*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

[sonjachall]

Room on the Broom (Julia Donaldson) - favourite book for under 5s (babies to 4 year olds)
George's Marvellous Medicine (Roald Dahl) - favourite book for 5-8 year olds
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (JK Rowling) - favourite book for 8-11 year olds
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (JK Rowling) - overall favourite bedtime story of all time?

[ToffeeWhirl]

So hard to choose, but here goes:

Favourite book for under 5s: 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' by Judith Kerr.
Favourite book for 5 - 8: 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'
Favourite book for 8 - 11: 'Harry Potter' series
Overall favourite: 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea'

[MooseyMoo]

For under fives, I Like it When & Stick Man

When I was young, my favourite book was Dogger

[Nodney]

My DS favourite story is The Take of Peter Rabbit. Or Jeremy Fisher. Or The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. He practically knows the words to these and laughs at the same points everytime! He's been enjoying them since he was 3. He's 6 now. My all time favourite is the Ladybird tale of the escaping dog - Gingers Adventures. I love it and can still remember the words now!

[Elainey1609]

We have a cole of different treasurey book collections
Little ones get to pick from them ...normally classics
Paddington Beth, Winnie the Pooh, fairy tales, dr Seuss.
They also look at a non fiction book before bed and ask questions or show me stuff sort of a show and tell
I actually enjoy that bit it's educational for me
After showing me something or asking a question I often find my self googling g I formation not long afterwards lol

[TeaJunky]

DD did love - and still loves at times - each peach pear plum when she was little.

DD (4) loves Tatty Ratty by Helen Cooper, and so do I and DH. its a beautiful story about a little girl called Molly who loses her toy rabbit, and while trying to keep the tears at bay, mum and dad put together a story over the routine of a day/bath/bedtime, of what tatty ratty could be up to on his adventure away from home.
Gorgeous illustrations.

[BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum]

Under 5s: Dogger by Shirley Hughes, or The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson, or Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

5-8s: probably Danny the Champion of the World although they bloody loved the Magic Faraway Tree books which I found hideously dull. Oh and we all love the Teddy Robinson stories and The Adventures of the Bullerby Children by Astrid Lindgren.

8-11: We are currently reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone which is turning out to be a brilliant bedtime read - pacey, exciting and satisfying. I'd also add Stig of the Dump and Tom's Midnight Garden.

[lorisparkle]

Mine have all loved 'Owl Babies', and 'Where the wild things are'. My 5 year old loves 'Green Eggs and Ham' and my 7 year old loves any 'Horrid Henry'.

[lottietiger]

In our house its the Mr Men set, different story every night and then back to the beginning of the set. We also like 3 little pigs, the huff & puff bit always goes down well. For me as a child anything by Enid Blyton, the Famous Five, Faraway Tree, Enchanted Wood or as i got older Judy Blume.

[Droflove]

The magic faraway tree was just the most amazing story ever! I can't wait to read it to my little fellow. There are so many fantastic books though, it's hard to choose. Reading is such a gift, I spent many days curled up in some corner of the house as a child lost in a book thanks to good bedtime stories with my mum from as early as I can remember.

[k8vincent]

So many to choose from.
Under 5s - Dear Zoo never failed to delight and was requested above many others. Now DS3 (aged 3) is moving on to Gruffalo as favourite - but only if I do the voices.
5-8 year olds - We are loving the Harry Potter books. It has been great reading them with DS1&2, although I have recently been reading a chapter of Prisoner of Azkaban to DS2, followed by a chapter of Goblet of Fire to DS3. Also loving David Walliams books - especially Billionaire Boy.
8-11 year olds - Not quite there yet but looking forward to The Hardy Boys with my boys. I loved Nancy Drew as well.
overall favourite bedtime story of all time - bedtime story? Not sure. My best recent reading experience with my boys has been sharing my love of The Hobbit with them. It was fantastic to read them my favourite book and see how much they enjoyed it. I also rediscovered lots of things I had forgotten in the story.

[Happiestinwellybobs]

DD's favourite books (she's 2) are The Snail and the Whale and Dear Zoo at the moment. We also enjoy The Gruffalo and One Mole Digging a Hole.

As a very young child, I adored, "How Foal forgot to be Frightened" (Helen Piers). As a pre-teen I loved Famous Five books, "The Magic Faraway Tree", "The Wishing Chair", "Mrs Pepperpot"

Also "The Secret Garden" and "A Little Princess" (Frances Hodgson Burnett) and "White Boots" (Noel Streatfeild).

As a child I loved books. I would spend hours curled up reading one after another. DD is already showing signs of being the same :)

[lindat4683]

Jemima Puddle-Duck by enid blyton
as we capture memories with a glow,
Every book is ours to know
A smile is a treasure That I keep
even when my childs asleep.

[OneStepCloser]

For me its either the magic of The Faraway Tree or The wishing Chair, I loved those as a child, dd loved them and I`m looking forward to reading them to ds.

dd has just reminded me that her absolute favourite was Oscar Wildes The Nightingale and the Rose, made her cry every time but she insisted on it every evening (happy memories, sob)

[nickstmoritz]

under 5s
HUG by Jez alborough, The Dog by John Burningham
5-8
Frog and Toad are friends (any Frog & Toad book) by Arnold Lobel,
8-11
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (the whole set is amazing to read aloud)
Harry Potter set, War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Overall - very fond of Fog and Toad
Reading to the children at bedtime was one of my favourite bits of being a parent. All 3 of my children adored it & I did too.

[vestandknickers]

Uder fives has to be Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers. 5-8s Danny Champion of the World. Have just read it with my 7 year olds and they loved it. I can remember loving it as a child.
8-11s would have to be The Iron Man by Ted Hughes.
My favourite ever would be between Danny Champion of the World and Charlotte's Web. Can I have both?

[Bunnygotwhacked]

oh to choose
under 5's my favorite book to read to my children was
Where's my cow? by Terry pratchett it was fun for all of us to read and listen to can still remember the hv face when dd who had speech delay turned to her and went buggrit many millenium hand and shrimp it is foul ole ron that's not my daddy my proudest parenting moment
5-8 A necklace full of raindrops, a book i read when i was younger full of short storys/fairy tale type things i loved it and recently found it again on amazon and gave it too my children to read dd wasn't keen as it wasn't Jacqueline wilson but ds liked it.
8-11 The Hobbit nuff said

[muminthesun1]

The Smartest Giant in Town, Amazing Grace and The Lion who wanted to love.

[goldenretriever]

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

GRuffalo

• favourite book for 5-8 year olds
  

George's Marcellous Medicine

• favourite book for 8-11 year olds
  

THe BFG

• overall favourite bedtime story of all time?
  

GRuffalo

[Lilyloo]

As chosen by my dc

Favourite book for under 5s - You Choose
Favourite book for 5-8 - The story of the little mole who knew it was none of his buisness
Favourite book for 8-11 - Diary of a wimpy kid
Overall favourite story of all time - The very hungry Caterpillar

[SPBisResisting]

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

Mine - the tiger who came to tea, in particular "all the cars had their lights on". For my children, the snail and the whale.
favourites book for 5-8 year olds- famous five
favourite book for 8-11 year olds- lion witch and wardrobe series
overall favourite bedtime story of all time? Would have to be the tiger who came to tea. One of my earliest memories

[OldRoan]

Under 5 - The Tiger Who Came To Tea
5-8 - The Otter Who Wanted To Know
8-11 - When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

Overall...The Giving Tree makes me cry and cry - my parents never read it to me but my A Level English teacher did and it is a firm favourite now. My main memories are of bedtime stories in my parents' bed - dad in the middle, my sister on one side, me on the other and my mum switching sides brushing hair etc. Stories always had to be paused because my dad did silly voices and we got too overexcited! So it's maybe less about the book and more about the routine, I suppose.

[Merrilymerrilymerrily]

Under 5 - Very Hungry Caterpillar, Green Eggs and Ham
5 - 8 - Faraway Tree, BFG
8 - 11 - Anne of Green Gables, Hobbit
Overall - Hobbit

[butterflieffect]

For under 5's - Guess how much I love you by Sam McBratney

[GiraffesAndButterflies]

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

Each Peach Pear Plum by the Ahlbergs

• favourite book for 5-8 year olds
  

The Sheep-Pig by Dick King-Smith

• favourite book for 8-11 year olds
  

Harry Potter by JKR- all of them, but if I have to name one then I guess Philosopher's Stone, it pulls you in!

• overall favourite bedtime story of all time?
  

The Railway Children by E Nesbit. 'Daddy! My Daddy!'