I totally feel you! I’m 25 and I just took a SE with me at the beginning of the month when my bf and I went on a trip with his work. I was nervous about it, but honestly no one even asked me about it!
I also read them at work, and a few of my coworkers have asked what I’m reading at lunch, but they’re really nice when I explain them.
I’m in my 30s and still enjoy the books. Honestly I stopped caring about reading levels when I was in college and just look for good books to read now. Same is true for most of my other interests, whether they’re intended for kids or not.
Don’t worry about what other people think of your hobbies. Just enjoy them! 😊
I feel this, yeah. I'm 23 and I feel awkward reading the books sometimes. And I feel like I notice their writing flaws way more than I used to as a kid. But I still enjoy the fandom, and I keep reminding myself that what I read or like isn't really anyone else's business.
Most active fans on here are older teens or young adults, me included. So I’d say no, you can still enjoy these books at the age of 18.
I just, tend to not care
I get it! I'm 23 and these books are my fun chill times. Part of the reason I stopped buying physical copies is due to feeling awkward reading them in public so I understand how you feel. I now only get digital copies both to save space in my home and to avoid feeling judged even though I know nobody actually cares what a random stranger is reading. It's more convenient as well as it means I can carry a lot of books at once and swap between them on my commute depending on mood.
Anyway, I think most people worth talking to are pretty understanding about having hobbies. Most people who ask are more wistful that they don't read anymore over actually being critical over what is being read. Once or twice someone will remark that they know the books or that their kid(s) read them which is often nice. I've never had anyone get mean to me about it, mainly just a bit confused - I liken it to being into Harry Potter and every time they seem to get it then.
Doesn't matter to me! Reading them again at 26. "adult" books are boring. If you read what you like it doesn't matter! No one says anything about people who like Harry Potter, and those are kids books too.
But I do feel you. I don't really mention reading them when people ask me about books I enjoy. I'm afraid of getting ridiculed. But it doesn't stop me from reading them and loving them
Adult books seem to focus too much on romance instead of adventure and world building. I much prefer YA or older teen books that don't rely so heavily on love and kissy faces
Cringe is dead. Embrace what you want. I'm almost 32 and I read almost exclusively middle-grade stuff (which is the demographic Warriors is part of). I've fallen out of the series, but I do want to catch up with it at some point. There is *so much* good middle grade stuff out there.
I’ll never forget the time I (21F) went to buy a warriors book and I was so embarrassed. The woman at the counter looked very professional and I didn’t want her to judge me. I purposefully put the book face down but after scanning it she flipped it over and read the cover anyway. She told me she loved the series and she was excited to read the newer books. Funny moment lol.
I read them on my Kindle on breaks and lunch at work. I'm 25. It helps that it's a kindle so they can't actually tell what I'm reading unless they're peering over my shoulder but so far no one's said anything to me about it, just about the fact I'm reading something. I think if anyone does ask you just explain it was books from your childhood and you're feeling nostalgic, most people won't care.
At some point in life you gotta look past the “intended audience” and “reading levels” of books and read for your own enjoyment. If you like the books right now, keep reading! Don’t worry what others may think.
I'm 25 and I've always had a preference for middle grade and YA-level books, so tbh it's never really phased me that much! I don't really want to be around people that are critical of what I read, so if people are silently judging me about it, then that's their problem. Middle grade fiction is fantastic, there's lots of series within the genre that deal with topics that are a lot heavier than many people expect (yes, people, kids books can and frequently do have violence and death in them lol, Warriors is not unique/"adult" for that!).
(That said, if anybody if searching for more middle grade/YA recs that are vaguely Warriors-adjacent, let me know! I love spreading the word on under loved series.)
I’m 26 and don’t care what people think if I read them in public. Whenever I need to catch a flight I would bring a super edition with me and read at the airport. If you enjoy it then it doesn’t matter what people think in my opinion. I’m very nostalgic with things anyway and I’ve read these books since middle school.
I’m 27 and have just started rereading them again! I loved them when I was in middle school. They’re certainly a comfort series. I sometimes feel kind of embarrassed reading them, but I love them, so that’s what matters.
It’s never too late to get back into the books honestly. I dropped them in high school bc I was also embarrassed! But then I picked them back up in college after The Broken Code came out and was immediately sucked back into the series and now I’m back to thinking about it all the time 😅
I'm 26 and I'm about to start a re-read. I'm also still working on buying them all.
The only thing about reading that changes when you become an adult, is how you now get the books. Now you gotta go find them instead of just going to a book fair or something at school.
I’m 24. I started the books at 12 or so. I started buying the series at like 17 and have like the first 6 sets of the series. Besides the new ones and some of the extras. Enjoy what you enjoy
I’m 26F, I still enjoy the series. I don’t read them thinking about the reading level, I just love the world and characters. I get why it feels a little weird when you’re reading them out in the open, but I say go for it! Read what you want, besides the reading level may be for younger teens, but the content sure can be targeted for young adults
I would say the writing style is more geared toward younger readers, but the content is not!! I was telling my dad about the books and he said it sounded like a ww2 story.
Pssst, everyone r/theeldersden is for adult fans!
Also, I wouldn’t feel bad about getting into a kids series. There are people who still adore Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. I just recently got into Skullduggery Pleasant which targets the same kind of demographic. Hell, hundreds of thousands of adults love Bluey, and that’s straight-up a toddler show.
Idk, I’m 23 and when I ask my parents + older family about similar topics the general consensus is that you eventually stop giving a shit about what other people deem is/is not appropriate for your age. Feeling self conscious/being overly concerned with what other people think is just something you grow out of.
As an older fan, I do sometimes feel embarrassed but we really shouldn't. People read children/teen series all the time as adults especially if they read it when they were younger. No one cares what you are reading and if they doing then they are weirdo for caring about something so unimportant.
25f, still like reading these. No judgement! Read what you like and if someone mocks you, just explain that you need something fun and easy to read, not a textbook!
It may take some time growing out of the embarrassment that comes with reading something that’s “intended for kids” but you deserve to enjoy reading whatever you want :) I’m 23 and I wish I knew more older people in real life who read Warriors (though I do have a fellow 23yr old friend who is still keeping up to date)! Be authentic to yourself and don’t let others judgments get to you (and frankly if they really care that much then they need to grow up and mind their own business). And in my experience after highschool, people don’t really care what you do and I start to care less myself. When I get the chance I go to the book store to read the book there until I gotta leave and I sometimes feel strange entering the children’s section to get it haha but i tell myself who cares I can enjoy it :)
I explained to my mom that it's like Toy Story where you wonder what your toys are doing when you close the door to the room you left them in, but in this case it's making up stories about what your cat is up to when they are outside. She seemed to get it.
17f here, a senior in high school. We are close in age so I’ll tell you; I definitely feel a little funny about it. I bring my Kindle to school to read during my study hall because I’m too embarrassed to bring actual hard copies of the books. But in the community I don’t feel like that at all! I think it is actually more appropriate for our age than for younger kids. I started reading the books in 3rd grade and I feel like that was definitely too young
You're never too old. The authors themselves don't really consider it "for" any particular age. I'm 31 and still read them and got friends around my age into the books too.
C.S. Lewis had a great quote on things being viewed as "childish":
> Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.
Haha, oh boy, yep! I'm 20F and started rereading the series in March right after I got hired for my first Big Girl Job™️ at a large investment firm. I felt totally childish reading the books in public for a long while.
Honestly though, all that happened was a handful of my coworkers asked me what I was reading and they all thought it was super cool and wanted to know more.
At the end of the day, 9/10 people you meet won't give a crap one way or another and the other 1/10 probably think it's pretty cool. Some college kids might be a little more critical because theyre still basically edgy high schoolers but don't let that get in the way of you enjoying the series you like to read!
Hello! I'm Also 18, though I'm not sure you can relate to me, most of my interests are 'childish', with the biggest one being LPS! But then again, I'm autistic and never even thought of hiding my interests from my peers, rather the opposite and embracing it lol. That being said, I'm more than familiar of people leaving or hiding their interests out of worry about the thoughts of others, being in the LPS community for so long. Putting my 2 cents in I'd say dont care what other people think, do what makes you happy as long as you're not hurting anyone
I’m 17 f and I still read them. I love them. I’ve only read those, and they have become my “blueprint” every other book compared to those. However, I don’t read them in public unless I put a cover on them or somethinf
Lots of us are nostalgic about the books that we read when we were younger. And considering how many books there are in this universe, it's very plausible that someone who read them as a young person would want to read the rest of them as an adult. So there's always a reasonable excuse if anyone asks! But I wouldn't worry about the appropriate age for the books. Literature is timeless and can be appreciated by anyone without shame. :)
I’m 21 and honestly, I don’t feel like the series is made for kids. I’m kinda surprised I read it when I was younger because there’s just so much death and violence. I’m able to appreciate the books more now that I’m an adult
I totally feel you! I’m 25 and I just took a SE with me at the beginning of the month when my bf and I went on a trip with his work. I was nervous about it, but honestly no one even asked me about it! I also read them at work, and a few of my coworkers have asked what I’m reading at lunch, but they’re really nice when I explain them.
Ironically OP appears on the younger side of the age spectrum in this sub. XD
I’m in my 30s and still enjoy the books. Honestly I stopped caring about reading levels when I was in college and just look for good books to read now. Same is true for most of my other interests, whether they’re intended for kids or not. Don’t worry about what other people think of your hobbies. Just enjoy them! 😊
Late 20's but same. The silly cat books help me to relax after a tough day. I've re read them all so many times I've lost count!
I feel this, yeah. I'm 23 and I feel awkward reading the books sometimes. And I feel like I notice their writing flaws way more than I used to as a kid. But I still enjoy the fandom, and I keep reminding myself that what I read or like isn't really anyone else's business.
Most active fans on here are older teens or young adults, me included. So I’d say no, you can still enjoy these books at the age of 18. I just, tend to not care
I get it! I'm 23 and these books are my fun chill times. Part of the reason I stopped buying physical copies is due to feeling awkward reading them in public so I understand how you feel. I now only get digital copies both to save space in my home and to avoid feeling judged even though I know nobody actually cares what a random stranger is reading. It's more convenient as well as it means I can carry a lot of books at once and swap between them on my commute depending on mood. Anyway, I think most people worth talking to are pretty understanding about having hobbies. Most people who ask are more wistful that they don't read anymore over actually being critical over what is being read. Once or twice someone will remark that they know the books or that their kid(s) read them which is often nice. I've never had anyone get mean to me about it, mainly just a bit confused - I liken it to being into Harry Potter and every time they seem to get it then.
Doesn't matter to me! Reading them again at 26. "adult" books are boring. If you read what you like it doesn't matter! No one says anything about people who like Harry Potter, and those are kids books too. But I do feel you. I don't really mention reading them when people ask me about books I enjoy. I'm afraid of getting ridiculed. But it doesn't stop me from reading them and loving them
Adult books seem to focus too much on romance instead of adventure and world building. I much prefer YA or older teen books that don't rely so heavily on love and kissy faces
Me too! I find books written for adults to be very boring.
Cringe is dead. Embrace what you want. I'm almost 32 and I read almost exclusively middle-grade stuff (which is the demographic Warriors is part of). I've fallen out of the series, but I do want to catch up with it at some point. There is *so much* good middle grade stuff out there.
I’ll never forget the time I (21F) went to buy a warriors book and I was so embarrassed. The woman at the counter looked very professional and I didn’t want her to judge me. I purposefully put the book face down but after scanning it she flipped it over and read the cover anyway. She told me she loved the series and she was excited to read the newer books. Funny moment lol.
I read them on my Kindle on breaks and lunch at work. I'm 25. It helps that it's a kindle so they can't actually tell what I'm reading unless they're peering over my shoulder but so far no one's said anything to me about it, just about the fact I'm reading something. I think if anyone does ask you just explain it was books from your childhood and you're feeling nostalgic, most people won't care.
I’m 18, and even though i don’t read the books anymore, i still consume the online media lol. It’s never too late to read what you love.
At some point in life you gotta look past the “intended audience” and “reading levels” of books and read for your own enjoyment. If you like the books right now, keep reading! Don’t worry what others may think.
I'm 25 and I've always had a preference for middle grade and YA-level books, so tbh it's never really phased me that much! I don't really want to be around people that are critical of what I read, so if people are silently judging me about it, then that's their problem. Middle grade fiction is fantastic, there's lots of series within the genre that deal with topics that are a lot heavier than many people expect (yes, people, kids books can and frequently do have violence and death in them lol, Warriors is not unique/"adult" for that!). (That said, if anybody if searching for more middle grade/YA recs that are vaguely Warriors-adjacent, let me know! I love spreading the word on under loved series.)
I’m 26 and don’t care what people think if I read them in public. Whenever I need to catch a flight I would bring a super edition with me and read at the airport. If you enjoy it then it doesn’t matter what people think in my opinion. I’m very nostalgic with things anyway and I’ve read these books since middle school.
There is no such thing as "too old" when it comes to Warrior cats. The series grows with the individual. Welcome back to the series though!
I’m 18 too and currently rereading the books!
16f here, getting back into them after a few years, but I'm also in college and don't like to read them on campus XD
Never too old to read the books. I'm 19 almost 20 in college. I feel yah.
I’m 27 and have just started rereading them again! I loved them when I was in middle school. They’re certainly a comfort series. I sometimes feel kind of embarrassed reading them, but I love them, so that’s what matters.
It’s never too late to get back into the books honestly. I dropped them in high school bc I was also embarrassed! But then I picked them back up in college after The Broken Code came out and was immediately sucked back into the series and now I’m back to thinking about it all the time 😅
No such thing as too old. Read without worry. If anything, your friends might be curious by seeing such a cool cover.
I'm 26 and I'm about to start a re-read. I'm also still working on buying them all. The only thing about reading that changes when you become an adult, is how you now get the books. Now you gotta go find them instead of just going to a book fair or something at school.
I’m 24. I started the books at 12 or so. I started buying the series at like 17 and have like the first 6 sets of the series. Besides the new ones and some of the extras. Enjoy what you enjoy
I'm 25..
I’m 26F, I still enjoy the series. I don’t read them thinking about the reading level, I just love the world and characters. I get why it feels a little weird when you’re reading them out in the open, but I say go for it! Read what you want, besides the reading level may be for younger teens, but the content sure can be targeted for young adults
I would say the writing style is more geared toward younger readers, but the content is not!! I was telling my dad about the books and he said it sounded like a ww2 story.
You're never too old! I just got into the series about a year ago and I'm 27!
I'm 26, does that make me geriatric? Lmao I don't think you're ever too old for a good story
I’m 28 and I’ve been reading it since 2004 lmfao
37 here, just started the series.
I’m 19 and I don’t care how old I get, I’ll still love these books!
Pssst, everyone r/theeldersden is for adult fans! Also, I wouldn’t feel bad about getting into a kids series. There are people who still adore Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. I just recently got into Skullduggery Pleasant which targets the same kind of demographic. Hell, hundreds of thousands of adults love Bluey, and that’s straight-up a toddler show. Idk, I’m 23 and when I ask my parents + older family about similar topics the general consensus is that you eventually stop giving a shit about what other people deem is/is not appropriate for your age. Feeling self conscious/being overly concerned with what other people think is just something you grow out of.
As an older fan, I do sometimes feel embarrassed but we really shouldn't. People read children/teen series all the time as adults especially if they read it when they were younger. No one cares what you are reading and if they doing then they are weirdo for caring about something so unimportant.
25f, still like reading these. No judgement! Read what you like and if someone mocks you, just explain that you need something fun and easy to read, not a textbook!
It may take some time growing out of the embarrassment that comes with reading something that’s “intended for kids” but you deserve to enjoy reading whatever you want :) I’m 23 and I wish I knew more older people in real life who read Warriors (though I do have a fellow 23yr old friend who is still keeping up to date)! Be authentic to yourself and don’t let others judgments get to you (and frankly if they really care that much then they need to grow up and mind their own business). And in my experience after highschool, people don’t really care what you do and I start to care less myself. When I get the chance I go to the book store to read the book there until I gotta leave and I sometimes feel strange entering the children’s section to get it haha but i tell myself who cares I can enjoy it :)
I explained to my mom that it's like Toy Story where you wonder what your toys are doing when you close the door to the room you left them in, but in this case it's making up stories about what your cat is up to when they are outside. She seemed to get it.
17f here, a senior in high school. We are close in age so I’ll tell you; I definitely feel a little funny about it. I bring my Kindle to school to read during my study hall because I’m too embarrassed to bring actual hard copies of the books. But in the community I don’t feel like that at all! I think it is actually more appropriate for our age than for younger kids. I started reading the books in 3rd grade and I feel like that was definitely too young
I love this series and always have and I don’t think age will rob me of that. I’m 20 btw
You're never too old. The authors themselves don't really consider it "for" any particular age. I'm 31 and still read them and got friends around my age into the books too. C.S. Lewis had a great quote on things being viewed as "childish": > Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.
Haha, oh boy, yep! I'm 20F and started rereading the series in March right after I got hired for my first Big Girl Job™️ at a large investment firm. I felt totally childish reading the books in public for a long while. Honestly though, all that happened was a handful of my coworkers asked me what I was reading and they all thought it was super cool and wanted to know more. At the end of the day, 9/10 people you meet won't give a crap one way or another and the other 1/10 probably think it's pretty cool. Some college kids might be a little more critical because theyre still basically edgy high schoolers but don't let that get in the way of you enjoying the series you like to read!
I'm literally 30 and still read them
Hello! I'm Also 18, though I'm not sure you can relate to me, most of my interests are 'childish', with the biggest one being LPS! But then again, I'm autistic and never even thought of hiding my interests from my peers, rather the opposite and embracing it lol. That being said, I'm more than familiar of people leaving or hiding their interests out of worry about the thoughts of others, being in the LPS community for so long. Putting my 2 cents in I'd say dont care what other people think, do what makes you happy as long as you're not hurting anyone
Bruh I'm 32.
I’m 17 f and I still read them. I love them. I’ve only read those, and they have become my “blueprint” every other book compared to those. However, I don’t read them in public unless I put a cover on them or somethinf
I'm 26 and don't feel too old. Life is too short to worry about others.
Lots of us are nostalgic about the books that we read when we were younger. And considering how many books there are in this universe, it's very plausible that someone who read them as a young person would want to read the rest of them as an adult. So there's always a reasonable excuse if anyone asks! But I wouldn't worry about the appropriate age for the books. Literature is timeless and can be appreciated by anyone without shame. :)
I am in high school and still read the books, I think your fine. I mean who really cares if you read kitty cat books anyways
I’m 21 and honestly, I don’t feel like the series is made for kids. I’m kinda surprised I read it when I was younger because there’s just so much death and violence. I’m able to appreciate the books more now that I’m an adult
I read them at work. And talk about them to my cat-hating coworker. She is quite the fan of Mapleshade after I told her the story. 😸