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Original poster

To be so happy about a book from childhood

69 replies

Sunny67 · 08/05/2015 23:13

I had. book of poems as a child and I loved it. It dropped to bits through constant and probably none too gentle handling. I adored the pictures that accompanied the poems, the spider and the fly, Summer morning, January brings the snow. I've never been able to remember who the book was by, only the picture on the cover. Well I've found it on Amazon, second hand and I'm going to order it. Is it unreasonable to be so happy about an old chore a book?? I'm one happy bunny Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Sunny67 · 09/05/2015 13:21

Thanks Tokelau

OP posts:
Hotpotpie · 09/05/2015 14:44

I've been looking forward daft book from my childhood for years, must be satisfying to find it finally

pontefractals · 09/05/2015 14:48

Tokelau, are you thinking of Leerie the Lamplighter, by Robert Louis Stevenson? It was in A Child's Garden of Verses, and probably in lots of anthologies too.

www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poems/lamplighter

goindowntoyasgursfarm · 09/05/2015 17:40

'January brings the snow' sounds really familiar, sunny67. Does it carry on 'makes your feet and fingers glow' or something like that? What's the book, I might be in a journey of discovery now myself! Smile

goindowntoyasgursfarm · 09/05/2015 17:43

Yes! It's all coming back to me 'February brings the rain, thaws the frozen lake again, March brings breezes, something something - cold and shrill? - oh gooooddd this is amazing, I haven't thought of this for 35 years! There's a picture with those tall flowers like lupins for July, maybe? Argh, I want that book!
'Hot July brings cooling showers, apricots and gillyflowers'. It just came!

Original poster
Sunny67 · 09/05/2015 18:06

That's the one Goin! Lots of different poems all with lovely illustrations

OP posts:
Original poster
Sunny67 · 09/05/2015 18:09

Treasury of poetry by Hilda Boswell
Mine had a red cover, just as the picture I posted earlier. The one I've just ordered is green with a different picture but the same boot. So happy

OP posts:
Momagain1 · 09/05/2015 18:12

I am so happy for you all!

LavenderRain · 09/05/2015 18:18

OP as soon as I read the titles you wrote I recognised the poems. I had that book as a child, im the same age as you.
I loved it but would probably never of remembered it again if it wasn't for your thread!
I hope the book brings you renewed pleasure.

Original poster
Sunny67 · 09/05/2015 18:32

It's wonerful how memories come flooding back with something so simple.

OP posts:
morchoxplz · 09/05/2015 20:02

CadieAgain....I had that book and still have it. I read it to my son. The baboon bu Spike Milligan is best :-)

Laloue23 · 09/05/2015 21:23

I have the same book, but the cover is green, I've had it 35 years and love it still- fortunately aged about 10 I was going through a " librarian " phase and put a cling film type cover on it, which has done rather well !
I still find myself using phrases from it " they went to sea in a sieve , they did, they went to sea in a sieve" and "wink n blink n nod" amongst others. So glad you posted , such a wonderful book.

pissovski · 09/05/2015 21:27

Really pleased for you OP. I have been trying to get some of my favourite childhood books back recently. So, for Christmas I got "The Bunney Fluffs Moving Day" ladybird book (and a few others) :) I am angling to get the A.Mazing Monsters which I loved too.

I think I still have that "I Like This Poem book somewhere. I also have Once Upon A Worm which I am so pleased to have kept. I was given it for my 5th or 6th birthday, and totally adored it! I couldn't find it at one point, and was more upset than I let on. I actually shed a tear when I find it!

plummyjam · 09/05/2015 21:44

We had that book growing up too! In fact I'm sure my mum still has it, will have to dig it out next time I'm there.

I love reading the old classics to my 2 year old DD she gets just as much joy out of them as I did. Particularly Raymond Briggs' books - they're timeless. Can't wait til she's old enough to appreciate a bit of Roald Dahl!

daisychain01 · 09/05/2015 21:54

OMG Sunny we have the same book wow, it's my absolute favourite book which I was given for my 10th birthday. Mine still has the dustcover, it is on my bookcase in the hall.

I used to copy the drawings of the little pixies in the flames in Fire Light and spent hours colouring them in.

Also I still get goosebumps when I read the words to The Prettiest Doll in the World who was lost in a field but then got reunited with its owner. Sad and happy.

There's another lovely poem about the little girl looking through the hole in the wall, whispering a secret or something. Magical!

So pleased for you!

daisychain01 · 09/05/2015 21:57

I have another book called My Brimful Book.

It has three sections, one called Mother Goose Stories, the second is children's poetry and the third is Animal Stories. I've had it since I was 5 and it has survived umpteen house moves and all sorts!

daisychain01 · 09/05/2015 22:02

Does anyone have My Learn to Cook Book

And my Fun to Cook Book?

I learned how to make Croque Monsieur and Elephant Biscuits better than Mary Berry, me

CaptainSubtext · 09/05/2015 22:04

YANBU! I absolutely love rediscovering old favourites.

GiantGaspingSatanicCyst · 09/05/2015 22:09

YANBU. I paid £45 earlier this year for a copy of a treasured childhood favourite, after MNers helped me track it down. It was worth every penny :) Enjoy your book!

CadieAgain · 09/05/2015 22:09

That must be nice, morchoxplz. I can't get DS interested in anything but Minecraft books at the moment.

jetsetlil · 09/05/2015 22:15

I would love to find a book I Adored as a child called (I think) kaeto and kappi . I think it was Italian although it was in English and it was about a naughty black cat. I read it till it fell apart. Tried googling it to no avail so maybe the power of mumsnet will help?

GraysAnalogy · 09/05/2015 22:21

That's lovely!

There's a book series i read when I was younger, and it's about 15 years later now and the author is still yet to complete the final book.

I am very Angry. I'm looking at you L.J. Smith, you kept pipping out them Vampire Diaries ones though didn't you!

Preminstreltension · 09/05/2015 22:24

oh yes loads on here that I had and still have including

I Like this Poem (loved this and now DD loves it especially "By far the naughtiest children I know are Jasper, Geranium, James and Jo...")

My learn to cook book (loved the cartoon animals). I recently bought a copy for my niece and was amazed by how many recipes for sweets and cakes and puddings there are with the savoury things being fried cheese sandwiches etc! It obviously predated any healthy eating advice!

And "The Prettiest Doll in the World" is one my grandma used to say to me and now I say it to DD except I can't get through it for sobbing

Flyinggeese21 · 09/05/2015 23:26

CadieAgain me too! That pic took me back to about 1980!

emwithme · 09/05/2015 23:33

Is "I like this Poem" the one with poems separated by age? I LOVED that book.

Bought it for DNiece for her 9th birthday last year, along with Alan Ahlberg's "Please Mrs Butler" this boy, Derek Drew, keeps copying my work Miss, what shall I do (because when she visited for a week and forgot her reading book she was shocked I (a) owned a book of children's poems and (b) could remember more than half of them after 30 years) and "I heard it in the playground"