I expect you know there's a new Pullman. It starts as the back story to His Dark Materials, when Lyra was a baby. The first book was serialised on Radio 4 a couple of weeks ago.
Children's books
- Thread starter DanZac
- Start date
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Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
I really can't stand Roald Dahl! Read lots of his stuff to my kids when they were youngsters, but I find his attempts at linguistic inventiveness tiresome and irritating 
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Just to be different i tended to read my dads books, wilbur smith and the dune books
DanZac
Senior Member
- Location
- Basingstoke
I liked a good Hardy Boys adventure mystery too. A search for the author shows that they were written by a series of ghost writers but published under one name with a few updates along the way to keep them appealing as times changed (along with what was acceptable).
Not being much if a writer I'd imagine it's quite a skill having a group of people all writing different stories yet keeping the writing style and characters the same so they appear to be from the same hand.
Not being much if a writer I'd imagine it's quite a skill having a group of people all writing different stories yet keeping the writing style and characters the same so they appear to be from the same hand.
Threevok
Growing old disgracefully
- Location
- South Wales
Anything by Dr Seuss (which my oldest daughter still loves)
The Iron Giant
Later in my youth - Tolkien
The Iron Giant
Later in my youth - Tolkien
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
I didn't know that at all. Thank you, I will look out for that.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Helen Cresswell is much underrated - a huge contributor to the cultural life of children growing up in the 60s, 70s and 80s, both with her own superb books and her adaptations of other peoples books for TV. I loved the Bagthorpe saga especially, because it was so funny, but she also did some seriously chilling supernatural stories, eg Winter of the Birds. A genuinely great writer who deserved more fame than I think she ever got.
I never read the Swallows & Amazons books, despite my dad going on about how much he had loved them as a boy. He more successfully introduced me to Richmal Crompton’s William books, which I read over and over and over... They still make me laugh as a grown-up.
I never read the Swallows & Amazons books, despite my dad going on about how much he had loved them as a boy. He more successfully introduced me to Richmal Crompton’s William books, which I read over and over and over... They still make me laugh as a grown-up.
Julia9054
Legendary Member
- Location
- Knaresborough
I loved Swallows and Amazons - for the freedom it seemed to portray.
Think I may have written this before but when I was 12, I managed to persuade the bloke at the boating lake in Lytham St Annes to let me hire a mirror dinghy with my 9 year old sister as "crew". I convinced him I could sail despite having never been in a sailing boat in my life but I had read Swallows and Amazons!
It all went surprisingly well - we sailed successfully around the lake a few times - until the time came to bring the boat back in. I managed to maroon it about 5 metres out and it was obvious I hadn't a clue!
Cue massive bollocking!
(Also, I couldn't swim!)
Think I may have written this before but when I was 12, I managed to persuade the bloke at the boating lake in Lytham St Annes to let me hire a mirror dinghy with my 9 year old sister as "crew". I convinced him I could sail despite having never been in a sailing boat in my life but I had read Swallows and Amazons!
It all went surprisingly well - we sailed successfully around the lake a few times - until the time came to bring the boat back in. I managed to maroon it about 5 metres out and it was obvious I hadn't a clue!
Cue massive bollocking!
(Also, I couldn't swim!)
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
I can't remember the exact quote but something about "duffers" springs to mind... I think it was Nancy that said it but not sure.
Edit: found the quote -
Duffers was in a telegram from the Walker children's father giving them permission to go sailing. Better drowned than duffers if not duffers won't drown.
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Yes that's right, it's coming back to me
I loved Enid Blyton as a child, and those books do seem to be making a comeback of late, possibly due to the number of grandparents giving them to grandchildren?!
The Katy books and Little Women were big faves too. Then I developed a liking for "chick lit" at an early age and read some right trash.
I've bought my children most of the books I loved as a child, and some more modern ones, but the ones from my childhood are undoubtedly their favourites.
A lot of the Jacqueline Wilson books are just rip offs of classic stories, and the rest are utter tripe. She's banned in this house for no reason other than the absolute claptrap that is Tracy Beaker.
The Katy books and Little Women were big faves too. Then I developed a liking for "chick lit" at an early age and read some right trash.
I've bought my children most of the books I loved as a child, and some more modern ones, but the ones from my childhood are undoubtedly their favourites.
A lot of the Jacqueline Wilson books are just rip offs of classic stories, and the rest are utter tripe. She's banned in this house for no reason other than the absolute claptrap that is Tracy Beaker.
Julia9054
Legendary Member
- Location
- Knaresborough
My eldest loved the Cirque du Freak vampire series by Darren Shan. I thought they were terrifying but a great series for getting boys to read.
The younger one loved the Skulduggery Pleasant books (a detective that just happens to be a skeleton!) by Derek Landy. He still rereads them when he fancies a retreat to childhood!
The younger one loved the Skulduggery Pleasant books (a detective that just happens to be a skeleton!) by Derek Landy. He still rereads them when he fancies a retreat to childhood!
Vapin' Joe
Formerly known as Smokin Joe
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
Famous Five, Just William, Jennings, Treasure Island and books of a similar ilk.
And something that would cause uproar if they were written today, the Billy Bunter books.
And something that would cause uproar if they were written today, the Billy Bunter books.
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
I read few Johnny Briggs books when i was a kid... but that's about it.
