Similar to Box of Delights

[redtop1]

My dad recently enjoyed re-reading John Masefield's The Box of Delights. I'd like to find similar books, perhaps published or popular around the same time, that he might have enjoyed in his youth. Can anyone recommend any, or direct me to any websites that might help?

[Caroian]

The Midnight Folk is the less well known prequel to Box of Delights that would be worth a read. Tom's Midnight Garden by Phillippa Pearce springs to mind - think that was published in the 50s but not sure of your dad's age. Chronicles of Narnia is always good for a nostalgic re-read.

[mrsmortis]

I'd probably add The Moondial and the Dark is Rising to that list.

[Witchend]

I think those two are much more recent than the Box of Delights-although I might be wrong.

I collect children's books of that type of era -Box of Delights is just pre-war, so I'd go for pre-war, or just after, perhaps up to 60s.

Malcolm Saville (Mystery at Witchend, is his best known, the Lone Pine series has 20 in, but he wrote about 70 more on top of that series)
Arthur Catherall (Shanghighed makes me chuckle-not sure of the spelling, another good one is Unwilling Smuggler)
Eric Layland was 60s I think, good adventure types
Elizabeth Goudge, (although thought of as a girl's author more, wrote some with very similar atmosphere-if you can't get hold of any beyond Little White Horse, then Linnets and Valerians has just been republished as The Runaways)
Aurthur Ransome wrote his in the 30s
Geoffrey Trease (Cue for Treason is his best known-mostly historical fiction, although his Bannermere series was written contemporary)
Green Knowe series is again quite similar to Box of D.
John Putney (Monday Adventure through to Sunday Adventure/Spring Adventure etc. Fred and I books. Very funny mostly
Lane Mitchell (Black Bog Mystery is funny, can't remember how easy they are to get hold of)

Other books he might have read, but aren't quite similar are:
Just William
Bunter
Jennings

[Witchend]

I forgot an obvious one:
Biggles (ds loves them)

[redtop1]

That's great! Thank you so much for all the suggestions.

[redtop1]

I hadn't heard of Green Knowe, looks like there was a 1980s BBC adaptation, which there also was of The Box of Delights. Might be worth a little look on YouTube! Thanks again everyone for all the ideas.

[BroomstickOfLove]

The Green Knowe books are lovely, although for a slightly younger audience. I'd also add The Wolves of Willoughby Chase to the list.

[Wayfarersonbaby]

YY to Green Knowe; and the second book of the Dark Is Rising which is set at Christmas (and can be read independently from the first book in the series).

The BBC has only this year released a DVD of the 80s Green Knowe adaptation - I'm looking forward to watching it again and plan to do so next week! I got it as soon as it was released in the summer and have been saving it for some Christmas nostalgia. I remember seeing it at the time and loving it :)

[CharleyDavidson]

I would second the recommendation of The Dark is Rising. The whole series really, but the final book (as titled above) is the one set at Christmas. A bit of back story helps though.

[BroomstickOfLove]

The Dark is Rising is fabulous, but it's not the final one in the series. It's the second one, but in many ways it's the first and the actual first one is more like a prequel. I'd recommending starting with The Dark is Rising, then going back to read the first book and finding out more about the characters in the first book who meet up with protagonist of the second book to form a team in the rest of the books.

[Witchend]

The dark is rising series is good, but unless he's younger than I get the impression he is, then he's unlikely to have read them in his youth. I think the first one is about 1965, and the latest ones are definitely 70s.
I would recommend reading them in order though.(Over Sea under Stone is the first)

[Wayfarersonbaby]

Charley the final book is set in the summer. The sequence goes Over Sea, Under Stone (summer), The Dark is Rising (winter), Greenwitch (spring/summer), The Grey King (autumn?) and Silver on the Tree (summer).

[CharleyDavidson]

Sorry, Wayfarer, it's been a while since I read it and I forgot that Silver on the Tree is the final one. Love the scene on the train with all the characters. I think I've remembered the series in order of my favourite rather than sequence in the story. Oops.

Still an amazing read. Must get it on my kindle!

[CharleyDavidson]

This night will be bad, and tomorrow will be beyond imagining

Shivers.

[Manumission]

I don't know if this would be helpful)

www.whatdowedoallday.com/2012/10/classic-childrens-books-by-the-decade-1930s-the-childrens-bookshelf.html

[Manumission]

I vaguely remember Mistress Masham's Repose (from the 1940s list in that link) and think that might fit the bill.

Emil and the Detectives (1920s) is one of my all-time favourites.