*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

[RubySparks]

From my childhood - though it was an old book even then - Mr Never Lost / Archibald Turnbull and classics Alice in Wonderland and Narnia and The Diddakoi/Rumer Godden
From my children's early years - Not now Bernard and Mr Frumble
Also we all loved Danny Champion of the World/Ruald Dahl

[MrsFrederickWentworth]

For very littlies, lullabies.

For the next stage up, Each Peach and Peace at Last.

For a bit older, Ferdinand the Bull, one of the few books to be banned, I think, by Congress but very gentle with wonderful illustrations, and No Matter What, which is a brilliant ending to any sort of day and has a gender unspecific parent. Leading in to The Adventures if the Little Wooden Horse and Moomintroll.

Then, the Laura Ingalls Wilders, which work for boys as well as girls, Kate Seredy's The Good Master and the Narnias.

Then the London Eye Mystery. Had everyone o. The edge of their beds.

[ChildOfThe1980s]

Under 5 - The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. Also The smartest giant in town and anything else by her.

5-8 - Anything by Roald Dahl, especially Mathilda. Also the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton.

8-11 - The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer.

Favourite - The Gruffalo.

[ChildOfThe1980s]

Also Narnia series for 8-11 year olds.

[DoItTooJulia]

Under 5 HUG. Brilliant book!
5-8. The snail and the whale
8 plus I'll love you forever.

favourite of all time? I'll love you forever. Because I'm soppy.

[OneTwoOrThree]

Loads of good recommendations, however one I haven't seen mentioned (under 5 category) is "Ouch in my Pouch". Wonderful rhyming story about getting a new sibling. I love it!!

[Hannah333]

We are going on a bear hunt or BFG!

[knitwitter]

Under 5s - The Noisy Way to Bed by Ian Whybrow. I read this so often to DS1 when he was a baby I was able to recite it to him without the book there, handy when nap time came around and we were out.
5-8 - Go to bed, Doodlehead, again by Ian Whybrow. A favourite of both DS's, and a handy reminder of why a proper bedtime is so important.
8+ All the Mr Gum books at the moment, hopefully this is as scary as bedtime reading will get!!!

[knitwitter]

Forgot my overall favourite. For me, this would have to be Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield.

[cheryl19843]

My little girl's favourite story at bedtime is mr pam pam or each peach pear plum. Also little rabbit foo foo! As a child I loved the Jodie smith and Eileen series.

[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.

[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.

[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)

[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.

[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

[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! :)

[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 . . .' :)

[Uptheairymountain]

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

[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.

[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.

[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

[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!

[CorrieDale]

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

[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

[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 :)