The best book that you ever read when you were growing up.

I treasure the day I picked up my first Swallows and Amazons novel. I was in a fever (properly ill) and demanded pemmican sandwiches. My mother brought me corned beef sandwiches and I ate for the first time in four days. The recovery was swift henceforth.

Also enjoyed everything by Enid Blyton, most especially, The Mountain of Adventure which I must have read 12 times.

Thereafter, as I grew up a bit, The Mouse and his Child by Russel Hoban captured my imagination.

As a younger kid, Swallows and Amazons and the Chronicles of Narnia… Little bit older, Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight, and Terry Pratchett- think Moving Pictures was my first.

what is this Swallows and Amazons, it’s obviously something I must read!

Enid blyton – various series at various stages of growing up, The “……….. Of adventure” in particular.
Robert Heinlein- again, various books at various times – stranger in a strange land got me into trouble in RE, which was taught by the local Protestant firebrand minister.
Swallows and amazons of course.