A classic book for my goddaughter

[drspouse]

I want to get her a classic read-aloud (so it doesn't have to be completely readable by her) in a nice edition. She's just about to turn 6.

I was thinking about Pippi Longstocking in the Lauren Child edition but I seem to remember there might be some borderline racist or at least heavily 1950s bits? Anyone read this edition?

What else would you recommend? I think they probably have Winnie the Pooh, Narnia and Roald Dahl.

What about Alice in Wonderland?

I have to say I found that really scary as an (older) child!

Aw, that's a shame. I remember my mum reading it to me when I was about six, and I loved it. Another classic I loved at that age was Heidi.

What about Mary Poppins or Paddington?

My godchildren at a similar age also started to enjoy Greek, Roman and Viking myths. There are some nice editions told in a child-appropriate way!

That could work!
I also thought of Little House in the Big Woods and while that one is fine, the later ones have language that REALLY needs editing for a younger reader and in fact her mum will probably be a bit if I choose those (as would I if someone chose them for my DD).

The Wind in the Willows.
I've an audiobook of it read by Sir Derek Jacobi and it calms me down on shitty commutes!

Oops "that" meant Heidi but Mary Poppins would also be good. I suspect they will have Paddington.
Myths are a good idea too!

Op there is a high chance she will already have these books

So why not going for something a little more obscure?

Heidi
Ballet shoes

Ballet Shoes will be good in a year or two.

Charlottes web
The Borrowers

The magic far away tree. I absolutely loved it.

Not a classic novel but how about Goodnight stories for rebel girls? It's a really lovely book, which has always been well received as a gift. My 12yo still loves hers.

The myths have reminded me, we had an edition of Aesop's fables that my sister and I used to enjoy reading/having read to us when we were small.

Charlotte's Web.

x-post but happy there are more votes for Heidi

Myths can be quite gruesome.

There are some lovely editions around illustrated by Robert ingpen of classics. Dd has this one of the secret garden and the pictures are beautiful. She has the Peter pan in the same series too.
www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Garden-Templar-Classics-Ingpen/dp/184877446X

When we were very young. A.A.Milne

How about a Robert Sabuda pop up book? The illustrations are amazing. He's done Alice in Wonderland and also The Wizard of Oz I think. Books that are a little bit special and can be treasured. You can get them on amazon.

I agree - ballet shoes
Something to grow in to

Also, The Faraway Tree books are great.

What about the Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf collection? They were given as a gift to my DD at about that age and she absolutely loved them. I had never heard of them so she would otherwise have missed out. They are great fun to read out loud too. Puffin now do all four books in a Complete Works volume.

Another vote for the magic faraway tree and the enchanted wood. I read it as a class novel to my year 2s and they loved it

Don’t buy her Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls, it has all these amazing women, and then one small boy, who has done nothing at all of note, other than have parents bullying enough to force his school to let him use the girls’ facilities, because he likes pink, and sparkles.
Made my dds ragey. I suppose it shows patriarchy in action though..

A couple more I loved, non-scary despite mention of witches

The Worst Witch
Gobbolino the Witch's cat