Favourite children's books if you were born circa 1979

[recklessgran]

I've come up with the idea of giving one of my DD's a bundle of her favourite childhood books as part of her Christmas present so that she can read them again with her 3 year old over the coming years. I know this will mean a lot to her. The problem is that I'm struggling to think of enough of them. So far I've got the Velveteen Rabbit, Grandfather Gregory and the Brambly Hedge seasons books. I would really appreciate any help as I am struggling to remember which of the books we had belonged to which era given that I had 5 DD's spread out over 16 years. TIA

@CatteStreet I had a failed search for My Cat Likes to Sleep in Boxes just the other day, to get it for DD(4) as I loved it as a kid.

So many good books here - Ant and Bee being a particular favourite both for me, and DD.

I'm also enjoying revisiting Frog and Toad with DD.

For older kids, Which Witch is the book that stands out the most, I still quote from it from time to time (I last read it age 10, I'm now 41).

Ronia the Robber's Daughter
Goodnight Mr Tom
Back Home (I think that's the title, by Michelle Magorian sp?)
The Deptford Mice

They might be a bit old for what you have in mind though

Also enjoying revisiting My Naughty Little Sister, which DD loves (though some of it is quite traumatic and old fashioned in hindsight).

I have bought all the Ramona Quimby books again as an adult. They are just as good as when I was eight. And discovered there was one if not read! Happy days!

I loved the wind in the willows
Alice in wonderland
The witches
Anne of green gables
Toms midnight Garden
The Narnia books
But these are for older children really

Alpaca
Brambley hedge
Meg & Mog
Mog

Charlotte's Web
The Petite Prince
Stig of the Dump
The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tyler
Moondial
The World's Busiest People
The Purple People Eater
The Garden Gang series
Any Roald Dahl

Carbonel
Ballet Shoes
Ramona
The Magic Faraway Tree
The Worst Witch
My Best Fiend
Mardie and Lisbet

Probably not suitable for this gift idea(!), but does anyone remember this book of terrifying, but gripping stories?!

Oh and Harriet the Spy!

roald dahl was my favourite - had audio tapes and books - listen and read every day. judy blume (bit older than 5, i think i started at 8 ish)

i remover a book of spooky short stories - i think one was called the swan song - it still freaks me out now i am in my 40’s!

I was born 79 too.
Morris’ disappearing bag is fabulous. I loved it as a kid & my two still do.
On the way home by Jill Murphy is brilliant.
I used to love Enid Blyton & any Roald Dahl books too. Mr Men and Meg & Mog for younger children. There were some great pop up books by Jan Pienkowski (illustrator of Meg & mog books). Lots of Ladybird books & Ahlberg Happy Family series of books.

OMG thank you so much everyone - you've all made my day. I've found loads that I'd forgotten about. Now I've just got to track them down although I've found new editions of about half of the ones I'd like to get. I hope you're all enjoying all this nostalgia as much as I am.

I don't remember the scary book, but remember this noisy clock!

@YippeeKayakOtherBuckets

Oh it’s The King of the Copper Mountains, I’d misremembered.

I haven't RTFT but you're literally the only other person I've ever met (as such) who has ever referenced that book. It was SUCH a favourite of mine!

1976 baby here, but near enough. Loads already mentioned from my childhood, but also wanted to highlight some of my favourites:

Gobbolino the witch's Cat (read this to my DC over Halloween just gone and they loved it)
the Blackberry Farm series
Brambly Hedge
Little Grey Rabbit
Milly Molly Mandy
Mr Twiddle
Phoebe and the hot water bottles (found my old copy at the bottom of a trunk in my parents' garage! Was overjoyed as it's out of print)
The berenstain(?) bears: the new baby
Dogger
Mog the forgetful cat

Lovely idea and lovely thread!

I'm from that era too and have really strong memories of a book about a family (maybe human, maybe some sort of animal) who loved tomato sauce so the mum decided to feed them nothing BUT tomato sauce for a week.

Looking back I know that sounds really strange but does anyone else remember it?

What a lovely idea! And this thread has brought back some lovely childhood memories.

All of my favourites have been mentioned I think. I've just finished reading The Secret Island (Enid Blyton) with DD4 and it was such a joy to share it with her. I've been building up a collection of my favourites for a while.

Babar
Most Enid Blyton books
Woof
What Katy Did
Little Women
Heidi
The Hobbit
Chronicles of Narnia
The Borrowers
Black Beauty
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (most Roald Dahl's actually
The Naughty Little Sister

Oh and the jolly postman is lovely

@margotsdevil

I'm from that era too and have really strong memories of a book about a family (maybe human, maybe some sort of animal) who loved tomato sauce so the mum decided to feed them nothing BUT tomato sauce for a week.

Looking back I know that sounds really strange but does anyone else remember it?

Yes! That’s one of our top faves as well, but it’s very very hard to track down now. Luckily my mum still has our old copy. It’s one of the Garth Pig books - Mrs Pig’s Bulk Buy. www.goodreads.com/book/show/1160880.Mrs_Pig_s_Bulk_Buy I also liked the one where there’s a wolf as the babysitter and all the piglets are in a seven storey bunk bed.

Along with most of the ones already mentioned, in the same mental bucket as My Naughty Little sister books for me, are:

Mary Mary - re: cakes “take two cos they’re so small” and it’s fine to get chatting to neighbours in the street and to head off to cafes with them without telling your parents

Teddy Robinson - toys are real and often grumpy. I still think toys are probably real..

Mary Plain - bears who live in the open bear pit in Berne, and who go for tea with nice humans

Hallo Aurora
Barbapapa
Monster goes to school (etc)
The Three Robbers
Madeline books
Charlotte Sometimes

I loved the Enid Blyton books - St Clair's, Mallory towers, secret seven, famous five, children of cherry tree farm (I so wanted a pet squirrel)

Also loved the x 'o'clock tales', which were short stories there was one I loved which had stories of a matchbox girl, and a naughty pixie that came good, but can't for the life of me find it now!

The other one I loved included a story of a boy that thought an aubergine was growing in the garden but it was actually a whale (?), and there was another story in the same book about a coconut spider called Ariadne

I'm sure I didn't make these up as I vividly remember them and would love to find them again, but sadly suspect they may have been 'of their time' and are no longer available due to sexist/racist undertones (which I completely agree with but doesn't stop me being nostalgic for books that formed a big part of my childhood.....)

Sorry, not helpful but if anyone has any idea what I am talking about please shout!!

Think most have been mentioned but don’t think anyone has said the Gumdrop books? I loved these!