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Original poster

What are some good fiction books about larger families?

22 replies

SurfScoter · 16/02/2019 19:30

I've always found large families really fascinating (I'd probably say 4 to 5 children or above), so was just wondering what books you like that feature them? Thanks!

OP posts:
Papergirl1968 · 16/02/2019 19:35

I don't think many books do because readers would lose track of who was who, but Joey Maynard of the Chalet School ends up with 11, I think, including triplets.
Oh, and there are four in Little Women.
Can't think of any contemporary books though.

DrDiva · 16/02/2019 19:37

All-of-a-kind Family by Sydney Taylor. I read them on repeat as a child!

Sadik · 16/02/2019 19:40

If you don't mind children's books then The Family At One End Street - gorgeous to read out loud if you have dc the right age :)

Original poster
SurfScoter · 16/02/2019 20:15

Thanks! I'll look into these, and I definitely don't mind childrens' books.

OP posts:
Aprilshowersarecomingsoon · 16/02/2019 20:21

I have 11 dc. If I had time I could rustle you up a tale or two!....

UrsulaPandress · 16/02/2019 20:22

A Spool of Blue Thread has a family of 4 and is well worth a read.

MergeDragons · 16/02/2019 20:23

Noel Streatfield Apple Bough has 4 and Children of the top floor also has 4.

Little women 4
Narnia

DancelikeEmmaGoldman · 16/02/2019 20:30

There’s Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth, published in the 1950s, about a family of 12 children. It was a best seller in its day and made into a popular film.

PurpleCrowbar · 16/02/2019 20:32

Antonia Forest!

In & out of print, but brilliant.

cwg1 · 16/02/2019 20:38

Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes are classics. Spencer's Mountain is the book The Waltons was based on. All nice light reads.

Children's books - Afke's Ten is a Dutch children's classic - I was very fond of it as a kid.

Antonia Forest is much underrated - her books feature a family of eight children.

Charlotte Yonge was a very popular victorian author for older girls. Very moral, but I like her. If you fancy that, try The Daisy Chain - 11 children.

April - go for it! Smile

cwg1 · 16/02/2019 20:39

Oops - xposts.

timeisnotaline · 16/02/2019 20:41

7 little Australians- prob young adult, we read it in school.
The five little peppers
These are all older books I guess, nothing recent springs to mind.
How many children in cloudstreet by Tim winton? Can’t remember!

BoudicasBoudoir · 16/02/2019 20:42

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 16/02/2019 20:44

E.Nesbit's Bastable books (6) and the Five Children and It ones (5).

imip · 16/02/2019 20:44

Cloud street is a wonderful book!

I only have 4 dc and could still tell tales 😁

Mcclare · 16/02/2019 20:47

Seriously 4 to 5 children is classified as large!
Get a grip!

worldwandering · 16/02/2019 20:47

Marian Keyes has a family of 5 sisters in her books. There’s different books about each sister. One book is Watermelon.

escapedETH · 16/02/2019 20:48

Anne of Green Gables ends up with 6

Sweepingcalamity · 16/02/2019 20:51

Four storey mistake by Elizabeth Enright
(children's book)

The Yorkshire Shepherdess and A Year in the Life of the Yorkshire Shepherdess
(warm, humourous accounts of her family's life (8 or 9 dc !) living on a remote Yorkshire sheep farm)

Sweepingcalamity · 16/02/2019 20:52

Really sorry op, missed the bit about fiction! Yorkshire Shepherdess bks full of interesting anecdotes though!

cwg1 · 16/02/2019 21:04

Just thought - How Green Was My Valley - 9 or 10.

Original poster
SurfScoter · 16/02/2019 21:27

Thanks. Lots of great ones to look into. I read Cheaper by the Dozen and loved it.

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