My name is Rosa and I am addicted to children's books

[RosaLuxMundi]

Oh dear, we have just had to get some more shelves and I have been sorting out all the tottering piles of books that have been lurking in every corner of the house.
It appears that as well as a couple of thousand adult books, we now own at least 1,000 children's books. Most of them I have acquired secondhand, and not always for the benefit of a particular child but because I want them myself.
DH is a bit now that he can see the extent of my habit! The new shelves are full, and I don't think I can stop acquiring new books. Is there therapy I can have?

[Marina]

There is Cognitive Bookoffloading Therapy, whereby you learn that if you buy a book, another has to go to the charity shop
Or so I am told

[EmsMum]

Blimey, I thought I was bad. Was thinking that someone should start Books For Children Anonymous or something.

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

Well, so much of it is just really really good, isn't it? Get rid of the crap ones and if anyone comments tell them children's literature is the authentic literary form of the twenty-first century.

[RosaLuxMundi]

Actually I have just done another load of tidying. There was a whole bookcase I clean forgot about . There are at least 4,000 books in this house, maybe 1,500 are children's books. Maybe I should open a library.

[Bink]

Funnily enough I was just wondering about the LuxMundi Circulating Library (Like-Mindedly Obsessive Correspondents Only ).

Is your collection focussed on certain things? Do you, say, have every Guinness Book of Records from 195x onwards? Or are they all Horse'n'Pony books?

[RosaLuxMundi]

The adult collection could only be called eclectic Bink, but with a distinct bias towards history.

The children's collection reveals a slightly obsessive tendency to acquire sets - eg the complete works of Rosemary Sutcliff, Henry Treece, Noel Streatfeild, Lorna Hill, Elinor M Brent-Dyer etc. I also collect early 20th century boarding school books (DD1 actually adores these, she has taken to Angela Brazil with gusto) and random children's historical fiction. Basically, I haunt secondhand shops and market stalls and pounce on anything that looks even vaguely interesting. I am thinking my Chalet School collection alone might be my pension in later life.

[trockodile]

Always good to find another children's fiction fan! I try to convince myself mine is as good as a pension but mine are a bit dog-eared,bent and loved! Have you discovered Girls Gone By? Am just ordering 10 new books for Christmas! Will try to persuade DS to read them -but he is only 2 and a half!

[RosaLuxMundi]

I've looked at the GGB site, but I haven't bought from them yet. I would like to, but it is almost like cheating, it is a sort of a game with me to find stuff by trawling around, rather than buying new copies - although I do buy on Abebooks when I am desperate for something. (Am I beginning to sound a little odd here?)
I love it when I find a book for 20p and then when I check it on Ebay it has been selling for £40- this happened to me with a Drina Ballerina book a while ago. Not that I would ever sell my babies of course.

[Bink]

I think all that sounds marvellous. If I had the room ... and all your energy, I'd do the same. Not boarding school books, though. Hmm what would I do? Illustration, probably. Illustration, but only with adequately well-written (from me that's a really rigorous standard) text.

[anniebear]

Lol, have you thought of becoming an Usborne Organiser!!

you would have a whole catalogue of childrens books with over 1000 books to look at lol

[Marina]

Ha, but do you have The Gentle Falcon by Hilda Lewis, Rosa? One of my favourites

[RosaLuxMundi]

No Marina, I don't have that one! What I should do though is post a list of my duplicate copies and see if anyone wants them.

[Marina]

I got that off Abebooks
I'd love to see a duplicate list, we have very few dupes at home and much of our stuff is yellowing crumbly 60s and 70s Puffins alas

[choosyfloosy]

Ah, but do you have Gay from China at the Chalet School? I've only once ever seen a copy.

if you have a duplicate of that, SOLD

[EffiePerine]

I love Angela Brazil - The School at the Turrets was one of my fave books as a child. Am at your complete set of Noel Streatfield as well - was thiking of trying to find all the Gemma books which I loved as well...

[trockodile]

Gay from China is currently being sold by Girls Gone By -original text etc £11 inc post! I have a paperback copy but original is so much better- can't wait for Christmas!

[trockodile]

I do know what you mean about enjoying looking for bargains in 2nd hand book shops but I'm afraid living in Germany means these chances are few and far between. Some of these books go for shocking prices on the internet -i got carried away and spent £40 on 'Changes for the Chalet School' and decided I would far rather support Girls Gone By who try to keep prices fair and are doing a really good job at bringing all these old books to a new audience.
But if i ever see any tatty old paperbacks i buy them too! Love Noel Streatfield -have most of hers and am trying to collect 'Drina' series -about a young ballet dancer-at the moment.

[ChocolateGirl]

You haven't got a duplicate of No Boats on Bannermere, have you? I remember doing this in my first year in secondary school... I'm almost tempted to write to my school (even though I left more than twenty years ago!) and see if there's a copy gathering dust in the back of cupboard somewhere!

[nooka]

Just out of interest how many Chalet School books are there? I probably have several hundred children's books (mine that is) but my genre is fantasy. I do an annual cull of books, but very few of the children's books fail the "would I read this again" test

[RosaLuxOnTheBrightSideOfLife]

Chocolare Girl - Don't have Bannermere, but have a look at this Abebook listing if you want a copy, the cheapest way is clearly to have it posted from the US.

There are 67 Chalet School books that are written by E Brent-Dyer AFAIK but there are other 'infill' books that have been written by others to supply 'missing' parts of the story.

[ChocolateGirl]

Yes, thanks Rosa, I had a look and was shocked at how much it costs in the UK.

Have you had stuff shipped from the US? I had a package (not books) Fed Ex'd recently and was nastily surprised to find they send you a tax invoice on top of the shipping. The tax alone was about £35 - but it was an expensive item and I think it's based on the value of the item.

Have you had anything shipped for a reasonable cost?

[RosaLuxOnTheBrightSideOfLife]

I have had a few books from the States but as they didn't cost more than whatever the tax threshold was, I didn't have to pay any duty. You need the sender to put the value of the item on the outside of the package.

[FrannyandZooey]

you haven't GOT the entire works of Noel Streatfeild, have you? I have about 2/3 and working on the rest, but I have run out of money I think. I would love to grill you about certain rare ones that I haven't got, if so.

I am re-reading my way through the whole Antonia Forest Marlow series. I am loving every minute of it (actually that is not true, as I am on Peter's Room now which is probably my least favourite)

[RosaLuxOnTheBrightSideOfLife]

No I haven't got them, but am working on it. Mind you some are better than other - Tennis Shoes - yawn, Apple Bough - fab for instance.