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Obscure children's books that you used to love

661 replies

LadyPlumpington · 15/07/2015 20:06

Mine is 'The Island of the Skog' by Steven Kellogg. The DC love it too :)

What are your old obscure favourites?

Obscure children's books that you used to love
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FrancesHB · 15/07/2015 22:53

The Stars Are Upside Down by Gabriel Alington

About Octavia (Tavy) the London kitchen maid who spends her last five shillings to start a new life in Australia. Loved this.

HarryTheDirtyDog · 15/07/2015 22:53

The Spider's Palace was a brilliantly bizarre one.

PurpleDaisies · 15/07/2015 22:51

Yes I'd totally forgotten about the Silver Brumbies but I really loved those too.

niminypiminy · 15/07/2015 22:50

I had The Giant Under the Snow by John Gordon, really creepy and excitingly teenage. I found it again recently and it was still good.

mushypeasontoast · 15/07/2015 22:49

My Dr loved my copy of Mrs Pepperpot. I had a copy of what Katy did next on the cover but the book was what Katy did.

I loved the girl with a lantern and the other girl with a... books.

I remember reading a series of books in junior school about a witch with a black cat. I can't remember the name though.

I also liked the three investigators introduced by Alfred Hitchcock.

HarryTheDirtyDog · 15/07/2015 22:49

I remember Bottersnikes and Gumbles!

Loved Olga da Polga too.

Original poster
LadyPlumpington · 15/07/2015 22:48

Did you know that the original Mr Men books were written by an 8 year-old? I found this out at age 10 and thought 'Well that's my youngest-ever-author award up the spout' Sad

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GiddyOnZackHunt · 15/07/2015 22:48

I'm ridiculously pleased the other people know The Overland Launch :)
I have my 1970s and 80s copies of Mrs Pepperpot, Cynthia Harnett books and One End Street.
I also loved Loyd Alexander's books starting with Taran the Wanderer.

ConcreteElephant · 15/07/2015 22:48

I adored Five Dolls in a House, I really wish I still had all my books.

Lots of my favourites mentioned here already but does anyone else remember Taking the Woffle to Pebblecombe-on-Sea?

autumnboys · 15/07/2015 22:48

The Jinny and Shantah (spelling not right) stories
The Cuckoo Clock by Mrs Molesworth still read it regularly

Sharptic · 15/07/2015 22:48

Haunted House. Pop up book by Jan Pienowski, hours of fun. Bought it for kids a few years back and they love it too.

LauraChant · 15/07/2015 22:47

One that I am sad is out of print is Keeper of the Isis Light by Monica Hughes, as I had thought to get it for my nephew. I also recently bought a second hand copy of the Edge of The World by JohnGordon about children who could move between the Fens and a strange land which had really stayed in my memory over the years.

FrancesHB · 15/07/2015 22:47

YY to The High House by Honor Arundel!! I can picture the cover. Grin

Original poster
LadyPlumpington · 15/07/2015 22:46

I remember the Silver Brumby series!

Did anyone read The Animals of Farthing Wood? I quite enjoyed those.

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WizardOfToss · 15/07/2015 22:46

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Indole · 15/07/2015 22:46

I loved Nicholas Fisk. All his stuff was wonderful (and lots quite scary). Grinny is one I especially remember.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 15/07/2015 22:45

The munch bunch
The garden gang.
Probably still very heard of but Little miss and Mr Men. Mr Tickle was my all time favourite Grin

CheeseEMouse · 15/07/2015 22:45

I loved loved Emily of New Moon - LadyPlumpington. I too preferred them to the Anne of Green Gables series (though I had loads of them).

My obscure favourite is "the practical princess and other liberating fairy tales". I liked the fact the princess rescued herself.

PageNotFound404 · 15/07/2015 22:44

I used to act out the Silver Brumby in my gran's garden. And whenever I went on holiday, an invisible Thowra and an invisible Shantih (from the Jinny at Finmory books) used to come with me.

FrancesHB · 15/07/2015 22:43

I adored Joan Lingard's Kevin and Sadie books. So formative. So very real. And sweet too.

Original poster
LadyPlumpington · 15/07/2015 22:43

Oh, and Homeward Bounders (I think). Another one that was scary, a la Rebecca's World.

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TinklyLittleLaugh · 15/07/2015 22:42

Oh I used to love a good horse book; the Silver Brumbies were my favourites. A horse hero who was vain, aggressive and constantly on the chase for another beautiful female to add to his collection. Lots of life lessons there Hmm

NashvilleQueen · 15/07/2015 22:41

So happy to hear so many others loved Rebecca's World.

I also liked the tales of Arabel and Mortimer (little girl and troublesome raven).

Across the Barricades was brilliant. Poor old Mrs McConkey blown up in her sweet shop Sad

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LadyPlumpington · 15/07/2015 22:41

Have we had The PhantomTollbooth yet? Marvellous book.

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Clayhanger · 15/07/2015 22:41

Yes I remember Mrs Pepperpot. She was ace

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