As a child what were your favourite books and did you share them with your children?

Question

I loved the "Famous Five" series and also "Swallows and Amazons" because the girls were as resourseful and adventurous as the boys if not more so!
My boys didn't take to them at all (except my third who did read some of the "Famous Five").
When my eldest was eleven he had to read "Lord of the Flies" for school and I read that together with all of my boys and they all got something from it even the little ones and it led to useful discussions.
What about others?

http://www.enidblyton.net/famous-five/meet-the-characters.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallows_and_Amazons

http://www.gerenser.com/lotf/

ll2 - With the Famous Five it's probably best to start at the beginning -

http://www.enidblyton.net/famous-five/five-on-a-treasure-island.html

but not necessary.
Pure fanstasy and escapism of course but I grew up in the city and we couldn't have pets either.
You recommendation - Katie John sounds interesting - I shall look that up if I can.
Best wishes,
Joan.

Answer 1

I love reading stories to my kids!!
i have shared many books and stories that i loved as a child with them!
My Son loves "The Hobbit" from jr tolkien
It took me a few weeks to finish it with him though!
He was always practically telling me the story back and asking me loads of questions!
And what suprised me most is that he memorised sooooo much of it!
He`s 4 years old!
I realy enjoy reading to them before they sleep!
They love stories with dragons and dwarves!!
I havent approached the lord of the rings yet! "lol"
Too long for them, and it would take me ages to read to them!

And i also loved the tales from beatrix potter as a child, and read many of them to my kids when they were little!

The Story of Miss Moppet
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
The Tale of Two Bad Mice

I`m very sure they have made a movie about beatrix potter, called Miss Potter, and i`m very sure many of us would recognise the figures!

Answer 2

Far too many to list them all - I loved reading. Just for starters anything by:
Enid Blyton
E Nesbitt
CS Lewis
Roald Dahl

Classics - Little Women, The Secret Garden, A little Princess, Anne of Green Gables, Great Expectations.......

The magic rocking house, The Silver Crown, The Silver Sword...I could go on and on.....


No children yet but I have kept most of my books and if I spot any favourites that I borrowed from the library on amazon I buy them with the intention of sharing them in the future! Great Question I want to get some of those books out of the attic and read them now :)

EDIT - GIZMO did you read White Boots by Noel Stretfield? I loved it - I never read Ballet Shoes I'm sure I would have liked that one too.

Answer 3

I loved the Famous Five Series, re-reading them many times. Wasn't as keen on the Secret Seven books though. Enjoyed Louisa M Alcotts books, Little Women, Good Wives etc. Toms Midnight Garden, The Secret Garden, The Hobbitt, Ballet Shoes by Noel Stretfield. My favourite book was Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, I still get a lump in my throat when Ginger dies.

Answer 4

The Real Mother Goose by Blanche Fisher Wright
The Popcorn Dragon by Jay Thayer
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis

Answer 5

My father used to read selected books out loud to us kids ... from those times, I have fond memories and a number of favourites:

Paddington
Tom Sawyer
Huckleberry Finn
Treasure Island
The Call of the Wild
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Swallows and Amazons
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Wizard of Oz
Charlotte's Web
Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory


And from younger years ...

Dr. Suess
Where the Wild Things Are
A Snowy Day

There are other books, I'm sure ... those were just a few off the top of my head. No kids yet here, but sure thing, I loved these stories and would certainly want to share them ...

Answer 6

I loved the Enid Blyton books, especially the land of the faraway tree and Mr Twiddle ones, I was never in to the famous five ones though. When I was tiny I loved Topsy and Tim and when I was older I loved Judy Blume books especially the ones about Fudge and Mallory towers books by Enid Blyton

Answer 7

I love Lord of the Flies. It's a fantastic book.

I loved The Babysitter's Club and Nancy Drew series. Also, Flowers in the Attic. However, my favorite children's book of all time is The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings!

Answer 8

Oh man. Too many books to list! I loved Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Judy Blume (esp. the Fudge books), the Pippi Longstocking books, Jean Little, the Ramona Series. My children are already following in my bookworm shoes - my older son LOVES the Fudge series and is currently hooked on Roald Dahl and Captain Underpants. *grin*
My oldest daughter is JUST ABOUT to start reading by herself, and you know that she will read the Ramona series, the Fudge books, and pretty much anything else!
I'll read them the Chronicles of Narnia, A Wrinkle in Time....
I think books are great!

Answer 9

When i was small i loved books fullstop and was always in our local library.
My favourites were The Faraway tree and Enchanted Lands by Enid Blyton, i think i loved these the best as one of my primary teachers used to end every almost every day by telling us all to lay our heads on our desks and she would read us a bit of this series, it was brill and ill never forget her for fostering my love of reading (Good on you Mrs Waters).
Also loved Charlottes Web and the list could just go on.
Ive shared all my favourites and more with my kids and im glad to say they are all really into reading like me and hubby (although middle son isnt as keen but hes coming round).
I find that always happens when you read with them, it leads into a big discussion and half the time about nothing related to story whatsoever, its a great way to get them talking.
Brill question and now its got me thinking back to books i used to read and theres one i cannot name (suppose thats a question for later!)

Answer 10

I loved the Famous Five, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, What Katie did, Mallory Towers, 101 dalmatians, Lion, Witch and the wardrobe....My son is just starting to read, but doesn't seem too interested in books at the moment. He lets me read him stories, but more to humour me I think..

Answer 11

I have read many of my favorite books to my daughters already, but I have to admit that many of them are books that they protested. I read to them at bedtime, and we alternate between a title of their choosing with a title of my choosing. In this manner we have read some of my favorites:

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Half Magic
The Boxcar Children
Katie John (a 1960's American series about a tomboy growing up in Missouri)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Nancy Drew mysteries (it took just one book for them to get hooked, though!)

I have a number of Enid Blyton's books that I've picked up used over the years because I've heard from British friends how much her books are loved by children, but I haven't read any of them yet. She is pretty much unknown to Americans. Do you have a particular title you would recommend?