*NOW CLOSED* What's your favourite bedtime story of all time? Do tell (and you could win a bundle of children's books worth £100) *NOW CLOSED*

[JaneMumsnet]

Hello,

This October, we'll be publishing The Book of Bedtime Stories by Mumsnet and Gransnet - a collection of ten brilliant original bedtime stories written by the winners of our bedtime stories competition with Walker Books. Watch this space - from over 400 entries, former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen selected the ten winners, and the stories are beautifully illustrated by up-and-coming artists.

To launch the book, we'll be taking a nostalgic look at bedtime stories, and we'd love to know: what's your favourite bedtime story of all time?

Maybe it's one that you read were read as a child, and now read to your children? A magical picture book for babies and toddlers or a page turner under the covers, for older kids? Take a look at our children's book reviews if you need your memory jogged.

We'd love to hear what you think, so if you have a second, please tell us your:

• favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds)
  
• favourite book for 5-8 year olds
  
• favourite book for 8-11 year olds
  
• overall favourite bedtime story of all time?
  

All posters who tell us about their favourite books on this thread will be entered into a prize draw - one MNer will win a bundle of children's books worth £100.

Many thanks,

MNHQ

[Cies]

My children are only 3 and 9 months, so I only have experience of the first category. We love anything by Shirley Hughes. Alfie if we have time, or one of the Nursery Series if time is short.

I'm looking forward to reading Roald Dahl with them when they're older, especially The Twits and Danny Champion of the World.

[BikeRunSki]

[Grin] Thank you. Brilliant end to a really good day.

Jane, I have replied to your PM.

[ToffeeWhirl]

Well done, BikeRunSki. Am not jealous AT ALL .

[JaneMumsnet]

Thanks for all your brilliant responses, and for reminding us of all these real treasures.

Whenever you have a moment, do review your favourite books in our children's book review section so others can share these great tales.

The thread is now closed, and the winner of our £100 bundle of books, selected at random, is.... .... BikeRunSki.

Congratulations BikeRunSki - you'll receive your books in early September.

MNHQ

[manfalou]

• favourite book for under 5s- Dear Zoo
  
• favourite book for 5-8 year olds - Monkey Puzzle
  
• favourite book for 8-11 year olds - The BFG
  
• overall favourite bedtime story of all time? The 3 little pigs

[slev]

- favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds) - changes every day in our house (DS is 3.5) - The Tiger Who Came To Tea, Each Peach Pear Plum, Countworm, Topsy & Tim, Thomas The Tank Engine are all popular at the minute as well as the Usbourne Fairy Tales
- favourite book for 5-8 year olds - really can't remember what fits into this age group, but looking forward to reading things like Winne the Pooh
- favourite book for 8-11 year olds - from memory it was anything by Enid Blyton - either Famous Five/Secret Seven or Malory Towers/St Clare's. I always loved the Chalet School too was very upset my parents didn't want to pack me off to boarding school We'll probably include Harry Potter when DS is old enough
- overall favourite bedtime story of all time? - really tough call. But as an adult, I've saved all my old Enid Blyton's for DS so I'll go for one of those

But it's very hard to choose - we're big readers in our house and really hope DS turns out the same

[Skippers]

Gosh, so many but for my almost three year old: Dig, Dig, Digging by Margaret Mayo, Nothing by Mick Inkpen, The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson (a masterpiece) and Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. Loads more but they're the favourites :)

[stephgr]

my favourite for 5 - 8 years is james and the giant peach by Roald Dahl. I loved it when I read it at about the age of 8 or 9 and my daughter adores it
for under 5s it's Mrs Tiggiwinkle. My daughter loved it and my son is now a big fan.

[BikeRunSki]

DS (5 in 3 weeks) announced tonight that "Stuck" by Oliver Jeffers was his favourite book and I am inclined to agree.

[insertsomethingwitty]

My favourite ever book was If you give a mouse a cookie.

I have tried to get hold of a copy for the DC but have yet to find one.

[sealight123]

We all have different favourites in our house. My 2 year old daughter currently loves her old disney books (that used to be her dads) and strangely a non fiction book about dinosaurs...but she loves to read everything. Myself, I love a good old Dr Seuss book and a bit of Roald Dahl, especially The Twits!! :) My boyfriend, and daughters dad, is rather partial to the tiger that came to tea but I think the best overall bedtime book is Elmer the patchwork elephant :)

[Firewall]

• favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds)
  

Hungry caterpillar

• favourite book for 5-8 year olds
  

Roald Dahl books. George's marvellous medicine

• favourite book for 8-11 year olds
  

Charlottes web

• overall favourite bedtime story of all time?
  

The tale of Peter rabbit

[CorrieDale]

Whoop! Forgot the overall favourite. I love owl babies. But I think the Amelia Jane stories would win with the children.

[CorrieDale]

Picture book - the baby who wouldn't 't go to bed. Beautiful illustrations and a loving ending.

5-8. Naughty Amelia Jane. Both my children love them. Gender neutral so great for joint stories.

9-11. Harry potter. We've only find up to book 3 yet - I suspect the later books will not be conducive to s peaceful night's sleep!

[drnismith]

The Witch and the Rainbow Cat from Fairy Tales by Terry Jones. It might not put them to sleep but it still makes me feel emotional when I read it aloud after all these years

[Jinty64]

Under fives - Dogger by Shirley Hughes. I know it by heart now.

5-8 years - The Mog books are ds3's favourite and, unfortunately Horrid Henry.

8-11 years - The Famous Five/Secret Seven books.

Overall favourite - Dogger.

[MiniTheMinx]

Under 5's, A New House For Mouse was a favourite with DS2. Its a great story with lovely bright water colour illustrations and die cut pages making it interactive.

5-8, ooh, too many but an absolute favourite has to be Rudyard Kipling's The Elephant's Child

"what have you done to your nose?'

'I got a new one from the Crocodile on the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River,' said the Elephant's Child. 'I asked him what he had for dinner, and he gave me this to keep.'

'It looks very ugly,' said the Baboon.

'It does,' said the Elephant's Child. 'But it's very useful,' and he picked up his hairy uncle the Baboon and hove him into a hornet's nest.

8-11, the children read to themselves anything and everything that interests them, from Horrible Histories to my books which keep turning up in their room! Favourites appear to be anything to do with sinking ships, tanks, money/economics/politics, WWII or archaeology.

[Uptheairymountain]

My 15 month old DD loves Peepo and One Ted Fell Out Of Bed.

[ViviDeBeauvoir]

wigglesrock - Owl babies is a great choice!
When DD was about a year old we had to recite the book to her when she got upset (even in the supermarket) as it was the only thing that calmed her down!
'Once, there were three baby owls . . .' :)

[ViviDeBeauvoir]

My DC love stories at bedtime. They are 4, 2 and 7 months so short but sweet is good. At the moment they love Maisy Mouse, Meg and Mog (thanks Uncle R!) as well as Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel and Beauty and the Beast.
All time favourite for DD and DS1 (DS2 doesn't really get a say) is Penguin by Polly Dunbar.

For me I vividly remember my dad reading to me every night.
He used to read the narnia books which I adored (Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawntreader were my favourites).
He also used to read me The Hobbit complete with voices - his Gollum was amazing - he really brought the book to life. I remember him reassuring me about the scary bits and found myself actually feeling a little sorry for Gollum!
I still enjoy fantasy books now and can't wait for my DC to be old enough to appreciate them so I can re-read them myself! :)

[wigglesrock]

Our favourite for under 5s is Owl Babies - I have 3 kids, so we change their names and all take a turn reading their lines. We also love Boomerang Bear, especially when Santa delivers him back!

5-8 - The Legend of Spud Murphy and the younger Eoin Colfer books, The Worst Witch books and also the Jill Tomlinson animal stories.

8-11 year olds. My eldest daughter is 8. She loves the St Clare books and the Maisie Hitchins detective stories. Also Harry Potter

Overall - Owl Babies

[BikeRunSki]

My children are only 4 and 1. DS (4) loved "Monkey and Me" by Emily Gravett. It has a lovely pace, lots of repetion and some gentle surprises. DD now loved it too, and DS " reads" it to her.

[Theimpossiblegirl]

Under 5s: Little Rabbit Foo or The Gruffalo
5-8: Any Roald Dahl, the Twits is a favourite in this house.
8-11: Harry Potter
Fave of all time: Little Rabbit Foo or The Gruffalo
(as voted for by Theimpossiblechildren)

[wavesandsmiles]

I love books - in our house we not only have lots of books I have gathered since having my DCs (9, 7 and 3 weeks) but a lot of the children's books from when I was a child .

• favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds)
  

Tyranosaurus Drip was a favourite for ages and ages and I STILL know all the words (really lovely take on the ugly duckling theme) but for a total classic that DD sometimes still asks for on poorly days, Each Peach Pear Plum

• favourite book for 5-8 year olds
  

Well, DS enjoyed Harry Potter at the later end of this, and DD is enjoying anything by Roald Dahl especially for bedtime stories. We lost my dad suddenly a couple of years ago and found that "No Matter What" was a hugely comforting story to read at bedtime.

• favourite book for 8-11 year olds
  

DS1 is in this age bracket now, and is usually found WAY past official bedtime with a torch under the duvet. Skulduggery Pleasant are his favourites, although we love to share the reading of the Chronicles of Narnia.

• overall favourite bedtime story of all time
  

So hard to pick just one..... I think, because it gave us so much comfort, it would be No Matter What, but in terms of my favourite story to read to and with my children, it would be Haroun and The Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie.

[raetro]

My favourite with my children was We're Going on a Bear Hunt. We would go through all the actions and all with such vigour an enthusiasm it still makes me smile now. Happy childhood times in our household. My son was so hyperactive it would let him act out some of that but end on a quiet note which wound him down again.