Mumsnet users share with Scottish Friendly their favourite books to read to their children

[EllieMumsnet]

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Reading to your DCs can be a great source of not only downtime and bonding but it can also help your children learn and develop. Many of our most nostalgic memories contain at least one recollection of our parents reading our favourite book to us, therefore Scottish Friendly would love to know which your favourite books are to read to your children and why? Plus what are your favourite childhood books?

Do you love reading the classic Winnie the Pooh because you get to do all the voices? Perhaps your DC loves adventure books and you’re not one to shy away from acting out the scenes? Or do you love a books that your child can read along with you? Maybe you and your DC love to get all cosy with some pillows and blankets and read their favourite Roald Dahl book together?

Here’s what Scottish Friendly have to say: “With just two weeks left of summer, perhaps it’s getting to that time when you’re looking for new ideas to keep your little darlings amused. Even if it’s just to give yourself the chance of a well-deserved cuppa and to put your feet up for longer than 5 minutes!

Scottish Friendly is celebrating 20 years of supporting children’s literacy with a game your kids can play called ‘Letterfall’. It’s fun and educational too, and to celebrate this milestone anniversary we’ve added an extra twist! Now kids all over the UK can play to try to beat the current high score for a chance to win a fantastic prize for their school – an iPad Pro, iPad and an iPad Mini are all up for grabs! Visit the site to play (terms apply, more details on the website.)”

Whatever your favourite book to read to your child is and why, share it on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

My son loved "Bears in the Night". We would read it over and over!

Anything by Lyndley Dodd (of Hairy McClary fame) or Julia Donaldson, as they both have wonderful rhyme and rhythm, they are delightful to read and join 8n with.

Roald Dahl, i've loved them, my children love them

I love reading stories that make them laugh.

I went around charity shops to find all my old childhood favourites. This includes Enid Blyton books (especially the Magic Faraway Tree) and The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark.

I also bought "I'll Love you Forever" after seeing Joey reading it on 'Friends'. I didn't know if it was real but it was and it's a firm favourite.

We also love "Owly". My daughter and I still quote how much we love each other from this book.

My lg is only young, my favourite books to read to her are the 'Thats not my...' collection. She loves turning the pages and feeling the different textures, Ill be introducing her to the Disney classics when shes slightly older.

DS(6) is currently reading all the Mr Men and Little Miss books - he asked for the whole set for his birthday so we are reading one each night. I love reading them with him because I remember reading them myself as a child. I would have passed my old set down to him but I gave them to my younger brother and then my little sister who still has them. I think they are so timeless, I still enjoy them now. Hopefully my son can pass his collection down to his siblings or children as well. How lovely.

Anything by Oliver Jeffers

My daughter has only just turned 2 and doesn’t like stories yet.

We enjoy reading lift the flap spot books and Winnie the Pooh touchy feely books. They remind me of my childhood 😊

I love to read The Tale of Peter Rabbit -and anything else by Beatrix Potter, (for DS 8 and DS 5) we love the gentle stories, the beautiful illustrations and the stories showing the different personalities of the various characters.

Anything by roald dahl they enjoy greatly .

All the Spot the dog books by Eric Hill

the hobbit was our favourite read and did seem to transcend itself through my two little ones ages so could be read to both

I used to love reading funny books with our son - like Click Clack Moo Cows that Type - that sort of thing, he used to giggle away! He then moved onto Horrid Henry and Mr Gum, and I kept trying to find books that were great for boys that were funny and a bit gruesome he read on his own so I was just the supplier for his habit back then - I found delights like Dirty Bertie then he moved onto the Poltergoose set of books by Jiggy Mccue (not sure of spelling there), loads of Dr Who books and Harry Potter of course (love the humour) and then a brilliant set of Timeriders books. There were loads of other books I cant remember the title to - one about dogs and the other about a granny and he used to peel out with laughter while sat in the armchair by himself reading them! Books used to be so boring for boys but they have got so much better these days.

He is 16 now and still reads (just doesnt laugh as much as he used to) - just keep finding the kind of books your kid loves and they enjoy readining and they will continue to do it later on.

When they were younger it was anything by Julia Donaldson (my favourite was The Stick Man), but now they're a bit older it has to be Harry Potter.

We did read some Enid Blyton books to them but spend more time trying to stop ourselves laughing at some of the names and language used

Gosh there are so many as my children love reading and stories! I especially love reading the books that I loved as a child so I can relive them such as Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton. I love the morals and unsophisticated simplicity in Enid Blyton!

So many to choose. My absolute favourite to read to my children is The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. I remember my year 4 teacher reading it to me when I was a child, and I was captivated just like my daughter is now. What child doesn't dream of spending the summer going on adventures with characters like Moon face and Silky the Fairy and not to mention the Slippery Slip. Magic.

All the Dr Seuss books are great! They rhyme and teach children valuable life lessons! I absolutely love them! For the smaller children we love Each Peach Pear Plum and Is your Mamma a Llama!

I actually write my own children's stories in rhyme especially for my great niece, god daughter & godson. I always use their names in my stories which they are so excited about. Most of them are about cats as I am the crazy cat lady, some fictional & others true stories about the many cats I've had over the years

Stig of the Dump

The Velveteen Rabbit. Because it’s beautiful and has an important message.

When they were younger anything by Oliver Jeffers. Particularly "Lost and Found". Now that they are a bit older Roald Dahl is good. At the moment they are enjoying Eleanor Hawken's Sammy Feral series.

All of the Roald Dahl books are our favourites!

With eldest daughter it was always just the one book as she loved it so much... Charlie & The Chocolate Factory - I do however make up my own stories all the time which she loves

Julia Donaldson books are a favourite in our house.