Comfort Reads discussion

Share your favourites here.

Three books I read over and over again as a child and are possibly due for a revisit are:

Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden and Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards.

So, I've been putting books on our shelves and Lee asked me to mention them in the threads, which makes sense. I guess I should discuss then shelve!:

Well, In addition to Meet the Austins and A Wrinkle in Time, I have lot of comfort reads from childhood.

The Phantom Tollbooth is one my mother and I read together when it was first published. I was only 8 and loved it but didn't get all the plays one words. I got so much more out of it as I got older. It's one I try to reread every decade or so.

Charlotte's Web was a book I enjoyed as a child, but has become a comfort read only since I reached adulthood.

Heidi (different edition) is one I read over and over as a girl. I had to have bread and cheese (I didn't get that goat cheese tasted different from cow's cheese) every time I read it. That book was a major comfort read.

As an young adult I found From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and that's another fun and comforting book.

Just since joining Goodreads I've found (thanks to a few Goodreads friends) Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy~Tacy (and some of its sequels.) While these would have been major comfort reads as a child, they brought me right back to memories of childhood, and I can see that had I read them when young, I'd go back to them frequently.

And I can't leave out Little Women!!

H.M. Hoover, strong young adult feminist sf and Ellen Raskin were my two favorite authors growing up. I also loved From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler and the whole Bagthorpe Saga by Helen Cresswell which I still think is quite funny.

My childhood favourite author whom I still read now is Enid Blyton. Her Mallory Towers and St.Clairs boarding school series never get old for me. I honestly still do read them now and wish I was at a boarding school having midnight feasts and swimming in rock pools. *sigh*

Boof wrote: "My childhood favourite author whom I still read now is Enid Blyton. Her Mallory Towers and St.Clairs boarding school series never get old for me. I honestly still do read them now and wish I was at..."

Boof, I just recently discovered the Malory Towers books. I own all 6 but so far I've read just the first 3.

Lisa, aren't they great? I think it may be time for a re-read for me soon.

Boof wrote: "Lisa, aren't they great? I think it may be time for a re-read for me soon. "

Yes, they're fun. I'm enjoying them.

Kelly wrote: "H.M. Hoover, strong young adult feminist sf and Ellen Raskin were my two favorite authors growing up. I also loved [book:From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frank..."

Kelly, I haven't read any Ellen Raskin or H.M. Hoover but their books look interesting. Thanks for posting about them. I love discovering new (to me) authors.

I just listen from BBC series The Snow Queen and Black Beauty

I love Judy Blume, and I've recently discovered Paula Danziger. The Cat Ate My Gymsuit really moved me. And, I love Marguerite Henry's horse stories and anything by L.M. Montgomery.

Boof wrote: "My childhood favourite author whom I still read now is Enid Blyton. Her Mallory Towers and St.Clairs boarding school series never get old for me. I honestly still do read them now and wish I was at..."

Oh Enid Blyton! My childhood favorite.. The secret Garden, little women, Heidi are those books thats sticks with me untill now ;o)

I have so many that I truly loved. Here are a few:
1. All of the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel
2.The Lonely Doll
3. Mr. Apple's Family
4. Yertle the Turtle
4. The Mouse and The Motorcycle
5. The Polar Express
6. Madeline and the Bad Hat
7. The Hole Book
8. The Little Sally Mandy Story Book - just wonderful but very old!
9. Flat Stanley
10. Emily the Traveling Guinea Pig

PLEASE DON'T MISS THE LAST BOOK ABOUT EMILY!!! The Sally Mandy book is just beyond words of praise! It was written by Derveer. Has anyone else read it?
You can also check out my kids shelf.......

I'd echo everything on Lisa's list, and add all the great horse books for kids: Walter Farley's Black Stallion series, and everything by Marguerite Henry, Jean Slaughter Doty, and Lynn Hall.

Black Beauty is not on my list. Too depressing for me, but to each her own :)

No problem Abigail, I was going to mention it myself when someone above mentioned the Enid Blyton books.

I've been looking for those Dorrie books by Patricia Coombs. My library mysteriously carries some of the titles but not the first ones and I like to read in order.

The Dorrie books I've read so far (thanks to Abigail!) are wonderful. I want to lobby for them all to be reprinted. It's a crime that they're oop! They're way too expensive to buy secondhand. I've read #s 1, 2, 7 so far. I'm not going to be able to be picky about my usual OCD reading in order syndrome. My library does have a few more, of the later ones, and I hope to get to all available ones relatively soon.

So many people have mentioned The Secret Garden - I must get myself a copy.

What! You haven't read The Secret Garden?!? Oh Boof, you must get your hands on a copy, it's wonderful.

Many, many people know about and love The Secret Garden. The book that I loved even more than the Secret Garden, and it is written by the same author, is The Lost Prince. I promise you, it is even better!

My sisters and I collected book series like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and The Bobbsey Twins (my favorite!). I would love to go back and re-read those!!

I just added The Lost Prince to my to-read list. Wow!! A Frances Hogdson Burnett novel that I was completely unaware of. Thanks for enlightening me, it looks wonderful.

Me too, I had never heard of that one. Thanks Chrissie.

Wendy wrote: "My sisters and I collected book series like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and The Bobbsey Twins (my favorite!). I would love to go back and re-read those!!"

Wendy, You might disagree but I was very disappointed to find that The Bobbsey Twins, my very first "mystery" series, did not hold up well at all. I was actually appalled when I took a look at one, probably the first one:
The Bobbsey Twins of Lakeport.

Lisa wrote: "Wendy wrote: "My sisters and I collected book series like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and The Bobbsey Twins (my favorite!). I would love to go back and re-read those!!"

Wendy, You might disagree b..."

Oh no!! I remember liking that there were 2 sets of twins in the story, but I don't remember other specifics. Maybe I'll try reading the first one and seeing if it's any good. Thanks for the heads-up, Lisa!! :)

Wendy wrote: "My sisters and I collected book series like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and The Bobbsey Twins (my favorite!). I would love to go back and re-read those!!"

Nancy Drew! Oh, I so badly wanted to be her when I was a child. I used to make up my own teen sleuth stories.

Abigail wrote: "I'm not sure I agree that The Lost Prince is better, but I do think it's quite enjoyable, particularly if you like Ruritanian fantasy!"

Abigail, so what is Ruritanian fantasy? I didn't know I liked it!

Wendy wrote: "My sisters and I collected book series like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and The Bobbsey Twins (my favorite!). I would love to go back and re-read those!!"

Over Xmas I started to read Little House in the Big Woods, the first of the Wilder series that we have all read. It was dry and went on and on about how they salted the meat, the construction of the salting shack, the position of the nails, etc - well, my granddaughter was bored and so was I...... It rarely works to go back and try and repeat stuff. Not all, but much literature becomes dated.

Geez, I loved those books when I was a kid. I wonder if I liked those details when I read them way back when.

Another book I read over and over again was A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter. That book was very special to me and it had wonderful details about moths and butterflies.

Some of my favourite childhood memories are of reading the children's books of Astrid Lindgren. However, most of the books I read in German, so I am trying to read some of the English translations of her wonderful novels as well. And, Pippi Longstocking is actually not my favourite character; I like Emil, Madicken (Madita, Mischievous Meg) and the children of Noisy Village much better.

If you like books with an ecological theme, might I suggest Hook a Fish, Catch a Mountain by Jean Craighead George. Not only does it tell an at times riveting and exciting story, it also shows what clear cutting can do to the environment. I loved this story as a child (and as a teenager), and it is a story which continues to carry an important message.

Gundula wrote: "If you like books with an ecological theme, might I suggest Hook a Fish, Catch a Mountain by Jean Craighead George. Not only does it tell an at times riveting and exc..."

Thanks Gundula, I'll add it based on your recommendation. Maybe we can hunt down a synopsis and add it to the book's page.

Abigail, thank you for the information on Ruritanian fantasies. You are full of interesting tidbits!

Lee, I added a review (with a synopsis) to the book's page, as I was unable to edit the original entry. Hope you enjoy reading the book.

Oh the Wizard of Oz Books hands down. I believe you can buy them new again now I'm sure I've seen some of them at Borders. The old covers are the best.

L. Frank Baum







Mom had these and I inherited them when she grew up and had me. These are the covers I have and I have about 12 or so of the series total.

Wow, they are gorgeous!

Gundula wrote: "Lee, I added a review (with a synopsis) to the book's page, as I was unable to edit the original entry. Hope you enjoy reading the book."

Thanks Gundula, I'm sure I will.

Chrissie wrote: "Wendy wrote: "My sisters and I collected book series like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and The Bobbsey Twins (my favorite!). I would love to go back and re-read those!!"

Over Xmas I started to re..."

I loved them too when I was a kid. I think the books got better as the series progressed. When I tried reading Big Woods with my 7 year old daughter, she also got bored with the domestic details (making bullets, cheese etc), but she loved the stories about the bear, the panther and all the songs and rhymes.

Lee wrote: "No problem Abigail, I was going to mention it myself when someone above mentioned the Enid Blyton books.
"

I grew up with her books, too. I loved the Famous Five series, which I must have read like ten times each.

Lee's new Listopia list just reminded me of one of my very favorite childhood books: Time At The Top. I found the sequel that I never knew existed from a good friend, and it's nearly as good!: All in Good Time.

Oh, and The Trouble with Jenny's Ear!!!

Does anybody else in this group know this book? It was so much fun.

Misfit wrote: "Oh the Wizard of Oz Books hands down. I believe you can buy them new again now I'm sure I've seen some of them at Borders. The old covers are the best.

L. Frank Baum

Yes, these old covers on books sure are gorgeous aren't they! I have an old N.C. Wyeth book - early 20th century - and it is one of my faves for the cover alone!!
I haven't read any of the OZ books but of course know the movie/theme well... but the covers really are marvelous!!
Thanks for posting them!





..."

I really appreciated the old covers when I was young because I didn't like the movie and it made it seem like the series was unrelated. I pictured my grandmother in them (we have adorable pictures of her as a little girl looking much like Dorothy).

Abigail wrote: "Misfit: I have the Books of Wonder editions of all of Baum's fourteen Oz books, which present facsimile reproductions of the original editions. The Emerald City of Oz has glitter! The Road to Oz ha..."

Oooh, I'll have to go find them. I have some of the Ruth Plumly Thompson books as well. I love the artwork in all of them.

Chrissie wrote: "Many, many people know about and love The Secret Garden. The book that I loved even more than the Secret Garden, and it is written by the same author, is The Lost Prince. I promise y..."

"The Lost Prince", wow Chrissie, I've never even heard of this FHB book.... I am dumbfounded! I'll have to check it out. I have to admit that I find it hard to believe it is better than SG or ALP, but I'll check it out and let you know what conclusion I come to!! Thanks for the tip!

Kelly wrote: "I really appreciated the old covers when I was young because I didn't like the movie and it made it seem like the series was unrelated. I pictured my grandmother in them (we have adorable pictures ..."

I mentioned earlier in this string that I have an early edition of a book with N.C. Wyeth's illustrations & beautiful cover, which are just remarkable and I adore. I also have a fabulous old edition of The Swiss Family Robinson, which has got to be one of my all-time favorite Comfort Reads! It is so exciting and thrilling to be with the Robinsons through their years of building a life on that remote tropical island... Gotta look for that book! I have it in a box somewhere and the pictures and cover are just fantastic!

Oh Sandy! The Swiss Family Robinson was one of my favourites too. I'm so fascinated by survivor stories.

Lee wrote: "Oh Sandy! The Swiss Family Robinson was one of my favourites too. I'm so fascinated by survivor stories. "

Hey Lee, If you are into survivor stories and narratives, I can direct you to several you may or may not know about! I luv 'em!

My big favourite childhood books are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass, of which we had a particularly battered old hardback with a yellow cover, and The World of Pooh, which was MINE!!! (A birthday gift from my mother at some point IIRC). My older sisters would read to me, and we still spontaneously burst out into "Here lies a tree..." or "The sun was shining on the sea..." when in each others company. Worryingly, I'm not sure where either of these books are at present. Hopefully in the loft at my parents place. I'd rather like to get my hands on them again.