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.

Hahaha, that is what dd did, before ripping him out .

All Rumer Godden’s books are wonderful, as mentioned by a pp.

All of my various children and pseudo children loved Dick King Smith’s Sophie books.

Have also just remembered the Carbonel stories after someone mentioned Gobbolino, I think they're probably about the right sort of age!

Also, Tom's Midnight Garden, The Borrowers, and Box of Delights?

Rumer Godden - yes, she's great!

I loved 'Miss Happiness and Miss Flower' as a child. I was desperate to make a Japanese dolls' house but my dad wouldn't play ball. I was also morbidly enamoured with 'Tottie', but, my goodness, it turns into the most Gothic of horrors at the end, so I wouldn't recommend it for a six year old.

If you were buying a Christmas present, 'The Story of Holly and Ivy' would be perfect. I still enjoy that one now!

I’ve been re- reading my copy of Story of Holly and Ivy. My copy says “ for sole readers” on the back, and age six looks about right to me. It has quite a magical, fairytale feel, with each word carefully chosen, almost a poem as much as a story.

The simultaneous dismissal of and anger toward a gender-non-conforming child on this thread is bizarre and unwarranted.

Book suggestions: the Lauren Child version of Pippi is still a bit dated, yes. How about one of the original Moomins books?

My dd also found the story about the boy who liked pink and sparkles completely unfathomable. What is rebellious about that? It was stupid inclusion and I didn't buy it for any of my other dds or nieces

I bought my gdaughter Black Beauty.

The Railway Children was another favourite of mine.

Now if theyd put the pink and sparkly child into the Boys Who Dare To Be Different version ot would have been great

Yes- I don’t understand why the gender non conforming boy is in the girl book. Can anyone explain?

I used to love The Ordinary Princess by MM Kaye - might have been a little older than 6 but close enough to grow into...

Oh, I adored Rumer Godden as a child! I'll see if there is a nice edition available.

She is the most wonderful writer. The Fairy Doll is wonderful, the Doll’s House so sinister, the Didakoi both heartbreaking and touching. I sobbed and sobbed when the old horse died.
I have read her adult novel The Greengage Summer, and loved that too.

Swallows and Amazons were favourites here. The hard back editions are beautiful.

So I decided on Heidi, and Child's Garden of Verses, but I'm getting the Rumer Godden for my own DD. Lovely suggestions all.

Great choices, OP - I hope your DD and GD have a wonderful time reading them with you.

I loved both of those books as a child OP.

You can get nice box sets of the classic roald dahl books that can be read along with an adult.

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

How about the Madeline books by Ludwig Bemelmens?

I have a Madeline if my own and she was bought a beautiful hardback set for her 3rd birthday and we both read them all the time. Classic, simple and amusing storylines and great illustration.

The Velveteen Rabbit
Stig of the Dump
The Animals of Farthing Wood