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Original poster

To ask what on earth is this children's book... driving me mad!

123 replies

surreygirl1987 · 31/03/2023 20:34

I have a little boy who loves books. I remember a book I read as a small child that I absolutely adored, and gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling when I think back to it. I'd love to read it with my son. Trouble is, I can't remember what it was called. Can anyone help?

Here are the things I can remember:
It is a colle tip of short stories.
It's about a toyshop full of toys.
The toys are magical and come to life.
There are dolls, a Teddy and a jack in a box.
In one of the stories, the toys all go outside at night and getting muddy and cold.

I think it was a hardback book in portrait. I've gone loads of Googling but although there seems to be loads of magic toyshop books, I can't find the one I had and loved!
Thanks in advance!

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14
Viviennemary · 31/03/2023 20:37

Sounds like it could be an Enid Blyton. She wrote a lot of stories about toys coming to life. Like Tales after tea. Tales after supper and so on. Quite a lot of collections of childrens stories.

NoWordForFluffy · 31/03/2023 20:41

I thought that too, @Viviennemary.

Lullabies2Paralyze · 31/03/2023 20:41

Do you have Reddit? There’s a community on there called “what’s that book” which might be able to help, I can post it for you if you don’t have Reddit and have no luck on here 😊

InhaleAndExhale · 31/03/2023 20:43

Was it Blyton’s Tales of Toyland with Jolly the Sailor and Tiptoe the fairy? That was one of my faves.

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 31/03/2023 20:43

Sounds like it could be an Enid Blyton.

I did read loads of Enid Blyton as a kid... I've been looking at 'the night the toys came to life' but I don't think that's it. Thank you for replying!

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DaftyLass · 31/03/2023 20:44

That sounds like the Noddy series by Enid Blyton

DobbyTheHouseElk · 31/03/2023 20:45

Enid Blyton.

I have a copy where there’s a picture of the toys and one makes an outfit from a banana skin. For me too it’s a warm comfortable feeling. I will see if I can take a photo of the book.

I know it has characters which we wouldn’t use today. So possibly may be upsetting.

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 31/03/2023 20:45

Do you have Reddit? There’s a community on there called “what’s that book” which might be able to help, I can post it for you if you don’t have Reddit and have no luck on here 😊

Oh fab! Thanks so much, I didn't know that! My husband has reddit so I'll get him to do it but thanks so much for offering!

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Cookiesanddecafcoffee · 31/03/2023 20:46

You have triggered a memory for me too- I had this!! I couldn't tell you what it was called or who wrote it, but from googling it definitely was not Enid Blyton. Mine was a hardback book and one of my favourites

DorritLittle · 31/03/2023 20:47

Following to find out. I loved Amelia Jane and Tales of Toyland.

Lsquiggles · 31/03/2023 20:48

Toy tales by Helen cooper?

FlyingFlamingo · 31/03/2023 20:54

Old Bear by Jane Hissey?

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 31/03/2023 20:55

Sadly none of these so far! I've been googling lots. I'm sure I'll know it when I see it. It would have been early 1990s and we didn't usually have new books so may have been published in the 80s. Needle in a haystack!

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flutterby123 · 31/03/2023 20:57

Is it Raggy Taggy Toys? I had this as a small child late 80’s/early 90’s. I loved it!

whenwhenwhen · 31/03/2023 21:00

Is it something to do with Bagpuss?

TheGrimSqueakersFlea · 31/03/2023 21:01

@@flutterby123 I loved raggy dolls too. That's what I was thinking but they lived in the reject bin

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 31/03/2023 21:03

No, not raggy taggy toys or bagpuss.

The toys definitely live in a toyshop or a toymaker's house or something like that. I think they once climbed out the window... I think to ecape the cat.

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parrotonmyshoulder · 31/03/2023 21:03

Is it ‘Old Bear’ by Jane Hissey? Beautiful illustrations and very sweet stories.

parrotonmyshoulder · 31/03/2023 21:04

Also try ‘Teddy Robinson’ which isn’t the book you’re describing but I think you’d like it!

ChristmasJumpers · 31/03/2023 21:06

I thought old bear too. Though they lived in a nursery I think

CascaChan · 31/03/2023 21:06

parrotonmyshoulder · 31/03/2023 21:04

Also try ‘Teddy Robinson’ which isn’t the book you’re describing but I think you’d like it!

Thank you for reminding me of Teddy Robinson!

FiftyNotNifty · 31/03/2023 21:11

Were they definitely in a toyshop? As this rings so many bells, but I could have sworn they were coming out of a nursery

WhatAmIDoingWrong123 · 31/03/2023 21:11

I feel like I had a collection of Enid Blyton stories that had this sort of theme. They were small books in hardback and I’m sure there was something about toys coming to life!

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 31/03/2023 21:15

Were they definitely in a toyshop? As this rings so many bells, but I could have sworn they were coming out of a nursery

It could have a been a nursery I suppose! That gives me more to search for at least! Argh - so frustrating! I remember it so vividly yet at the same time barely at all!

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