Classic children's book

[hannahbanana2007]

Hi, I have a new niece who will be 4 months old at Christmas time. She has an older brother so won't really need toys as she'll have hand me downs, so was thinking of getting her a really nice well illustrated book that can be more of a keep sake for when she's older that parents can read to her. Problem is, can't think what book would be nice! Alice in wonderland - bit odd? Lion witch and the wardrobe maybe? Please give me suggestions?!

[GlitterBurps]

Hi I bought my DS1 a box set of Peter Rabbit books, he’s 4 now and loves opening the box and choosing one for us to read.

[cedartree12]

I also bought my DS a box of Peter Rabbit books for his first Christmas. Otherwise, The Secret Garden?

[hannahbanana2007]

I think I remember seeing the peter rabbit collection in their older son's room previously, so worried they have that already. Secret garden is a great shout, I kind of want to read that again myself now!

[liquidrevolution]

There's nice hardcover versions of the secret garden around. Also ballet shoes.

Or you could go christmassy and get the Night Before Christmas or the snow queen?

[AlexaShutUp]

Winnie the Pooh would be my choice, given that she is so small. I love the other books that have been mentioned too, but it will be a very long time before she can enjoy them. Pooh can be read to her when she is very small, but it will also endure through time - I still go back to my copy as an adult!

[HalfBloodPrincess]

The velveteen rabbit.

[crisscrosscranky]

The Jolly Christmas Postman is a hit in our house

[AlexaShutUp]

There are some gorgeous gift editions of Pooh, too - definitely go for the original E.H.Shepard illustrations and not the dodgy Disney ones!

[SparkwoodAnd21]

Secret Garden or Brambly Hedge? I love Alice In Wonderland too. If you want something more personal, I’m thinking of getting my new niece (she’ll be 3.5 months at Christmas) a book from Wonderbly. They do those Lost My Name books, and there’s a new Christmas themed one I think I’ll get. I had something similar as a child and loved actually being in the story.

[TheVanguardSix]

The books given to my kids as babies and those which have been the most dog-eared and loved are the following:

Goodnight Moon
Pat the Bunny
Any Eric Carle book (The Hungry Caterpillar is the most popular but my kids really loved a board book version of Papa, Please Get the Moon For Me)
Rosie's Walk
Go dog. Go!

[FeedingFrenzy5]

I agree with @Alexashutup - was also going to suggest Pooh. My 3.5 year old is just starting to enjoy being read Pooh. He watched the secret garden film recently (at a friend's house) and it didn't go down well... 'What happened to her parents... Did the aunt die from a swing... Why is the little boy so ill...?' eek, a lot of adult themes for a little boy!!!

[hannahbanana2007]

Ah love the jolly postman books, I know they have those as my sister and I had them as kids! Not heard of velveteen rabbit will check that out. Like the Winnie the Pooh suggestion too, will see what I can find for that.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

The Tiger Who Came To Tea is a classic now, IMO, and they all seem to love it.
Other than that, I found a whole boxed set of Beatrix Potter in a charity shop, and Gdd of 3 loves looking through them, though she's still a mite young for some of the stories.

Another would be a set of the Flower Fairies books - I found a perfect one recently, all 8 original little books in a box, tied with a ribbon. The illustrations are beautiful, and the accompanying rhymes are lovely. Despite my dd never having been remotely girly, Gdd is very much into fairies!

[hannahbanana2007]

Oh wow I forgot flower fairies! That's a lovely idea - I was never a girly girl but always thought the illustrations in those were gorgeous. Thanks for the idea!

[Charlottejade89]

My dd will be 5 months at xmas and I've got her guess how much I love you and the very hungry caterpillar

[Leeds2]

Heidi, if you are looking for something when she is older.

[Alanamackree]

The Alfie Collection by Shirley Hughes are wonderful stories and imo essential reading All the great dilemmas and worries of childhood are covered and the relationship between Alfie and his little sister Annie Rose might be meaningful if she has an older brother.

[concretesieve]

I only read it very recently, but Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verse is a lovely older classic.

[thismeansnothing]

DD got a box set of Beatrix pitted books but I HATE reading them to her. So twee and just hard work to read. They just don't flow for me.

Winnie the Pooh is a fab choice.
Or a treasury of Dr Seuss books.
Or a nice cloth bound copy of Grimm's fairytales

[Petalflowers]

Waterbabies

Winnie the Pooh

Heidi

Ballet shoes

[Isadora2007]

I think a fun box full of classic board books would actually be fab- more enjoyable than a keepsake book.
Goodnight Moon
Peepo
Where’s Spot
Hungry Caterpillar
Guess how much I love you
Plus a bath book or a cloth book too

[ChishandFips33]

Dr Seuss 'oh, the places you'll go'

Dear Zoo/Dear Santa - any lift the flap book will be loved into her second year

[mamaduckbone]

The Wind in the Willows, Percy the Park Keeper or Kipper are all lovely!

[mamabluestar]

Twas the night before Christmas

[reluctantbrit]

I think it depends on what age the child "should" enjoy the book. If you look at Tiger who came to Tea or other picture books you have a age range of 2-4.

Books like Alice, Narnia, Secret Garden or Anne of Green Gables are more for pre-teens/teenager. They may look like little stories but they are quite dark and difficult in some places.

I personally gave Secret Garden/Peter Pan as christening presents and now, the child is 10, they are read. Mostly still together with a parent due to the quite different language compared to a more modern book but they can not only follow the story but also understand the whole concept behind it.

I would be checking toddler books before you buy, lots of people have the classical ones or know them thanks to the library.