childhood feel good books?

[Babe*With*Brains]

Do any of you have 'feel good' books from your childhood which you reach for when you're in need of comfort? Flicking through and looking at the illustrations in 'Brambly Hedge' always puts a smile on my face and i'm currently reading 'The Enchanted wood' by Enid Blyton.

[BookJumper]

Alas, all my childhood books are at my parents' home in Italy; however, could I physically reach them I'd probably reach for:

 

- Anything by Bianca Pitzorno. She used to be my favourite author, and the very first one I went to meet at a reading & signing session, hand in hand with my mum.

 

My favourite was "Ascolta il mio Cuore" ("Listen to my Heart"), about three girls striving to defend the rights of disadvantaged students under the regime of terror instituted by the evil new teacher. The main girl, Prisca, wanted to be a writer when she grew up and the book was peppered with her stories; I identified so much!

 

Another brilliant one was "Extraterrestre alla Pari" ("E.T. Au Pair"), about a young alien who comes to earth on an exchange program. Problems arise for the hosting family when they realise that, on Mo's planet, children are sexless - physical differences only begin to appear at a much later date, i.e. when they are needed. Hilarity but also much social commentary ensues as the family tries to decide whether Mo should play at war or with dollies.

 

- Angela Sommer-Bodenburg, "Vampiretto" ("Der Kleine Vampir" in the original German; "The Little Vampire"). Sixteen short books across two series, telling of the unlikely friendship between human boy Anton and vampire boy Rudiger. Anton's parents are sensible and don't believe in vampires, while Rudiger's family view Anton as lunch. A spot of innocent romance is added by Anna, Rudiger's baby sister and smitten with Anton, and Olga, the snottiest vampire girl in the universe who reduces Rudiger to a deluded, starry-eyed idiot.

 

My personal favourite was Lumpi, Rudiger's older brother, condemned to the throes of adolescence forever, his voice always cracking, his temper impossible, torn between Anna's youthful yearning for normality and his parents' killer instincts. The stuff of brilliance. On a side note, the recent film of the same name which modernises this by means of a family of Americans moving into a haunted Scottish castle (because as we all know, supernatural occurrences occur only in Scotland), is a corruption of all that's good in this world; please avoid it like the plague. I'm sure I saw a brilliant TV series of this aired in the UK when I was little, but no one else seems to remember of its existence, let alone want to transpose it on DVD.

 

- Ferenc Molnar, "The Paul Street Boys", about two bands of children playing war games for a playground turf. The main is little Ernst Nemesek, the only boy in the Paul Street Boys gang never to get promoted, because all the officers need someone to order about; his bravery and sacrifice have me blubbering just to think upon. It might be an odd one to consider feel-good, but it's a good one for making you feel corageous, stroger than you're given credit for, and capable of anything. Back in school we used to be able to borrow two books at a time; one of mine was always this so I don't think anyone else had a chance to read it for three years... it's that good. If you've never read it, please do so. Now.

[Ernie]

Stig Of The Dump

[funrun]

love to read any childrens book I am childcare worker so they are nice all the older authors are good:lol:

[Stephanie2008]

Anything by Roald Dahl, particularly Matilda or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I still have all my books now and read them from time to time I also loved The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It was the first book I can remember reading as a class

[Kell]

I still read children's books now and I'm in my 30s! I actually came to The Chronicles of Narnia whilst ill with chickenpox when I was 7 or 8 years old, and they remain re-read favourites to this day (with the exception of A Horse and His Boy, which I alwas miss out as I don't like it at all). Another I always loved and still reread occasionally is Ronia the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren. It's a real 10/10 book, so if you haven't read it, go on and do it immediately! (follow the linkie to my review - I adore this book!).

[Susanne]

As I grew up in Germany I thought my fondly remembered list would vary greatly from people in the UK but I don't think that is the case. I remember reading most of Enid Blyton books including the Famous Five series (I just started re-reading them ) but the most popular one in Germany was the St Clare series with the O'Sullivan twins. I absolutely adored them and I think I still have about 4 volumes at my mother's house. Another author who achieved this warm feeling and wanting to read the same book over and over again was Otfried Preussler. I believe some of his books are availabe in English (The Little Witch, The Little Ghost). I can't vouch for them in translation as I have not read them in English but in German they are just fabulous. Pippy Longstocking is also on top of feel good books which I read over and over and over again. Last but not least were the Alfred Hitchcock and the three investigators series. Loved them.

[blithe]

I still reread It All Began with Jane Eyre by Sheila Greenwald, Mystery of the Golden Horn by Phillis A Whitney,and leaf through Rumpelstiltskin illustrated by Edward Gorey... and a few others... I also like to take my old comic books out once in a while - makes me feel like a kid again.

[amethyst]

Well I've just ordered some of my favourite children's books in Spanish! I tried hunting for some in the Spanish language in Waterstones earlier but they didn't have them. I've just bought Thumbelina, Little Red Riding Hood and The Princess and the Pea. I used to absolutely LOVE Thumbelina when I was small, in fact, I think it's the main reason why I'm so scared of bugs!