Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To love re-reading old childhood favourites

269 replies

balletnotlacrosse · 27/04/2015 10:07

Having found a stash of my old childhood books in my parents' attic a few years ago I have become hooked, once again, on school stories, ballet stories, etc etc and love buying old Noel Streatfeild books, Chalet School stories and so on to re-read.

AIBU to spend as much time reading children's books as adult's book and to enjoy them more just as much?

OP posts:
ofshoes · 27/04/2015 10:12

Not at all, I keep going back to childhood favourites also. Couldn't count how many times I've read A Wizard Of Earthsea. I had my time of reading proper difficult books and I've come to the conclusion that life is difficult enough and there is nothing wrong with a little escapism

HindsightisaMarvellousThing · 27/04/2015 10:15

Absolutely agree with you - rediscovering children's books is one of my great pleasures. Since getting a kindle I've been buying more and more - I've probably got more children's books on there than adult ones.

Welshmaenad · 27/04/2015 10:17

Not U at all - I re read Anne of Green Gables whenever I need a bit of comfort!

BarbarianMum · 27/04/2015 10:21

I enjoy rereading but it can be a bit of a mixed bag. Something terrrible appears to have happened to most of Enid Blyton's ouevre since I was a child. On the other hand, I recently found out that there is a sequel to 'Black Hearts in Battersea' which is such a relief. I used to read and reread it as a child, trying to reach a conclusion other than that poor old Dido Twite had been drowned Sad.

PunkrockerGirl · 27/04/2015 10:23

Not at all unreasonable. One of life's greatest pleasures Smile

SingingHinnies · 27/04/2015 10:23

I love Goodnight Mr Tom. Read it in English at school and have read it a few times since

Original poster
balletnotlacrosse · 27/04/2015 10:24

I actually discovered Antonia Forest only last year. I can't believe I missed her during my childhood. I've read all of the Kingscote books and have Falconer's Lure waiting on my dressing table Smile

OP posts:
mupperoon · 27/04/2015 10:30

I bought The Family at One End Street recently - just as lovely as I remembered. And bought the Ladybird "Bedtime Rhymes" book second hand off Amazon to read with my little girl. I love re-reading! YANBU!

Teeste · 27/04/2015 10:35

I don't think there's anything wrong with it if you enjoy it. But I also think you should be careful about meeting your heroes! I just re-read the Dark Is Rising series and boy, did it not measure up to my memories of it.

Original poster
balletnotlacrosse · 27/04/2015 10:38

I agree Teeste. Some books just fall flat when you read them as an adult. But most bring back lovely memories of a time when life just seemed much simpler and more straightforward.

OP posts:
IrmaGuard · 27/04/2015 10:44

I read Tom's Midnight Garden, The Phantom Tollbooth and The Silver Sword every few years. My childhood favourites along with Five Children and It, and a book called The Thyme Garden.

More recently I read through my dd's collection of Lemony Snicket's Unfortunate Events series.

BigFatFurryCatPuss · 27/04/2015 11:00

YANBU at all. In the past few years i have re-read The Famous Five, Mallory Towers, Ballet Shoes, Anne of Green Gables, Point Horror, Sweet Valley and lots more as my DCs reached the ages for each set of books my Dad has been sent up their loft for my childhood copies Grin

The DCs like some of them, not so keen on others. DS is currently loving Flat Stanley, DD1 is into Point Horror and DD2 has my sister's old Alfie books at the moment.

londonrach · 27/04/2015 11:03

In the middle of the enid blyton school stories at the moment and rereading my bunty and judy annuals... Yanbu.

BabyTuckoo · 27/04/2015 11:06

Of course Yanbu. I have four degrees in English literature and can still be found with my nose in The Chalet School in Exile or Emily of New Moon (which is far superior to the Anne of Green Gables books, though Emily is considerably less nice than Anne...) And I recently picked up the My Friend Flicka books for the first time since I was about ten, and they're still good.

londonrach · 27/04/2015 11:06

Black beauty and my childhood favourite dogger! You cant enjoy googleeyes by anne fine.....

londonrach · 27/04/2015 11:08

Baby did you ever read all those horse books by the woman with a double barrowed name... They were sisters i think. Pullen something. Wish my parents not got rid of them now.

Original poster
balletnotlacrosse · 27/04/2015 11:10

The Pullein Thompson sisters. I think they were Josephine, Christine and Diana,

My favourite pony books were the Jill ones by Ruby Ferguson.

OP posts:
Whyamihere · 27/04/2015 11:10

I've reread some of mine ever since childhood, love Goodnight Mister Tom and Daddy Long Legs, I'm reading the Chalet School series to my dd now (we're on about book 30) and she is now as obsessed as me. She's also reading all the Mallory Towers books and really enjoying them.

Like ofshoes, I have read my fair share of difficult books/classics but some books to me are just like a nice cosy comfort blanket that I return to when I'm feeling in need of a bit of comfort - (I do also have some adult books that are also in this category)

spiderlight · 27/04/2015 11:12

I re-read all my Jinny and Shantih books a few years back and loved them. I'm also reading various old favourites to DS - he adores the Secret Seven and we've just finished 'The Travels of Oggy' and he absolutely loved it, so the sequel is on its way.

hels71 · 27/04/2015 11:13

I also only discovered antonia forest as an adult...they are brilliant. I still happily read noel streatfield and the chalet school amidst other books. Girls gone by publishers have a lot to answer for!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TinklyLittleLaugh · 27/04/2015 11:14

Ah it is a happy place thing. The Silver Brumbies do it for me.

Mind you, I don't really read proper adult literature anyway. I like a bit of grimdark or dystopian type stuff.

liquidstatebacktowork · 27/04/2015 11:17

Currently buying all my childhood faves secondhand for my 9 month old DD and of course I have to reread them first.

Currently reading The Ordinary Princess by MMKaye. I really wanted to run away and live in a forest like Amy.

ShadowSteam · 27/04/2015 11:21

YANBU.

I find it comforting and relaxing to re-read childhood favourites. They're like a snuggly big comfort blanket of a book and perfect for when things aren't going well and I'm all stressed out.

Original poster
balletnotlacrosse · 27/04/2015 11:24

I know this probably sounds a bit intense, but I find re-reading an old childhood favourite throws me out of the real world for a while and I come back into it with a slightly different and clearer perspective.

OP posts:
Financeprincess · 27/04/2015 11:32

I don't think so, Ballet. It reminds us of what it was like to be a kid and they way we thought then.

I still re-read my Diana Wynne Jones books. She was brilliant and the stories stand up really well.

Wish I could say the same for Enid Blyton and the Chalet School books: the latter come across as very moralising now.

Glad somebody mentioned Sweet Valley High. I recall eating one on my teens and thinking it was rubbish. I re-read one recently and realised that I hadn't been a harsh enough critic back then! Apparently there were a stable of writers churning the things out.