What children's books are you reading and enjoying?

[FrameyMcFrame]

I'm reading The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper with DS, currently enjoying it very much.

I just read Owl Service by Alan Garner, I loved it but DS wasn't too keen.

What children's literature are you reading that's good?

Yep, Holes was by him. The one I linked to is aimed at younger children, (I think the characters are about 10?) but I first read it as a teen and fell in love. In fact when I ended up in hospital at 14 I asked my dad to bring it from home, and he couldn't find it on my shelf so went and bought me a brand new copy! There's a boy in the girl's bathroom isn't adventurous and exciting like Holes but it's very deep and emotional. For me it was anyway!

@FiddleFaddleDingDong

As a housemaid? Yep, I love that one! I had it as a teen and still re-read it sometimes! I'm not a fan of her supernatural ones as tat's just not my thing, but The Star of Kazam and Journey to the River Sea were good!

Fairly sure when I get to heaven (if the let me in!) I'm going to be friends with Eva Ibbotson.

10 yo DS and I love a bit of quirkiness at the moment and have recently enjoyed:
The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson
The Way Past Winter by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone
and the Wildwitch series by Lene Kaaberbøl

We've also recently read Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer

I sometimes "cheat" and carry on reading after he's fallen asleep...

Oh I loved Charlotte Sometimes! I thought it must be out of print. If you like quirkiness Wed Wabbit might suit. We've also just finished The 1000 Year Old Boy which was very good.

@FurrySlipperBoots this is Eva looking out heaven's window for any incoming friends. She looks a welcoming sort!

I love Charlotte Sometimes too. Slightly unsettling timeslip books is a strong genre.

Currently reading The Hobbit to 7yr old DD. Happy memories of DM reading it to me at about the same age...and then I read it myself when I was about 11, but I'm enjoying it even more this time. Was worried DD and her goldfish-like attention span would not be up to it but she's lapping it up.

Also enjoying re-reading old favourites like Famous Five, Pippi Longstocking and all the Roald Dahls.

@FiddleFaddleDingDong

I'm reading the Famous Five series to DS atm. He's loving them and I'm enjoying revisiting them. Even DH joins us to listen in too. Lovely nostalgia trip ☺

Reading The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster with DD as well. It's so clever and witty. I love it. DD is really enjoying the quirky cleverness of it too.

Read Wed Wabbit earlier this year and really enjoyed it. And re-read The Dark is Rising over Christmas/New Year. Not surecif DS enjoyed it as much, but I loved it.

I missed Tove Jansson's Moomin series off my list. They're just gorgeous, and the illustrations are delightful.

Currently reading The Roman Mysteries series by Caroline Lawrence to DC. I was sceptical before I started reading (at oldest DC's request, having just finished the first in the series as a class book) thinking the author may have just tried to cash in on the requirement to study the Romans in UK primary schools. But we love them, and are now on book 6.
Reading Pullman 'The Ruby In The Smoke' (the Sally Lockhart series) with Y6 greater depth reading group at the moment. Riveting.
Yes to Louis Sachar recommendations, DC loved There's A Boy In the Girls' Bathroom. Also Skellig by David Almond.
The Last Wild by Piers Torday (first of consistently good trilogy) is an amazing read, set in a not to distant future dystopia; pupils bloody loved it. Bleak, yet full of heart.

Roman Mysteries sounds v good!

I'm currently reading the magic faraway tree by enid blyton to my 2 boys (10 and 7). They are absolutely loving it especially my eldest who wouldn't have touched it with a barge poll if his brother hadn't picked it.

Yes, Framey , having just conceded an extra two chapters this evening because it is actually properly riveting I really recommend them. Think Famous Five (just can't keep from falling headfirst into outrageous adventures) but with a modern sensibility and flair, plus very educational in an easy, non-shoehorny (you know what I mean) way.

I'm reading 'The house with chicken legs' with my school book club - it's marvellous!

Just finished 'The 1000 year old boy' with ds, 9. Little monster kept reading ahead without me though so I need to pinch it off him and read it properly- I enjoyed what I've seen so far.

Another vote for Eva Ibbotson and Diane Wynne Jones books. Though my kids have mainly read those on their own by 10 yrs old I think - good to read aloud for slightly younger kids.
Also Susan Cooper - been reading them with my DS (10) recently. We're now on Ursula Le Guin Earthsea and REALLY enjoying that. He keeps telling me off for reading ahead.
I think Patrick Ness is great but I'd put most of his stuff a bit older than 10.
David Almond is amazing. The boy who swam with piranhas is one of our favourites.
Also, in the spirit that I need to read books to my DS that he won't read on his own, I've read (over the past couple of years) among others:
Kidnapped (RLS)
Robinson Crusoe
The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy (though I came to see that as a personal battle in the end - he enjoyed it though, I think)
The Wool Pack (Cynthia Harnett - recommend that one)
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen

Oh, and some of the Arthur Ransomes - he got a bit bored eventually, but I really loved revisiting them

Some other good ones. I read the Hobbit to DS he was 8 but he did find it tough going.

My Mum's From Planet Pluto by Gwynneth Rees. Well-written and thought-provoking novel about mental illness.

The Mary Kate series
Milly Molly Mandy
The secret Garden
Casey the Utterly Impossible Horse
Charlotte's Web
The key and the fountain
Charlotte Sometimes
The wicked wicked ladies in the haunted house (could be a bit scary)

For older kids

The Homecoming series
Eleanor Elizabeth
Goodnight Mister Tom or any Michelle Magorian
John Marsden books
The witch of Blackbird Pond

Currently reading the second Wizards of Once with DD(10) and impatiently awaiting the third Nevermoor book, the first two were brilliant.

We’ve just finished The Murderer’s Ape, by Jakob Wegelius, pushed into my hands at a till point by a bookseller. We loved it. Sally Jones is an ape and a ship’s engineer, who has lately been working in a partnership with a man who is wrongly imprisoned for murder. She travels the world looking for the evidence that will exonerate him.

Just full of great Stuff - including the workings of an accordion workshop and the rules governing a Maharajahs hareem.