To love re-reading old childhood favourites

[balletnotlacrosse]

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?

Sunny, I loved One Pair of Hands. Did you also read One Pair of Feet? It's about her experiences of being a nurse in wartime, brilliantly written and very funny.

I've just ordered One Pair of Hands, thanks for the recommendation, never tried Monica Dickens.

She gave a talk at my school, from which she had been expelled back in the day. She told us she threw her uniform off Hammersmith Bridge. Our headmistress was furious.

I've just ordered One Pair of Hands, thanks for the recommendation, never tried Monica Dickens.

I remember her giving a talk at my school, from which she had been expelled back in the day. She told us she threw her uniform off Hammersmith Bridge. Our headmistress was furious.

She sounds amazing!

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I remember reading one of the Anne of Green Gables books - I think Marilla of Green Gables or something along those lines?

Anyway, there was a bit in it where one of Anne's daughters, Marilla, was complaining about being known by her boring old fashioned middle name of Marilla instead of her beautiful first name - Bertha. Just goes to show how tastes in names change. I can't imagine any modern girl wishing they were known as Bertha instead of Marilla.

This is such a lovely thread. I think I had all the pullein-Thompson sister books and eventer's dream etc. I remember being absolutely petrified by marianne dreams with those sinister rocks that moved closer to the house. I was also gripped by Elizabeth laird's red sky in the morning and kiss the dust. I grew up in the Middle East and had lots of American friends so have a great fondness for some American children's literature too!

I love Charlotte Sometimes. I have a vague memory of someone telling me there were more in the series does anyone know about these?

There's a prequel called The Summer Birds which focusses on Charlotte and her sister before Charlotte starts at boarding school and another called Emma's Winter which is about Charlotte's sister Emma.

DS4 has operations regularly. I always take one (ok, 3) old children's books to read while he's in theatre.

I love Charlotte sometimes too. I recently reread the naughtiest girl in the school books and I've been raiding my local charity shop for old Jacqueline Wilson books. Other favourites are dancing shoes, ballet shoes, Marianne dreams, malory towers and st clares.

We also had some Australian classics because my great-grandmother was from Tas.

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs. I've tried to read it to my daughter but we didn't get very far!

Seven Little Australians by Ethel M Turner. This was made into a tv series in the 70s and shown in the UK. I LOVE it so much, and have the sequel The Family At Misrule which I haven't read yet.

And my step-mother had some great books - one called Naughty Sophia about a very very naughty girl! And one called The King Of The Fiddles set in Ireland. I used to read those regularly too.

I loved Seven Little Australians! I still have a copy with the cast on the cover.

Some posters on here might like 'Murder most unladylike' by Robin Stevens. It's a cross between Agatha Christie and Malory Towers.

Saw in the bookshop at the weekend that 'The Bell Family' by Noel Streatfeild has been reprinted with a lovely old fashioned cover

Jeee, I was thinking about the Pennington books the other day, and wondered how they'd stand up now. I loved them (and all of KMP's books), but I have to say even then (1980s) once it got to Pennington's Heir I thought Ruth should LTB

I read Murder Most Unladylike. It's readable but I have to say I found it a bit disappointing. It just didn't engage me, it felt more contemporary than 1930s.

I'm reading it at the moment and I love it. I think it has a lovely old fashioned feel, with just a couple of nods towards a contemporary reader.
I believe her next one 'Arsenic for Tea' is even better.

Read Beswitched and absolutely loved it. Also loving the Wells and Wong books. Can anyone recommend similar type books?