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The Captain Ketchup books by Simon Stern. We lived next door to his mother in law in the 1970s so we knew him and his family well.

My parents were at Manchester Poly during the late 1960s and they were (and still are) friends with Viv Allbright. She did a book called 'ladybird on a bicycle' - apparently I influenced this book - the ladybird wore red wellies just like the ones I had!

The Phoenix and the Carpet was one of my favourites when I was younger.

I also loved, and have recently bought again for myself, The Thirteen Days of Christmas by Jenny Overton.

Monica Edwards "Black Hunting Whip" was captivated and it's still my favourite book 30+ years later.

and the rest of the series plus the "Tamsin" ones are good to.

and I now live about 2 miles from the real farm it was based on

My favourite book from childhood was Charlotte's Web. I still love it now and can't wait to read it to my little girl when she's a bit older!

The Velveteen Rabbit - such a magic book - so sad and moving - I was convinced my bear was going to become real - even now at the age of 50 I think there is still hope for him. I loved that when my mum read it to me she would talk about her time in a TB hospital as a child and share her stories with me.

My children's favourite book was Not Now Bernard (or Nernad as me eldest called it - she's walk up to me shouting 'Nernad Nernad' and waving it aloft! I think the lazy parents resonated with them

R.L Stines Goosebumps series are memorable from my childhood. I think they influenced me to steer away from other traditional children's books and into the path of writers like Stephen King

I loved a lot of classics that I know have already been mentioned such as Meg and Mog and Funnybones.

I also really enjoyed a book called The Nickle Nackle Tree by Lynley Dodd when I was younger. I can really remember the excitement at looking at all the strange creatures in the lovely illustrations. Lots of alliteration was used in the writing with many made up words that were fantastic to sound out as a child.

I've not read the whole thread so don't know if anyone has already mentioned it. I just did an online search as it was one I used to constantly get out of the library but would like to own a copy as I now have a young daughter...it looks as if it's out of print and on sale for prices into the hundreds of pounds!

Anyway, in summary, I think The Nickle Nackle Tree deserves a place on the list because of its originality and ability to capture my imagination countless times as a child.

Ballet Shoes. Rereading it to DD reminded me how much I love it and how well I know it. The characters are flawed but loveable, none more so than Winifred whose outburst at the unfairness of life feels very real. The detail of the dresses, using the necklaces for security on a loan and going to County Hall to get their performing licences all felt like a window into another world.

I also love The Velveteen Rabbit, and from my own childhood, the Brer Rabbit stories - best Enid Blyton books by far in my opinion...
My kids' all-time favourite was a book their Grandma brought back from Oz about a sausage that went for a walk to avoid being eaten for breakfast, whereupon everything else on the plate followed. I also read that book repeatedly to my Reception class many years ago; they loved it too so I left the book there and have been searching for another copy ever since - not easy since I can't remember the exact title and don't know the name of the author!

One of my old favourites which is now a favourite of my DS is Funnybones. He has my old battered copy and even now at 7 still reads it now and then. He actually dressed up as a skeleton from the book for world book day which was a massive thing as he never takes part in fancy dress anything.

The book I read over and over when I was little was 'The owl who was afraid of the dark'. I too was afraid and my mum bought me the book to help. Dear fluffy Plop, with his knobbly knees and incessant curiosity (and appetite!) my favourite chapter was the one with the fireworks and him telling his mum he was a Catherine wheel. I still have my copy.

DD1 loved Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose, Charlie Cook''s Favourite Book and Spacegirl Pukes when she was little. We read them every day, at least once, for months...

I loved Watership Down, the Little Grey Men, the Wind in the Willows, the Narnia series. I can't really remember any very early childhood books.

I loved Ballet Shoes - my grandparents had a copy and I read it every time we visited. Whilst I have never made it as a dancer, I can now identify with Garnie as a single adoptive mum (which was somewhat radical back in her day! DD didn't come off a sinking boat or with a pair of ballet shoes though!)

I loved Winnie the Poo as a child. I think this book is timeless, making so many children happy over the generations!

As a primary school teacher and as a mum I have loved reading 'Who's afraid of the Big Bad book' by Lauren Child to many children. I love the idea of falling into a book. The characters are great (I have perfected my screechy Goldilocks voice after reading is many times!) and come out with some great lines. The collage style illustrations are fantastic as in all Lauren Child's books.

It either the twits or the witches. I think it would be the witches if I had to choose. I still read it for fun now. I vividly remember reading the bit when Bruno Jenkins was frying ants when I was on my first holiday abroad about 8.

After ds4 was born I had some dark times with pnd. I used to put him in the baby carrier and go for loonnnnggg woodland walks. He used to settle to the sound of my voice and as I'm not a great singer I found that I actually knew the whole gruffalo story off by heart. Those walks really kept me sane and where little windows of light in a dark time. Now whenever I read the gruffalo it makes me oddly happy/sad and so it will always hold a very special place in my heart.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. We were read it at infant school and I loved it. Then when I was 10 I was in an am dram play of it - I was the spelling bee! I can still spell antidisestablishmentarianism in 4 seconds as I had to do it as part of the script :o

I was a very shy child other than acting so this book gives me very happy memories. My DCs are just about old enough for it so I'll be reading it to them soon, I can't wait :)

For me it was the faraway tree as a child. I cannot wait to share this with my 3 year old.

My 11 year old loves the David Walliams books

My 3 and 2 year old love the owl babies. It's loved so much and read often

Mine were When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson and Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer. I read them and reread them until they fell to pieces. I have had to buy new copies for my own kids!

My absolute favourite book growing up was :
Tooth Fairy by Audrey Wood

I can still remember the story well, nearly 20 years on, and its one that sticks in my mind with fond memories. I even remember going to school on book day, dressed as a 'Colgate Fairy' - my Mums creation!

I have read it to my Son, who asks for it over and over, especially now that he is starting to read too. I just know my daughter will love it too!

The illustrations are fab, and the story - so creative. Everyone (young and old) needs to read this book! :)

What Katy Did made a real impact on me as a child and is a book that stayed with me, I read and re-read that series over and over. I loved the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew for that sense of adventure. I would recommend the Diana Wynne Jones Chrestomanci and Spellcoats series

I used to love a book called sloppy kisses about a young pig who didn't want any more kisses until she went without. You can't get it now.

Meg and mog were both loved by me and now my son. Seem to have dropped off the radar now but I love their simplicity and bold colours

When Marnie Was There by Joan G Robinson and The Warden's Niece by Gillian Avery. Neither of my daughters showed any inclination to read them!

Oh gosh, how do you choose?

As a child I loved all the Brian Jaques books and I can't wait to share them with the children Ds1 will be reading them soon I think.

The Robin Jarvis books were brilliant, I really loved the Deptford Mice and Deptford Histories. I think they were the first time I red books that really gripped me but that didn't necessarily have a happy ending. I still have them, I can't bear to get rid of them but I have never been able to bring myself to re-read them.

Back Home and Goodnight Mr Tom made me cry buckets.

Steinbeck's Red Pony is beautiful.

Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials had me waiting the for the publication of the next book with great anticipation.

George's Marvellous Medicine led to certain interesting experiments in the bathroom.

The Chalet School books made me long to go away to boarding school.

Books are wonderful.

The Just William series, hilariously written and a fun read for both children and adults. I can't wait to dig them out the attic and read to DD. If it doesn't win 'I'll scweam n scweam n scweam till I'm sthick'!