General Chat

What were your favourite books as a child? A few of mine, to start off...

Of course I read a lot of Enid Blyton, as we all did back then, and especially liked the St Clare's books.

'Treasure Island' was another favourite; I loved to imagine myelf as Jim Hawkins, fighting Israel Hands onthe deck of the Hispaniola, or hiding in the apple barrel listening to the pirates' talk.

I loved Alan Garner's books, especially 'The Owl Service', which was also my first introduction to The Mabinogion.

Another favourite, though not a children's book, was Neil Munro's 'Para Handy Tales'. I still re-read it regularly, and love its gentle humour.

I also still have a very old copy of Joseph Jacobs's 'More English Fairy Tales' with its wonderful illustrations by John D. Batten. How I wished I could draw like he could!

"The Chalet School' series by Elinor Brent-Dyer springs to mind :) and 'Little women', 'Good wives', 'Jo's Boys' by LM Alcott I still have.

My first "favourite" author was Enid Blyton. I used to listen to my Dad reading Noddy stories to my younger brother.
When I was able to read for myself and loved The Famous Five books.
Like RamblingRose I read Little Women etc.
Then I discovered Anne of Green Gables.

This was the first series of books I read where the title person grows up in each book. Anne starts as a young child and eventually becomes a married woman with teenage children.

I also read Agatha Christie by aged eleven.

Tess

The Magic Faraway Tree (yes, Enid Blyton!!)

I have never really read fiction very much but I do remember enjoying Thomas the Tank Engine.

I think OH sometimes calls me the Fat Controller.

Was never very interested in history until I read the story about a road in one of the Wide Range Reader books.

Does anybody remember a series of different coloured books that were filled with puzzles and activities?I can remeber having a lilac one and also abrown one I think.

I loved Enid Blyton, but I read huge amounts of books...favourites were the Secret Garden, the little princess and a book for which for the life of me I cannot recall the name of but was about a girl and a boarding school. She had a bangle which matched that of another girl and it turns out they were sisters after being orphnaed in India. I wish I could remember what it was called!

LORNA DOONE
BLACK BEAUTY
HEIDI
WHAT KATY DID
SECRET GARDEN
WIND IN THE WILLOWS

MY 7YR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER JUST LOVES READING
SHES READING THE DAISEY MEADOWS FAIRY BOOKS
THERES SO MANY OF THEM BUT FOR EASTER WE HAVE A
40 BOOK BOX SET FOR HER..NO EASTER EGG,

THANK GOODNESS FOR THOSE BOOK PEOPLE THAT GO
ROUND THE WORKS £120 WORTH OF BOOKS FOR £20

Dizzi you have now reminded me of more books I read in childhood.

I loved the Katy books - what Katy did and what katy did next.
cried over heidi and the soft white bread rolls.
Was on tenderhooks while reading Lorna Doone
and was amused by the wind in the willows.

I now want to reread some of them!

Tess

I used to love Secret Seven, Famous Five anything with a mystery, still do
actually.!! Then came the Katy books, Little women etc.,
Then the girls school books, and things about animals.

Sue

Secret seven, Famous Five, Little women, and Heidi.

lynn.

Rupert Bear was my favourite as I loved all the pictures..... all very secret and and spooky in the woods ...LOL


Marilyn ..

Adrian Mole

Arthur Ransome

It depends what age of course but, when very young I loved Rupert, then Enid Blytons Sunny Stories. Ten anything by E B especially magic faraway tree and the five and Secret Seven books (which my Great niece is now reading and she was a non reader until my sister (her Nana) introduced her to them - she is 9.) I also loved The Family at Red Roofs (EB again) then progressed to the Arthur Ransom books - We didn't mean to go to sea etc., The Katy books, Little Women etc, The St Claire books Black Beauty. Loved anything about boarding schools, any school stories - The Abbey school books were another series.
Actually I read anything and one favourite was one of my Dad's called Teddy's Button.

I loved Cherry Ames Student nurse right through toCherry Ames Sister etc. I wanted to be a nurse aged about 7. Never made it though. Other favourites Enid blyton's Ring'o'Bells mysteries and anything by her, The Silver Sword , Heidi, Black Beauty, Children of the New Forest ..................I could go on and on.

I also loved all the Heidi books, Famous Five, Secret 7, Little Women, What Katy Did,Black Beauty, Children of the New Forest. I loved all the classic books Treasure Island Kidnapped etc............But my real favorites were the Heidi books, I read them so much the covers fell to pieces. Like Tess I also became an Agatha Christie fan by aged 11.. it started one wet Summer holiday day and I raided Mums books and found in hardback The Mysterious Affair at Styles, the very first book written by her. I was Hooked ...and love David Suchets Poirot...he is just how Agatha described him. Needless to say it has left me with a life of crime !!!!!!!!!! I now read and watch many crime related programmes. !!!!

Me too....
I loved Heidi, Black Beauty, Little Women, What Katy Did and other Katy books, (I still have them, can't part with them even tho' they're falling to bits with age and use).
Robinson Crusoe was a favourite too, plus the Famous Five and Secret Seven,
One of my Dad's books, Beautiful Joe was one I read over and over, and also a big old Hans Christian Anderson book of Fairy Tales which was handed down from Dad's family.
As I got a bit older Lorna Doone and many of the Agatha Christie books became firm favourites.

when we went on holiday from Essex to Norfolk,where I now live, my parents used to buy the I Spy books.....does anyone else remember them ?

What is your favourite adaptation of a book ?

One of mine has to be Goodnight Mr Tom, as portrayed by the late great John Thaw

When I was very young my favourite book was one of the Lad*bird books, called The Wise Robin. I ended up with 2 copies and decided to ditch one about 20 years ago. I kept the one from my Gran with the note wishing me a happy birthday written inside. I bet the other is worth quite a bit more now!

My next favourites were Black Beauty and Heidi too. The most scary books I had were Toby Twirl and another called Giantland. In my teens I loved Agatha Christie and then Georgette Heyer books.

like many of you , i too liked black beauty,enid blyton, heidi and also alice in wonderland and through the looking glass.

i still have all my childhood books most in pretty good nick as i read them once and then put them on my bookshelf.

wouldnt part with them for anything though
florence.