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RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 4810

Asked by Waterstone's to name their favourite and most inspirational children's books, the current Children's Laureate and his four predecessors have compiled a top 35, and not one Harry Potter or Jacqueline Wilson is to be found in it.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/forget-hogwarts-vintage-is-the-best-childrens-read-say-laureates-1675187.html

No matter. The object of the exercise is ostensibly to introduce and encourage children to read something else, although the list is far from radical, containing most of the classics from the last 150 years, and only five published within the last twenty.

Of course at the same time the bookshop wanted to build a display and sell more books, and they probably didn't need yet another table groaning under the weight of J K Rowling's output.

From the list I fondly remember The Box of Delights, the Just William stories, Treasure Island, Kipling's Just So stories (and Jungle Book, which isn't on the list), and the Child's Garden of Verse (although the Puffin Book of Verse, which was more extensive and wider-ranging, was more satisfying).

Which of those on the list, and off it, were your favourites?
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John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 2071 Location: Warwickshire, UK

I'm in my 50s now so yes I recall enjoying the Famous Five books, and also the Secret Seven, never really got into Just William or Billy Bunter, but I did read some Jennings.

Always borrowed them from the library, never bought them.

And then the Narnia books, which I did buy, and still have (a boxed set of paperbacks).

John

Minx · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:37 pm Post subject:

Going back (and I mean really going back) I enjoyed the "Chalet School" series. Can't remember who wrote it, but the geography of it still echoes today when I hear people talking about Switzerland.
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Minx
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MadeinSurrey · Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:29 am Post subject:

Wot? No "Milly Molly Mandy"? Laughing

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MiS