Mumsnet Talk

I am so ashamed to say I got out of the habit. Their dad did it whilst I did "more important" things. I have missed out for a year or so now. Dd is 8 nearly 9 and ds is 5 nearly 6.

So I kicked my own crappy behind and started reading The Indian in the Cupboard. We are loving it. Day 4 and halfway through the book.

I have some years to make up for. I'm sad that it won't be long before they don't want a story.

What else can/must I read to them to make up for lost time?

Harry Potter

I have just finished reading Enid Blyton's Naughtiest Girl Series to my nearly 9 and nearly 7 year old DS and DD, they loved them.

I thought Harry potter might be beyond my ds but he is managing with the language in the Indian in the Cupboard really well so might give it another go. Though dis reading them herself, but losing interest. Perhaps family reading time is the way forward with HP.

Diana wynne Jones books.

I read daughters Flower Fairies books in a massive assortment of daft regional accents. Changing every few paragraphs. It makes my dd laugh.

My dd (8) liked: the worst witch books/ madame Pamplemousse series/ Harry potter/ roald Dahl (witches/ Charlie and the chocolate factory/ James and the giant peach).
My 5 year old likes her picture story books, The Monkey Puzzle/ Stick Man/ The Snail and The Whale etc

The Indian in the cupboard is a series so you could keep going with them for ages!

Famous Five?

My 4 year old is into Enid Blyton (faraway tree etc) and rhoald Dahl ( James and the giant peach, twits etc)

What about flat Stanley books too?

Regional accents are my speciality!

I think my ds has just moved on from julia Donaldson which was my fail safe option when I did read to them. It is nice to be able to explore some more advanced books now.

I remember a book called the queens nose which I loved as a child.

The velveteen rabbit,
Redwall series,
a series of unfortunate events,
the bromeliad trilogy,
just so stories,
Hawthorne's fairy books,
Heidi
Anne of green gables
The secret garden

Dick king smith is perhaps a bit too young and animal related for my grown up dd though.

I miss reading to the DDs.

Things we loved.....

The phoenix and the carpet
The treasure seekers
The wind in the williows
The little house books
Winnie the pooh and The house at pooh corner
Alice in wonderland

Anything from the library that caught their eye.

Dd currently reading the lemony snicket books by herself.

Yes, must retry the velveteen rabbit, was too old for them when I tried last.

Googling the others!

Loads of Dick king smiths. Dome fir littlies snd lots for nigger ones. Saddlebottom, the sherp pig etc.

We're huge Roald Dahl fans here. It gives me loads of opportunities to put on silly voices!!

And don't be too hard on yourself. My youngest 2 (8 &9) have started asking me to read to them again. I didn't realise how much I'd missed it until I started doing it again.

Second the Madame Pamplemousse recommendation.

Miss Happiness and Miss Flower too.

A Little Princess, or Ballet Shoes, if not too antiquated?

Beswitched is good too, tho maybe for when a bit older? And The Giant Under the Snow, tho it is a bit creepy..!

Some for littlies. Lots for bigger.

Sheep

Willard Price? I adored them when I was a kid. NOT just for boys, despite what the cover blurb might say.

Lots of old classics.

Dido Twite and the Battersea ones.

The wolves of willoghby chase

Heidi

Anne of green gables

The Borrowers
Pippi Longstocking
Emil and his clever pig

Mr. Gum - loads of accent potential! DS and I laugh like drains every night.

I've just read the Windvale Sprites with ds (8). Really enjoyed the story and we both wanted to know what happened next.

Roald Dahl, My Naughty Little Sister, The Rats of Nimh

Super Fudge by Judy Blume, very funny!

If you can do a broad Glaswegian accent, you might have fun reading Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett.