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

The Mr Men series in the daytime and Roald Dahl collection at bedtime. DS 3mo

Anything with magic, fairies or ponies. She loves Evie's magic bracelet at the moment.

The gruffalo- let’s me practise my voices 😂

I love passing down the classics that were read to me as a child. The Beatrix Potter books are one of my favourites along with Winnie the Pooh.

I love anything by Julia Donaldson, Enid blyton or David walliams!

Anything by Judith Kerr (author of 'The Tiger who came to Tea'). She reflects childhood wonder so well.

I love the book 'You Choose' not really a reading book as such but each page has choices and it's brilliant for getting kids to use their imagination and well Choose the way they want the story to go.

Any and everything by Beatrix Potter

I love reading the little red train and anything with lots of alliteration and rhyming. Sadly I can't get my 7yo into Winnie the Pooh or Paddington, I used to love them!

I love Dr Seuss books and Roald Dahl books, I really enjoy them.

Anything with rhyme and rhythm as far as I'm concerned, anything with cat and dog noises as far as toddler is concerned. Room on the Broom is our fave just now.

I'm so looking forward to Narnia when he's older.

I have a 1 and a 3 yr old. Current favourites are The Gruffalo (1yr old) Room on the broom (3yr old) Dear Zoo (both live this one) and My mummy says (3yr old).

We love the silliness of Dr Seuss!

When my son was younger he used to love The Gruffalo and Tiddler, about a thousand times EVERY night, as he got a bit older it changed to Roald Dahl stories such as The Twits and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, now he is past the age of me reading to him and loves anything by David Walliams or Charlie Higson.

I love Roald Dahl books, particularly Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Ganster Granny and The Borrowers are the current favourites but it depends on their age really. When they were smaller they loved any stories about animals.

I love reading books to my girls. There are so many great ones, but as my girls as 6 and 8 respectively, I seek out stories that will engage and entertain. Michael Rosen writes simply brilliant books for reading out loud (if you haven't read Little Rabbit Foo Foo, you really must!) and Roald Dahl has some of the best characters ever. My girls love when I 'do' different voices for each character and I really try to bring the books alive for them!

Our children are now teens but Shirley Hughes books were always a firm favourite, especially the Alfie and Annie Rose series. We still have copies on our bookshelf, lovely memories.

One of our favourites is "The story of the little mole who knew it was none of his business" by Werner Holzwarth.

We bought it in a little bookshop in Ullapool when DS1 was about 7 and DD1 was about 2. They both loved the story, especially DS with all the different poos, and DD2 and DS2 have continued to enjoy the story 14 years later.

Mr Men stories are also a favourite in this house and we are lucky that DH had many of his original versions in the loft, some of them are now over 40 years old and still in very good condition despite being read over and over again.

My 5 year old daughter loves the Oi books by Kes Gray. Favourites are Oi Dog and Oi Frog. She loves finishing the sentences and we make up our own versions featuring other animals and us.
My favourites were the Famous Five, What Katy Did and the Narnia books.

My twins are 18 months and are very in to 'that's not my....' books at the moment. They love feeling the textures on each page.

I adore rhyming books and don't mind reading them again and again. Monkey puzzle by Julia Donaldson is my current fave.

And for snuggly bedtime reading we love guess how much I love you. We have read that to them every night since they were born. Even when they were in NICU!

The Faraway Tree - Enid Blyton
The Witches - Roald Dahl
Harry Potter

I used to read a book called the Grumpalump, and also the Duck in the Truck. my children loved any rhyming books

A Squash and a squeeze and Room on the Broom. Love any of the rhyming books at the moment

I've always loved to read the interactive books, with flaps and pokey bits!