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Children's books

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Original poster

classic books for 5 year old girl

34 replies

FCEK · 21/03/2013 22:28

Can anyone recommend classic books that I can read to my 5 year old? I'm struggling to remember what I liked at that age, although I think I started on famous five when I was 6 or 7. Probably a bit too old fashioned for DD though, what else is there, books no child should not read?

OP posts:
ixos · 21/03/2013 22:29

My Naughty Little Sister? Fab.

AmandinePoulain · 21/03/2013 22:30

Alice in Wonderland
The Magic Faraway Tree
Peter Pan
Smile

BananaramaLlama · 21/03/2013 22:31

101 Dalmations
Pippi Longstocking
Milly Molly Mandy
Just William

Wigeon · 21/03/2013 22:31

George's Marvellous Medicine
The Twits
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Faraway Tree

What's wrong with old-fashioned?!

PoppyWearer · 21/03/2013 22:32

Definitely Alice and Peter Pan!

4yo DD adores Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so any Roald Dahl.

SkiBumMum · 21/03/2013 22:32

Milli Molly Mandy. My 4yo loves it! We have the cd on a lot in the car. She has Teddy Robinson too but hasn't taken to that in the same way.

montmartre · 21/03/2013 22:33

Milly Molly Mandy
My Naughty Little Sister
Pippi Longstocking
Mrs Pepperpot
Moomins
When We Were Very Young, Now We Are Six, Winnie The Pooh
Wind in the Willows (arf!!)
Arabella and the Raven
James and the Giant Peach

BunnyLebowski · 21/03/2013 22:34

All Roald Dahl.

Mr Gum.

4 yr old DD (independent reader) is loving Pippi Longstocking right now. The Lauren Child redux version thingy.

montmartre · 21/03/2013 22:34

Peter Pan is way too old- my 7yo doesn't understand most of it!

Original poster
FCEK · 21/03/2013 22:43

I've tried her with the magic faraway tree but found I had to summarise it and speed read it because she was getting fed up and wanting to fast forward etc, so I don't think she's ready for that yet. Same with pippi longstocking.

However, we did read the enormous crocodile recently and she loved that.

I think the language and scenarios in some books might be out of date though?

OP posts:
Original poster
FCEK · 21/03/2013 22:45

and my naughty little sister might not be a good idea seeing as we aren't having any more kids and she's asking that question!

OP posts:
fruitpastille · 21/03/2013 22:49

I was thinking of Teddy Robinson. Old fashioned but nice. Am biased though as related to author! My 5 year old DS loves roald dahl.

montmartre · 21/03/2013 23:19

My 3yo adored 'Naughtiest Girl in School'- don't think he understood half the words, but he was entranced. Ditto Faraway tree.

anonymosity · 21/03/2013 23:48

I agree about Milly Molly Mandy - and very good at bedtime, they are gently sleep-inducing.

booksteensandmagazines · 22/03/2013 09:12

Fairy tales and myths and legends are good - not too long and quite exciting. Philip Pullman has just been quoted as saying how important it is that children read these type of stories.

megandraper · 22/03/2013 09:16

Ponder & William stories popular here with my 5yo and 3yo - nice and gentle. Not in print anymore but you can get second hand copies on Amazon.

DeWe · 22/03/2013 10:42

All mine loved the Little House books at that age.

Tubegirl · 22/03/2013 10:56

Gobbelino the Witches Cat by Ursula Moray Williams
The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
Road Dahl - all good some more suitable than others my dd (4) enjoyed The Twits enormously

DewDr0p · 22/03/2013 11:07

Does she still like picture books OP? I wouldn't rush onto chapter books if she's not ready, at this age the pictures are still important.

There are some good books that bridge the gap - Mudpuddle Farm by Michael Morpurgo is good - chapter book of short stories but lots of illustrations. Some Roald Dahl eg Enormous Crocodile, George's Marvellous Medicine, Fantastic Mr Fox. We have a Winnie the Witch book which again is chapter book style but loads of illustrations.

My dcs love Famous Five but 5 is perhaps a bit young for them. There is a book of Secret Seven short stories which might be worth a punt?

Wigeon · 22/03/2013 12:58

Have just finished The Magic Faraway Tree with DD (Reception, 4.9yrs) and have been wondering what to read her next, so thanks to this thread have had an Amazon spree (the used books on there are a bargain).

Have gone for My Naughty Little Sister (as DD has a naughty little sister!), James and the Giant Peach, Milly Molly Mandy and Mudpuddle Farm. Thank you for the recommendation DewDr0p on that one - hadn't heard of that book, but love Michael Morpurgo generally, and DD is beginning to read and I think we might be able to read some of it together.

Tubegirl · 22/03/2013 13:05

The Wishing Chair by Enid Blyton in similar vein to the Faraway Tree.

DewDr0p · 22/03/2013 13:10

Wigeon I found Mudpuddle Farm fab for reading together - we'd each pick a part and it's great for encouraging them to do silly voices etc - even a hesitant reader can join in and read the odd speech bubble here and there.

Campaspe · 22/03/2013 19:02

Usborne do abridged versions of the children's classics - probably worth a browse on Amazon.

careergirl · 23/03/2013 17:20

What about the Sheltie books? Even if not into ponies may like the story
Written by Peter Clover available at Amazon

montmartre · 24/03/2013 22:09

I've just thought of Katie Morag stories- they're a mixture of longer stories, but still with illustrations to each page.