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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!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
14
WimbyAce · 01/04/2023 11:09

Gave me a headache lastnight trying to remember the book I was thinking of! Sadly I think my parents will have got rid as it was in tatty condition.

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 01/04/2023 16:08

Is it Rabbits' Night Out? Set in a toyshop & the rabbits go outside to live like real rabbits. There are other books in the series too.

OH MY GOD THIS IS IT!!! The picture of the rabbits is the image that has been in my head (vaguely, clearly, as I'd forgotten they were rabbits!). As soon as I saw your pics I knew that was the one. Thank you so so much - it's been bothering me for so long!! So happy!! Going to get straight onto ebay now!

OP posts:
TheNestedIf · 01/04/2023 16:10

Allthingsbrightandbeautifulx · 01/04/2023 07:55

I thought this one too.

Show quote history

Weirdly, I don't think that book is even the book I was trying to think of. I think the book I was trying to remember (from my grandparents' house) is possibly Goodnight Stories that @BraveMaeve has found. In the book I was trying to think of, I vaguely remember a story about the Gollywog attempting to smoke (obviously all kinds of wrong by today's standards) and it not going well. Not that that helps the OP.

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 01/04/2023 16:14

This is it!! 😆😆😆😆😆 Rabbit's Night Out must be one of the collection! I am so happy! My husband thinks I'm mad!
Thank you again!!

To ask what on earth is this children's book... driving me mad!
OP posts:
DisforDarkChocolate · 01/04/2023 16:18

It reminds me of the Old Bear books.

WalterWitty · 01/04/2023 16:52

PenelopeParallelogram · 01/04/2023 08:39

this was what I was picturing too!!

Tiredalwaystired · 01/04/2023 17:20

Have t read the whole thread but is it a book called Quincey?

Wolowl · 01/04/2023 19:23

@surreygirl1987 amazing!! Glad I could help, they're great stories & your description rang a bell as soon as I read it.
If your username is anything to go by we're the same age too, so very much stories from our childhood 😁

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 01/04/2023 19:25

Yes I was a 1987 baby!!

So excited for this to arrive and to read it to my little boy!

Thanks again- can't believe we found it!!

OP posts:
Getthefiregoing · 01/04/2023 20:00

Aw I love that you found it OP. Enjoy that warm nostalgic glow when it arrives and you can read it to your wee boy x

Thisismyusernameforthetimebeing · 01/04/2023 21:22

It's Rabbit's Night Out. By D Jackman.

Someone replied on Facebook and I thought you may not see it there.

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 02/04/2023 06:51

ImSweetEnoughDarlin · 31/03/2023 22:36

I remember this, no idea what it was called, are you sure it was a book? I can picture the characters so clearly it could have been a programme.

Are you thinking of Johnson and Friends?

doomkittycleo · 02/04/2023 08:23

This was gonna be my vote too, I recently found some of these at the library and loved sharing them with my daughter.

so nostalgic!

To ask what on earth is this children's book... driving me mad!
Dingdong90 · 02/04/2023 11:32

Amelia Jane again! I used to read these books, it was a naughty doll and all the other toys in the playroom who came alive and she always got into trouble with the other toys . There was a Teddy, a sailor,a golly and lots of others and amelia was horrible sometimes 😂

Manthide · 02/04/2023 20:09

surreygirl1987 · 01/04/2023 16:14

This is it!! 😆😆😆😆😆 Rabbit's Night Out must be one of the collection! I am so happy! My husband thinks I'm mad!
Thank you again!!

I've got that book. I was going to put it in the charity shop as my kids are all grown up but I couldn't part with it. Rory the lion was my favourite character

Manthide · 02/04/2023 20:42

I am in my late 50s and used to read it to my children. I think I enjoyed it even more than them!

To ask what on earth is this children's book... driving me mad!
Swirlingcurlish · 02/04/2023 20:48

What a brilliant thread! 😃

Sgtmajormummy · 02/04/2023 23:47

My kids had that book (second hand) in the 00s!
DM used to scour jumble sales and charity shops for our annual visit and we’d go home with a suitcase of “new” books. I wonder if she bought your copy, OP.
DD’s rag doll was Clara Betsy and they still remember “The clock struck seven o’clock, eight o’clock, nine, ten eleven. The clock struck midnight and started to GLOW…”

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 03/04/2023 00:06

DD’s rag doll was Clara Betsy and they still remember “The clock struck seven o’clock, eight o’clock, nine, ten eleven. The clock struck midnight and started to GLOW…”

Goodness, that rings a bell ❤

OP posts:
Croissantsandcoffee · 03/04/2023 06:56

Is it this???

To ask what on earth is this children's book... driving me mad!
ImSweetEnoughDarlin · 03/04/2023 07:54

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 02/04/2023 06:51

Are you thinking of Johnson and Friends?

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Yes!

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