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Original poster

NON-British children's classics - calling anyone who grew up (or is living) Elsewhere!

60 replies

Bink · 19/01/2009 12:11

I've just read (and adored) my son's copy of The Midnight Fox by Betsy Byars, who's American.

It came in a "classics" set that includes Ted Hughes and Marianne Storr, so obviously a proper serious level of classic. And it is definitely worthy of that company: utterly lovely book.

But because it was American, I'd known nothing of it - and having searched on here, just one poster has referred to it, ever. So I bet there are masses more books like that - ie, which are "classics" in their own country but just not well-known elsewhere.

So, if you grew up somewhere other than Britain - or had access to non-Brit-centric books as a child - what were your classics?

OP posts:
TotalChaos · 20/01/2009 11:14

Tintin and Asterix.

For older children - Mischling Second Degree by Ilse Koehn - v. good book about growing up part-Jewish in Nazi Germany.

Original poster
Bink · 20/01/2009 11:12

This is all marvellous, and inspiring!

I hadn't thought about French classics, for some reason (ds and dd came to near-blows this Christmas competing for dd's present of Le Petit Nicholas)

OP posts:
MissM · 20/01/2009 11:06

The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek used to really upset me. Poor bunyip! My copy of the Bullerby Children is falling to pieces so sad to hear it's difficult to find secondhand. I was so envious of them, really wanted their lives!

Yurtgirl · 20/01/2009 10:43

Jock of the bushveldt by percy fitzpatrick
I havent read it but I have heard that is very good

kaxter · 20/01/2009 10:38

Oh and for older children, pre-teen, books by Madeleine L'Engle are excellent too.

kaxter · 20/01/2009 10:36

Any of the Shel Silversten books - 'Where the Sidewalk Ends', 'A light in the Attic' are wonderful collections of poems for children that are absolute classics in the States. He also wrote 'the Giving Tree' which is a beautiful beautiful fable about a boy growing up and his relationship with a tree as he does so - sorry that sounds incredibly strange but it's a great story.

The Story of Ping
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Caps for Sale
Harold and the Purple Crayon

These are all books for the younger child - they were all huge in my day and in fact have only just ordered them so that my kids can enjoy them too,we live in Ireland and i've not come across any of them in the bookshops here.

jeee · 20/01/2009 10:31

The Silver Crown by Robert O'Brian (I think).

francagoestohollywood · 20/01/2009 10:27

I forgot Il giornalino di gianburrasca!

francagoestohollywood · 20/01/2009 10:24

Little Women
Fairy tales from Charles Perrault and Madame d'Aulnoy
The diary of Anna Frank
Anything by Gianni Rodari
The children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
Mafalda comic strips
Peanuts
"A square of sky" by Janina David
The little Prince
Brunella Gasperini

Bubbaluv · 20/01/2009 09:17

That's Berkley's Creek. Sorry!

Bubbaluv · 20/01/2009 08:45

The Bunyip of Baerkley's Creek - by Jenny Wagner. Such a lovely storey and the illustrations are divine.

TotalChaos · 20/01/2009 08:17

Bambi by Felix Salten

Califrau · 20/01/2009 01:45

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ThumbBurns · 20/01/2009 01:32

oh yes, and the Adventures of Blinky Bill too..

ThumbBurns · 20/01/2009 01:31

oo, I forgot I had the Magic Pudding as well!
Thanks for the reminder, Califrau (long time no see anything from you - you ok? tis thumbwitch, in case you are confused)

Califrau · 20/01/2009 01:28

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ThumbBurns · 20/01/2009 00:46

lots of these I know and love.

Australian ones I have are:
Bottersnikes and Gumbles (out of print, rare and expensive )
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs - I have the complete collection

There are the Dr. Seuss books as well - I never owned them as a child but was envious of my friend who did.

I also have several classic Russian Fairy story books in English, that my Dad brought back from Russia or had sent to him

I love Petit Nicolas - we used to read him in French lessons at school;
and the Madeline series.

Asterix and Obelix books, and Tintin - do comic books count? I had at least one in French!

Daddy-Long-legs by Jean Webster - not so much for children, more for older girls perhaps

ramonaquimby · 20/01/2009 00:32

Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott Dell . I loved this book-dd recently read Kensuke's Kingdom (M Morpego) and reminded me of this one. Have bought old copy on amazon for me her

ramonaquimby · 20/01/2009 00:26

lots already mentioned here (LM Montgomery, Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume...)
but also loved reading Trixie Belden books (can't remember author) and Bobbsy Twin books - they were all hard covers and I had masses of each of them!!

Gordon Korman's books about MacDonald Hall

for younger children -

Bread and Jam for Francis - absolute classic
Curious George
Robert Munsch - he wrote loads including 'Love you forever' which is oft quoted here as a fab fab book (it is)

LIttle Golden Books with the golden spines, we had dozens (mum still does!)

KerryMumbles · 19/01/2009 23:52

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elkiedee · 19/01/2009 23:49

I had lots of American and Scandinavian children's books.

I'm dismayed to find I've lost Astrid Lindgren's All about the Bullerby Children, it doesn't seem to be available at an affordable secondhand price.

I still have my Aurora and Socrates books by Anne-Cath Vestly - a little girl, baby brother, stay at home/PHD student dad and lawyer mum. Sadly they're also out of print.

An American book I loved was Ruth Sawyer, Roller Skates - have lost original copy but fortunately found a replacement.

I read Betsy Byars here, I don't know how many are still in print though.

DamnHisEyes · 19/01/2009 23:38

The Pigman - Paul Zindel
The Last Unicorn - Peter S Beagle
My Side of the Mountain (two others follow this first book as well) - Jean George
The Outsiders - S E Hinton

And this isn't non-UK-centric but is out of print but I loved it:

The Borribles (also a trilogy) - Michael de Larrabeiti

tumtumtetum · 19/01/2009 21:40

When I was a tiddler I had a book called "the Bunyip of Berkely creek" I think it's Australian and I loved it

Fennel · 19/01/2009 21:40

Babar
Struwelpeter
Grimms fairy tales
Hans Christen Andersen.
Pinocchio

I think Bink meant ones noone had heard of, not these ones which are mostly popular in the UK too, but still, it's fun remembering them

TheSirenOfTheCupcake · 19/01/2009 21:39

Me AND dd love Petit Nicolas. The books are just so funny.