In praise of Julia Donaldson, Jill Murphy and many others

I love the rhyming books like Tabby McTat, Keith the Caterpillar and Denis the Dragon. Also all the Thomas the Tank Engine books, though preferred the original illustrations. DH uses a Ringo Starr accent when reading to the DGs now!

Oh yes rhyming books - and then those with repetition especially for younger children. And ones where you have to make noises

Oohh forgot

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Mr. Magnolia anyone?

Don’t know that one - which age group would you say?

The Enormous Turnip. so funny.

DS and I were watching Impossible a couple of days ago and the Ahlbergs came up in an answer. We both immediately launched into Each Peach Pear Plum all the way through, word perfect. It's nearly 40 years since I last read it to him!

Julia Donaldson is wonderful. I've got the Gruffalo films and Room On The Broom recorded so I can watch them myself when I'm in the mood. And don't forget Shirley Williams! Dogger and the Alfie books are perfect.

DD and I went to a talk by Judith Kerr shortly before she died. Wonderful! The Mog books are so true to life and every child should read When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. It seems very relevant at the moment.

I love all these books.

I think Julia Donaldson is my all time favourite but I love Owl Babies by Martin Waddell. I always read it to my Reception class or Nursery class during the first week of school. It’s such a lovely, reassuring book for littlies.

Nice to see you use the word ‘reassuring’ maddy. Children’s books of the kind I’m remembering sometimes brought up gently and dealt with all sorts of concerns little children couldn't articulate. I’ve never had call for them but there are beautiful books for young children that deal with death and things like going into hospital.

Does anyone else know Pandas Puzzle? It’s about a Panda who wants to know if he’s a black bear with white spots or a white bear with black spots. He goes off to find out and I bet you can guess the answer.

Yep, I know that one.

Love Each Peach Pear Plum, and can’t read Peepo without crying for some reason, all those memories of so many children.

My youngest granddaughter currently loves A Squash and a Squeeze, and The Snail and the Whale.

I had to look it up as I couldn’t remember the author. It’s Michael Foreman. I remember reading it to my grandchildren, it may have been a library book. I don’t remember reading it at school.

Sorry, that post was about Panda’s Puzzle.

Paperbag Princess is an absolute hoot. A child’s introduction to challenging gender stereotyping ??

Love most of those listed and would add

Winnie the Witch series
Goodnight Moon

Is Dr Seuss completely persona non grata now? Some of his stories have very good lessons in them...... The Sneetches and Horton hears a Who for example.

My daughter, Victoria, is 38, and used to have a book by Allan Ahlberg called Woof, about a boy who turns into a dog.
Some children’s books are not particularly funny to adults, but I used to corpse when I read this aloud to Victoria.
I have a three year old granddaughter now, hope I can find this book again.

We moved during lockdown, my husband asked me to thin some books out, including the children's ones but I couldn't, so many memories.

Yes great fan of Julia Donaldson, she was new to us when our grandchildren arrived they both loved The Gruffalo, Room on The Broom and my grandson went through a phase aged about 3 when he only wanted Stick Man read to him. They are wonderful books, capture the imagination and the illustrations are simply some of the very best!

Peace at Last, Mrs Large the Elephant, Mog, The Hungry Caterpillar, the wonderful Shirley Hughes, Alfie/Dogger/Lucy and Tom were all tried and tested on our own children. Still have those, along with Six Dinner Sid. My children were fans of Roald Dahl, his humour was dark but I think it appealed to children, his Revolting Rhymes were quite funny.

The books I did off load, were Thomas The Tank Engine, my kids loved them but they were oh so boring! I did think I can't revisit those again, and then my grandson found one lurking at the back of a cupboard and asked me to read it to him, but I managed to deliberately lose it and for good before he asked for it again! My granddaughter liked Alice in Wonderland, like me, I bought her a very illustrated one when she was quite young so she could follow it easily.

A favourite book with both children and grandchildren we had was called "Bad Mood Bear". The premise being bear stays up playing with his toys when he should have been asleep and wakes up in a bad mood, bad behaviour ensues going from bad to worse, breakfast thrown off the table finally culminating in bear kicking grandad. Little brows were always furrowed when listening to this story, I could imagine the concept of bad behaviour resonating when making the connection between that and lack of sleep. My little grandson would say to grandad, who often read the story, "I wouldn't kick you grandad, even if I was in a bad mood!"

Sadly we haven't been to stay lately, some fleeting visits only. I believe they've acquired all manner of electronic gadgetry now, hope the books haven't become obsolete

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Just remembered one, Some Dogs Do by Jez Alborough. My grandson with severe autism and learning difficulties absolutely adored this one, way past the targeted age group. It was a real bedtime favourite.

Don’t Forget the Bacon by Pat Hutchins was a favourite with my children. They also enjoyed Hop on Pop by Dr Seuss and another of his, Great Day for Up about exhorting everyone and everything to wake up in the morning. We also enjoyed one called The Wild Washerwoman, a feminist tale with a sense of humour! Mr Rabbit and the Lovely Present was another we could almost recite word for word.

The grandchildren all loved Julia Donaldson’s stories with Axel Scheffler, Lydia Monks and others illustrating. Youngest granddaughter, age 2, likes Polly Dunbar’s Tilly series. Mini Grey’s Traction Man series have fun visual jokes for all ages.

For anyone looking for inspiration Booktrust has a great website booktrust.org.uk

Big bear little bear and cant you sleep little bear are beautiful and make me cry. The two that hold the attention of pre schoolers at my work are Dear Zoo and Going on a Bear Hunt.