Recommendations for magical books

[Rapunzel88]

Hi, does anyone have any suggestions for books featuring magic to read to my seven year old? She says she particularly likes talking animals. We've just finished 'Gobbolino' and also 'Carbonel' which both feature talking cats, but happy to try other species! Both of these were lovely, but quite dated. Any thoughts on something a bit more modern?

You could try Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ...
No talking animals that I recall, but The Worst Witch is usually popular.
Narnia is the place for talking animals!

For a bit more modern, try this series nosycrow.com/product/witchworld/, though can't comment on the talking animals quotient!

Lovely suggestions--I will check them out. Thanks

I was going to suggest Narnia too. Lions, beavers, rats...

Not particularly modern either, but I read The Sword in the Stone to my boy and he particularly enjoyed the parts where Merlyn turns Wart into various animals as part of his 'eddication'. The duel between King Pellinore and Sir Grunmore had him in stitches. OK, it's from the 30s, but read out loud the language is rich yet reasonably accessible.

More up to date is Matt Haig's To Be A Cat: "Here's a secret I shouldn't really tell you, but I will because I just can't help it...Cats are magic. That's right. Cats. They're magic. They have powers you and I can only dream of having."

Enid Blytons's Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair series
Bella Donna series, especially Cat Magic
Hounds of Penhallow Hall
Bella Broomstick
Magic Animal Rescue
Kitty's Magic
Holly Webb's Winter Stories
Star Friends series by Linda Chapman

101 Dalmatians might be worth a go too, as the animals are the protagonists. Christmassy at the end as well.

If you can find them, Beverley Nichols "The Tree That Sat Down" trilogy, and "The Wickedest Witch in the World" would be perfect.