Forgotten classic books for children

[Piggle]

Didn't secret 7 have a dog as well ..... Really should have been an 8 ! Famous 5 was 4 people and one dog(Julian, Dick, Anne , George and Timmy the dog.)



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[RedThorn]

William horwood, the duncton series for the older kid
Oooh and james Herriot too for same age group

[SarzWix]

I think it's Howell in the book Mikey, shortened to Howl, but that'll be anglicized from Hwyl I daresay? Pronounced something like 'hoowill'?

[Mikey]

Do you mean its a boys name Sarz?

The welsh for Howell is Hywel and has some links with the Arthurian legends I believe.

[Mikey]

Didn't secret 7 have a dog as well ..... Really should have been an 8 ! Famous 5 was 4 people and one dog(Julian, Dick, Anne , George and Timmy the dog.)




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Scamper the dog, yes based on the famous 5 philosophy it should have been 8, secret 8 isn't as good as 7 though.

[KittyColdNose]

The first book I ever read through choice was The Last Battle in the Narnia series. I was 5! Read all the Enid Blyton books after that. I have an ereader and get through 3-4 books a week when in the mood. A book that's not a classic but imho should be is The Bogwoppit. I liked it that much as a kid that I forked out £25 on a 2nd hand paperback copy as an adult.

[ancee]

Oh Mikey - this is a dream question for me! I am a book-aholic - if such a thing exists. And there is nothing better than a good children's book. I hate all this snobbery of 'ooh it's only a children's' book'. If a story is good, it's good, whoever it is written for!
So, I have a feeling some of them will be hard to find and I bet none of you have ever heard of them!
These are the books I kept from being young (a looong time ago) and I read them to my two, who loved them too.
Gwen Grant - Private Keep out/Knock and wait/One way only. About a young girl with loads of brothers and sisters and not enough money in the house! The things she gets up to had us all crying with laughter!
Judy Blume Tales of a fourth grade nothing/Superfudge/Fudgemania. About a boy with an annoying, charming and incredibly funny younger brother. Really funny - my 3 brothers loved these too.
Grimble by Clement Freud. Illustrated by Quentin Blake. (This is JK Rowlings favourite children's book and she hasn't got a copy!) We have and it's falling apart About a young eccentric boy who's parents leave him to go on holiday to Peru and leave him a series of notes, and what he gets up to while they are away - really funny.
Carbonel Barbara Sleigh - just a lovely book about a witches cat. - I know your little one doesn't like witches, but the witch isn't really in it - just the two hero kids John and Rosemary and talking cat with the lovely name of Carbonel.
I've loads more to offer up, but I've probably bored you enough for now! x

[SarzWix]

I have the Gwen Grant books on my bookshelf too ancee
You can study Children's Lit at university these days, they've finally realised that it's probably more important than adults' books in how it can influence and shape people. It's been my favourite module of my degree so far, and probably will be the subject of my MA if I get that far

[Plot10]

Anything by Rosemary Sutcliffe (I might have said that already)

[susieq100]

The Sam Pig stories by Alison Uttley when I was quite young, The Swish of the Curtain by Pamela Brown and then I discovered science fiction and have been 'hooked' ever since. It is still one of my favourite genres and I am currently reading Iain M Banks's last book, The Hydrogen Sonata. I miss him already.

[Mikey]

NO don't stop ancee, I came to reading quite late in life myself. As a child I had an older sister who was an avid reader and so I used to get her to read to me. It's only since I had my own daughter that I started reading properly. I've read her bedtime stories since long before she was old enough to comprehend them. We used to have a large rocking chair and she'd fit in the crook of my elbow while I read to her and she drifted off to sleep. She's almost 9 now but still likes to be in the crook under my shoulder.

As I didn't really read much as a child, I love finding new books and old ones that tell a really good story. We like to read a variety and will have 3 or 4 stories on the go at any one time, a funny one, some poetry, a deep and meaningful, and a book of her reading ability. We take it in turns as to what we'll read and I love it as much as she does.

So please add as many as you can remember ancee your little synopsis is great, and we will look up everyone.

[susieq100]

The Sam Pig stories are all about 'country life' Mikey .... all very agricultural and idyllic!!

[Mikey]

Anything by Rosemary Sutcliffe (I might have said that already)

I haven't come across her before, but a search made me wonder why not. She was quite a prolific writer, and something in the back of my head tells me I know the Chiefs daughter but I don't know why.

Thanks Plot10.

[ancee]

A quick one, that has just come to me is 'Love that dog' by Sharon Creech, This one is written in poems (only short ones) from a boy to his teacher who is trying to get the class to love poetry, and what happens when the boy finally gets it. I must add, that this book has quite a heartbreaking twist, which my two didn't quite get at first, (It['s not sinister or horrifying, just sad) I caught on before they did. And had to excuse myself and go and blow my nose, coming back red eyed! It is well worth the read, and though it's sad, it's really good, inspiring and joyous too. Be warned though!
I'll think of some more, I've got to go and feed everyone now...