What were the first chapter books you enjoyed reading aloud with your DCs?

[Asparaguses]

DD1 is nearly 5 and I have recently started reading chapter books to her at bed time. We started with my childhood favourites: the Milly-Molly-Mandy series, My Naughty Little Sister, and the easier Roald Dahl books (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory went down a storm, Matilda was too much for her). Now I need inspiration. What would you recommend we read next?

[fidelma]

She is still very young,I would also still enjoy books with pictures.

[DeWe]

With dd1 I did very similar to you and then went onto Famous Five when she was similar age and after a couple of those did The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. Tried Prince Caspian (because she wanted to) but found it not as interesting, so tried Arthur Ransome, which she loved, and Elizabeth Goudge (Little White Horse among others) and I think we did a couple of Noel Streatfield (Ballet Shoes is her best known) before she decided she'd rather read to herself.
Dd2 had a totally different taste. She didn't like the chapter books above read to her, but she loved reading them herself. She liked old fashioned stories, preferably with a princess in disguise or pony stories. Wish for a Pony (Monica Edwards) is actually quite hard to read out loud but she loved those ones, and I can't remember the author's name (Viola Needham???) but she wrote The Black Riders and House of the Palidin.
Ds (age just 4) would prefer me to read a technical book on the merits of various military aircraft. Don't know how much he understands, but I've sure learnt a lot. He does quite like Famous Five, I'm currently reading him The Castle of Adventure (another Enid Blyton) and has anounced his wish to own a parrot. He's just chosen to buy a book called "How to look after your parrot." He won't get to put it into practice.

[Takver]

Lots of those above (Clever Polly, Gobbolino, MMM), and also:

Little House in the Big Woods (Laura is 4 at the start, and has her 5th birthday during the book - the later books are more for older children)

Anna Hibiscus series by Atinuke (I liked this one as - like MMM - each chapter is a separate story, so ideal for bedtime reading, it also has very good illustrations)

[ShowOfHands]

DD is 4 and loves any Roald Dahl, some Enid Blyton (Faraway Tree and Naughty Amelia Jane are her current favourites), just finished My Naughty Little Sister and she liked the Narnia series. Largely, her library is my library from infancy so it's like reliving my childhood.

She still loves picture books as well but reads them to herself.

[SecretSpi]

If she likes something slightly old-fashioned, I can recommend Teddy Robinson Stories (Joan G.Robinson), The Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse (Ursula Moray Williams), the Mary Plain books (Gwynedd Rae) and Winnie the Pooh!

[Takver]

YY to Teddy Robinson - how could I forget them!

[mk3]

Mine really enjoyed the Faraway Tree series. The first one is 'The Enchanted Wood.' Also Teddy Robinson. I love reading my dd some of the books by Rumer Godden like 'The Fairy Doll' and another with mice in the title. Some of them eg the Diddakoi are too old.

She might like Daisy Meadows fairy books - my dd certainly does - but I can't say I massively enjoy reading them to her!

[Colyngbourne]

The Enchanted Wood
Teddy Robinson stories (loved by all mine)
Gobbolino
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark
Little House in the Big Woods
All About the Bullerby Children by Astrid Lindgren (not easy to find but excellent)
Danny Fox by David Thomson

[Meglet]

I read 'The Twits' to DS over Xmas, he had just turned 4. I was suprised at how much he enjoyed it actually .

Glad I saw this thread I've been meaning to track down some other simple chapter books for him.

[midnightexpress]

My DSs are 4.7 and 5.9 and we are currently working our way through the Moomins. They are wonderful - even more magical than I remember them being as a child. The last 2 (Moominpappa at Sea and Moominvalley in November) are, imo, more for adults than children and perhaps a bit much for a 4 and 5 year old, so I probably won't bother with those at the moment, but the rest are just brilliant.

They are quite hard for ds2, but he loves all the characters and is thrilled and horrified in equal measure whenever the Groke appears.

They're also enjoying the Little House books. I threaten them with Crispy Pig Tails for dinner whenever I'm feeling particularly mean (I even have a recipe for them, if anyone's interested...)

LOL at DeWe's DS and his reading preferences. I feel your pain. I could have JCBs as my specialist subject on bloody Mastermind.

[bartonian]

The Worst Witch
The Hodgeheg by Dick King Smith (in fact any of his, the Sophie series is also really good, about a 6 year old who wants to be a farmer)
Paddington (I find myself snorting with laughter at some of his escapades, DC look at me strangely!)
Pippi Longstocking is always good too.

[carrotgold]

Georges marvelous medicine! Its brilliant ;) Rohld Dahl

[munstersmum]

Mudpuddle Farm by Michael Morpurgo
Faraway Tree
Paddington

[SybilBeddows]

Pippi Longstocking, definitely

[vanimal]

I have just ordered the Folk of the Faraway Tree, and the Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton for my 4yo.

Does anyone know the names of the other books in that series?

[clemetteattlee]

DD will only let me read the Daisy Meadows books with her (Daddy gets to read Roald Dahl). She and her friends (going into year 2) are unrelentingly obsessed with those Rainbow Fairies. We have just finished book 32 and it shows no signs of diminishing...

[beachbliss]

Dick King-Smith especially 'Lady Lollipop' and Jill Tomlinson 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark' etc went down a storm with my four. They also loved a book called 'The Magician's Child' by, I think, Susan Cooper.

[BlueChampagne]

If you can get hold of them, Eric Thompson's Magic Roundabout books. "Dougal's Scottish Holiday" a particular favourite with DS1 (4) and I loved it as a little girl too. Having Scottish relatives to visit gave/gives it particular relevance.

[jongleuse]

Worst Witch, Mr Majeika, Horrid Henry, Ramona and Beezus, Giraffe Pelly and Me, now onto Mr Gum which he loves-quirky humour. Also Greek myths Lucy Coats and Pippi Longstocking

[ScatterChasse]

vanimal, it goes The Enchanted Wood, The Magic Faraway Tree and The Folk of the Faraway Tree.

They are re-printed, but I prefer the original ones. If you end up with ones from each set, the names have changed, which is a bit confusing.

[ScatterChasse]

Ooh, my favourite from when I was small, Mrs Pepperpot.

[CocktailQueen]

My dd loves Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree, Wishing Chair and Enchanted Wood books then Famous Five ones. Also the Rainbow Fairies at that age too....

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

DS was Roald Dahl too and Paddington.

DD was given some Rainbow Fairies books when she was 3.9. Not sure if they are what you are after as to say that I enjoyed reading them would be a great stretch of the truth but DD bloody loves them.