Need some book ideas for (nearly) four year old DD...

[GreenPeas]

Despite shelves heaving with books (my mum is particularly fond of buying them as gifts) we're down to two favourites at bedtime. Much as I love Emily Brown and Katie Morag they're starting to drive me bonkers so any suggestions much appreciated.

I think DD likes those two because (a) the main protagonist is a girl and (b) there's quite a bit of story to go with the pictures. Is there anything similar out there which might rescue me?

Needless to say, DD would happily not listen to anything else...

Eat your Peas (the Daisy books)
Charlie and Lola ( the original ones like I will never ever eat a tomato)
Winnie the Witch

Agree, all the Daisy and Winnie the Witch books are brilliant - this set is a great buy - DD loves listening to the CDs at home and in the car.
Lauren Child's 'Beware of the Storybook Wolves' and 'Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book?' are about a boy, Herb, but are great stories and very funny. Also suggest the Olivia books by Ian Falconer, and the Mr Pusskins books by Sam Lloyd, about another Emily, and her cat Mr Pusskins.

mr pusskins is genius. i love reading those books.

charlie and lola definitely.

Charlie and Lola are great but currently out of favour. Mr Pusskins, Winnie the Witch and Daisy are all new to me - hurray! Will go and peruse Amazon...

Have a look on The Book People's website.

a) the books are cheap, and so if your DD doesn't like them, it's not too much of a waste,

b) they often do sets which can relieve the boredom, but keep the same characters etc, and

c) They are very good at including the target age, and have good pics as a guide.

The other option is to take your DD to either the library or a book shop and let her have a flick through the books and chose which ones she wants (highlight of my Saturdays when I was young - but I am a big ol' bookworm!). Good luck!

I often forget about the Book People - we have a set of Angelina I got from there which I am slowly releasing to DD a book at a time. We do have a fantastic local library but the books are fairly chaotic which is great if you have lots of time to peruse but not brilliant if you are also trying to corall (sp?) an energetic 18 month old. Plus DD is not adventurous in her choices and given half a chance will choose a much simpler book which she'll bore of quickly.

I saw a new Emily Brown in the bookshop yesterday but it was in hardcover, grrr.

i dont have suggestions - too long ago to remember but recently discovered this website which i have found very useful

actually just remembered pumpkin soup and the sequels - these are fab and each dc demanded them nightly. and lullabyhullubyloo was also a firm fave

Blue Kangaroo series

Fancy Nancy series (I enjoy these as much as my dd; they have wonderfully detailed illustrations, a bit of humour and some quirky vocabulary)

Olivia.

Greenpeas - was that Emily Brown and the Thing? I have it from the library it's great.

There's also a series called Titchy Witch.

I would even try some chapter books. If she's into stories, she may have the concentration. Roald Dahl, of course, at the moment my daughter loves the seriously silly stories
www.anholt.co.uk/bookshop/seriously-silly

My DD (4 last weekend) loves "rude" books like Pooh, is that you Bertie, and books she can join in with, like Albie, There's a Shark in the Park etc. We all like the Gruffalo and all other Julia Donaldson books. She got The Stick Man for her birthday, which is fantastic.

She loves the Mr Men books. I find them pretty tedious!!

Perfect time for MillyMolly Mandy

And you must read her The Magic Faraway Tree She'll love you forever

If you want to stick to picture books which will grow with her the Barefoot Books are ace

Ooh, Milly Molly Mandy... I loved her when I was a small girl. May get one out of the library and see if DD is ready for them yet. I'm sure I've got my old Enid Blyton's in the attic somewhere as well.

Notimetoshop - it wasn't the Thing one, it was a new Emily Brown. EB & the Elephant Emergency.

And yes, Mr Men books - completely tedious. I hide them.