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The children’s book you remember best

(518 Posts)
MawtheMerrier Tue 22-Mar-22 09:36:25

There are so many wonderful children’s books these days, from The Gruffalo to Amelia Fang, Gangsta Granny to Alex Rider.
But is there one book which made a special impact on you as a child?
For me it will always be Charlotte’s Web. It was read to me when I had Scarlet Fever , maybe not the ideal choice as I cried and cried, but for me a story I will never forget.

Grandma70s Wed 23-Mar-22 18:51:17

My father used to read Rupert to my brother at bedtime. Brother didn’t go to sleep as he was meant to, but my father did!

Mallin Wed 23-Mar-22 18:54:41

Tom’s Midnight Garden, and The Secret Garden then at aged 11, Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind.
I was brought up in a non reading household so no bedtime stories or children’s books. Luckily enough my school friends parents were always willing to lend me books when I was at Junior School. A friend whose parents were emigrating, gave me a leaving present of Gone with the Wind, adding Black Beauty, Jane Eyre, David Copperfield and a book of poetry her father had as a 14yr old schoolboy. I still have it, falling to bits and held together with an elastic band.

singingnutty Wed 23-Mar-22 19:04:01

I read What Katy Did and Heidi many times but my favourite when I was a bit older was The Hobbit. One of the best books for children IMHO.

LucyW Wed 23-Mar-22 19:06:23

I adored Heidi and just so wanted to be her.

Dianehillbilly1957 Wed 23-Mar-22 19:06:56

As a horse mad little girl who turned into a horse mad adult and now a horse mad oldie my favourite childhood books I read over and over were
The Golden Pony and A Pony For Me.. I also liked Enid Blyton's Mistletoe Farm stories and any Animal story books...

jerseygirl Wed 23-Mar-22 19:21:16

The malory towers series by enid blyton. I really wanted to go to boarding school. It sounded great !!

tictacnana Wed 23-Mar-22 19:41:50

The Rose and the Ring. Think it was WM Thackeray. I took it very seriously when I was little but later found it to be hilariously funny.

Yangste1007 Wed 23-Mar-22 19:42:01

Malory Towers and Twins at St. Clare's were my favourite books. Also The Naughtiest Girl books.

Irismarle Wed 23-Mar-22 19:48:53

I loved Breton Adventure by Jane Shaw (one of the Susan series) and learned about French things like espadrilles and artichokes!
Judy, Patrol Leader was very exciting. By Dorothea Moore.

The Pink Ballet Slippers by Evelyn Dehkes was my favourite ballet book as it showed all the steps as well as telling a story.

I also loved the Bodley Head careers books for girls such as Air hostess Ann and Margaret Becomes a Doctor.

Apart from the first two which I got as presents all the others were from the library - it was quite frustrating waiting for some titles for ages to turn up in the shelves.

Shelagh6 Wed 23-Mar-22 20:14:49

I can’t send you a photo because I haven’t the tech. - it was first printed in 1921 - it was called ‘Little Black Sambo’ - it has been reprinted in China but my d-i-l ‘bridled’ when I told her. I am 2 months short of 90 and disappointed that my great grandson won’t be allowed to see it! It’s a great little story and it was my very favourite book - I was living in India as a child before WW1!

Forsythia Wed 23-Mar-22 20:21:28

I’m another Alison Uttley Little Grey Rabbit fan. I used to get the books from the library and I loved them. Also Beatrix Potter books. Later, any Enid Blyton books were also good.

lizzypopbottle Wed 23-Mar-22 20:25:35

I can't remember the title of the book but, when I was about four or five years old, my sister and I had a picture book of zoo animals and we loved to turn the pages really slowly until we came to our favourite.... George the Mandril! We just howled with laughter every time because our Dad's name was George ???

Shandy57 Wed 23-Mar-22 20:34:24

While we are talking about books, does anyone remember which book had the statues moving around the garden in the night?

Karen22 Wed 23-Mar-22 20:49:31

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

Naninka Wed 23-Mar-22 21:59:29

Same. Charlotte's Web. It was the first 'proper' reading book I chose from the school library. I read it cover to cover and loved it. And, yes, I cried.
Before CW, I was on Janet and John. It was so refreshing to read something that wasn't sh!t. x

cupcake1 Wed 23-Mar-22 22:31:00

The Faraway Tree I loved it and so did my DGD’s I even got the video and enjoyed watching it as much as they did! Happy days?

jeanio Wed 23-Mar-22 22:53:01

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens was one of my favs although it made me cry. I also loved all the Little Women books.

Blossoming Wed 23-Mar-22 22:54:35

hicaz46 I still have a slightly battered copy of Children of the New Forest, I loved it too.

Battersea1971 Wed 23-Mar-22 22:55:12

My son is
called Daniel and when he was small he had a book called "Daniel and the coconut cakes" which he wanted us to read to him over and over again. I wish I could come across a copy now.Although he is in his forties I would buy him a copy. But dont think it is any longer available. Unless anyone knows different.

MayBee70 Wed 23-Mar-22 23:26:45

Shandy57

While we are talking about books, does anyone remember which book had the statues moving around the garden in the night?

The Children of Green Knowe?

misty34 Wed 23-Mar-22 23:31:18

Black Beauty for me!

Frangipan Wed 23-Mar-22 23:38:45

One of the first books I got from the library at 6 years old was Teddy Robinson. Oh how I loved those books, Ipassed on my love of it to my daughter and now my granddaughter.
When I was a little older it was the Cherry Ames books all about a nurse, I'm sure that's what influenced me to enter a nursing career! It was nothing like the book of course ?
I'll be interested to know if anyone else read these books

MayBee70 Wed 23-Mar-22 23:39:18

misty34

Black Beauty for me!

I’ve still got my copy from childhood. It’s the only book I have from my childhood. I remember reading it to my daughter and when I got to the chapter about Ginger I was crying so much she took the book off me saying for ‘ heavens sake mother, I’ll read it myself…’

pat222 Thu 24-Mar-22 00:46:14

Black Beauty and David Copperfield and Jane Eyre were my most favourite books when i was about 7 years old 68 years ago.

Quichette Thu 24-Mar-22 01:04:23

How to be Topp and The Terror of Saint Trinians, introduced by our young English Master were tremendously popular at my French Protestant Boarding School in Normandy.