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under 5s - 'owl babies' and 'not now bernard'

I can't believe there no Oliver Jeffers' book cited yet!

Under 5 "How to catch a star" or "Lost" both DDs love them and they bring a tear in my eyes every time.

(May I add under 2? "dear zoo")

5-8 DD1 really liked "the wizard of oz"

8-11 not there yet but she is devouring "the famous five", at her age I was past them and mine would be "the little house in the prairie".

There is too many good books out there to have only 1 favourite, also the age band are too wide. You learn a lot and change a lot between 5 and 8 (for example!), children have to learn about diversity and experience new thing all the time. Reading a favourite over and over again, and only that, is not that constructive.

My personal favourite is "The 3 musketeers" (11+) I have read it many times but I have not read only that.

I think that bedtime story, past 6, is all about freedom and a whole new world opening to you independently from your parents. Even before 6 you should have control of choice but new experiences as well (i.e. chosen by parents).And I say that as a child who didn't have any bedtime story.

Tinies - Apple, Pear, Orange, Bear by Emily Gravett or Giggle, Giggle Quack by Doreen Cronin

5-8 - Not absolutely sure yet as ds is 7 and we are working our way through some books of my childhood. But this week we are reading A River at Green Knowe by Lucy Boston and the writing is just amazing.

Can I nominate an author too? It would have to be Margaret Mahy as I've read books by her for all ages from tiny to teens and they are all fantastic. DS still loves the Man Whose Mother was a Pirate which is fabulous writing

Under fives - DS1 loves The Highway Rat and DS2 loves Dear Zoo (as did DS1)
I don't have any over fives but I loved The Lorax when I was younger and the Worst Witch books.
8-11 I really like the Hobbit.

My overall favourite is The Lorax. I bought a copy for DS1 and he likes it, but I think some of it goes over his head a bit (he's only three).

We'd love to hear what you think, so if you have a second, please tell us your:

• favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds)

Current favourite is 'No Bed Without Ted' (my two year old), lift the flaps and involves bed and bath time.

• favourite book for 5-8 year olds

Seem to like t.v. tie in's at this age so Angelina Ballerina (invite to the ballet or any of the other ones) or even Dr Seuss!

• favourite book for 8-11 year olds

The Witches by Roald Dahl - scary but not too scary or any of the Harry Potter books.

• overall favourite bedtime story of all time?

Guess how much I love you. Its a bit of a weepy though!

My favourites were Mrs Pepperpot, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Wishing Chair, My Naughty Little Sister, Little Women, The Little Match Girl.

When I was very young I loved the Ladybird books- Chicken Licken, Sleeping Beauty, The Magic Porridge Pot, Rapunzel, Sly Fox and Red Hen, the Elves and the Shoemaker, the Enormous Turnip....all of them really!

For my under 5's, I have bought a lot of my old favourites for the children and a lot of the modern favourites, like The Hungry Caterpillar, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, the Gruffalo, Snail and the Whale, the Large Family stories, Bear Hunt, Hairy Maclary.

For the older age range, my eldest 3 children, all 7 years old plus, are reading anything from Roald Dahl to Jacqueline Wilson and even going to bed with children's encylopeadias. They still enjoy a bedtime story, but are more than happy to read themselves in bed.

Whatever next- Jill murphy (best overall)
The jolly witch- dick king smith
Mr. Majeika

favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds) Mr Men Series - DD has loved the bright colours from a young age and enjoyed the stories as she got older
favourite book for 5-8 year olds The Witches by Roald Dahl, I was read this by my first year primary teacher, and have just started it with DD
favourite book for 8-11 year olds The Phantom Toll Booth - I loved this as a child and have bought a copy as an adult
overall favourite bedtime story of all time? Has to be the Phantom Toll Booth byt Norton Juster, there aren't many books I read as a child which I will happily re-read as an adult (well ok anything by Roald Dahl too)

• favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds)

• favourite book for 5-8 year olds

• favourite book for 8-11 year olds

• overall favourite bedtime story of all time? Has to be The 101 Dalmations. It is a wonderful story to read aloud, and can be enjoyed by 5 year olds and up. I'm looking forward to reading it to my grandchildren (when I have some!).

Oh, I forgot Once There Were Giants. I always get something in my eye when I read that book. It's great for emerging readers, as there is a lot of repeating text and it also is a good talking point. My two DDs love it.

2 year-old DS really loves Michael Rosen books, Bear Hunt, Happy Harry's Cafe and Our House in particular. He also likes the 'How Does a Dinousar' series, particularly at bedtime. And the Gruffalo and Tiger Who Came to Tea. We both know the words to all of those.

DD is 3 and her favourites include Dogger, Peace at Last and Peter Rabbit. Currently it's Chu's Day which is about a little panda who is always on the verge of sneezing - but bad things happen when he does. Cue lots of "a a a aaaaa.....no" or "a a a aaaa CHU" coming out of DD's room as she chats herself to sleep!

My DD is only just 3 and the bedtime stories she likes are: Dinosaurs Love Underpaints, Pirates Love Underpants, Gruffalo/Gruffalo's Child, The Hungry Caterpillar and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.

When she gets a bit older, the ones I'm planning to share with her from my childhood are: Meg and Mog, The Worst Witch, The Magic Faraway Tree, Roald Dahl, Narnia, Harry Potter, Magnus Powermouse, My Naughty Little Sister and The Railway Children.

There are probably others I've forgotten that will suddenly come to me later!

Loads, but some of my very favourites are a bit less well known.

Under 5s - Naughty Bus by Jan Oke. A picture book with photos that doesn't look like anything else
Age 5-8 - Bottersnikes and Gumbles by SA Wakefield. Australian classic that's been out of print for years
Age 9-11- Ballet Shoes, I can recite whole chunks of it

Overall - The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas. Read it to DS god knows how many times and the scene with the rhinoceros cracks me up every single time.

For every category it's Giraffes can't Dance. Love that book, to the point were DD occasionally has to prod me for something different. After that its The Tiger Who Came To Tea.

under 5s, thomas the tank engine collection
over 5s, magic faraway tree

The tiger that came to tea every time!

Under 5s - Peepo, without a doubt, Dogger a close second. I always seem to get something in my eye whenever reading either of them aloud.

5-8s - Pippi Longstocking - such lovely, madcap adventures

8-11s- Harry Potter- so much suspense, and fantastic storytelling

Favourite from my childhood- Mary Plain, but I don't think you can get these anywhere now!

Under 5s No Matter What, we're going on a bear hunt, where the wild things are, Dogger.

5-8s The jolly postman, Magic faraway tree, BFG, Charlie and the chocolate factory.

8-11s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Overall favourites are No Matter What and Dogger

under 5....the snail and the whale
5-8 .... the gruffalo
over 8 ... storm (forgot the author)

fave overall has to be the snail and the whale

My favourite story for all those ages is 'You Are Special'by Max Lucado. A beautiful message to send your children to sleep with'

Under 5s - Peepo (my mum read it to my little brother and now I read it to DD)
5-8 - Teddy Robinson (my dad read this to me and now we read it to DD)

Over 8s - anything, rather than books you repeat again and again

Overall - Brambly Hedge books - they are lovely and calming and all end 'and all the mice were fast asleep' or words to that effect - as an adult I still read them if I am struggling to sleep

Oops, the tiger who came to tea!

Under 5's - a difficult choice between each peach pear plum, room on the broom and the tiger who came too tea...my 3 year old loves them all :)

• favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds) - The Fierce Bad Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

• favourite book for 5-8 year olds - You're a Bad Man Mr Gum by Andy Stanton

• favourite book for 8-11 year olds - More than a Few by Joan Aiken

• overall favourite bedtime story of all time? - The Butterfly that Stamped by Rudyard Kipling