Birthday Present Book for DS9

[barefootcook]

Each year I buy a special book for DS for his birthday. They are generally children's classics by an English author- ie Winnie the Pooh, Swallows and Amazons etc. This year he will be 9 and I am stumped as to what to buy. I tend to read the books to him so am not worried about the reading level but would prefer writing by an English author ( we are abroad) with a story that he will enjoy. Would love some ideas please.

The Chronicles of Narnia
The Hobbit
Five Children and It
Just William
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

Good suggestions, Krispie. We have just finished reading “My Family and Other Animals”, which my boy thought was hilarious. I would also recommend some of the others in the ‘Swallows & Amazons’ sequence; “Winter Holiday”, “The Picts and the Martyrs” and “We Didn’t Mean To Go To Sea” are among the best. The hardback editions with the maps on the endpapers are lovely, and often avaialable remaindered on eBay.

There are some lovely editions of children’s classics at the Folio Society shop, including “The Hobbit” and “The Wolves of Willoughby Chase”.

Street Child by Berlie Doherty (a modern classic)
Treasure Island
Tom's Midnight Garden
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Alice In Wonderland
The Borrowers

D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths

A 'classic' in more than one way!

Wind in the Willows
Tom's Midnight Garden
Phantom Toll Booth (American author)

George's secret key to the universe by Lucy & Stephen Hawking (yes that Stephen Hawking)