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Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

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Original poster

Books you loved as a child and hope your children will love too.

307 replies

TheCortanaThatStoleChristmas · 16/12/2012 20:31

Inspired by another thread. Xmas Grin

I remember buying Dogger don't laugh at the title it's a lovely book! and All In One Piece before DS was born as I wanted to pass on the joy these books brought me.

He has recently read The Hobbit; Swallows and Amazons; The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; Treasure Island and Charlotte's Web. Books that made my childhood.

I hope he will soon find and enjoy the LOTR books, Hitchhikers Guide, Little Women, and Goodnight Mr Tom.

I feel real excitement at the thought of my DS reading lovely books and enjoying them the way I did. Got me wondering what I might have missed though, are there other books that are wonderful for children and deserve to go on a "Books Every Child Should Read" list?

What were your favorite childhood books, and will you buy/pass them on for your children?

OP posts:
lancaster · 18/12/2012 13:11

Wind in the Willows was my absolute favourite. Loved lots of the books already ementioned and The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler.

5speckledreindeer · 18/12/2012 13:05

A Little Princess - yes thank you kitchen!

So many books here I'd forgotten all about but now I'm going to have to dig them out or buy them again!
The little white horse
Five children and it
The Phoenix and the carpet
The sword in the stone T H White version
Mistress Mashems repose
Totty the story of a dolls house - cant believe I forgot that, we even had a gerbil called Totty!

One I don't think has been mentioned for really small children: Each Peach Pear Plum. I discovered recently I can still recite it Grin

elizaregina · 18/12/2012 10:52

fishjam glad you read ogre downstairs too - wasnt sure if it was popular or not but i LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fishandjam · 18/12/2012 10:06

Apologies if any of these have been mentioned before and I've missed them!

Bogwoppit
The Ogre Downstairs
Stig Of The Dump
The Machine Gunners + Devil On The Road (maybe for slightly older children)
Any of the James Herriot books
Ditto Gerald Durrell
The Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett. I wouldn't personally recommend the regular Discworld ones for kids, unless you want to spend time explaining what a "seamstress" (hem, hem) is.
The Three Investigators ones written by Alfred Hitchcock

YuleBritannia · 18/12/2012 09:51

Robinson Crusoe
Children of the New Forest

NotYouAgain · 17/12/2012 23:51

Love this thread! I love books (but rarely get time to read now, gone are the days when me and a bottle of wine and a book would spend the evening together)

Does anyone remember Bobby Brewster, the ordinary boy to whom magical things happened? I loved those books and remember crying when I realised I'd read the entire series in our local library. They were ancient even then, so I suspect they're not even in print now

LeonieDeSainteVire · 17/12/2012 23:11

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DollySistersBrothersFatherXmas · 17/12/2012 23:00

( Somewhat off thread, sorry, but dollybird I notice I have chosen a username similar to yours. Would you like me to change it when I lose my Christmas name? Please say if you want me to. I have only been here a month or so and do not mind. )

Adversecalendar · 17/12/2012 22:33

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WinkyWinkola · 17/12/2012 22:32

Laura Ingalls Wilder too. LOVED that series.

WinkyWinkola · 17/12/2012 22:32

The wolves of Willoughby Chase

A little princess

The little wooden horse

Gobblino

Willard Price Adventure books

All Enid Blyton except famous five and secret seven. They annoyed me!

Judy Blume novels especially Blubber and Sally J. Friedmann

I'm not religious but I loved children's bibles too. Chock full of great and shocking stories.

imdreamingofaskyebluechristmas · 17/12/2012 22:30

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maizieD · 17/12/2012 22:27

Only one mention of Rosemary Sutcliffe? Superb historical novels; I still re-read mine (and I'm grandma age Grin)

TH White, The Sword in the Stone. A unique take on the Arthurian legend. And his 'Mistress Masham's Repose' (I think its called) - Lilliputian's abandoned by Gulliver in the English countryside.

DollySistersBrothersFatherXmas · 17/12/2012 22:26

Thanks, stabby. I may see about one for dd2's birthday.

Catmint · 17/12/2012 22:21

BadJelly the witch by Spike Milligan - we used to cry with laughter at Dullboot the giant.

And John Mouse by Roger Hargreaves - sadly out of print now.

Catmint · 17/12/2012 22:19

Anything by Rumer Godden, especially the one about Totty in the Dols House.

Bluebelleswood · 17/12/2012 22:15

mulranno,
I remember reading "Across the Baracades", I think it was the first of a series of 3 books.

It explained the "Troubles" to me in a very accessible way as a 12 year old. The books were still in print a few years ago.

dementedma · 17/12/2012 22:05

Glad there are other Mary plain readers out there. leonie I love your name.These old shades and Devils cub ........

grimbletart · 17/12/2012 22:05

My children loved the Ant and Bee books.

dollybird · 17/12/2012 22:02

Am desperately trying to remember a book I read with a dragon in it - I looked at Green Smoke on Amazon and don't think it was that. I just remember there being some ovens in it and the dragons cooking the things in them? bizarre the bits you remember

Sophiathesnowfairy · 17/12/2012 22:00

Am dying or my girls to be pad enough for Mallory Towers and Twins at St Claire's.

Sophiathesnowfairy · 17/12/2012 21:58

Ooo swallows and amazons defo.

blondiemermaid · 17/12/2012 21:57

The tiger tha t came to tea

LeonieDeSainteVire · 17/12/2012 21:56

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StabbyMacStabby · 17/12/2012 21:55

DollySisters, any of these any good to you? No 26 has a bookseller's photo, sometimes helpful... I remember a Richard Scarry book we had with a pig who went to market to buy gloves as a present for someone, but when asked what size he needed, replied: "MY size, if you please!" We loved that book, would like to have it again if anyone remembers that part?

I also loved Mary Poppins books and Bobby Brewster, thanks to the poster who mentioned him Xmas Smile (bonkers stuff, but so-o entertaining)

McPheast we also have Tootles The Taxi (and tons of Ladybirds I've collected), my favourites are Archie The Ambulance - love the nurses' uniforms - and Minnie The Milk Float