Classic Children's Books

The other day I was buying a book for Adam, and I couldn't help but notice how many classic children's books are still being sold now - ones which I remember from when I was small.

Ones I noticed on sale which I loved as a child were "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", "Alfie & Dogger" and "The Tiger Who Came To Tea".

I was really pleased to see them still going - just going to prove that a really good story can be a timeless classic.

What were your favourite books as a child? As well as the ones above, I loved any Enid Blyton books, The Narnia series, Blackberry Farm and Beatrice Potter books.

PS: Don't know if it's the same in every town, but there's a half price sale on a lot of childrens books in Norwich Waterstones at the moment - I got a great "Digger" book for Adam for £3!

I've still got all my Roald Dahl books,The Witches,The BFG,Matilda,George's Marvelous Medicine,etc.I think they're good fun. I've also got 'The Lion,Witch & Wardrobe' and a book called 'My Naughty Little Sister'. As well as another two favourites of mine,one is called 'I'm not a Cat said Emerald' and the other is 'Goose Eggs'which has the cutest ever illustrations

Ah yes George's Marvellous Medicine was ace!! Bet they wouldn't allow it to be published if it was written now though, they'd probably say it would encourage children to poison people. I loved that story!

Also just remembered "Stig of the Dump", and even betterk, "The Twits" - now that's a clasic book. I remember the bit where Mrs Twit puts a glass eye in Mr Twits beer, and he glues a little disc onto the bottom of her walking sick every day to make her think she's getting shorter. Brilliant!!

i used to love roald darl too, the witches was my alltime fave. I remember stig of the dump too and was there an iron man?

I can't really remember the stories though, i used to love reading, when i got older danielle steel was my fave. I just never seem to have time anymore I sell lots of childrens fiction too and to sell them you really need to read them first i just never get chance looking at the list these are some 'classics retold' huckleberry finn
moby dick
kidnapped
frankenstein
dr jeckell and mr hyde
wuthering heights
jane eyre
jason and the argonauts
the hound of the baskervilles
treasure island
don quixote
but tbh i can't remember reading any of them.

On a similar subject...it annoys me when they change stories such as goldilocks. On cbeebies when the 3 bears turned up goldilocks started to help fix everything and they all became best of friends! does everything have to be politically correct? Can't remember the details but i saw a jack in the beanstalk where the giant helped him I guess the world isn't aloud to have any bad guys anymore

anyway moan over
Gemma

Gemma

Gemma - I know what you mean about there not being allowed to be any bad guys any more, and also about horrible re-makes of things! I just saw a trailer for the re-make of the children's film "Charlotte's Web". Now, I remember the version (made in the 70s?) which was pretty sad for a child to watch.. I remember crying when I saw it! It was supposed to be a real eye-opener for children, and to teach them about mortality. The trailer for the new one advertises it as a feel-good comedy!
I don't necessarily agree that children should be shown miserable things, but why remake a film so that it's entirely different? Why not just make a different film?!

Just wondering at what age you would read Roald Dahl to a child?

I've got a box set and I've been through all the younger ones with my 5 year old but I've just started the BFG and I think it might be a bit much for him. (Human "beans" being eaten by giants!)

Also, to join in with the topic, he loved the Arabel and Mortimer stories by Joan Aiken which I remember from Jackanory.

i think rohld dahl is an aquired taste, maybe a 5yr old wouldnt quite get the stry but the BFG is a lovely story and i would start with that one!

Meg and Mog are the favourite take homes from the library for my daughter at the moment

Weve got lots of ones like the Hungry Caterpillar, Meg and Mog, and (for Christmas this year) the Night Before Christmas. I've also been picking up other books for later when he's older from friends, charity shops and other places when I find good copies. Got a box of the Narnia books and some of Harry Potter like this.