I second the cozy mysteries and early Alice Hoffman. I agree that her language seems magical. My favorite childhood reread is The Old Fashioned Girl, but I also find The Boxcar Chilren and The Five Little Peppers very soothing. Although thinking about it as an adult the Boxcar Children and The Five Little Peppers has terrible trauma in their lives and the older children had too many adult responsibilities! And the gender roles are very heteronormative. But sometimes I just want to live in a Boxcar and make it pretty with a cracked cup I found in the dump, and eat baked potatoes cooked in a fire with not enough utensils!

Aww, yes I loved the boxcar children as a kid. Any story about kids managing to fend for themselves—my side of the mountain was another fave.

Any story about kids managing to fend for themselves—my side of the mountain was another fave.

I love that genre too. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler was one I read and re-read.

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler was one I read and re-read.

One of my faves. I think that is why I love the film Easy Living so much. There's an automat!

Oh yes, Mixed Up Files was definitely a favorite!!!

I somehow did not get to mixed up files until I was an adult. I think maybe I didn’t care for the cover? I also started reading from the adult section at a fairly young age, although it was a lot of mysteries and non-fiction (I was obsessed with a book that examined whether Napoleon died of arsenic poisoning and also Lucy about the discovery of Australopithecus). mostly until I was older. I also once had an idea that I would start with “A” authors and just read all the books. I am pretty sure I fizzled out a Louis Auchincloss, which is why I didn’t read Austen until I was an adult.

Any story about kids managing to fend for themselves

Yes this!

I second Dana's rec for Robin McKinley. Very calm soothing.

My comfort reading is The Name of the Rose (it just is, I don't know why), any Lloyd Alexander, any Rosemary Sutcliffe.

Taking note of the Robin McKinley recs! I have somehow never read her

I recently slipped sideways from my historical murder mysteries to historical romances by the same author and they are pretty good but the conflict is always about how society is keeping these lovers apart and also generally sucks in various systemic ways and that is not soothing at all, even with a specific resolution for this particular couple

Taking note of the Robin McKinley recs! I have somehow never read her

Ooh! Spindle's End and The Blue Sword are my favorites.