Very OT this one.
Do you have any recommendations for books to read to children?
My two kids are 5 and 6.5 years old and a story at bedtime is something we all still look forward to. We've a huge selection of picture-based story books (our Julia Donaldson books are looking very sorry for themselves and the kids know them word for word) and are trying to move onto more novel-type books where the bairns use their imagination to picture what is happening. We've had a go at some of the Enid Blyton books (because I read them as a kid) and the children like them; I've refrained from Harry Potter as I think the youngest might not be ready for them.
Any other suggestions? Particular authors to look out for?
Many thanks.
My two loved Roald Dahl books, used to read them over and over to them.
Ted Hughes - The Iron Man
I've just moved from the Julia Donaldson books to Roald Dahl, which are longer and a little more grown up, my 6 year old loves them, as do I.
Roald Dahl +1, Grimm, Terry Jones' Fairy Tales, Pooh (A A Milne).
A bit young for it now, but Louis Sachar 'Holes' is fantastic. I read it myself recently although it is 'technically' a youths' book.
I've just started the complete works of Thomas the Tank engine.... for the 3rd time since christmas!
Stories take me 5 - 10 minutes to read, 3 or 4 small pics per story, and 40 or 50 stories in the book!
The text and pictures are 40+ years old, so expect questions like Dad, whats a "right good walloping"?
I'm reading Wind in the willows to my 5 year old. He likes it, and it generally sends him to sleep, so a win-win! We've aslo read a few Roald Dahl and Enid Blytons which he loves.
You can get a lot of Roald Dahl books on audio which are great for the car. We have Matilda and the BFG (the BFG is the best imo)
a bit leftfield, but my dad read me and my sister Eric the Viking by Terry Jones of Monty Python fame. I remember it being just frightening enough, and some of the stories have stayed with me even now. Can't wait for my son to be old enough for proper reading!
Yeah, Terry Jones' stuff is good - see my above recommendation too.
We were fortunate to get an as-new compendium of his works from a local Freecycle network so it has been safely hidden away till our two are a little older.
Best bit of advice would be to cherish these times. I read every night without fail and wish i still could.
I guess i shall have to wait for grandkids now.
As already mentioned Thomas, Roald Dahl, Hobbit all good. Even the Mr. Men. The good ones get read over and over.
Try a book called penguin pandemonium. My 6 y-o loves it! (there's a 2nd book out, now, if they like the first one).
trb - we had similar questions with the Enid Blyton!
Ted Hughes - tick, now on the list - a great book, I read that too.
Roald Dahl - tick, now on the list
Thomas the tank engine - we've done most of them and all of the Mr Men books too.
As an aside, I was recently given the Charlie Higson books. They're supposed to be kids books too (maybe teenagers??) and gave me nightmares! Enjoyable though.
Uphillcursing - I work away for 3 or 4 nights a week. This time with the kids is very special. I've recently bought the missus an ipad so I can read to them from my hotel. It's not too successful at the moment however!
This might sound ridiculous but.. Kipling 😀
It's a beautiful mixture of nonsense, yarns and poetry.
Any views on the Lemony Snicket books - are they a bit old? As in aimed at an older age group?
I read Dr Zeuss to mine. Really good fun as a lot of them are tongue twisters so you have to learn to read them properly yourself which I find really engages the kids as they see you going through a learning process which helped their confidence and enjoyment in reading the books back once they are old enough. Usually from memory at first.
I have a 5 month old now and can't wait to dust off Horton Hears a Who again! 😀
50 shades??
DrP
Mine also loved stories from the family history. The great, great grandma who lost her shoes when she hid them to be like the other kids. The terrors of outside toilet when i was young. These have never been forgotten and are often brought up.
Just a thought to vary the proceedings.
scaled - MemberThis might sound ridiculous but.. Kipling
It's a beautiful mixture of nonsense, yarns and poetry.
+1
Just so Yarns are great at least I think so...
Our No.2 loves Josie Smith and The Worst Witch books, she's 5. Also likes Roald Dahl. I look forward to reading The Dark is Rising books to her, especially the first one, might try that soon.
She's seen all the Harry Potter films (cried when Voldemort died) but those books might be beyond her just now.
We've been through Mr Men, Dahl, Horrid Henry, Dirty Bertie - all recommended.
Mr Gum is a current fave (he's 9 now) and anything with Dinosuars in 🙂
I've not read it but, might be worth investigating?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Maurice_and_his_Educated_Rodents
I recall a book called the Trigan Empire, i'll be buying it soon for my lad.... cracking cartoon based story based upon a fictitious planet with twin suns and the escape from it due to pending doom from an asteroid i think.
Check out the [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Youre-Bad-Man-Mr-Gum/dp/1405223103/ref=tmm_pap_title_0 ]Mr Gum[/url] books ... colourful and genuinely laugh out loud funny.
Famous Five 23ish books and great stories,Swallows and Amazons at least 12 books,amazing reading for adults and children.
Ursula Leguin wizard of Earth Sea 5 books,maybe better when there 10years old.
We've only just stopped(she was 13) reading every night to her 🙂
Think Mrs G and I miss it more!
Many thanks - some brilliant stuff there. Downloaded a few already for the Kindle 8)
DrP - Thanks. The missus has bought that but only got a few pages in.... 😐