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Original poster

A classic book for my goddaughter

72 replies

drspouse · 04/09/2019 17:04

I want to get her a classic read-aloud (so it doesn't have to be completely readable by her) in a nice edition. She's just about to turn 6.

I was thinking about Pippi Longstocking in the Lauren Child edition but I seem to remember there might be some borderline racist or at least heavily 1950s bits? Anyone read this edition?

What else would you recommend? I think they probably have Winnie the Pooh, Narnia and Roald Dahl.

OP posts:
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DonEmmanuelsDingleberries · 08/09/2019 19:43

The Velveteen Rabbit
Stig of the Dump
The Animals of Farthing Wood

Mablethorpe · 07/09/2019 13:11

How about the Madeline books by Ludwig Bemelmens?

I have a Madeline if my own and she was bought a beautiful hardback set for her 3rd birthday and we both read them all the time. Classic, simple and amusing storylines and great illustration.

Boilingfrog · 07/09/2019 12:53

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

melissasummerfield · 07/09/2019 12:52

You can get nice box sets of the classic roald dahl books that can be read along with an adult.

SirVixofVixHall · 07/09/2019 12:47

I loved both of those books as a child OP.

ScreamingValenta · 06/09/2019 21:23

Great choices, OP - I hope your DD and GD have a wonderful time reading them with you.

Original poster
drspouse · 06/09/2019 21:20

So I decided on Heidi, and Child's Garden of Verses, but I'm getting the Rumer Godden for my own DD. Lovely suggestions all.

OP posts:
Potcallingkettle · 05/09/2019 23:12

Swallows and Amazons were favourites here. The hard back editions are beautiful.

SirVixofVixHall · 05/09/2019 23:05

She is the most wonderful writer. The Fairy Doll is wonderful, the Doll’s House so sinister, the Didakoi both heartbreaking and touching. I sobbed and sobbed when the old horse died.
I have read her adult novel The Greengage Summer, and loved that too.

Original poster
drspouse · 05/09/2019 20:32

Oh, I adored Rumer Godden as a child! I'll see if there is a nice edition available.

OP posts:
Sauvignonblanket · 05/09/2019 19:39

I used to love The Ordinary Princess by MM Kaye - might have been a little older than 6 but close enough to grow into...

BertrandRussell · 05/09/2019 19:20

Yes- I don’t understand why the gender non conforming boy is in the girl book. Can anyone explain?

Manontry · 05/09/2019 18:32

Now if theyd put the pink and sparkly child into the Boys Who Dare To Be Different version ot would have been great

ScreamingValenta · 05/09/2019 18:31

The Railway Children was another favourite of mine.

Manontry · 05/09/2019 18:27

My dd also found the story about the boy who liked pink and sparkles completely unfathomable. What is rebellious about that? It was stupid inclusion and I didn't buy it for any of my other dds or nieces

I bought my gdaughter Black Beauty.

ifigoup · 05/09/2019 18:24

The simultaneous dismissal of and anger toward a gender-non-conforming child on this thread is bizarre and unwarranted.

Book suggestions: the Lauren Child version of Pippi is still a bit dated, yes. How about one of the original Moomins books?

daisypond · 05/09/2019 18:18

I’ve been re- reading my copy of Story of Holly and Ivy. My copy says “ for sole readers” on the back, and age six looks about right to me. It has quite a magical, fairytale feel, with each word carefully chosen, almost a poem as much as a story.

ScreamingValenta · 05/09/2019 18:14

Rumer Godden - yes, she's great!

I loved 'Miss Happiness and Miss Flower' as a child. I was desperate to make a Japanese dolls' house but my dad wouldn't play ball. I was also morbidly enamoured with 'Tottie', but, my goodness, it turns into the most Gothic of horrors at the end, so I wouldn't recommend it for a six year old.

If you were buying a Christmas present, 'The Story of Holly and Ivy' would be perfect. I still enjoy that one now!

cannycat20 · 05/09/2019 14:47

Have also just remembered the Carbonel stories after someone mentioned Gobbolino, I think they're probably about the right sort of age!

Also, Tom's Midnight Garden, The Borrowers, and Box of Delights?

BertrandRussell · 05/09/2019 14:41

All of my various children and pseudo children loved Dick King Smith’s Sophie books.

SirVixofVixHall · 05/09/2019 14:36

All Rumer Godden’s books are wonderful, as mentioned by a pp.

SirVixofVixHall · 05/09/2019 14:35

Hahaha, that is what dd did, before ripping him out .

mogtheexcellent · 05/09/2019 14:16

I'm afraid I defaced my DDs copy of Rebel Girls. Its very easy to write NOT A GIRL on the relevant pages Grin. I do wonder at their choices but overall a good concept.

My offering is the Ordinary Princess by MM Kaye. Princess 'cursed' by fairy godmother with a gift of being ordinary runs away to live in the forest and work as a kitchen maid. One of my favourite childhood books.

SirVixofVixHall · 05/09/2019 14:15

How could I have forgotten Alex T Smith ? His Claude books are great, for slightly older but would be fine , and How Winston Delivered Christmas is a brilliant alternative to an Advent Calendar. Aimed at 8 and over but perfect for six and up I would say. My dd loved it last Christmas, even though she was eleven, as we read alternate chapters aloud each night through December, and it was a lovely ritual.

SirVixofVixHall · 05/09/2019 14:07

In a few years she will be old enough for Anne of Green Gables, The Children of Green Knowe series of books, Narnia, Ronya the Robber’s Daughter etc.
I am going to go and look at dds book shelves and see what old favourites are still there.

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