to ask you for favourite novel as a child?

[grapeswithseeds]

For me it was probably The Famous 5 series, I love adventure!

Does anyone remember a series called Gemma from the late 70s or early 80s? She was the child of actors who was sent to live with relatives when her parents divorced. I think Gemma was meant to be a bit of a brat but I always preferred her to the perfect cousins who were really annoying.

@Fifthtimelucky waves
Managed to get a copy of The Wind on the Moon as an adult but when I started re reading it with DD, sadly she didn't really like it ☹️

Howls Moving Castle for me. My first literary crush I think!

@Elasticate we read Back Home at school. I’d forgotten all about it - a great book!

I loved the Sweet Dreams teen romances too. They were American and seemed so exotic. I still think of one in particular when I make brownies.

@LaPoesieEstDansLaRue What a shame. My children loved it. They're now in their 20s and we still make Mrs Grimble faces at each other from time to time!

@Mochudhu yes! Gemma and Sisters, Gemma Alone, Goodbye Gemma. I think by Noel Streatfeild?

I read H G Wells, 'The War of the Worlds' as a child and used to imagine the martians landing in the allotments behind our house. I'd get up in the night and look out of my bedroom window to see if it had happened, the moonlight was quite atmospheric! This from a child who never believed in Santa.

All the famous five books and naughty Amelia Jane, Brer Rabbit and Sara Crewe.

@jessstan2 I was obsessed with my dads album of war of the world and the artwork

Oh I also really loved a book called Shine, which I spent years searching for to buy it for my kids. Either I got the name wrong or it’s been changed as I finally found it and it was called The Green Book.

Anything by Enid Blyton, then Chalet school. I loved the Judith Kerr books, the Jill pony books, Sue Barton, Trebizion series, Joan Lingard Kevin and Sadie books, I just loved reading lol. I think my stand alone favourite was The silver sword, I read it countless times and always made me cry!

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
What Katy Did
Tiger Eyes - Judy Blume

The children who lived in a barn re read it recently and it was BIZARRE. I obviously yearned for my parents to go away and leave me and my sister to fend for ourselves!
The Enid Blyton Secret 7, Famous 5 but mainly the Mystery books. Recently re read the Mallory Towers and thoroughly enjoyed the series on CBBC recently - very well cast. I'm in my 60s!

@Campervan69
Yes there was a bit of romance, but not overpowering the adventure.

Faraway tree

What Katy did

Nancy Drew
Malory Towers

Famous Five.
E Nesbit Wouldbegoods, Treasure Seekers, Five Children and It
Malory Towers
Lorna Hill. They called her Patience

@Londonmummy66

The young Elizabeth book, can you say more about it eg, was it quite detailed and some man kept harassing her?

I've been trying to trace a book about young Liz I loved, but it wasn't '' infant '' reading. It was quite in depth.

Johnny Tremain
Little House series
Caddie Woodlawn
Castaways in Lilliput
Black Beauty
Nancy Drew series

I'm in the US so Famous 5, Chalet Schools et al weren't even on the radar

Oh, and Wind in the Willows.

@Soundbyte

Oh I also really loved a book called Shine, which I spent years searching for to buy it for my kids. Either I got the name wrong or it’s been changed as I finally found it and it was called The Green Book.

Yes, I mentioned this upthread. It was published under both names, the version I had was called 'shine' and had holographic sparkly green and red on the cover. I bought it again to read to my children and cried at the end!

@Campervan69

Did anybody hear read the Carbonel series? It was about a magic cat and girl called Rosemary who found a broom stick.

I loved a lot of the books mentioned but also enjoyed the Bobbsey twins, Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. All American I think.

Yes! I loved the Carbonel books! I'm loving this thread. It's bringing back so many memories!

Jill and the Perfect Pony
Mallory Towers
Ballet Shoes
Nancy Drew

@Nonotthisagain

ALL the pony stories, especially the Jill books, all the Pullein-Thompson sisters books and Ginny. Sigh

Me too! I went through a phase of only reading horsey books. I loved the Jill series, the Pullein-thompsons and Ginny at Finmory! Also My Friend Flicka which someone else mentioned earlier in the thread.