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Original poster

Which children's stories provoke emotion in you?

107 replies

HalyardHitch · 21/05/2019 19:09

The first time I read the snail and the whale to my two year old, I cried.

The one year old went down quickly tonight so I've just sat in my bedroom listening to Dh read it to the two year old. Again, tears.

Something about how such a tiny snail puts such effort into saving his friend. He's just a little snail but he cares about his friend and found a way.

Also heartwarming to hear my dyslexic Dh, who hates reading out loud, to read to my eldest ds

OP posts:
Langrish · 21/05/2019 20:23

I Took the Moon for a Walk (something about the illustrations)
The Tower to the Sun
Harvey Angell
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Goodnight Mister Tom

BabloHoney · 21/05/2019 20:24

Lost and Found, the book and the film. When the boy realises the penguin isn’t lost but just lonely, gets me every time.

LlamasSitOnPyjamas · 21/05/2019 20:25

Definitely Paper Dolls and Goodbye Mog, also God Bless the Gargoyles by Dav Pilkey (author of Captain Underpants, oddly).

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2 year olds Children's books
weekfour · 21/05/2019 20:27

The Giving Tree.

Makes me sad just thinking about it.

TheTitOfTheIceberg · 21/05/2019 20:27

The Mousehole Cat.

weekfour · 21/05/2019 20:29

The Giving Tree.

Makes me sad just thinking about it.

EstherLittle · 21/05/2019 20:35

The big big sea by Martin Waddell.

The line “this is how life should be” has me sobbing. I have to get DD to read it.

Also pretty much anything by Shirley Hughes but The Christmas Ghost is a sobfest.

azulmariposa · 21/05/2019 20:38

The giving tree. Lovely and sad all in one.

OutwiththeOutCrowd · 21/05/2019 20:38

Agree with quite a few of those mentioned already, No Matter What - such an important message - and the little Match Girl, in particular.

Charlotte's Web deserves a mention too.

confussedmisfit · 21/05/2019 20:39

Giraffes can't dance.

I hate how mean the other animals are, but he overcomes it to achieve.

I don't like paper dolls.
It's the bit that says
"A BOY came along and cut them up"

RogueRouge · 21/05/2019 20:41

Agree with "The Big Big Sea"- it's lovely and a quick read and just very calming before bed. I love it when my daughter chooses that one, she hardly ever does (maybe she is tired of me clubbing!) Pleased to see it mentioned on here, wasn't sure if it was a well known one. I'm a single parent, it's about just a girl and her mum going for a walk alone together at night, I think that's another reason I like it.

MrsS92 · 21/05/2019 20:41

On the night you were born and paper dolls!

weebarra · 21/05/2019 20:41

Dogger - ever since I was tiny
Goodbye Mog
Paper Dolls
Goodnight Mr Tom

KTD27 · 21/05/2019 20:42

Bloody Nancy Tillman. She’s a ninja to the heart.
Also anything by Emma Dodd.

EssentialHummus · 21/05/2019 20:44

Peepo - something about the WW2 imagery in the backdrop in places, then the dad in uniform as he kisses the baby goodnight.

On a musical note, the song 5 Little Ducks still gets me every single time.

Forkrightorf · 21/05/2019 20:58

Peepo gets me - I think I read somewhere that it's based on Allan Ahlberg's vague memories of his dad before he went to war
Once There Were Giants
Dogger - "then Bella did something very kind" 😭

The first book I ever cried at myself was Charlottes Web when I was about 8, "she was all alone when she died"
There might be something in my eye Blush

crophopper · 21/05/2019 21:02

On the Night You Were Born

'Heaven blew every trumpet and played every horn
On the wonderful, marvellous night you were born.'

😭

Justmuddlingalong · 21/05/2019 21:04

The selfish giant by Oscar Wilde. Reminds me of when my kids were small.

CoodleMoodle · 21/05/2019 21:08

We've got every Mog book but I refuse to buy or borrow Goodbye Mog!

Once There Were Giants gets me as well.

SonEtLumiere · 21/05/2019 21:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SweepTheHalls · 21/05/2019 21:13

Paper Dolls. Brutal.

CharlieSays13 · 21/05/2019 21:20

Came on to give a vote for Paper Dolls and Charlotte's Web and when I was scrolling down I noticed the mentions for Goodbye Mog. Now, I had all the Mog books, or so I thought, mum clearly decided not to get me this one as I'd never heard of it. Just googled it and now I'm sitting here in tears heartbroken that Mog was so tired she wanted to sleep forever. I'm 42 and my husband thinks I'm mental. Mum had form for this sort of thing, I wasn't allowed to watch Little House on the Prairie or The Littlest Hobo either.

tinatsarina · 21/05/2019 21:20

For me it's owl babies. Just that but that says about them sitting on Sarah's branch all three together, I'm a triplet and read it when I was younger so it reminds me of my sister's. One passed away when we were 21. I read owl babies to my baby son after she passed and I cried. It still gets me now.

makingtime · 21/05/2019 21:22

Dr Seuss - Oh the Places You'll Go.

My kids totally not fussed by it but ahhh I love it.

RainbowSparklyTrainers · 21/05/2019 21:25

Lost and Found for me too. When they hug at the end Smile