Miss Grainger Suggests (TM)

[binkie]

Following on from masses of threads about book recommendations for particular kinds of children, and the depressingness of school library resources: a suggestion: we pool our knowledge and put together a range of booklists.

First step is to decide what categories to cover. Suggestions that I can remember so far are:

• a very advanced early reader (so 4/5/6 - reception/year 1)

• a reluctant older reader (let's say 8-9)

• an advanced older reader (8/9/10) not yet ready for "teen" or "worldly-wise" books. Would split this one into girls and boys, I think

• we could do thematic - like horse-mad, ballet shoes, dungeons & dragons, funny.

Any others? (And votes as to whether the above are good?)

(And PS, I know there's a Mumsnet Best for books, but that's a Top Ten For Everyone sort of list. Idea of this is that it's targeted.)

I gave a friend of mine (from NZ, now on their way home after a long stint in London) Diary of a Nobody as a newborn night-time reading present. Perhaps that's not got the wide appeal of Wodehouse & Austen, but it fits with criteria of clever & light (in both senses).

And my MIL gave my mum Middlemarch (and a large box of Bendicks Bittermints) when I was born.

How come your MIL knew your mother way back then, Binkie? Did you and your DH grow up together?

Well yes - our mothers met while pregnant with us. I have a very fab MIL (and all of ILs, in fact).

That's very cool...

That is lovely binkie

binkie - what a wonderful story!

Just wanted to say that I am watching this thread avidly, but don't feel I have much to contribute at this point. Simply hoping to glean knowledge from those experienced mums who have wisdom to share.

Oh thanks you lot. I think we gave our respective parents a bit of a fright though - you know, it wouldn't just be us who'd bear the fallout of us splitting up etc. Anyway ds & dd are taking all four of their grandparents to Tintin this Christmas & they think this sort of tribalness is how life is. Which I like.

Earlybird, I bet you have masses to offer: I was wondering, eg, about US classics that aren't so well known over here? Like It's Your Turn Roger, and that lovely rabbit-going-to-bed-in-the-great-green-room story, what's it called again? And stuff for older children, like Nancy Drew? You must have special knowledge there? Go on, please

Early bird, I second Binkie,

US stuff we don't know about would be great, also did you know Hurry Hurry Mary Dear by Erik Blegvard (I Think) Also other books by Sendak etc etc, sure there are loads more too

please, please, go on, I know you could!