Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

MNHQ

*NOW CLOSED* What's your favourite bedtime story of all time? Do tell (and you could win a bundle of children's books worth £100) *NOW CLOSED*

185 replies

JaneMumsnet · 13/08/2013 12:55

Hello,

This October, we'll be publishing The Book of Bedtime Stories by Mumsnet and Gransnet - a collection of ten brilliant original bedtime stories written by the winners of our bedtime stories competition with Walker Books. Watch this space - from over 400 entries, former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen selected the ten winners, and the stories are beautifully illustrated by up-and-coming artists.

To launch the book, we'll be taking a nostalgic look at bedtime stories, and we'd love to know: what's your favourite bedtime story of all time?

Maybe it's one that you read were read as a child, and now read to your children? A magical picture book for babies and toddlers or a page turner under the covers, for older kids? Take a look at our children's book reviews if you need your memory jogged.

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)
  • favourite book for 5-8 year olds
  • favourite book for 8-11 year olds
  • overall favourite bedtime story of all time?

All posters who tell us about their favourite books on this thread will be entered into a prize draw - one MNer will win a bundle of children's books worth £100.

Many thanks,

MNHQ

OP posts:
Legoheadnat · 13/08/2013 22:11

The oldies are the best,

The Giant Jam Sandwich(read to me when I was little in the 70's)
The Tiger who came to tea
The Hungry Caterpillar
The Gruffalo

AndHarry · 13/08/2013 22:00

Under 5's: Captain Pugwash. It's DS' favourite book ATM and one I don't mind re-reading yet.

5-8: Five on Finnistone Farm. It's the first bedtime story I remember my parents reading to me and my brother and I know I loved it.

8-11: Artemis Fowl. The baddie wins for once, hoorah!

All-time favourite: Probably The Hobbit. When I was 10 my teacher read a chapter a day to the class. We were absolutely spellbound.

skyeskyeskye · 13/08/2013 21:58
  • favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds)

I used to read DD a story every night and she loved The Gruffalo. When she younger I used to read The Gingerbread Man to her and also lots of nursery rhymes and the Spot books.

  • favourite book for 5-8 year olds

Now she is 5, she still loves The Gruffalo and also Room on The Broom. I have started reading bits of longer stories to her too and she loves Gobbolino the Witches Cat. She also loves listening to her CD of the Spot stories.

  • favourite book for 8-11 year olds

As she grows up, I hope that she will enjoy the Enid Blyton stories, The Faraway Tree and the Wishing Chair, etc

  • overall favourite bedtime story of all time?

I think so far, the favourite bedtime story of all time, is The Gruffalo.

Lovescourgettes · 13/08/2013 21:58

Under fives I completely love The Tiger Who came to Tea
Five to eight anything Finn Family Moomintroll
Eight to eleven Skellig by David Almond
Best overall Finn Family Moomintroll
The only books I never ever tire of reading over and over again!

Punkatheart · 13/08/2013 21:50

It was always Kipling for me, no matter what age. Particularly the Just So Stories. The Cat Who Walked Alone - so lovely.

Theincidental · 13/08/2013 21:47

Can only currently relate to my under 5. His favourite bedtime story is The Cat in the Hat. It's the rhythms he loves.

My favourite bedtime story as an under 10 (ish) was a penguin collection of children's poetry. I loved hillaire beloc, Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll, t.s. Eliot.

Still love poetry now. Soothing, imaginative and generally blissful!

sharond101 · 13/08/2013 21:46

My 1 yo DS's favourite is his "I love my Daddy because..." book.

Rockinhippy · 13/08/2013 21:40

Princess Smarty Pants :)

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 13/08/2013 21:32
  • favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds)
My favourite bedtime book for tiny ones is The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton. Fabulous pictures, and slightly bonkers prose.
  • favourite book for 5-8 year olds
The Wishing Chair series, the Faraway Tree series and, for the older end of the age range, Mr Gum.
  • favourite book for 8-11 year olds
Harry Potter, Tom's Midnight Garden.
  • overall favourite bedtime story of all time?
It has to be The Going to Bed Book. It still comes out when someone's poorly or upset, and my kids are 9 and 7!
missorinoco · 13/08/2013 21:23

Under fives - One Ted Fell Out of Bed.
5-8 - I loved The Faraway Tree and The Famous Five.
8-11 - Very hard to say. I loved books - Trebizon, the Hardy Boys, the Anne of Green Gables series, Laura Inglass Wilder's Little House on the Prarie Series.

IceNoSlice · 13/08/2013 21:21

Under 5 - favourites are:
That's not my dragon/monster/dinosaur/pirate
Stick Man - Julia Donaldson
Postman Bear - Julia Donaldson
Each Peach Pear Plum
Beatrix potter
Velveteen rabbit

5-8
Brambly hedge (I loved these as a child, the illustrations are so beautiful)
Roald Dahl, especially the BFG or Matilda

8+
Charlotte's web
Colin Dann series of animal stories
Harry Potter
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy

Overall
Brambly Hedge series

mercibucket · 13/08/2013 21:19

under 5: where the wild things are
5-8: chronicles of narnia, fave one is probably the silver chair
overall fave: the hobbit

MakeTeaNotWar · 13/08/2013 21:16

Our favourite is I Took The Moon For a Walk by Carolyn Curtis. DD recites it off by heart and the illustrations are gorgeous

Patchouli · 13/08/2013 21:09

under 5s: Bringing Down the Moon
5-8 year olds: Faraway Tree
8-11 year olds: Narnia

  • overall favourite bedtime story of all time Oscar Wilde's Happy Prince
goodjambadjar · 13/08/2013 21:02

I like "Where's My Cow" by Terry Pratchett. I found DD in bed looking through it this morning. She's 2 next month, my heart swelled with pride! Grin

FourGates · 13/08/2013 20:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Oblomov · 13/08/2013 20:45

Under 5: I like it when.

elah11 · 13/08/2013 20:44
  • favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds) Guess How Much I Love You
  • favourite book for 5-8 year olds The Enchanted Wood/Faraway Tree
  • favourite book for 8-11 year olds The Secret Garden
  • overall favourite bedtime story of all time? Has to be Guess How Much I Love you, it brings a tear to my eye every time sob
Noseynoonoo · 13/08/2013 20:42

Under 5's - If Big Can, I Can

This is -my-- my son's favourite book. Initially I read it, then my son started to join in. The message is great, it has a great rhythm and we can say the ending 'together'. Love.It.

GCD · 13/08/2013 20:42

Ditto to all!
Personally I love the Suzy Sue books, Atchoo, Where's my Potty and A bed of my own all by Mij Kelly...they read so well, make me smile and teach manners and what's what perfectly

Pascha · 13/08/2013 20:42

My favourite childhood book was The Flying Postman which you can now buy for approx £80 on Amazon Shock. Bet my dad wouldn't have been so quick to get rid of it when I grew out of it if he could see the future.

Anyway.

My favourite bedtime book to read my 2.11 yr old and 7 month old is Goodnight Moon. DS1 is very fickle. Today its Stick Man, yesterday it was Postman Pat. Tomorrow - who knows?

DS2 likes an extortionately expensive cloth book called Are You My Mummy? which is a searing tale of how Puppy asks all the farmyard animals the immortal question in the title, and gets told No, my kittens/chicks/piglets are furry/fluffy/muddy until finally he meets his mother, who is a dog, obviously. The last line - "Mummy! says Puppy" "Puppy! says Mummy" is tearjerkingly emotional. DH paid the princely sum of £11.99 for this rollercoaster of a book when DS2 was days old, which only goes to prove that new fathers brains turn to mush as well as new mothers Hmm

As for books for older kids, dunno. I liked The Faraway Tree and Kidnapped when I was young.

scoobydooagain · 13/08/2013 20:39

My 4 yr old loves Cautionary Tale Jim - got to say like it myself, he tends to enjoy the more gory tales!

MummyBeerest · 13/08/2013 20:31

Under 5s-On the Night You Were Born
5-8-Love You Forever
8-11-The Little Prince

Overall-Go the Fuck to Sleep
*though I doubt I'll read it to DD post infancy

grew · 13/08/2013 20:28

Under 5
Bears big bottom - always good fun and guaranteed giggles before bed.

stickortwist · 13/08/2013 20:21

Under 5's i vote owl babies. My boys say snail and the whale.
5-8's any roald dahl... The witches possibly but a bit scary for 5 yr olds
Older ones ds1 says percy jackson.

Swipe left for the next trending thread