Your favourite book as a child
Discussion
droopsnoot said:
It's interesting just how many Enid Blyton characters would now have names that are seen as, shall we say, inappropriate. Mr Twiddle is one I recall, though I don't remember reading the book, and I hadn't heard of Mr Pinkwhistle but that's definitely one.
You know that hadnt occurred to me until you wrote that, but yes - especially as one of the books is "Mr Pink-Whistle interfers". Antonia said:
droopsnoot said:
It's interesting just how many Enid Blyton characters would now have names that are seen as, shall we say, inappropriate. Mr Twiddle is one I recall, though I don't remember reading the book, and I hadn't heard of Mr Pinkwhistle but that's definitely one.
You know that hadnt occurred to me until you wrote that, but yes - especially as one of the books is "Mr Pink-Whistle interfers". 
I have several. I think "Four Little Engines" was the first book I read over and over again, and in fact I still have it. Then "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" – still have that as well. "Thunder and Lightnings", by Jan Mark – still on the shelf. And of course the Machine Gunners by Robert Westall, I lost my original 1975 edition but bought it again about ten years ago. "Rogue Male" by Geoffrey Household – reading that again at the moment. I've got literally tons of books actually... find it very difficult to get rid of them.
Yertis said:
I have several. I think "Four Little Engines" was the first book I read over and over again, and in fact I still have it.
I'd also completely forgotten about the Rev W Awdry's Thomas the Tank Engine series (even if the book above isn't one, I think all mine were "<name> the <colour> engine" titles), I think I had all of them at one point, though I think there may be new ones. And, because I was into it then (and still might be, to a degree) a series of books about a lad who had a model railway layout where a set of OO-gauge real life people came to live, the first one being "The Model Railway Men". And I recall one where he visited Germany, and another that involved American locos for some reason.
ETA - by Ray Pope, and a search suggests there are far more of them than I remember reading.
Edited by droopsnoot on Tuesday 6th September 11:13
kowalski655 said:
The Swallows and Amazons books by Arthur Ransome. Particularly Swallowdale, but I read all of them many times.
Was very much brought up on AR. As children, we sailed out of Pin Mill so "We didn't mean to go to sea" was always a firm favourite.Danny Champion of the World was another one that I absolutely loved
200Plus Club said:
Oh I remember that very well. They also made it into a tv series if I remember
Yes! For years I've been trying to remember the name of a show set during the war I watched as a kid. My main memory was of a big, simple chap who shouted "Where going now?!" In a Geordie accent.Jader1973 said:
Yes! For years I've been trying to remember the name of a show set during the war I watched as a kid. My main memory was of a big, simple chap who shouted "Where going now?!" In a Geordie accent.
It's on YouTube :-)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqZOmMjlnbA
Enid Blyton - Famous Five and Secret Seven books; the latter was I suppose an attempt to modernise the genre, but the characters were just too bland - I can't recall any of the characters or plots.
'Tom Swift' SF series by Victor Appleton, a pseudonym for several different authors apparently. Some very dodgy science in those books!
Professor Branestawm books. My mum still remembers and reminds me of me sitting reading them and crying with laughter.
'Jennings' books. Years later I found out that I shouldn't have enjoyed these books because they weren't relevant to me, and I couldn't possible relate to the characters. Well, who knew! Public school was as much a fantasy land to me as Middle Earth or outer space.
Molesworth series. Read them all again a few years ago; still funny, and got a few more of the jokes this time around.
'Case of the Silver Egg' by Desmond Skirrow.
'Commando' comics
To be honest, I'd read anything I found lying about, short of Mills & Boone.
'Tom Swift' SF series by Victor Appleton, a pseudonym for several different authors apparently. Some very dodgy science in those books!
Professor Branestawm books. My mum still remembers and reminds me of me sitting reading them and crying with laughter.
'Jennings' books. Years later I found out that I shouldn't have enjoyed these books because they weren't relevant to me, and I couldn't possible relate to the characters. Well, who knew! Public school was as much a fantasy land to me as Middle Earth or outer space.
Molesworth series. Read them all again a few years ago; still funny, and got a few more of the jokes this time around.
'Case of the Silver Egg' by Desmond Skirrow.
'Commando' comics
To be honest, I'd read anything I found lying about, short of Mills & Boone.
Halmyre said:
'Jennings' books. Years later I found out that I shouldn't have enjoyed these books because they weren't relevant to me, and I couldn't possible relate to the characters. Well, who knew! Public school was as much a fantasy land to me as Middle Earth or outer space.
I read those as well. I hadn't really thought about them not being relevant, after all the 'Five' books bore no resemblance to my life either.Molesworth - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Compleet-Molesworth-Geoff...
Willard Price - Yes !!! who mentioned this, I read ALL OF THEM
Danny the Champion of the World.
Swallows and Amazons - I grew up in a village on a river with no shops or anything, I basically lived Swallows and Amazons, swimming in the river through the summer hols, camping up river with my brothers, air rifles and pen knives and twine.
I also read all the Jeffrey Archer classics when I was a boy, yes I know, pretentious...
such memories
I think the Secret Seven books were aimed at younger children, with Famous Five being for slightly older ones. I always found stuff like Magic Faraway Tree the stuff of nightmares!
I read Jennings too. Possibly too much - when my parents asked me if I'd like to go to a "private" school (that puzzled me too, how could a public school be private?) I had a mental image of boarding in a 1920s gothic prison, so I said a very firm no, despite much coaxing.
A bit later on, I loved the original Sherlock Holmes collections and I got given a set of EE "Doc" Smith Sci-Fi novels. I think I read them until they fell apart. That and the Haynes Ford Cortina manual, Radiospares catalogue and electronics magazines. Plus ca change.
I read Jennings too. Possibly too much - when my parents asked me if I'd like to go to a "private" school (that puzzled me too, how could a public school be private?) I had a mental image of boarding in a 1920s gothic prison, so I said a very firm no, despite much coaxing.
A bit later on, I loved the original Sherlock Holmes collections and I got given a set of EE "Doc" Smith Sci-Fi novels. I think I read them until they fell apart. That and the Haynes Ford Cortina manual, Radiospares catalogue and electronics magazines. Plus ca change.
ali_kat said:
As a child?
Enid Blyton - Famous 5 & Secret 7
Malcolm Saville's Lone Pine series
The Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew
Elizabeth Goudge's Little White Horse (do not watch the recent film!!) I have a first edition of this that was given to Mum as a child
@ 10 I discovered Wilbur Smith & Peter Straub, then Stephen King & James Herbert - hidden in the lift by my Dad as he didn't think they were suitable for a 'child'
I'd sneak up there get a book & read it with a torch under the blankets
For a long time I have been trying to remember a series of books that I loved as a child - turns out it was the Lone Pine books. Thanks for helping me find out!Enid Blyton - Famous 5 & Secret 7
Malcolm Saville's Lone Pine series
The Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew
Elizabeth Goudge's Little White Horse (do not watch the recent film!!) I have a first edition of this that was given to Mum as a child
@ 10 I discovered Wilbur Smith & Peter Straub, then Stephen King & James Herbert - hidden in the lift by my Dad as he didn't think they were suitable for a 'child'
I'd sneak up there get a book & read it with a torch under the blankets Gassing Station | Books and Literature | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff