*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

[ScienceRocks]

Oh, I forgot Once There Were Giants. I always get something in my eye when I read that book. It's great for emerging readers, as there is a lot of repeating text and it also is a good talking point. My two DDs love it.

[HerRancidSow]

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

Really tricky, this one. Hard to choose between Lullabyhullabaloo and Nothing (both Mick Inkpen), Jump In, Fix-it Duck or Where's Tim's Ted?

• favourite book for 5-8 year olds
  

The Owl who was afraid of the Dark

• favourite book for 8-11 year olds
  

The 101 Dalmations

• overall favourite bedtime story of all time? Has to be The 101 Dalmations. It is a wonderful story to read aloud, and can be enjoyed by 5 year olds and up. I'm looking forward to reading it to my grandchildren (when I have some!).

[MTBMummy]

favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds) Mr Men Series - DD has loved the bright colours from a young age and enjoyed the stories as she got older
favourite book for 5-8 year olds The Witches by Roald Dahl, I was read this by my first year primary teacher, and have just started it with DD
favourite book for 8-11 year olds The Phantom Toll Booth - I loved this as a child and have bought a copy as an adult
overall favourite bedtime story of all time? Has to be the Phantom Toll Booth byt Norton Juster, there aren't many books I read as a child which I will happily re-read as an adult (well ok anything by Roald Dahl too)

[Belugagrad]

Whatever next- Jill murphy (best overall)
The jolly witch- dick king smith
Mr. Majeika

[BellaVida]

My favourites were Mrs Pepperpot, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Wishing Chair, My Naughty Little Sister, Little Women, The Little Match Girl.

When I was very young I loved the Ladybird books- Chicken Licken, Sleeping Beauty, The Magic Porridge Pot, Rapunzel, Sly Fox and Red Hen, the Elves and the Shoemaker, the Enormous Turnip....all of them really!

For my under 5's, I have bought a lot of my old favourites for the children and a lot of the modern favourites, like The Hungry Caterpillar, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, the Gruffalo, Snail and the Whale, the Large Family stories, Bear Hunt, Hairy Maclary.

For the older age range, my eldest 3 children, all 7 years old plus, are reading anything from Roald Dahl to Jacqueline Wilson and even going to bed with children's encylopeadias. They still enjoy a bedtime story, but are more than happy to read themselves in bed.

[IncaAztec]

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)
  

Current favourite is 'No Bed Without Ted' (my two year old), lift the flaps and involves bed and bath time.

• favourite book for 5-8 year olds
  

Seem to like t.v. tie in's at this age so Angelina Ballerina (invite to the ballet or any of the other ones) or even Dr Seuss!

• favourite book for 8-11 year olds
  

The Witches by Roald Dahl - scary but not too scary or any of the Harry Potter books.

• overall favourite bedtime story of all time?
  

Guess how much I love you. Its a bit of a weepy though!

[MrsGeologist]

Under fives - DS1 loves The Highway Rat and DS2 loves Dear Zoo (as did DS1)
I don't have any over fives but I loved The Lorax when I was younger and the Worst Witch books.
8-11 I really like the Hobbit.

My overall favourite is The Lorax. I bought a copy for DS1 and he likes it, but I think some of it goes over his head a bit (he's only three).

[CMOTDibbler]

Tinies - Apple, Pear, Orange, Bear by Emily Gravett or Giggle, Giggle Quack by Doreen Cronin

5-8 - Not absolutely sure yet as ds is 7 and we are working our way through some books of my childhood. But this week we are reading A River at Green Knowe by Lucy Boston and the writing is just amazing.

Can I nominate an author too? It would have to be Margaret Mahy as I've read books by her for all ages from tiny to teens and they are all fantastic. DS still loves the Man Whose Mother was a Pirate which is fabulous writing

[LeMousquetaireAnonyme]

I can't believe there no Oliver Jeffers' book cited yet!

Under 5 "How to catch a star" or "Lost" both DDs love them and they bring a tear in my eyes every time.

(May I add under 2? "dear zoo")

5-8 DD1 really liked "the wizard of oz"

8-11 not there yet but she is devouring "the famous five", at her age I was past them and mine would be "the little house in the prairie".

There is too many good books out there to have only 1 favourite, also the age band are too wide. You learn a lot and change a lot between 5 and 8 (for example!), children have to learn about diversity and experience new thing all the time. Reading a favourite over and over again, and only that, is not that constructive.

My personal favourite is "The 3 musketeers" (11+) I have read it many times but I have not read only that.

I think that bedtime story, past 6, is all about freedom and a whole new world opening to you independently from your parents. Even before 6 you should have control of choice but new experiences as well (i.e. chosen by parents).And I say that as a child who didn't have any bedtime story.

[Lambethmum]

under 5s - 'owl babies' and 'not now bernard'

[snowymum12]

Under 5 has to be 'The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh and Judith Abbott, it's gorgeous!
5-8, for me is 'Giraffes Can't Dance', it's a lovely little read and really uplifting.
8-11 anything by Michael Murpurgo is always a decent read.

Best bedtime story of all time...in our house it's The Gruffallo. I love a circular story and this is the cream of the crop!

[Picklepepperpiper]

Under five: Owl Babies or 'Baby Owls' as it was known it our house. This was a favourite for a long time and my dd knew it off by heart at the age of 2.

I can't wait until she is older and we can start with Roald Dahl books, the first one we start with will be The Witches or Matilda.

[llynnnn]

Under 5's - peepo,
5-8's - tiddler, gruffalo, superworm, or anything by Julia Donaldson/axel schleffer!
8-11's - Charlie and the choc family, Matilda, twits.

My favourite overall for my children is tiddler by Julia Donaldson. My favourite all time from my childhood was the magic faraway tree by Enid blyton. I read that over and over and adored it :)

[UnitedZingDom]

guess how much I love you

[olivo]

Under 5, it has to be Day Monkey, Night Monkey, it is just fabulous and I, I mean Dd, loves the rhymes and the craziness of it.

[majjsu]

My LO who is under 5 loves fairytales ie Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears...

For the age 8-11, I loved Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery.

[LoveBeingItsABoy]

Have to say its Each peach, pear, plum

[kellyscarlett]

my kids scarlett (8) and cohen (5) love the jolly postman they love opening the letters!

[Merrylegs]

Dogger by Shirley Hughes. For any age. By the time we get to 'Then Bella did a very kind thing' there's not a dry eye in the house. And then it ends so brilliantly. Marvellously satisfying. An emotional rollercoaster.

[Willdoitinaminute]

Under 5 - The Gruffalo
5-8 - The Twits
8-11 How to Train your Dragon

[justsailingthrough]

I still read to my 2 children (12 and 9), and we take it in turns to choose a book. Over the last few months we have been reading the Swallows and Amazon series and are now on book 5. they have both been really inspired by the adventures which are real and achievable. this summer they have both been sailing, the 12 year old always imagines he is captain john, the 9 year old feels she is in the coot club. I think that the bedtime read for us really brings us together, they both still look forward to it, and it has given us endless topics to talk about.

[AugustRose]

My childrens' favourites are old books passed down from their brother (just about to turn 17).

For the 2 year old: little board books about a bear called Brendon; At the Park, At the Farm, At the Beach - they are really bad but he loves them and wants them over and over again. Currently going through Meg and Mog books too.

For the 6 year old: books about a car called Gumdrop and his owner Mr Oldcastle, she loves them and now she can read them herself. They were bought for our oldest child by his Grandad who passed away 5 years ago so they are very special.

11 year old: absolutely anything she can get her hands on!

We have so many favourites but I would have to say anything by Julia Donaldson, my overall fave being Room on the Broom.

[weebarra]

Under 5's:
Dogger
Peepo
V hungry caterpillar
Sharing a shell
Dear Zoo

5-8:
DS1 loves Roald Dahl, think he would probably recommend James & Giant Peach and the Witches.

[LittleMissSnowShine]

Favourite book for under 5s - Very hard to narrow down because we do love a few old favs like The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Peace at Last mixed with a few newer ones, esp Moon Rabbit by Natalie Russell and A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton