What is the _loveliest_ children's book you have ever read?

[lisalisa]

My personal favourite in the "loveliest" stakes is Lulie the Iceberg. Every time I read it with my dcs we are captivated by the beautiful art work and vibrant colours and the depth and breadth of description of Lulie the Iceberg's journey from the Artic to Antartica as well as the sheer variety of wildlife all beatifully illustrated.

It is a real feel good book and not only entertains and marvels but also sparks questions and discussions with dcs about geography and animals.

Quite the loveliest book I have seen and shared with my dcs......

What is yours?

I love Oscar Wilde's "the happy prince" It is sad and still makes me cry to this day but is also beautiful. Perhaps will save that one till ds is a bit older, or do what my mum did and tell him they all lived happily ever after.

Just wanted to add:
Little Grey Rabbit stories (Alison Uttley)
Teddy Robinson (Joan G Robinson)
Brambley Hedge (Jill Barklem)

Also agree about Beatrix Potter.

We love 'Smartest Giant in town' - Julia Donaldson. We have the CD of the slightly strange Julia donaldson and husband singing it as well and it always makes me well up.

I have bought Velveteen Rabbit - and it's on the shelf waiting for when my girlies are a bit older.

All of the Oscar Wilde short stories are excruciatingly lovely - my mum always read them to us when we were growing up. The nightingale and the rose is tragically beautiful. Again, something for when the dd's are a bit older.

I adore 'The Snail and the Whale' by Julia Donaldson. It never fails to move me.

Also 'Come to Tea on Planet Zum-Zee'. Its such a lovely, lively rhyming story, both ds' love it. I'm at work so can't check the author.

I love Ten Little Fingers, Ten Little Toes. It has a lovely cuddly ending.

No Matter What, by Debi Gliori. Deeply moving and quite helpful for any tiny tots dealing with the loss of a grandparent, for e.g. It's all about how you love your child unconditionally, even when they behave like little horrors. Eventually the little fox asks his mummy if she will still love him when he's dead and and gone and she says something like "love, like starlight, never dies" - SOB! It's all in rhyming verse.

Also, for the utter beauty of the illustrations, and the magic of the story, The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis - if you have a DD aged 3ish - you must buy or borrow immediately!

Absolutely love "The Lorax" by Dr Seuss. Fabulous message which is so apt for our world today. That guy was so ahead of his time...genious!

Owl Babies gets my vote

The Big Big Sea
The Quangle Wangle Quee

I just love "Stick Man" by Donaldson/Scheffler.

"Stick Man lives in the family tree with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three!' It's so beautiful to read!!!

Girafes Can't dance
The Lorax by Dr Suess (infact, anything by Dr Suess)
No Matter What
Guess How Much I love You
The Flower
The Other Ark by Lynley Dodd
The Dudgeon is Coming by Lynley Dodd
Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes
Aliens Love Underpants
Dinosaurs Love Underpants

Okay the last two aren't lovely but DS has the most delicous chuckle and he laughs all the way through!

Can't believe I forgot it but The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungary Bear by Don Wood is the best book ever. I had it when I was very little and have remembered it, every detail of every picture is in my head, so I had to track it down when I had DS.

The Good Master, by Kate Something-Hungarian. A magical book with beautiful illustrations.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss. I quote from it frequently, much to DH's incomprehension.

The Pookie books (does anyone remember them?) about a little white rabbit which suddenly grows wings. A bit twee, perhaps, but very special when you are about 6. (And a girl).

Slinki Malinki - DD's absolute favourite, to be read every night, even if she falls asleep before the first word.

The Martin Pippin books by Eleanor Farjeon, for children of about 8 up.

The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden, for older children. I love this book. I even read it to dh before we had children.

I just don't get the owl babies thing! We got it in the bookstart pack too - had me and my mum in hoots of laughter. We thought it was unutterably dull and the owls had daft names... Am I going to get kicked off the thread?

I second the Diddakoi for older kids - must find myself a copy.

One of my favourites from childhood (which my mum dragged out for DD the other day) is Burglar Bill. Think it's an Allen Ahlberg one

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury

we love owl babies - DS (22 months) was spellbound by it. It probably helps that he is fascinated by owls but he listens so seriously and then whispers mumma when the Owl Mother comes back. Think it does need to be read with a bit of dramatic effect - particularly Bill's part.

LOVE Allan Ahlberg (sorry for shouting, but I really love him) and so have to say thumbs up for Peepo. I also love the postmen books for when they get older with all those inserts and letters. In fact I can't think of anything he's done that I haven't liked (except for the baby catalogue, which I vaguely didn't get).

Love Monkey puzzle. It's just so adorable. My dd is now 8 and we cleared out most of her baby books, but these two had to stay.

I loved This is the Bear, the story of a little boy whose bear gets thrown in the rubbish heap and it's all about how he finds him. I just love the bear.

For fun I like Little Rabbit Foo Foo and Giraffes Can't Dance.

Why are kids books SO much nicer to read and look at that grown ups books.

another whale and the snail fan here ! and "the giant jam sandwhich" for the most delicious rhyming of any book

I have to say that I LOVED The Enchanted Library by Karen Andrea. Its a wonderful magical book that grabs you right from the start and leaves you with a warm glow at the end - like all the best stories do! It manages to be really engaging and entertaining, at the same time it encourages reading and the wonders of the imagination. I read it every night when my 10 year old niece was staying over, and we ended up fighting over it! lol!!! Now I've bought my own copy

Its aimed at 8-12's, but I think parents will love it too. Check it out online at:

www.amazon.co.uk/Enchanted-Library-Karen-Andrea/dp/1849231826 - 206k -

Any more recommendations of magical tales for the next time my niece visits???

So Much by Trish Cooke.

It's a great book in its own right, but I love it mainly because it's ds's very favourite and the first one where he's memorised most of the words and anticipates what comes next, so it's special for me.

Owl Babies
any Alfie and Annie Rose
Charlie and Lola
Peepo (fabulous book)
Kiss Goodnight Sam (great book about bedtime)

Love Alfie and Annie Rose and Charlie and Lola because my two used to be Alfie and Annie Rose and now they've grown a bit and are Charlie and Lola! Makes me a bit sad but glad that they're growing up and are so smashing!

They actually used to look like Alfie and Annie Rose but now look like Charlie and Lola.

Anything by Shirley Hughes