Books from your childhood

[Briony32]

Can anyone help me remember the names of 2 children's books I used to love as a child? Really wish I'd kept hold of them!

The first was called something like 'A Year in the Life of an English Village' or ' A Country Year'. I used to love staring at the foldout plan of the village which has a bird's eye view of a village with roads, houses and shops labelled eg: thatched cottage, manor house, butchers, bakers. It was almost like a Richard Scarry book but much more English. I think it was an A4 size paperback and was a bit flimsy. Probably from the late 70s/early 80a.

The second book was a really colourful large hardbook, probably American and from the 1970s. It was called something like 'Children around the World' and had a picture of a planet with children holding hands around the edge I think in their traditional costume. Each double page introduced a different country, languages spoken and a child in traditional clothing. It was quite celebratory, and I loved the sense of unity and happiness. All hand drawn, no photos. I used to find it mesmerising!

I know it's a long shot to find the exact book titles but it's been bothering me for quite a while now! Plus lockdown has caused me to reminisce a lot!!

[partyatthepalace]

Sound like they might be Doring Kinndersley, or maybe Nat Geo for the latter.

Try posting on Abe Books, there’s a section for questions like this.

[pollyhemlock]

How about The Story of an English Village by John S Goodall for the first one? www.goodreads.com/book/show/2061583

[pollyhemlock]

The second one could just possibly be People by Peter Spier www.goodreads.com/book/show/304847

[Briony32]

Thanks for the suggestions party and Polly, not those sadly. I'll definitely try Abe books.

[PomBearWithoutHerOFRS]

With the village one, could you be mixing two books together maybe?
The Milly Molly Mandy books have a lovely big map on the endpapers, with all the village places marked just like you describe.

[MargaretThursday]

@Briony32 Wasn't Clara's Country Year, was it? I loved that-I think I have it somewhere as I got it out so often from the library, that when they withdrew it, they offered it to me. I don't remember the maps, but it might well have had them.

I remember the beating of the bounds and how her brother ran off, and doing the harvest. It was a lovely mix of traditions and every day life. Each chapter was a month, I think.

[Briony32]

Thank you PomBear and Margaret for the suggestions. It's not either of those unfortunately. I used to love reading books like Molly Mandy, and Winnie the Pooh with a map at the beginning and end. The book I'm thinking of had a separate fold out large (maybe A3) bird's eye view drawing of the village. I think it's flimsiness means that not many copies will have survived over the years. It's the sort of book that could get caught up with a pile of magazines and thrown away.

I haven't heard of Clara's Country Year, it looks lovely!

[PeridotEyes]

I don't think it's the one, but you'd probably enjoy A Street Through Time by Steve Noon -as you turn the pages, you see buildings through from stone age through Saxons, Romans etc to modern day, houses, bridge, castle and church etc being built and updated. Loads of detail.

[Standrewsschool]

Country Diary

Was it Country Diary of Edwardian Lady? Not necessarily a children’s book, but very popular.