Story Books
Storybooks, poetry and novels
for younger readers (and enjoyable for the not so young too):
Some of these are out-of-print, but worth seeking out secondhand
on the net, or borrowing from the library.
The Just-so Stories by Rudyard Kipling. Read them, Oh Best-Beloved. They may be old-fashioned in some ways, but a good set of stories never dies. And the Elephant’s Child is a classic. They were written in my grandmother’s night-nursery (Kipling bought the house from my great-granddad) so they mean a lot to me.
Martin Pippin in the Apple Orchard by Eleanor Farjeon. People have forgotten about EF. Go and rediscover her, she tells amazing, lyrical stories. See also Old Nurse’s Stocking Basket and The Little Bookroom.
Granny’s Wonderful Chair by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Everyone knows The Secret Garden, A Little Princess and her other works, but this is another forgotten treasure which passes the test of time. It has elements of Scheherezade and Cinderella, with some great tale-telling in between. And there is naturally a happy ending.
The Little White Horse and The Valley of Song by Elizabeth Goudge. The first is a well-known classic for a reason. The second is just as good, but much less well-known. It is a triumph of imaginary writing, and I particularly love the heroine because she is rumpled and untidy and has a dodgy temper when roused. I also love Henrietta’s House—a totally magical depiction of a forgotten cathedral city world with a definite flavour of Trollope.
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The Stone Quartet by Alan Garner. I love The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath, but this one has a special place in my heart because I grieve that we have lost so many of our rural traditions and this book is not only beautifully written, but will become, in time, an invaluable historical window into the past.
The Crown of Violet by Geoffrey Trease. If you want to know the ins and outs of ancient Greek theatre and like a good thriller, then this is for you. The Treases (H and G) wrote the best historical fiction of their day, and their books still stand out as fine examples of the genre.
Warrior Scarlet and The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutcliff. Again, a brilliant historical writer. She really gets into the heads of her characters and whatever period she is writing about. Fabulous if you need books about the Roman legionaries and ancient Britain.
The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. My personal favourite of all the colours. Perhaps because it was the only one I owned for a long time.
The Woolpack and The Load of Unicorn by Cynthia Harnett. I learned so much from reading CH’s books, but most of all they are great stories with strong characters who stick in the memory for life.
The Gauntlet and Knight Crusader by Ronald Welch. I think The Gauntlet was the first time I came across the idea of time travel. And KC gave me a brief introduction to the Old Man of the Mountains, who has walked in my imagination with his Assassins ever since.
The Mantlemass Series by Barbara Willard. Follows the course of English history via several families centred around one area. Fascinating social history as well as fantastic writing.
Brendon Chase by ‘BB’. Parents bugging you? Want to run away and live in the forest? Then this should be the one book you take with you. From another era where lemonade came in glass bottles and guns were for shooting food, not people. A really good adventure story.
The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O’ Shea. I have the first edition of this, now worn and dog-eared with reading. This book bolstered my love of Ireland, and is one of the very greatest fantasy books ever written in my opinion.
Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson As a child I was desperate to own the Hobgoblin’s hat, but the Groke scared the pants off me. As an adult, I just want to own Moominmamma’s handbag. Comet in Moominland is my next favourite Moomin book. I should like to be Snufkin and play the mouthorgan.
The Arthur Trilogy by Kevin Crossley-Holland. I admire Kevin’s writing immensely. He has a way of putting words together that conjures up immediate head-pictures. This particular conjunction of history and myth (if you consider King Arthur to be myth, which I have my doubts about), is no less than epic.
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The Georgia Nicolson Diaries by Louise Rennison. My daughter introduced me to these. I read them once, and then went straight back and did it again, laughing till I cried throughout. I have now learned a whole new language, which, sadly for all around me, I use. I can’t wait for the next one, not least because LR makes up such vair vair amusant titles.
The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper. I’m still trying to work out who The Lady is. But apart from that, I read The Dark is Rising (number 2 in the series) over every Christmas and New Year (you’ll see why when you read it yourself). Absolutely stuffed with wonderful references to British myth, and Will and Merriman and Bran are unforgettable characters.
The Rattlebag and The School Bag compiled by Ted Hughes and Seamus Heaney. Two of the most comprehensive, thoughtful and excellent collections of poetry ever put together. Contains everything anyone could ever need to foster a love of poems at any age. A must for every bookshelf.
Island of the Children I have a great affection for this, because it’s where my first poem was published. Every poem was written especially for the collection, and there are some great poets in here as well as some (then) unknowns. It was also the first children’s book Jane Ray (now a world-famous illustrator) ever did.