Books you read as a child/ teenager that you would love to read again!

[Sixofone]

I've recently started re-reading books I read as a child and teenager, having a fantastic time doing it so thought I'd share, would love to hear your books! As you will see there is a strong Enid Blyton theme....

Famous Five (but not all of them)
Malory Towers
Faraway Tree
Goodnight Mr Tom
Black Beauty (who was this by?)
the Little HOuse on the Prairie series
Nancy Drew

Oh, Forever by Judy Blume! You had to have an authorising letter from your parents to take that one out of the school library (and then go straight to the loos with about 6 other girls and read the naughty bits out and scream hysterically!!)

All my favoruite Enid Blytons: Famous Five, The Five Find-Outers, Faraway Three, Malory Towers, Twins at St Clares, Naughtiest Girl in School (hated the Secret Seven though, for some reason).

Plus had BRILLIANT picture books, illustrated by Richard Scarry. I loved them.

gosh imagining getting your mum to write a letter

"i give permission for my daughter to read a book about a penis named ralph"

i really really hope never to have to write a letter that says that for the dds...

Then progressed to Jilly Cooper, Shirley Conran and Jackie Collins at the age of 12. They were effectively my sex education (which would explain a lot).

Seven Little Australians by ?

Georgette Heyer-all of them!

Little Women, Good Wives etc by Louisa May Alcott

and-oddly(given the above) Dick Francis!

Oh, The Silver Sword, I had forgotten about that, what a fantastic book.

I read the "Flowers in the Attic" series and thought they were very disturbing. Still do, in fact and wouldn;t want to read them again.

Principal Role by Noel Streatfeild. It was about a talented ballerina who found out that she was, in fact, the heiress to the throne of some sort of Ruritanian country.

She had to decide whether or not to be a world famous ballerina or a princess. Great career choices it seemed at the time. Still does actually. I just loved it. Must find a copy one day.

thats by Lorna Hill NKF. whole series of sadlers wells books.vg. i collect them actually shhhh

Is it? Thanks for that.

flowers in the attic is very disturbing i quite agree! yet still i read on....

Yes Hanaflower..I've tried to get it but it sells for about £80!!!

didn't mean to be a smartypants

just didn't want you looking in the wrong place. plus then you have a whole series of books to read. any noel streatfeild get my vote personally

there's a pony book which I can't for the life of me remember the title of (despite mumsnetters being really helpful some time ago suggesting possible titles and authors) Anyway, would love to read it again. I read The L Shaped room too and loved it.

I meant thank you genuinely, not implying smartypants at all. I must have read a load of Streatfeilds at the same time and that's why I thought it was one of hers. It isn't really like NS come to think of it. Weren't hers about plucky children making do and earning money by being talented and plucky while their father was away doing something mysterious?

Noel streatfield books (esp. ballet shoes)
St clare's series
and Anne of Green Gables.

Can't wait until dd is a bit older !!

To Kill A Mockingbird

Lorna Hill books...I loved them, and practically convinced myself that I could be Veronica Weston if I put my mind to it.

Was never convinced by Ballet Shoes, though.

hanaflower, just dropped in to say I'm totally with you on The Dark is Rising. Did you know they're bringing out a film of it? I was really excited until I found out that Will is American and there's a scene in it with Merry covered in snakes. Ok, I haven't read it for about a year, so maybe my memory is going, but WTF?? I don't remember any snakes!?

Oh, and while I'm on here, also anything by Diana Wynne Jones, particularly Howl's Moving Castle (which, if you haven't read it, is SO much better than the recent animated film) and Fire and Hemlock.

Yes, just the second book, I think. Probably my favourite, though Grey King is a very close second. I think I'll have to wait for some reviews before I decide whether to go and see it. It's out sometime this autumn, I think. There's a feature about it in this month's Empire magazine, which is the only reason I know about it.

I read all the pony books - there were loads of them, and I kept them all!! (my DD is only 3, so I will keep them for her - better than all stuff aimed at betweenies at the moment IMO

I think my favourite was a trilogy about a girl called Jinny, who owned a horse called Shannah (?) or something like that

Oh wow, fellow Lorna Hill lovers! I'm so impressed! Did you just read the ballet ones or have you also managed to get hold of her pony ones too - Stolen Holiday and other ones with ghastly Marjorie in them? So glorious. I was DEEPLY in love with Sebastian at age 13. Girls Gone By press are reprinting them (if you're as sad as me).

All Lynne Reid Banks were massive faves later on, especially My Darling Villain with bad boy Mark and his motorbike.

Did anyone else read Easy Connections and Easy Freedom by Liz Berry?

I LOVE mumsnet sometimes!