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We're giving away more than a THOUSAND pounds worth of children's books!

(515 Posts)
CariGransnet (GNHQ) Mon 01-Dec-14 10:58:24

One of our very favourite features is our annual round up of the best children's books of the year

This year we've featured you over 30 fantastic books for children of all ages, from babies and preschoolers - to young adults and teens. Great ideas for Christmas shopping. AND three lucky gransnetters get to win the lot...each set is worth over £350 and is sure to keep the family (and the wider family and the neighbours' kids...) happy for a very long time.

Full details on the page

To enter the draw - which will be made at midday on Tuesday 16 December - all you have to do is answer one simple question.

What's your favourite children's book of all time?

Maybe it's one that you loved as a child. One that you read to your own children. Or one that you read with your grandchildren. Old, new, classic or little-known...we look forward to compiling a list of gransnetters all-time favourites.

Finnglas Thu 11-Dec-14 14:04:14

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome. My husband was given the whole set when a child and we read them all to our children. Now the grandchildren are enjoying them.

nannilynne Thu 11-Dec-14 13:06:08

my favourite book of all time is 'What Katy Did',I remember reading it when I was confined to bed & very poorly with Measles as a child of 9,I loved this book so much I named my younger Daughter Katy as a consequence!!

Janelle Wed 10-Dec-14 22:03:10

I loved to read the Road Dahl books to my children - hard to pick a favourite but would say that The Twits probably caused most of the hilarity!

Then of course there is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Esio Trot - oh dear just so many to choose from :-)

Looking forward to when my twin grandchildren are old enough to hear the delights of Roald Dahl's story telling - he surely did know how to entertain children!

Albangirl14 Wed 10-Dec-14 20:08:33

A fish out of water by Dr Suess - Astory about giving a goldfish too much to eat- Something I did as a child

meat1906 Wed 10-Dec-14 17:16:10

Just William by Richmal Compton = even though I was a girl I longed to be William Brown and get up to his escapade with his gang.

hummingbird Wed 10-Dec-14 09:49:29

Loved reading anything by Roald Dahl to my children, but they especially loved 'Not Now, Bernard'. The little'ns love it just as much.

Bellroyd Wed 10-Dec-14 09:30:45

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome - innocent and carefree like most childhoods in those days

Appy Tue 09-Dec-14 23:49:52

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

SheilaS Tue 09-Dec-14 19:12:57

"Crazy Charlie" which I read to my sons. A crocodile eats everything so his teeth fall out.An intrepid tourist, who just happens to be a dentist, makes him some false teeth. Funny story, lovely illustrations.

Grannybug Tue 09-Dec-14 16:52:46

The Wind in the Willows. Such adventures !

lisamc1 Tue 09-Dec-14 16:08:33

The jolly postman . Janet and Alan Albert . I never tire of this . It's excellent ��

Odette Tue 09-Dec-14 13:10:25

I loved Lost at the Fair by A J Macgregor when I was 4 years old. My sons demanded it every bedtime at approximately the same age. Subsequently six grandchildren have insisted it is one of the books I read at bedtime. I am currently still enjoying reading it to the 3 year old. It tells a story young children can enjoy with lovely illustrations and delightful rhyme. They do not question some of the more dated language. In fact I think it adds to their enjoyment.

ginamat Tue 09-Dec-14 10:50:40

I loved the Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton - all of my grandchildren love it too so I've had the pleasure of reading it again.

catbower Tue 09-Dec-14 10:37:08

The Secret Garden.

livewire Tue 09-Dec-14 09:13:07

Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl

Kem99 Mon 08-Dec-14 22:29:06

Has to be Heidi, just loved reading that book.

maganne Mon 08-Dec-14 21:20:29

Peter Pan. I have fond memories of a tatty book bought from a jumble sale for a few old pence. I loved it.

JosieS Mon 08-Dec-14 20:23:14

Heidi - on old favourite

Jacks10 Mon 08-Dec-14 15:34:41

'Killer Gorilla" by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

Each of my 5 grandchildren has loved this book so much - have had to reread it to each of them umpteen times! So much fun with a moral hidden in! Exactly what children love!

rosequartz Sun 07-Dec-14 18:26:51

DD2 loved "The Worst Witch" stories - who had the idea first for a school for witches? Was it Jill Murphy?.

rosequartz Sun 07-Dec-14 18:24:33

DGD2 age 3 and I love the Owl Babies and read it together when she comes.

She always loves to say the last line: ' "I want my Mummy" said Bill'

Simone Sun 07-Dec-14 18:12:00

Wow said the Owl by Tim Hopgood is a beautifully illustrated book enjoyed by me and my grandchildren. I love it!

Kiora Sun 07-Dec-14 15:43:02

There are lots. I loved reading as a child ( don't remember being read to though) I made sure I read to my children but the one that has bought me the most joy is 'The Gruffilo' Iv read it to all my grandchildren. We have acted it out in the local woods. They were convinced they'd seen him. We had gruffilo hunts in the local park to find were he lives. When it was made for television one of my boys telephoned after watching and said all he could think about when he watched it with his boys was me. I think it will be the one my grandchildren will read to their grandchildren and wax lyrical to them about their nanna. Thanks Julia Donaldson it's bought great great joy.

farmerswifey Sun 07-Dec-14 14:37:48

The Jolly Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg. It is a beautifully presented story that my own children used to adore.

henbane Sun 07-Dec-14 12:58:27

Marianne Dreams, by Catherine Storr. Read it from the library as a child and the story haunted me for years; bought it in puffin to read to my children, but they didn't take to it, possibly because the main protagonist was a girl & they were both boys!
Haven't had a chance to try it on my grandchildren because none are close enough to be read to regularly, but I still reread it every so often, and now I have a grand daughter I may gift it to her when she is a bit older.