Ok bookworms help me out here.

[dingdongmeggymooonhigh]

Having seen a few threads recently about much loved and cherished memories of wonderful books read as a child has made me a little envious.

I was never read to as a child or encouraged to read ever which I can't do anything about now other than having a go at reading some of those books now!I'm thinking of making up for lost time.I don't know where to start though.

I have really made every effort to get ds interested in books which is working, he is hooked!

Could you recommend something to get me started, just one thing, Harry Potter doesn't really appeal I was thinking of something more old school that I could get my teeth into?

Oh good got it right that E. Nesbit was female!

Oh also Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry (sorry can't remember author) and I loved all Hugh Lofting's Dr Doolittle books.

Oh, E Nesbit's great - love the Treasure Seekers!

A Little Princess, The Pheonix and the Carpet, Tom's Midnight Garden, Marianne Dreams.

Oh and I LOVED jennings and Just William. Bliss. So, so funny. Am enjoying reading Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf to ds on Tamum's recommendation. Very witty and amusing.

The Wolf told Polly that having a cub would 'ruin his elegant bachelor lifestyle' to which ds (4) said, indignantly, 'well, it hasn't ruined mine' - his sister is nine months and he is already clamouring for a baby brother! Which is both and

And all of The Dark Is Rising books. Wonderfully wintry, spooky and Christmassy.

Jennings books made me LOL - still do

Jennings has been reissued by a small independent publisher recently. Corwumph! Got ds the first volume for Christmas. Very, very funny - mustn't forget Molesworth too, Meggy. How to be Topp and all that.

Aloha-glad you remembered Susan Cooper, she's fab. Also Alan Garner-Weirdstone of Brisingamen, The Owl Service and others.

ooh yes susan cooper she was creepy when I was young! Couldn't get into Alan garner though.

I really want to read some Jennings now! Actually my copy of Cold Christmas - as recommended by another mumnsnetter on a similar threat - arrived this morning and I think I ought to be in bed reading it!

Never thought I'd find another adult willing to admit they loved Jennings books I love MN!

I didn't think anyone else had heard of them!

ErrrhUMMM..

Another Jennings fan here....

ooh another fave enid blyton - The Faraway Tree books. (just saw a post by magicfarawaytree if u r out there was that inspired by this thread?

Wilard Price wrote a series of Adventure books based on the escapeds of two brothers Hal and Rodger Hunt - I loved these as a child and reckon they would apeal to your ds at around age 8-12. If you're going to read them yourself I'd just read one or two as the format is pretty similar through the series which is great for kids but poss a bit dull as an adult reader. Here's a link to them price novels

Oh wow, for me it has to be Goodnight Mr Tom. Still love it now. Can't remember the author off pat, but will look in the morning. It's a lovely, warm, ww2 story about and evacuee. Can't believe no one else has it (or have I missed it or is it classed as too old?)

Michelle Magorian - she also wrote Back Home (also brilliant) and another one I loved...can't remember offhand, but is fantastic too.

Goodnight Mister Tom and Back Home both make me weep till my head's swimmy.

The Snow Spider triology is also great - author Jenny Nimo: The Snow Spider, Emyln's Moon, Chestnut soldier. snow spider

Def second Flossam - Goodnight Mr Tom is ace! Also Charlotte's Web (couldn't see it listed by anyone) is great for a warm and fuzzy read.

Twiga, I ADORED Willard Price! Good old Roger and Hal. Did you also like the Paul Berna adventure stories translated from the French (A Hundred Million Francs etc).
I can't wait to read Jennings with ds again. Mumsnet rocks

Can I resist a book thread? Even though it makes me feel guilty?

dingdong, pretending for the moment that you haven't already been given as many brilliant suggestions as anyone could want, what sort of (grown up) books do you like best? (I'm intrigued by you saying HP doesn't appeal - is the school stuff, is it the fantasy, is it that it's not really top-drawer prose?)

Just William! I still read them now

can i just say that if you try Swallows and Amazons itself and struggle a bit, do give one of the others in the series a go - S&A the original book is IMO quite chewy and hard to take whereas Winter Holiday, Pigeon Post, Picts & Martyrs and We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea would have anyone salivating.

Watership Down.