Children's books

[DanZac]

The slight thread diversion over on the dowsing thread got me thinking about childrens literture and what I read as a child.
I liked nothing more than escaping into the outdoors for an adventure with Mr Ransomes Swallows or off to solve a mystery with Mrs Blytons Secret Seven, all harmless fun although somewhat dated now.
Neither of the authors above seem to appear on any of the "greatest childrens author's" lists though, so what was everyone else reading as youngsters that was better than an adventure with Mr Ransome?

 

[Profpointy]

The slight thread diversion over on the dowsing thread got me thinking about childrens literture and what I read as a child.
I liked nothing more than escaping into the outdoors for an adventure with Mr Ransomes Swallows or off to solve a mystery with Mrs Blytons Secret Seven, all harmless fun although somewhat dated now.
Neither of the authors above seem to appear on any of the "greatest childrens author's" lists though, so what was everyone else reading as youngsters that was better than an adventure with Mr Ransome?

Not read Amazons, but loved secret seven as a kid. I realise SS would be utterly unreadable as an adult. I reread 3 or four narnia books one afternoon, and was hugely disapointed how ropey they are.despite being enthralled as a kid. That said, re-read Treasure Island recently - now that's how to write an adventure.story ! Great story, great characters and great writing for any age. Philip Pulman's stuff is great too.

remember as a kid reading a book in an evening or two, yet as an adult a book now takes me much longer. Re -reading 3 or 4 narnia books in afternoon made me realise I was now reading more substantial books and it wasn't just me getting slower in old age

 

[Dave7]

When i was aged approx 10 (60 years ago) I read a book called Brendon Chase.....written by someone called Watkins using the name B.B. A great book and the memory stayed with me.
About 10 years ago a mate gave me a copy as a present ao I quickly read it. I enjoyed it just as much........how weird is that!

 

[summerdays]

I did try reading Swallows and Amazons (I loved the entire series myself), to my children but the language is quite dated, resulting in them having to think quite a bit harder rather than relaxed reading (equivalent to me looking at Shakespear I guess). Similar effect to making them watch Wiskey Galore.... I enjoyed the pace of the film (a favourite B+W of mine), but too "boring" for them.

However there are loads of brilliant new authors since I was a kid!

 

[welsh dragon]

Treasure Island for me as well as Enid Blyton and Jules Verne 20,000 leagues under the sea. And Alice in Wonderland, and through the looking glass.

 

[Yellow Fang]

We weren't supposed to like Enid Blyton, but I did. I read all her Famous Five books. I also liked the Willard Price adventure books, in which two teenage lads help their father catch animals for a zoo. When I was about primary school age, I liked the Dragonfall 5 books, about a family who travel about in an out-of-date spaceship delivering cargo. My favourite books were The Hobbit and Watership Down. My father tried reading us Wind in the Willows once, but I just didn't get it. Biggles seemed to be as actively discouraged in the 70s as smoking, and I think I only read one or two.

 

[Dave 123]

Roald Dahl did it for me as a kid, and I occasionally revisit Danny and his pheasant rustling. Pure class!

 

[Beebo]

My daughter loves the Naughtiest Girl series of books by Enid Blyton. Which is set in a 1940s girls boarding school.
She doesn’t seem to care that it is very out dated and has nothing relevant to modern life.
She also loves anything by David Walliams and Jacqueline Wilson. Which are far more current.

 

[Julia9054]

My daughter loves the Naughtiest Girl series of books by Enid Blyton. Which is set in a 1940s girls boarding school.
She doesn’t seem to care that it is very out dated and has nothing relevant to modern life.
She also loves anything by David Walliams and Jacqueline Wilson. Which are far more current.

I read the Mallory Towers series as a child. So far outside my experience as to be almost incomprehensible but I loved them nonetheless

 

[Tim Hall]

Ooh, as starter of that particular diversion, I'll drop in here. I guess it's going to depend, amongst other things, on when exactly you (or I) were a child and where you were brought up. I'm 56 and raised in England, so off the top of my head a bit of Ransome, Willard Price and W E Johns. The Boy, who is 24, read, umm, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Phillip Pullman. He then went a bit dragon/fantasy, which leaves me cold so I couldn't tell you any authors.

A couple of years ago I read We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea (Ransome). I had trouble sleeping and thought it would help me relax and drop off. No chance, it scared me to bits.

 

[summerdays]

Ooh, as starter of that particular diversion, I'll drop in here. I guess it's going to depend, amongst other things, on when exactly you (or I) were a child and where you were brought up. I'm 56 and raised in England, so off the top of my head a bit of Ransome, Willard Price and W E Johns. The Boy, who is 24, read, umm, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Phillip Pullman. He then went a bit dragon/fantasy, which leaves me cold so I couldn't tell you any authors.

A couple of years ago I read We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea (Ransome). I had trouble sleeping and thought it would help me relax and drop off. No chance, it scared me to bits.

I really enjoyed reading the Artemis Fowl series to my youngest, and Phillip Pullman to myself.

 

[User482]

I've been reading Roald Dahl with my kids for the last year or so, and I find his writing almost as pleasurable now as I did as a child.

 

[delb0y]

Another vote for Willard Price here. I also recall enjoying Enid Blyton, and Biggles, and a book called The Model Railway Men.

 

[Profpointy]

I loved Biggles (w e Johns) too and only just managed to resist a cheap box set recently. Whether they are still readable as an adult I don't know. I do remember once reading some more adult spy novel or other and thinking this is just Biggles with the odd bit of bonking stuck in

 

[Hugh Manatee]

I read all the Willard Price books. I also read many times The Swiss Family Robinson by Yohann Wyss. An elderly neighbour gave me quite an old copy when he discovered I read a lot.
R. M. Ballantine's The Coral Island was another favourite.