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Books/book club

Books you've enjoyed reading with your grandchildren and would recommend

(32 Posts)
GeminiJen Mon 16-Nov-20 13:45:16

During lockdown, we loved The Ickabog, by J K Rowling. Initially published online for families to enjoy during lockdown, it's now available as a hardback. It captured the imagination of my grandchildren so much that they drew and submitted entries for the international artwork competition. They didn't win...but have loved revisiting the book this week and seeing the illustrations which did.
Set in the mythical kingdom of Cornucopia, this is a brilliantly original fairy tale, as you would expect from J K Rowling, about the power of hope, friendship and kindness, where good ultimately wins over evil.

felice Mon 16-Nov-20 14:59:28

Dinotopia by James Gurney, a wonderful Dorling Kindersley book we bought for DD.
A fantasy with Dinosaurs and humans interacting, great illustrations and a good story.

Grandmabatty Mon 16-Nov-20 15:21:18

Dear Zoo and the very hungry caterpillar,both with relevant noises. ?. He is 20 months old.

Septimia Mon 16-Nov-20 15:25:43

I'm reading Winnie the Pooh to my GD. We started it in the summer when we could see each other and the last episode was done by phone.

She's a bit old for it, but I didn't read it until I was in my late teens and thought it hilariously funny. GD is just old enough to begin to see the humour, especially when I manage the voices (like Eeyore's miserable one).

midgey Mon 16-Nov-20 15:29:03

Septimia I think we often read books too soon, the Mr Men books are a case in point. It’s lovely that your GD understands the humour.

lemongrove Mon 16-Nov-20 15:50:47

The Faraway Tree and The Wishing Chair by Enid Blyton.
Children enjoy these sort of timeless stories, and I quite fancy visiting the land of birthday parties myself?.They also like her short stories about witches and elves and pixies.

The older DGS ( a teenager now) used to enjoy the above books as well, when young, and also liked The House at Knowe books ( slightly spooky).

Lucca Mon 16-Nov-20 16:24:47

The Indian In the cupboard. Lynne Reid Banks

Anything by Julia Donaldson for younger ones. Youngest DGS loves the highway rat.

Lucca Mon 16-Nov-20 16:25:59

I remember reading the story of the happy Prince by Oscar Wilde to my son. He cried at the end. (Think he was about 6)

Litterpicker Wed 27-Jan-21 14:05:15

Only just seen this thread and sorry there weren’t more suggestions. I haven’t been able to read to my youngest grandchildren for months but (just) 2 year old absolutely loves “Go go pirate boat” by Katrina Charman and Nick Sharrat. It is sung to the tune of Row, row, row you boat. And also “Car car truck jeep” by same author/illustrator and sung to tune of ‘baa baa black sheep’.

5 year old loves the Rabbit & Bear series by Julian Gough & Jim Field.

Elrel Fri 29-Jan-21 00:21:16

My granddaughter and I enjoyed Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather series together until she was 13 or 14.
The younger ones like Julia Donaldson’s books especially The Snail and the Whale and Stickman, as well, of course, as The Gruffalo!

LullyDully Fri 29-Jan-21 08:11:00

The Silver Sword went down well for slightly older children. It's about a group of refugee children roaming around Europe at the end of the war. It is exciting and thought provoking. It is linked with the forming of the Pesselotsi Villages for war orphans.( Not sure I spelt that right.)

Alygran Fri 29-Jan-21 08:58:38

‘The 1000 year old boy’ by Ross Welford. My DGS and I read this over face time in the first lockdown taking it in turns to read out loud. He was in year 6 and a bit of a reluctant reader. We have continued with other books since and are currently reading David Williams’ ‘Code name bananas’. He now has the confidence to do the voices.
‘Shadow’ by Michael Morpurgo is on his school list for this year but I doubt they will get to it so it’s next on the list. Very though provoking.

Greyduster Fri 29-Jan-21 09:14:28

We used to read all sorts from the word go - all Julia Donaldson’s books; the ‘Mog’ books; ‘Hairy McClairy’; all the Katie Morag books. When he was here, he always brought a book. Ultimately, it was the Harry Potter, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series which he read the print off! The last book we read together was Rosemary Sutcliffe’s “Eagle of the Ninth”. He’s fourteen now. A lot of years of wonderful reading we had together.

emmasnan Fri 29-Jan-21 10:23:34

The Snail and the Whale and Room on the Broom. I found younger children loved the rhythm of these.
Shirley Hughes books where always popular with their lovely illustrations, even though they were written some time ago.

winterwhite Fri 29-Jan-21 10:50:20

Hairy McClary, Room on the Broom and the Highway Rat and Six Dinner Sid were the ones I always picked out to read to/with them when young.
Then My Naughty Little Sister and Milly Molly Mandy for the GDs but the GSs would never sit still ?. Ditto the Faraway Tree and the Children of One End Street.

Soozikinzi Fri 29-Jan-21 11:04:55

I can recommend the story orchestra books there’s swan lake and the nutcracker and others . They have the story of the ballet with snippets of the music to press and play they’re brilliant!

Witzend Fri 29-Jan-21 11:09:25

Gdcs at 3 and 4 really enjoyed Poo In The Zoo. It’s in verse, and for once, the lines do scan properly. IMO it’s both clever and funny.

Once I get the chance to read to them again, and now they’re a bit older, I think I’d try the Horrid Henry books - IMO very funny.

cmcpne Wed 17-Feb-21 12:38:15

Oh all the Slinky Malinke books by Linley Dodd. My grandchildren are all teenagers now but I can still make them smile and join in when I quote lines from them. The rhythm is perfect for young ears.

Floradora9 Wed 17-Feb-21 22:02:00

Children and granchildren loved " Ferdinand the Bull " When small the "what the ladybird heard " books lovely raised ladybirds to feel on the pages.

V3ra Wed 17-Feb-21 23:23:53

If you've got an Amazon Prime membership, check out the free "prime video" TV app. (It's in the list of apps where you find BBC iPlayer, ITV hub etc).
In the "Kids" section there is a collection of beautiful animations of several Julia Donaldson books: Snail and the Whale, Highway Rat, Room on the Broom, Stickman, Gruffalo, Gruffalo's Child, Zog.
Lovely to watch together.

Our current (topical) favourite book is "The Great Race," written and illustrated by Emily Hiles.
It's the story of the twelve animals that make up the Chinese New Year; the year of the Ox has just started. I've got a set of the animals finger puppets to go with the book and we've been making Chinese lanterns today with ox faces on.
The children love it every year.

GrannyRose15 Wed 17-Feb-21 23:58:39

Have you seen the video of a gran reading "The Wonky Donkey". It's hilarious.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbsZohEMn38

V3ra Thu 18-Feb-21 00:08:33

GrannyRose15 that's so funny ???

Rosiebee Sun 07-Mar-21 13:12:21

Joan Aiken's Necklace of Raindrops. Lovely magical stories. I read them for years as an Infant teacher and then to my beloved granddaughter when she came for sleepovers. I went through several books over the years. My last copy was donated to my neighbour's little girl during the first lockdown. My original book had beautiful illustrations by Jan Pienkowski.

Lyndylou Sun 07-Mar-21 14:23:56

I can't wait to read Jill Murphy books to my new grandson especially Peace At Last. Both my children and my older GS loved it and I see she has a new book out this year.

Also well loved by older GS were the How do Dinosaurs Books by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague and The Dirty Great Dinosaur by Martin Waddell. I was always being asked to read the last one with lots of dinosaur roars!

bonfirebirthday Sun 07-Mar-21 14:32:31

The Magic Faraway Tree and The Wishing Chair. The Famous Five series and the Island of Adventure series. My eldest grandaughter aged almost 9, has just discovered Tracey Beaker.