Children's books

Hi All!

What is/are your favourite children's book(s)? And this could be the book(s) that you loved as a child yourself, or maybe books you now read to your children?

I loved, and I mean loved, the Narnia books. I recently saw a documentary about the writings of C.S. Lewis, where someone has supposedly "discovered" the theme to the series. And no, it isn't religion.....Google "Planet Narnia" and you will find out!

I also loved the Prydain series, by Lloyd Alexander. A couple of the books were combined into the kid's cartoon "The black cauldron" some years ago, but to me that just belittled them.

At the moment we are thoroughly enjoying the "Winnie the Witch" books - the stories are perfect for bedtime, and the illustrations are so intricate, you can spend ages on each page. There are some others by the same author and illustrator - we got a set of them - and they are all ace. Oh, and of course we like Julia Donaldson too. Although we did get fed up of hearing dd say "Snick Man" (Stick Man) for weeks and weeks and weeks.....

I saw that documentary too. I read the Narnia books to my mixed year 1 /2 class years ago. On the last day of term they had all brought in their toys and I gave them the choice- they could play with their toys or I would finish reading one of the books....they chose the book!

As a child I read and read and read. mostly Enid Blyton. As I got a little bit older I remember reading The Wolves of Willoughby chase and loving it. I used to go to the library regularly and read so many books. Mainly trash! I remember reading a book about a girl who could move out her own body...I have forgotten what that's called now trans.... and she discovered that there was another one of 'her' around who was trying to get into her body. There was a scene on a mountain which was very intense and I think at the end the other spirit got in there!

I LOVE Martin Wadell's bear series of books. The illustrations are great - infact I love his books full stop.

Lucy has recently discovered 'bear hunt' so we have to do a bear hunt at least once a day! (there is a stuffed one in the stately home /museum in our town) I am going to take ger this weekend!

She also enjoys/ed Lynley Dodd's Hairy Maclarey stories. I always try to buy decent children's books and am much snobbier at buying books for Lucy than for me!

Oh Malory Towers! I wanted to be Darrell too!

Do you remember when she pushed Sally over the chair in a temper, and Sally became ill? Oh, the guilt!

sunset30 wrote:I also wanted to be Darrell in Malory Towers

aloveofeachcolour wrote:Oh Malory Towers! I wanted to be Darrell too!

Do you remember when she pushed Sally over the chair in a temper, and Sally became ill? Oh, the guilt!

Okay. So weird that you brought this up! I have literally just bought the Malory Towers boxset so I can re-read them all! I'm just reading "First Term...." now! I love all of Enid Blyton's books and Malory Towers especially (as I went to boarding school) and someone reminded me of them the other day so I've bought them. Will be reading them to my daughters when they're bigger!!

Erm... I also liked Roald Dahl books. Find myself reading them from time to time too. Lots of grown-up humour in those!

I also used to love Naughty Amelia Jane, the Faraway Tree, Wishing chair and Mr Pinkwhistle (dubious name for a character)

I started to read one of the faraway tree series to a class but got fed up of substituting 'gay' and constantly skipping ahead whilst reading to make sure there were no references to Dick touching Fanny! - Honest. There was one bit where they were at the top of the tree and it said something like 'Dick was very close to Fanny...'

Mrs Big Boobs wrote:I also used to love Naughty Amelia Jane, the Faraway Tree, Wishing chair and Mr Pinkwhistle (dubious name for a character)

I started to read one of the faraway tree series to a class but got fed up of substituting 'gay' and constantly skipping ahead whilst reading to make sure there were no references to Dick touching Fanny! - Honest. There was one bit where they were at the top of the tree and it said something like 'Dick was very close to Fanny...'

LMAO!!!

Ooo I forgot about The Faraway Tree!! Is that the one with the pumpkin head guy? I think I have those somewhere - maybe at my mum's house...

Faraway Tree was Moonface, Silky and the saucepan man
Wizard of Oz series had Jack Pumpkinhead

(I spent MOST of my youth reading!)
(apart from the bits I spent in tents teaching small children how to tie sticks together!)
Lx

I had the complete set of Oz books and loved them all. No idea where they went, they are probably in someone's loft after one of our many house moves. I haven't been able to find them online either. Would love to have them back in my collection......

sunset30 wrote:Faraway Tree was Moonface, Silky and the saucepan man

Moonface.... that's who I was thinking of/picturing. (Haven't read the Wizard of Oz books)

Pumpkinhead

aloveofeachcolour wrote:I had the complete set of Oz books and loved them all. No idea where they went, they are probably in someone's loft after one of our many house moves. I haven't been able to find them online either. Would love to have them back in my collection......

did you know that the Oz books were written as an allegory of the Gold rush and depression in America? my History lecturer told me that..

I still read lots of children's books just for my own fun. I tend to pick them up when my life is very stressful since they are pure valium. I recently read the entire "Famous Five" set, have also re-read Malory Towers, St Claire's, Faraway Tree and the Farm series. Oh, and Galliano's Circus books, I love those!

Apart from Blyton, I liked the Sweet Valley High books, I devoured the Oz books, and I re-read a lot of Dahl last year. I use "parental authority" to "check" a lot of eldest daughter's books, especially some of the Jacqueline Wilson, Cathy Cassidy type books which can have quite adult themes, of romance, death or abuse.

And, of course, the newer epics like Twilight, Potter, House of Night etc.

Youngest child likes The Apple Tree Farm books, Hairy Maclarey, Miffy (I can recite Miffy is Crying) along with the classics like the Hungry Caterpillar and Dear Zoo.

I loved Enid Blyton and later "the Baby Sitters Club" series

For Harrison its mostly usborne Farmyard tales at the moment, we have the sticker book versions so he has lots of fun putting the stickers in place first then we read and read and read them. He also loves Mr Men which were a childhood favourite of mine too.

I love reading the Beatrix Potter stories, I never had them as a child and was very jealous of friends who had one or more of them. None of my friends ever had the whole collection and I love having it now. Fortunately H likes them too!

jx

Just remembered - I loved the Point Horror books too... are they "children's" books though?

sunset30 wrote:

I also wanted to be Darrell in Malory Towers

Snap!!

I also loved the Sweet Vally High books and wanted to call Lara Lila!!
Read all of Enid Blyton but Mallory Towers was the best.
Loved Nancy Drew and the Hardy brothers.
Also love Ronald Dahl, Though the Witches gave me nightmares!

Kieran reads some strange books, currently one called Percy Jackson (half child half god ALL hero). Its really long and all about mythology but set now iyswim? Random but he likes it

Lara loves Night garden so we have to read that, or the Usbourne fairy book which she loves as I have painted them all over her wall.

I forgot the Galliano Circus boks by Blyton!