What did you read?

Lily_The_Legend

I liked a lot of the Roald Dahl books, especially George's Marvellous Medicine.
The Famous Five books by Enid Blyton
Ramona Quimby Age 8 - they've recently made this into a film and I thought it was really good!
The Secret Garden
Something with Mrs Pepperpot in, not sure what that book is.
The Hodgeheg
All the Winnie the Pooh books

dumpy

Don't forget the "Starlight barking", the sequel to 101 Dalamations very good.

Also the dark is rising series by Susan Cooper, all magic and arthurian legends. I liked them, first one is called "Over sea under stone."

edited to add the Animals of Farthingwood, although I cried buckets with the Hedgehogs and the motorway......

And another vote for "The little White Horse"

RazWaz

I was around that age when I started reading Diana Wynne Jones's books. There are over 30 now, and although some are for older readers (4-5 of them) most would be suitable. I still read them all now as they are so good.

And although I guess they are aimed at boys really, I had a bit of a Goosebumps obsession at that age, maybe let her try one of those?

Murtle

sassyblue wrote: »

I can remember having a large book by Hans Christian Anderson with loads of stories in it had to be my favourite book as a child and l still think about it now. I haven't got it now though.

I love Enid Blyton too, Malory Towers was my favourite, the Famous 5 got on my nerves a bit but l still read them.

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe another favourite, should read it again l can't remember anything about it now.

sweetcheekz l remember kizzy!

Oh yes Hans Christian Anderson - fabulous. That book from our childhood is being left for my sister :rotfl:

Firetastic

A great one that I read in my second year of Secondary school was Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian. I really enjoyed it. We then watched the movie which was very good too.

I've now got it on DVD.

pollypenny

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

In my last year at primary school (probably not suitable until she's 10 or 11) I enjoyed Animal Farm, Jane Eyre, and Lord of the Flies.

Gosh! You must be a genius.


I would advise against giving any book which was written for adults to an eight year old.

Even with Jane Eyre she'd just get the gist.

Enid Blyton is not a wordsmith, but her plots move along and can hook children into reading. More demanding and better written work can follow. I'd go with Noel Streatfield and Lorna Hill, although they may seem dated.

Michael Morpugo is great, as is Robert Westall - choose carefully though, as some of his work is for older teenagers. Ann Pilling's Henry's Leg is super.

American Sweet Valley High - avoid.

newcook

I’ve always loved reading!!

My childhood favourites (from about 6-11) were:
The witches
Matilda
The BFG
georges marvelous medicine
charlie and the chocolate factroy
The magic faraway tree
the magic wishing chair
The twins at st clares
mallory towers
My naughty little sister
The babysitter club books (I think I read all of them :eek: )

Im pretty sure there were other ‘school’ books that I read (the above were all out of choice) I also had a weekly magazine subscription.

My mom would sometimes be a little late meeting me from school (she would walk part way and meet me in the middle) but she knew she would find me in the local library so always had a scan in there for me first! when she started letting me walk all the way home on my own she knew to allow an extra half hour after the rest of the neighbours kids came home as I would be returning books and getting my next 'fix'!

I think I get my reading from my mom – she’s always reading a book and has about 4 on the table next to her.

neverdespairgirl

pollypenny wrote: »

Gosh! You must be a genius.


I would advise against giving any book which was written for adults to an eight year old.

Even with Jane Eyre she'd just get the gist.

Not a genuis at all, I was precocious, but got stuck (-:

I was definitely given Jane Eyre for Christmas in my last year at primary school, when I was 9, by my godmother. I really enjoyed it. Had to ask my mother about some words, of course!

borokat

Lord of the Flies might be a bit strong for an 8 year old!
I loved Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Noel Streatfield, and the Sadler's Wells books by Lorna Hill. Abridged versions of Dickens would be good for younger readers as well, and then they can read the full version when they are a little bit older (some of his books are so dense and long I don't think they suffer for a little editing!)
Greek/Roman myths and legends - these are also great for getting a grounding in the Classics.
Poetry...I had some good anthologies of poems that I used to love reading.
I used to go to the library with my Dad every week, choose 10 books and read them all! Sometimes I would borrow the same book multiple times.
Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High and Point Horror are all fun series (maybe when she is a bit older for Point Horror!) Catherine Cookson also wrote some good children's novels. Nina Bawden...there was one about evacuees I liked? I used to really like books about evacuees, come to think of it!

Brighton_belle

jakes-mum wrote: »

anyway, where was I? oh yes, The Chalet School books. It starts with an older sister starting a small school that her younger sister (main character) attends and follows her through the school, into adulthood, marriage and her own kids. This is obviously across lots of books and if anyone ever spots any anywhre can they let me know as id love to read them again

I loved the chalet school books too. i believe they are out of print now and very expensive to buy from specialist 2nd hand book shops. I can't understand why someone doesn't reprin them.

I also still own all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books - they are superb.

My suggestions...

1. Tom's midnight garden
2. The Borrowers
3. The growing summer by Noel Streatfiled
4. A beautiful modern classic is Skellig by David Almond and his newer prequel - My name is Meena

Great thread. I was a Mallory Towers and famous five girl myself:D