My 11yo nephew is an incredibly fussy eater (from the ‘other’ side of the family as I now know…) and I bought him this for Christmas:

This got me thinking about classic books that I either had or read in the late 70’s / early 80’s as a child and I’ve recently bought them in my middle-age to ‘collect’:

What others..? Or more recent ‘classics’..?

I bought ‘Were the Wild Things Are’, too, mainly for the beautiful illustrations.

I had another book, I’m presuming from around the same time, with even more incredible drawings. Incredibly detailed, almost paisley-like illustrations – it was also a story of a boy’s adventure. I can’t for the life of me remember what it was, though. Any other children of the 70s know what it might be?

Loving the 1st books title .
Read these in my early teens’ so I’d justify that as my childhood..
Both stayed with me and the recent films made me dig them out again (in audiobook format): The Hobbit & Enders games. The hobbit was more twee than I remember & the watched the final segment of the films last night, was ok, won’t be bothered about watching it again. Ender game the book is excellent, not seen the film. Should have read the Enders series a lot earlier, even in Card is a homophobic muppet

Film is a bit MLEH IMHO you wont love it you wont hate it
Not read the book

I have bought some books i read for my kids but not read them myself

Ohhh… I need that first one!

I’ve bought a few (more for me than him, as he’s not yet 2)

I absolutely loved that book when I was little. Bought again ready for when my niece is old enough. It’s a shame Bottersnikes and Gumbles is out of print – that was ace too

There was one – The Red Fox, by BB – that I read over and over again, think Tarka the Otter but with foxes, wonder if its on kindle?

I tracked down and bought all the molesworth stories (whizz for atoms, etc), and am currently contemplating ‘Emil and the detectives’.

I bought a compilation of Jack London stories recently. I had never realised that White Fang and Call of the wild were opposites of each other! My son is only 4 though, it’ll bd a while yet before he reads them!

Tried watching LoTR, bored me stupid, yet loved it and the Hobbit reading as a 12 year old. Still got Weirdstone of Brisinghamen to re read!

Film is a bit MLEH IMHO you wont love it you wont hate it

Yup – didn’t enjoy it.

Another one I recall:

Full set of Asterix the Gaul. The subtle classics references are great.

If you like The Red Fox look for Wild Lone also by BB

Various Dr. Seuss books, bloody genius.

I am a bunny
My name is Nicholas
I live in a hollow tree.

A year or two back I bought the Wishing Chair, partly for my wife who is interested in kids books but never heard of Enid Blyton until moving here; and partly so my kids can read it when they get older.

TBH it doesn’t really bear a second reading 🙂

1984

was going to say some Dickens stuff too, but I think the kiddies version must have been an adaptation, and the proper version is probably free as ePub, and I haven’t “bought” (downloaded) them yet.

Billy Bunter, Biggles, Jennings. All books I loved as a kid ( though Billy Bunter was incredibly dated even in the 70’s). May see if I can get hold of some.

Didn’t buy anything, but I wandered into a ‘collectables’ shop yesterday. Proper trip down memory lane, it was like a shop containing my childhood. Loads of books and toys I either had or coveted. Really early (pre-minifig) Lego sets, a pull-along wooden dog thing on eccentric orange wheels which I’d had as a very young kid and completely forgotten about, Super Spirograph, that game with the ball bearings in little rubber sleeves (Rebound? maybe), all sorts. I very nearly came out of there with the trailer and can carrier accessories for my Big Trak.

EDIT: here – https://www.facebook.com/TheTimeTrain

Richard Scarry.

Bought my daughter the complete Richard Scarry book for Christmas – 4 in one – bloody cost 25 quid though, but it’s mint.

+1 chakaping, left wondering what the drawing are going to be like…

Desmond Bagley, Alistair Maclean, Hammond Innes and Dick Francis – I can remember reading lots of them when I was at junior school, when the rest of my class was reading things like The Little Prince.

Still got most of my childhood books – Charlie, The Little Captain, Born Free and the one that was shown on TV over christmas – Professor Branestawm. I read Professor Branestawm to my son and he said it was boring.
I did buy Stig of the Dump to read to him and he didn’t like that either 🙁

For myself I buy adult books though.