What children's books are you reading and enjoying?

[FrameyMcFrame]

I'm reading The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper with DS, currently enjoying it very much.

I just read Owl Service by Alan Garner, I loved it but DS wasn't too keen.

What children's literature are you reading that's good?

[ValiaH]

We have just started the Children of Cherry Tree Farm at bedtime, the kids are fascinated that the children get a traim without an adult and are off to stay in the country for 6 months! I loved it as a child so am excited to introduce them to it. How old are your children? My eldest is 6.5 years.

[mum2jakie]

I used to love that book (Cherry Tree Farm) as a child. Think there was one called Willow Farm too?

[llangennith]

I read The Owl Service many years ago and thought it exciting. Read it again quite recently and was very disappointed by it.
I bought a six book set of the 'Scarlett and Ivy' series last week for school
library and I'm working my way through them. I think the KS2 girls will like them.

[QueenMabby]

I’m reading the School for Good and Evil series - trying to read book 3 slowly as DD not finished book 4 yet! I’ve also read all of the Murder Most Unladylike series and enjoyed those too.

[sproutsandparsnips]

Ooh yes I remember Cherry Tree Farm and Willow farm - I'm sure there was a sequel to one of them.
The Box of Delights
Harry Potter
I quite enjoyed Diary of a Wimpy Kid

[sproutsandparsnips]

The Owl Service I found really tedious I'm afraid along with The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (or something)

[lottielady]

Tom’s Midnight Garden.
I Capture The Castle.
Witchborn.
The Graveyard Book.

[FiddleFaddleDingDong]

Beswitched by Kate Saunders

A really charming modern take on those 1930s boarding school stories. Funny and engaging and I even shed a tear at the end. And that's rare for me!

[FiddleFaddleDingDong]

I too loved that Cherry Tree Farm book.

[Slowknitter]

Oh I love The Dark Is Rising. Also love books by Diana Wynne Jones (especially Archer's Goon), and A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle. Currently reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Spanish to improve my Spanish!

[SofiaAmes]

All the Dr. Doolittle books! Just reread 2 of them recently. They are lovely.

[FrameyMcFrame]

DS is 9, story time is still happening which I'm glad about as it's my favourite time of day!

DD is 17, so no more story time for her.

DS really likes the fantasy stuff so Harry Potter series was good. We ploughed our way through the whole series twice.

Yes, OwlService is a strange book.... I also read it as a child but hardly remember anything about it from then.

We also just read The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall, set in the Second World War during the blitz. It's very funny and touching and quite exciting at the end.

[missyB1]

We have just finished The Mystery of the disappearing cat Enid Blyton. It’s one of the five find outers series.

[FiddleFaddleDingDong]

The Owl Service is one of those books I've heard people speak about in glowing terms but I don't remember coming across it as a child, and I read everything I could get my hands one.

[FrameyMcFrame]

I loved Tom's MidnyGarden but DS wasn't a fan so we gave up.

I might try again with it now he's a bit older.

[FrameyMcFrame]

I like the Enid Blyton Mystery books too. I can read almost anything by her.

[TheBitterBoy]

We've just started The Dark is Rising this evening! Loved those books as a child, hoping they are as good as I remember.
Recently we've really enjoyed Wed Wabbit by Lissa Evans, so funny but with such a good story and message at its heart.

[haverhill]

The Ingo series for older kids is brilliant.

[StAlphonzospancakebreakfast]

I just read the book of dust which was brilliant (although not sure it counts as a children’s book, it was a bit full on! I felt like I should warn the library to put an age restriction on it 😂). DS and I just read the Wizards of once which most definitely is a children’s book, but it was fun and we were fighting over who got to take it to bed to read.
I love the dark is rising series, one of my all time favourites, puts Potter to shame I think! (DS was not convinced but might try again now he’s older)

[Beamur]

Mister Monday (and the rest of the week) was good.
Mortal Engines - overall very readable. Very satisfying ending. Not entirely likable characters though. Struggled with Hester.

[FurrySlipperBoots]

Gosh I'd forgotten Cheery Tree/Willow farm! Are they Enid Blyton?

@ValiaH I reckon your children would love this one:

www.amazon.co.uk/Are-We-There-Yet-collection/dp/1405282703?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21


My favourite children's books are mostly Eva Ibbotson. One dog and his boy and The Abominables are awesome! Especially for children who really care about animals.

My favourite book ever is a children's book, it makes me cry, but in a good way:

www.amazon.co.uk/Louis-Sachar-Theres-Bathroom-Paperback/dp/B00RWNUGKC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1552168707&sr=8-3&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21


I also love Joey Pigza swallowed the key. It's about a little boy with ADHD and a dysfunctional family. Very hard to put down!

Jacqueline Wilson books are always gripping. I think every child should read The Illustrated Mum (suitable for ages 9+).

Goodnight Miser Tom is fantastic, though there are some hard issues in it. I reckon suitable for 9+ though you might want to read it first.

For younger children My Naughty Little Sister is engaging, it's set maybe in the 30's, I think? So it's a good way to introduce differences, and similarities, between those times and the modern day.

Clever Polly and the stupid wolf was a massive favourite for me when I was little. Suitable from the age of about 6 I reckon, but entertaining for older ones too.

Pippi Longstocking is a classic for all ages.

I LOVE the Jeremy James books (the first few at least, they did go off the boil a bit). I think they were written in the 70s but they don't come across as hugely old fashioned. He does sometimes worry about getting a smack which is a bit unsettling to read in 2019. Actually the books have just been republished so they may have omitted the smacking now.

Josie Smith, which I swear was my mum's childhood, are also old fashioned and she constantly worries about smacking, but they're really moving to read as an adult and would promote empathy in children. I think they're ones to read with your kids rather than have them read alone, as there are issues you can talk about. I don't actually think they're printed any more but you can probably get old copies from ebay.

[PinkSmitterton]

Garth Nix is great! (Mister Monday etc, also the Abhorsen series)

Also love Patrick Ness

Flora and Ulysses by Kate diCamillo is one of my favourite books ever!

The Network Series by Katie Cross is rather readable (if a bit HarryPotteresque)

From my youth the Tillerman Cycle or anything by Cynthia Voigt

I agree Book of Dust doesn't feel like a kid book to me...

(Are other people reading with their children?? I'm just reading these myself!)

[littlebillie]

Gobbolino the Witch's Cat - lovely story about not fitting in

The tree that sat down - great book with spitting toads

[PinkSmitterton]

I'll look into Louis Sachar recommendation. I loved Holes which I think was also him?

I used to live My Naughty Little Sister and still enjoy a Charlie and Lola!

[FiddleFaddleDingDong]

@FurrySlipperBoots I love the Eva Ibbottson books that feature some charming young Countess posing as a nanny. She did a few along that theme!