stuff like Tom Sawyer and HUck Finn. I can imagine him chuckling over "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" or "The Story of a Very Bad Boy," two short stories by Mark Twain. (I may have the latter's title wrong.)


keri // puff (stopping before I run out of comment space!)

I think he would enjoy Four Children and It, and books along those lines. But I also think he would read a lot of nonfiction; he just seems the really scholarly type. I feel certain he was a library monkey and read every non-fiction book he could get his hands on.

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Five Children and It! I'd hate to be the poor soul you left out of your take on it :(. Which one was it? You know you have to decide now! But yes, I agree Young!Dumbles would probably have liked that one. I bet he'd have tried to model himself on the Psammead a bit as well.

THANK YOU. This is what happens when one has a wisdom tooth coming in, and one gets loopy on Vicodin. I was over at Amazon, trying to find it to link to, and in my drug-induced haze I gave it up as a bad try. *now* I know why I couldn't find it! jeesh. ;)

This Vicodin's some good stuff, btw. ;)

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The Phantom Tollboth by Norton Juster.

It's amazing. Milo thinks life is boring and stupid, only to find a big box with a tollbooth inside it sitting in his bedroom. He drives through in his toy car to a magical land, where the Whether Man sends him on way babbling nonsense, where he lands in the Doldrums when he becomes too lazy to care where he is going, and where loads of other adventures ensue. He travels from two kingdoms--Dictionopolis and Digitopolis--ruled by two brothers who hate each other because one thinks WORDS are best and one thinks NUMBERS are. He picks up a few friends on the way: Tock, the watchdog (literally, a dog with a watch inside) who goes ticktickticktick! despite his name, and the Humbug, this beetle-like creature who is hilarious. Milo visits lands where a conductor orchestrates the colors of the sunset (and wreaks some havoc), he meets a boy standing in midair because he grows DOWN and not UP, he visits a land without Sound and the woman who controls it...all sorts of marvelous things, and the best part is this book is just SO FUNNY. Not in a stupid way, but in a wry and tender way. The illustrations are clever, too. The end finishes with Milo setting off to rescue imprisoned princesses Rhyme and Reason. It's truly a spectacular book, and so zany but full of such innate worldly wisdom it would fit Dumbledore to a TEE.


Jessica (Ravenclaw)

I think it really depends on what age of child we're considering. I read completely different books at six than I did at eight and ten.

Dumbledore is a brilliant character, and wise beyond all belief. But it's not the sort of intelligence that comes from books. His is the kind of wisdom that comes from experience and careful watching of the world around him. He gathers all the pieces and puts them together based on what he's already seen. That being said, I think he'd most likely enjoy childrens mysteries. The Boxcar Children, the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew... In the order as he grew up. I expect he would have drank them up. Sure, he'd read the classics, but the mysteries would keep him coming back. The Hardy Boys would probably he his favorite of all of them. I think it would appeal more to a little boy than the rest. (Having never been a little boy though, I can't swear to that.)

tsukinofaerii//Slytherin

This is too difficult for me! Each time I try to picture little Dumbledore sitting at home reading a book, I picture him chuckling to himself and stroking his beard. What sort of child has a long grey beard? So I fear I cannot do it. I'm just going to agree with everyone who said Dr Seuss and Roald Dahl. The Enormous Crocodile and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory rather than Danny, the Champion of the World, though.

I was absolutely thinking Carroll and Silverstein--you guys stole my ideas! :P

As a VERY young child, he might like the Curious George books or maybe Babar. I feel a real urge to go draw a toddler Dumbledore now! :D

Alyssa/Ravenclaw

I just remembered a good children's classic- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak!! It's really a great book, and would give him a very funny look into the life of a wild/naughty muggle child.

Also, I'm thinking Teach Yourself Mermish might be something he'd read. Hey, all kids want to learn another language so they're not understood with others! With the way it sounds, I bet he'd have a ball with it at the dinner table!

Albus: SCREEEEEEeeeeeeEEeeE E EEEE CH!!
Mother: Stop that, and ask to pass the salt normally, Albus!!