Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

Original poster

Forgotten Classics

114 replies

beatricequimby · 23/01/2015 20:06

Any recommendations for an 8 year old girl? I am a bit of a children's book hoarder so we have all the obvious ones - Katy books, E Nesbits, Frances Hodgson Burnetts, Little Women, Noel Streatfeilds etc.

Recently discovered Nancy and Plum by Betty MacDonald which I had never heard of. It's lovely and perfect for an 8 year old.

So has anyone got any forgotten classic recommendations? The

OP posts:
Slowcommotion · 25/01/2015 20:10

I second Elizabeth Enright, Rumer Goden and Carbonel books

Laura Ingalls Wilder 'Little House/Town ...' series (not remotely like tv series, beautifully, sparingly written)

The Armourer's House by Rosemary Sutcliffe

Madcats · 25/01/2015 20:06

Yes to almost all of the above (the names I remember), but don't fell bad if you don't feel as if you want to finish a particular book. Some of the "originals" have quite complicated language (but many are out of copywriter if you want to download e-books). Aged 7-10 I devoured Enid Blyton alongside the books my parents encouraged me to read.

Have you done CS Lewis (Lion Witch & Wardrobe etc), Alice in Wonderland, Heidi and classic fairy stories? DD (7) worked her way through Hans Andersen (some are really a bit dark) and the school has plenty of abbreviated classics (I think we've read 3 versions of Treasure Island). I'll throw Kipling and Swift into the mix if you can get abbreviated classics.

goldencrowns · 25/01/2015 00:57

The Carbonel books are lovely for that age group. Diana Wynne Jones too (the ones for younger children like The Magicians of Caprona and Witch Week).

DramaAlpaca · 25/01/2015 00:07

I adored Casilda of the Rising Moon by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino. It's out of print, but a great read if you can get hold of a copy.

I loved The Stream that Stood Still and the Tree that Sat Down that a PP mentioned, and The Diddakoi & other books by Rumer Godden. And all the Swallows & Amazons books.

Also suggest Violet Needham. My favourites were The Horn of Merlyns and The Bell of the Four Evangelists. They might be more suitable for slightly older girls, though. My copies were passed down to me by my mum, who read them in the 1940s.

SorrelForbes · 25/01/2015 00:05

The Whispering Nights - Penelope Lively (I think).

I second the recommendation of Beverly Nicols' children's books, including The Mountain of Magic.

EBearhug · 24/01/2015 23:56

Eva Ibbotson, the Great Ghost Rescue.

If you like the Melendy books, Elizabeth Enright also wrote the Gone-Away Lake books, and Thimble Summer.

WorldWildWifeFund · 24/01/2015 23:04

Seconding The Borrowers (as audiobook as well - CD). It is so imaginative - a miniature family live alongside a 'normal' one, in the sorts of places mice would live in. The best part (imho) is the way they recycle 'lost' things, eg matchboxes are used as beds, postage stamps as pictures on their walls (Mrs Borrower is very houseproud).

heritagewarrior · 24/01/2015 23:01

'A Traveller in Time' by Alison Uttley, 'Charlotte Sometimes', 'A Stitch in Time', 'Astercote' - all books about girls of about the ages 8-10 going back in time. Reading them as a child is the reason I work in the heritage sector!

Original poster
beatricequimby · 24/01/2015 23:00

Thanks for all these recommendations. I am going to make a list for dd's birthday. Some of them I know and it's lovely to hear other people like them too. All my dcs love Ramona. I absolutely loved yje Melendy family books as a child abd found them all second hand for dd. She read them but didn't fall in love with them like I did. Same with The Bell Family, much to my disappointment. Rumer Godden books have been more successful though.

Have those of you with similar tastes read I go by sea, I go by land by PL Travers (Mary Poppins). I bought it for dd then realised it was too old so read it myself. Definitely a forgotten classic. Made me cry.

OP posts:
tinklykeys · 24/01/2015 22:58

Some of the other l m Montgomery books are lovely..
Pat of silver bush
Jane of lantern hill
The Emily books...

Definitely Ramona!
Some really happy memories here...

Whooshtheyweregone · 24/01/2015 22:56

I loved The Family from One End Street and Mrs Pepperpot at that age and my DD has enjoyed them too.

justabigdisco · 24/01/2015 22:51

The Moomins ??

loopsngeorge · 24/01/2015 22:46

I found a copy of All About the Bullerby children by Astrid Lindgren the other day. I used to love that book, as well as Pippi Longstocking of course, but she's alive and well!

Have you got the lesser known Noel Streatfields like Thursday's Child, Far to Go, The Bell Family etc?

fuzzpig · 24/01/2015 12:59

DD really loved the original Peter Pan and Wendy

Groovester · 24/01/2015 12:39

Wow - I LOVED A Necklace of Raindrops. What a blast from the past.
Happy memories :0)

claraschu · 23/01/2015 23:50

Sorry I meant "The Voyages of Dr Dolittle"

claraschu · 23/01/2015 23:25

I love Dr Dolittle: try the "Adventures of Dr Dolittle"
Beverly Cleary, Ramona books are great, straightforward, well written, picture of daily life. All my kids loved them.
Elizabeth Enright books about the Melendy children, might be slightly hard to read for an 8 year old

fuzzpig · 23/01/2015 23:19

DD has enjoyed the borrowers and bedknobs and broomsticks

fuzzpig · 23/01/2015 23:18

Loved the phantom tollbooth and the wolves of Willoughby chase

Petallic · 23/01/2015 23:12

Joan Aitkin - a necklace of raindrops (or any other of her short story books). I loved this book, the stories weren't like anything I had read before. Although some are a bit dark, so might depend on your 8 yr old.

fuzzpig · 23/01/2015 23:10

Professor branestawm was a favourite of mine too

fuzzpig · 23/01/2015 23:09

Animals of farthing wood
Green smoke
Clever Polly and the stupid wolf

MotherBluestocking · 23/01/2015 23:08

Elizabeth Goudge, Henrietta's House, Linnets and Valerians
Kate Douglas Wiggin, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Elsie J Oxenham, Abbey series
Elfrida Vipont, The Lark in the Morn
Dr Dolittle books

funambulist · 23/01/2015 23:06

The Little House In The Big Woods and the others in that series.

The Tree That Sat Down and The Stream That Stood Still by Beverley Nichols. I loved these books so much as a child that I bought them second hand as an adult so I could re-read them. (They were/are out of print.)

chiliplant · 23/01/2015 23:02

The snow spider-jenny nimmo. Fabulous book!