Going through my books, I'm sure we've thrown or given away loads of books from my childhood. I can think of so many books that I've read but I'm unable to find them. Probably stowed away in a storage box somewhere. I still adore so many of the books that I read as a child, all of the obvious ones: We're going on a bear hunt, The Gruffalo (although I'm sure I was too old for this one), The Hungry Caterpillar, Winnie the Pooh, The Tiger who Came to Tea, Elmer, Six Dinner Sid, the list goes on! But here is a list of the books that I'm still in possession of...
Starting off with the wonderful Roald Dahl, my all time favourite Roald Dahl book is Fantastic Mr. Fox but I've misplaced my copy. Other I love are...
The Twits
"Mr. and Mrs. Twit play some horrible tricks on each other. I bet you have never met two people more revolting. The never wash, they trap birds for Bird Pie and they hate children. Find out what brilliant trick the Roly-Poly Bird and the Muggle-Wump monkeys think up for them."
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
I just have to say that I love the original movie adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but do not come near me with the Johnny Depp remake. No thank-you.
"Mr. Wonka's inventions are out of this world. He's thought up every kind of sweet imaginable in his amazing chocolate factory, but no one has ever seen inside, or met Mr. Wonka! Charlie Bucket can't believe his luck when he finds a golden ticket and wins the trip of a lifetime around the famous chocolate factory. He still could never have dreamed what surprises lie in store!"
The Witches
"You could be sitting next to a witch and never know it. They look just like ordinary women but they're extremely dangerous to children! Luckily for the boy in this story, his grandmother knows what signs to look for but, even so, things don't go quite as planned."
The Mousehole Cat by Antonia Barber and Nicola Bayley
Mousehole is famous for its Christmas lights displays with the locals and tourists to Cornwall. The Mousehole Cat is a story inspired by the old Cornish legend of Tom Bawcock.
"The dramatic and moving Cornish tale of Mowzer, the cat, and Tom, the old fisherman, who brave the fury of the Great Storm Cat to try and save their village."
The Merrymaid of Zennor by Charles Causley and Michael Foreman
I feel as though I'm a living cliche of a Cornish child, so many of the picture books, from my childhood, are based on Cornish legends. Perhaps one of the most famous stories is of the Merrymaid of Zennor though.
"The stranger's glimmering robe fell away and the Zachy saw that she sported not two human feet but a pair of gleaming fish's fins.
She was a merrymaid!
From the poet Charles Causley and prize-winning children's illustrator Michael Foreman comes this enchanting picture book about the strange and wonderful things Zachy sees after Tom Taskis the tin miner runs off with the beautiful mermaid. But he tells no one, for who would believe such tales from Zachy who loved to wander the cliffs and make up stories in his head?
Based on a traditional Cornish folk tale and set in the real village of Zennor, both story and pictures are rich in the mysterious atmosphere of the windswept Cornish coast... where anything magical might happen."
The Dolphin Boy by Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman
I also seem to own a lot of picture books that Michael Foreman either illustrated or wrote. Of course, the wonderful Michael Morpurgo had to come up eventually too, I find it difficult to believe anyone could've lived their lives without reading at least one of his books!
"Jim lives in a fishing village - but no-one goes fishing anymore as all the fish have gone. One day, Jim spots a dolphin beached on the sand. He runs to get help, and everyone works together to return the dolphin to the water. Afterward, the dolphin stays in the harbour, playing with the swimmers - and he even carries Jim on his back! Then the dolphin disappears, and everyone is so sorrowful they take out a boat to find him. Suddenly the sea is boiling with dolphins leaping out of the sea! They have come to stay - and the village comes to life with tourists, mended boats, and dolphins!"
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
I'm not sure that this is *technically* a children's book. But I remember reading this before I was 10 and I wouldn't hesitate to allow a child to read it now. I'm sure many know the story of The Hobbit or have watched the film adaptations.
"Smaug certainly looked fast asleep, when Bilbo peeped once more from the entrance. He was just about to step out onto the floor when he caught a sudden thin ray of red from under the drooping lid of Smaug's left eye.
He was only pretending to be asleep! He was watching the tunnel entrance...
Whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in his hobbit-hole in Bag End by Gandalf the wizard and a company of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Although quite reluctant to take part in this quest, Bilbo surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and his skill as a burglar!"
- K.B
No comments