Comments | kathyh: My Top 7 Children's Books

kathyh

My Top 7 Children's Books

Apr 30, 2009 10:34

Borrowing this from gillo :) Waterstones are doing a children's literature promotion and asked past and present Children's Laureates to pick their seven favourite children's books. The results are here and I'd certainly agree with some of them ( Read more... )

childhood, books

Comments 14

shapinglight April 30 2009, 10:07:30 UTC

My list is exactly the same as your list, except I'd swap The Lantern Bearers for The Eagle of the Ninth. Such wonderful books, all of them.

kathyh April 30 2009, 10:14:26 UTC

I so nearly put The Lantern Bearers but in the end I decided to go for The Eagle of the Ninth because it was where my love affair with Rosemary Sutcliff's writing really began, even though I think The Lantern Bearers is a better book.

Apparently they're making a film of The Eagle of the Ninth. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

shapinglight April 30 2009, 11:19:04 UTC

I didn't know about that. Don't think I'm terribly happy about it.

kathyh April 30 2009, 13:43:47 UTC

I'm not sure I am either, but it could make a very good film if done right. We'll see.

ljs April 30 2009, 10:43:29 UTC

Cool list -- although probably only the Narnia book would be on mine. :-))

[hugs]

kathyh April 30 2009, 13:33:39 UTC

There were lots of different books that could have gone on the list :)

Many hugs back.

gillo April 30 2009, 10:48:51 UTC

Can't argue with any of those! Though I think Little Women would have to be in there somewhere - I was passionate about Alcott and Coolidge from about age 7 to 11 - and beyond, if truth be told.

Hope the Gas Man Cometh in good time!

kathyh April 30 2009, 13:36:12 UTC

Well, he hasn't yet, but he's got until 6 o'clock!

Though I think Little Women would have to be in there somewhere - I was passionate about Alcott and Coolidge from about age 7 to 11 - and beyond, if truth be told.

It was a choice between Ballet Shoes, Little Women and The Secret Garden and I picked Ballet Shoes because I think it was the one I reread most often. I liked What Katy Did too, but not quite as much.

espresso_addict April 30 2009, 19:00:08 UTC

I did my top ten (with the same read-before-10 rule) some years ago -- many overlaps with your list! I don't think I could prune it to seven (I already cheated to squeeze it to ten); the only one I'd consider leaving out is the Asimov, but that's mainly because it doesn't stand up well to reading as an adult -- I loved his writing as a kid.

kathyh April 30 2009, 21:07:30 UTC

I never read Asimov as a child which is probably why I never got on with him. I'd have even more overlaps with you if I'd relaxed the read-before-10 rule as I didn't encounter Diana Wynne Jones or Tolkien until I was a little bit older.

elisi May 1 2009, 09:23:41 UTC

I blame the fact that I grew up in Scandinavia that the only one I've read is the Narnia one... (Should probably get the others for my girls?)

Anyway, since I am getting to editing the next chapter of My Immortal, I was wondering when you might be able to beta? I mean, it needs A LOT of work, but at least it's mostly down (and only just over 3000 words! *dances*).

kathyh May 1 2009, 09:30:22 UTC

Should probably get the others for my girls?

If they like fantasy and historical fiction "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" and "The Eagle of the Ninth" are absolute musts. "Swallows and Amazons" is an all-time classic about children and boats and adventure, which appeals even to the most unadventurous children (like me). "Ballet Shoes" is about children going on the stage. It may be a little dated now but was dramatised a couple of years ago and stood up well.

I was wondering when you might be able to beta?

Not before Tuesday I'm afraid as A Bank Holiday Weekend of Usefulness awaits me! Anytime after that is fine though.

elisi May 1 2009, 09:35:17 UTC

Not before Tuesday
If I finish it before then I will eat all my hats!

And will look out for the books. (Miss M is getting worried, because her stash of un-read books is dangerously low... *g*)

kathyh May 1 2009, 09:41:29 UTC

I should definitely try her with Sutcliff and Garner (his early books) then. Rosemary Sutcliff wrote lots of books and they are all fabulous though some are for older children but The Eagle of the Ninth is a good one to start with. Some of Alan Garner's later books are very difficult but The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath are terrific.

If I finish it before then I will eat all my hats!

That would be a sight *g*. I'll expect it when I see it then :)