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Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

Original poster

Ballet shoes. Noel Streatfeild

204 replies

Orangeanddemons · 29/12/2013 15:53

Wow! It is fantastic isn't it? I'd forgotten how good it was!

Dd got some book vouchers for Christmas. Took her to get some books and found this. I bought it for me, and M reading it again. It wad my best boom ever when I was little, and it's still great now.

This version even has a bow on the cover! Dd hasn't even been able to get near it!

OP posts:
beatricequimby · 30/12/2013 00:09

Poppy - yes Ginny is the stroppy but fun one in The Bell Family.

2468Motorway · 30/12/2013 00:14

This is such a brilliant thread. Thanks.

I wasn't a massive Ballet Shoes fan but I read loads of Noel S. I have been trying to remember the name of The Painted Garden for years. I remember puzzling over the nature of Drug stores. No ones mentioned Thursday's Child. I absolutely loved that.

LaurieFairyCake · 30/12/2013 00:21

Girlwiththedirtyshirt - they have the Kidston edition on Amazon.co.uk Smile

2 second hand copies.

BelleOfTheBorstal · 30/12/2013 00:41

Oh, yes, Thursday's Child. I read that book over and over as a child.
I can be content in the knowledge that my daughter was enthralled when we read her Ballet Shoes.
Must go and see if I can find a copy of Thursday's Child.

JulesJules · 30/12/2013 05:23

I loved Growing Summer too.

Yes, the follow ups to A Vicarage Family - Beyond the Vicarage and Away from the Vicarage, I used to have those too.

If my dds don't want to read some of these, I'll read them aloud. Did that with Carbonel (Barbara Sleigh) - dd1 found the slightly dated language a bit hard to get into, but loved it when I read it to her. Sobbed at the end of course (me that is)

tribpot · 30/12/2013 07:59

Beyond the Vicarage and Away from the Vicarage are going for about 25-45 quid on Amazon at the moment, JulesJules, so if you've still got them somewhere I'd look them out :)

barbarianoftheuniverse · 30/12/2013 09:27

Why do you gasp at One End Street, Madam? It was such a loving portrait and almost unknown at the time to use a working class family and central characters. I have the sequels too, Holiday at the DEw Drop Inn, and Further Adventures.
Kate is a wonderful character, I remember sourcing her poems as a child (and wanting her Flower Show prizes!) So lovely when Mr Ruggles finally gets his pig...

MorrisZapp · 30/12/2013 09:32

See, this annoys me. My mum was wonderful at sharing and recommending books when I was a kid but she didn't tell me about this one, and I assumed from the title and cover that it was girly shite so I never read it.

Same with Little Women.

Feels weird when people talk about these books now, like I'm missing out. I can't see me reading them now, its all about childhood memories isn't it.

Footle · 30/12/2013 10:01

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Footle · 30/12/2013 10:03

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curlew · 30/12/2013 10:58

I always wanted to get Kipper Snacks for our cats because Kate gave them to Cuckoo-coo for a treat.........

curlew · 30/12/2013 11:00

The Painted Garden was about making a film of The Secret Garden.....

TheNightIsDark · 30/12/2013 11:02

I've not read it Morris. Have just put ballet shoes on kindle and will read it today. My mum didn't read to me because I could read she didn't see the point and whilst I devoured books I only got them from boot sales or charity shops. Ballet shoes appears to have slipped through the net for me!

greenhill · 30/12/2013 11:06

My 6yo DD got two copies for Christmas. I'm really looking forward to sharing it with her, as I never read it as a child either.

teacherwith2kids · 30/12/2013 11:33

Sadly, the Circus one HAS been renamed Circus Shoes.....

It's fun, though. DD likes that one best .

heartisaspade · 30/12/2013 13:01

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Mignonette · 30/12/2013 13:03

MrsSippie

I have recently re-read The Painted Garden. I really love it and it is quite bold in its depiction of the undoubted Clinical Depression that the Father suffers from.

Mignonette · 30/12/2013 13:08

Going a bit off piste but has anybody ever read a boarding school story called' Shirley Goes To Charterton?

I have read this so many times as having devoured the Blyton boarding school series I needed new blood. I found this in my Grandfathers bookshelves and he gave it to me. It is beautifully of its time with those slightly breathless upper middle speech patterns and expressions.

TheNightIsDark · 30/12/2013 14:03

I need to find the Enid Blyton circus books. I loved those.

This thread has some brilliant suggestions for DSD and DD.

Thank you!

SorrelForbes · 30/12/2013 14:50

I'm loving this thread. I've just gone and had a loving gaze look at my NS collection.

MrsSippie · 30/12/2013 14:57

Really looking forward to getting my Painted Garden!

Grennie · 30/12/2013 15:01

Was Lottie who learned to do trapeze at the circus, an End Blyton book.

SorrelForbes · 30/12/2013 15:01

It's a great book. I have this copy. I think the illustrations are by Shirley Hughes who also illustrated the My Naughty Little Sister books.

MrsSippie · 30/12/2013 15:01

Thursdays Child was fab too. Anyone old enough to remember the tv series ??

TheNightIsDark · 30/12/2013 15:02

That's the copy I just ordered Sorrell Grin

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