Thursday, June 05, 2008

Grandma's Bookshelf

I am assembling a special bookshelf for Amelia (and any future grandchildren we might have visiting!). I am going through my shelves to find old favourites but I can't resist buying new books too. I think the shelf will soon become a dedicated bookcase!

These were all popular with my own children. I am lucky to have any left as they have both removed as many of their favourites as possible. I wonder who has The Elephant and the Bad Baby, Dogger, The Hungry Caterpillar, Max Yak and the rest? At least I still have this copy of Peter and the Wolf that I bought to read to my first class of 7 year-olds in 1967.
I couldn't resist buying this set of Usborne First Reading Books, a real bargain from the Book PeopleAnd that fount of information on children's books, Juliet recommended the Wibbly Pig books by Mick Inkpen, to combine my love of books and pigs. Book Rabbit added the Peppa Pig book as a suitable (and much appreciated) free gift.
The collection grows but I think it will be quite a while before Millie can tackle Chaucer!
All recommendations for suitable additions to the Grandma bookshelf will be gratefully received.

6 comments:

  1. Apart from all the very old favourites, I'd definitely add the Moomin books by Tove Janssen. Funny, clever, wise and different - and accompanied by the most wonderful line drawings. I've just reread them for the first time in over 50 years and enjoyed them as much this time round as I did when I was a child in the '50s.

    I have very fond memories of The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnett (betraying my roots here!), and all of Noel Streatfield.

    For younger children, any of Ivy Wallace's Pookie books, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, Kathleen Hale's Orlando (the famous marmalade cat) books and, if you can find them anywhere, any of the Toby Twirl stories written by Sheila Hodgetts. (I always preferred Toby Twirl in his red dungarees to Rupert the Bear in his check trousers . . .)

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  2. Well, I would certainly add the author I mentioned a few weeks ago, Jill Murphy. My grandson's favourite is 'Peace at Last' but 'Whatever Next' is also fun. And the 'Large' family books by the same author are also a delight. And for when Millie is a bit older, how about the Milly Molly Mandy books?

    I do think you've already got a lovely collection there though.

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  3. I don't know the Pookie books or Toby Twirl, D. I must search them out. The rest are old favourites and all except the Moomins should be around the house if I look hard enough!

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  4. Yes, Cath, I put Jill Murphy's 'Peace at last' on my wishlist as soon as you recommended it. You might have noticed that I have one or two of her earlier books in the pile. Again, I haven't seen any of the Lrge family so that is something to look out for and Milly-Molly-Mandy will be a must! I shall keep watching out for your reviews and recommendations and blame you when I am very, very poor!

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  5. Moomins, Jennie (Gallico), certainly Orlando, early Paddington, Wind in the Willows (though I did not warm to it as a child, my son loved it), Alan Garner, Rosemary Sutcliff (particularly the trilogy that commences with Eagle of the Ninth), "The Edge Chronicles" (Paul Stewart) - actually far too many to list!

    Dark Puss

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  6. Thank you, Peter, 'The Edge Chronicles" are new to me and I had forgotten about the lovely Orlando.

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