If we like Alfie and Annie Rose...

[breadandhoney]

...what else would we like?

I am looking for a "special" book or collection of stories to buy DD2 for her 1st birthday. I love reading Alfie and Annie Rose to dd1 (my mum read it to be as a child) and she enjoys the stories. She has The Big Alfie and Annie Rose Storybook. I had thought of The Alfie Collection for dd2, which has different stories but am I missing an opportunity to introduce a new collection of stories?

What would you recommend? Or would The Alfie Collection be your choice?

Nothing else is as good as Alfie and Annie Rose. My favourite was The Big Alfie and Annie Rose Outdoor Storybook. I buy it for lots of people.

A one-year-old would probably like 'The Baby Catalogue' - that's another one I miss reading and often buy as a new baby present.

We have loads if Alfie and Annie Rose books and DD adores them. We also have a large collection of the Mog books, favourite being Mog and the baby. For a 'special' keep book what about the wind in the willows hard back special addition or the paddingon bear books? DD latest favourite is Julia Donaldsons paper dolls - beautiful and made me cry! It's a keeper!

I haven't heard of the baby catalogue I'll have a look into that one.

I quite like the idea of a book to keep til she's older like the wind in the willows as it has been years since I thought about Paddington bear. Some great suggestions!

Am starting to feel bad that we didn't buy dd1 a "keep" present for her first birthday. She got a wheelie bug. A nice you that gets great use, though I doubt it will still be around when she's 14 like a book would be.

I would definitely agree with Mog if she likes Alfie and Annie Rose. DD had the Big Mog Storybook (think that was title) that had several stories in it. I don't think it had Mog's Christmas though, which you really should have at Christmas, so funny :)

Have you tried the other shirley Hughes ones - dogger?

Mine also adore the giant jam sandwich - another 'old' childrens book that has staying power.

Mine are also getting into Peter rabbit now but they weren't an instant hit, more of a grower! They do lovely 'keep' sets of those.

Oh yes, get Dogger. There are also the Lucy and Tom books by Shirley Hughes, they are lovely too.

You could get a nice hardback set of the Winnie the Pooh books. My older children (aged 7 and 9) love them.

And if you look at The Baby Catalogue, you could look at Peepo as well. The are both by the Ahlbergs and they are definetly toddler classics like Alfie and Annie Rose.

Presume you have got The Tiger who came to Tea. Same author as Mog. Even better IMO.

Other nice sets you could get for when she is older might be

Little Gray Rabbit (my favourite)
Brambly Hedge
Milly Molly Mandy
Narnia

You can also get beautiful prints of the illustrations from Little Gray Rabbit and Brambly. My dd aged 7 still reads these for the lovely pictures.

Right that's enough from me.

All the above are lovely ideas. Have you got 'Rhymes for Annie Rose'? We found a signed copy in a charity shop. Utterly gorgeous in every way.