Goodnight, Mr Tom......

[BertrandRussell]

...too much for imaginative, sensitive 8 year old bookworm? I’m inclined to think so.....

And The Child that Books Built by Francis Spufford.

My 10 year old child was really concerned at the Mum's treatment of Willie long before the end. It did worry him.

Another one of mine, at about 8 years would not let me go on reading Michlle Paver's first Wolf book when in the first few pages there was a traumatic seem involvng a parent. They aren't tough kids obviously!

I first read it at 8 and loved it. I remember being a bit confused about his pregnant mother though and wondered for a while if women could just 'get' pregnant.

The ghost of Thomas Kemp
The wolves.of Willoughby chase
Tottie, the story of a dolls house
The Ramona and beezus books
5 children and it
When Marnie was there
Comfort herself
Noel streatfield books
Tom's midnight garden
Marianne dreams by Catherine storr
Papa pellerins daughter

GMT is one of my favourite books, but I still cry every time.

The baby stuff really got to me when I first read it at twelve, I think more than the other things (I discussed with a friend at the time, and she didn't understand my sadness - she'd been more sad about Zach). The child abuse stuff didn't strike me as so unusual/shocking back then, though, maybe because of the likes of Roald Dahl, and the Dursleys in HP.

Tom's midnight garden is one of my favourite books ever. I think I spent half my childhood wishing that could really happen. Now in a weird way part of it is. My mum is living back in her childhood home with some very mixed memories. A lot of the garden has been sold off and she sometimes has dreams about how it was. I really need to go stay overnight don't I? . I'm so ready.

I went to a talk by Philippa Pearce once. I asked her about the significance of clocks in her books and she said, "they are useful. They tell the time".😊 She was lovely though.

I loved Stig of the Dump - so different to my other books at the time. My DDs loved it and I hope any future GCs will too !

I read it as an adult when I worked in a school and couldn't believe how upsetting it was. Imo co.pletely unsuitable for that age and nothing to do with how mature they are. I don't want my children to know about subjects like that until they are at least a couple of years older than 8.

I've decided to give them all books whether they want them or not! Any classic ideas for decidedly not bookwormish 6 and story loving 3?

We listened to the audio book with the DSs who were 9 and 11 at the time and actually turned it off since DS2 would have been very upset at the child abuse stuff.

6... Pippi Longstocking (Lauren Child illustrated version) or Sophie books by Dick King Smith, Charlotte's Web. All classics but easier for kids that aren't bookish. 6 year old would likely still need to be read to though.

3 year old, Shirley Hughes... Alfie books or Dogger. Where the Wild things are, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Mog the Forgetful Cat, Hairy Mclairy.

decidedly not bookwormish 6

Not classic, but a wonderful book for a not bookwormish child who you want to encourage into reading. I give you...

Charlie and the Cat Flap by Hilary McKay!

www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/2027/Charlie-and-the-Cat-flap-by-Hilary-Mckay.html

Judith Kerr's Mog books. 😸

My Naughty Little Sister for the 6 year old. The younger Shirley Hughes books for the three year old??

Yes to Dogger by Shirley Hughes for the 3 year old!

For the 6 year old - to read or be read to?

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden or the Little Princess. Old fashioned but not difficult to get into I don’t think? Or any of the Enid Blyton Faraway Tree books?

Or the BFG?

Sad to see that the Hilary Mackay is out of print- I was so excited when I saw that! I love her! My own bookworm (preens) rereads Indigo's Star as a comfort read even now and he's 17! Dogger's a good idea but not sure if I could inflict that on his mum.....

I'd forgotten all about Goodnight Mr Tom until this thread but the nasty stuff is coming right back! I don't remember feeling traumatised at the time but it's been in there for 20 odd years so it clearly had an effect. Thinking about it a lot of awful things happen to children in children's books, but I wonder if they process it on a different level to adults? I always had a very strong idea that bad things happened in the past but people didn't do that any more (apparently I never read any Tracy Beaker books until much older)

Anyway, for other recommendations how about the Chrestomanci books by Diana Wynne Jones? The parents are usually awful in her books too (it's autobiographical I think) but mostly not on the same scale.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is another good wartime book, set in Sweden I think.

Oh yes I was going to say Diana Wynne Jones! I've just re-read The Time of the Ghost and was just as entertained.

Someone by somebody Charlotte Sometimes. Gorgeous book.

*buy

Sorry, Bertrand, I didn't clock that it was out of print. What about a Used - Very Good Condition from Amazon, Abebooks etc?