This is the thread where we find a children's book that everyone has read.

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I'll make a brief list and ppl can say if they read the book or not. Feel free to add to the list:

Where the Wild Things Are
Stig of the Dump
Flat Stanley
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Shrinking of Treehorn
Winnie the Pooh (x-post)

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:11 (twenty years ago) link

I have not read it.

The little prince?

hmmmmm, Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:11 (twenty years ago) link

I have not read The Little Prince.

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:12 (twenty years ago) link

Stig of the Dump?
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory?
The Witches?

Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:12 (twenty years ago) link

I haven't read any of MarkH's list.

Black Beauty?
The Famous Five books?
Five Children & It?
The Railway Children?

ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:13 (twenty years ago) link

I haven't read any of Ailsa's!

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:14 (twenty years ago) link

I have read none of the ones mentioned so far. (xpost, maybe one of the famous five, i dunno) (ach no it was the secret seven)

So, start again...

Lord of the flies?

mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:14 (twenty years ago) link

(I suspect this is a boy-girl thing not an England-Scotland thing!)

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:15 (twenty years ago) link

Lord of the Flies: yes.

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:15 (twenty years ago) link

Goodnight Moon?

Of the books listed upthread, I've only read Where the Wild Things Are, Winnie the Pooh, Black Beauty, and perhaps the Railway Children.

quincie, Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:16 (twenty years ago) link

I haven't even heard of Goodnight Moon!

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:17 (twenty years ago) link

Yep!
x-post

Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:17 (twenty years ago) link

Of the books mentioned here, I've only read Winnie the Pooh and all the Famous Five books. Is there anyone who hasn't read any Famous Five book?

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:19 (twenty years ago) link

I think we might run into national differences here... Some of those book names mean nothing to me.

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:21 (twenty years ago) link

yes. me.

there was a strong anti-Blyton prejudice amongst both parents and teachers when I was a young 'un.

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:21 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, I remember that.

So, "Lord of the Flies" until someone says no.

mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:23 (twenty years ago) link

This might be generation dependant, but Dr Seuss?

Vicky (Vicky), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:23 (twenty years ago) link

James and The Giant Peach?
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs?
Ramona The Pest?
Harriet The Spy?

Chris V (Chris V), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:23 (twenty years ago) link

I'm imagining Dr. Seuss books have featured prominently in almost everyone's earliest reading experiences. I'm thinkin' maybe Cat in the Hat or One Fish Two Fish or Green Eggs and Ham in particular.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:25 (twenty years ago) link

I haven't read lord of the flies.

What age range are we talking, anyway. What about peter rabbit etc.?

Vicky (Vicky), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:25 (twenty years ago) link

I have never read any Dr Seuss, Beatrix Potter or Roald Dahl, so they can all be discounted.

ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:27 (twenty years ago) link

"James & the Giant Peach"
"The Enormous Egg"
"The Phantom Tollbooth"

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:28 (twenty years ago) link

I don't think Dr. Seuss has ever been translated to Finnish, so I haven't read it. Ditto Lord of the Flies. Was there someone who hadn't read Winnie the Pooh? What about Lord of the Rings?

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:28 (twenty years ago) link

"James & the Giant Peach" yes
"The Enormous Egg" no
"The Phantom Tollbooth" yes

Lord of the Rings yes, but it's not a children's book.

Unlike The Hobbit.

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:32 (twenty years ago) link

I have absolutely no idea about Famous Five (is that one book or many?)

I have not read Lord of the Rings.

quincie, Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:32 (twenty years ago) link

Mr men?

Vicky (Vicky), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:34 (twenty years ago) link

No one else seems to have read "the Enormous Egg", have they? It's about a chicken who gives birth to a tricertops (I shit ye not) in a small midwestern town. I remember it being quite engaging. Ring any bells?

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:35 (twenty years ago) link

If Lord of the Flies is a children's book, then Lord of the Rings is as well... Whoever Tolkien had in mind while writing the book, it's a fact that most people read it for the first time as a kid.

No one has still counted out Winnie the Pooh.

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:37 (twenty years ago) link

Richard scarry books? wind in the willows? How about Noddy? (damn, he's blyton)robinson crusoe? Alice in wonderland?

Vicky (Vicky), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:39 (twenty years ago) link

Winnie the Pooh - I've never read the book, unless you count the disney one..

Vicky (Vicky), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:40 (twenty years ago) link

I think I read WTP... (xpost gone)

OK, ALice in wonderland...

mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:41 (twenty years ago) link

Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone, you bunch of rockists?!

Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:41 (twenty years ago) link

I've read several Richard Scarry books. I've never read the original Alice in Wonderland. Are Astrid Lindgren's books (Pippi Longstockings etc.) well known outside Scandinavia?

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:42 (twenty years ago) link

Mr Men: yes
Richard Scarry books: yes (one had pigs eating bacon iirc)
Wind in the Willows: yes
Noddy: Blyton, so no
Robinson Crusoe: no
Alice in Wonderland: yes

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:43 (twenty years ago) link

To have read Harry Potter as a child you'd have to be a bit young for ILX.
Tuomas the tank engine.

Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:45 (twenty years ago) link

???

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:46 (twenty years ago) link

I haven't read any dr seuss or winnie the pooh

Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:47 (twenty years ago) link

The question doesn't specify that you read it as a child.

I've never hear heard of The Shrinking of Treehorn.

Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:48 (twenty years ago) link

What about the fables of the brothers Grimm?

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:49 (twenty years ago) link

This thread doesn't mention WHEN you read them, though...

The BFG?

Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:50 (twenty years ago) link

Grimm fairy tales - yes
Dr Seuss - yes
BFG - no

What about Peter Pan?

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:51 (twenty years ago) link

Mr men books, I read nowadays to the kids...

mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:51 (twenty years ago) link

Moderator, can we specify that it has to have been read as a child? Cos reading children's books as an adult is fucked up.

Thomas the tank engine. by w h auden or somesuch.

Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:51 (twenty years ago) link

Someone Photoshop Tuomas the Tank Engine, please!

Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:52 (twenty years ago) link

What's BFG? I haven't read the original Peter Pan, only the Disney version.

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:52 (twenty years ago) link

Thomas the Tank Engine yes. All 26 books by Rev W Awdry, none by his son Christopher.

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:53 (twenty years ago) link

Someone Photoshop Tuomas the Tank Engine, please!

I do hope the result doesn't look like this...

http://www.mv.helsinki.fi/aqkorhon/hermanni3.jpg

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:54 (twenty years ago) link

By the way, is Thomas the Tank Engine really a tank engine? Sounds like a militarist children's book...

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:55 (twenty years ago) link

It's a fantasy world of talking trains (and trams, and like a helicopter in the revisionist tv version) on this little island governed by the orwellian 'Fat Controller'.

Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:57 (twenty years ago) link

Why is he a Tank Engine then?

Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 14:58 (twenty years ago) link

Cos reading children's books as an adult is fucked up.

?????????????????

tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:12 (twenty years ago) link

The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind

and another

his mother called him “WILD THING!” and max said “I’LL EAT YOU UP”

so he was sent to bed without eating anything.

That very night in Max’s room a forest grew... and grew...

and grew until the ceiling hung with vines and the walls became the world all around

and an ocean tumbled by with a private boat for Max

and he sailed off through night and day, in and out of weeks and almost over a year

to where the wild things are.

And when he came to the place where the wild things are,

they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth,

rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws

till Max said “BE STILL” and tamed them with the magic trick of staring into all their yellow

eyes without blinking once

and they were frightened and called him the most wild thing of all

and made him king of all the wild things...

“And now,” cried Max, “let the wild rumpus start!”

“Now stop!” said Max and sent the wild things off to bed without their supper

and Max, the king of all the wild things was lonely

and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all.

Then all around from far away across the world he smelled good things to eat,

so gave up being king of where the wild things are

But the wild things cried “Oh please don’t go, we’ll eat you up, we love you so”

and Max said “NO.”

The wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth, rolled their terrible

eyes and showed their terrible claws, but Max stepped into his private boat and waved goodbye

and sailed back over a year and in and out of weeks and through a day

and into the night of his very own room where he found his supper waiting for him...

and it was still hot.


Now you've read Where the Wild Things Are, you nutballs.


luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:16 (twenty years ago) link

Everybody Poops.

ModJ (ModJ), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:17 (twenty years ago) link

Dude... Luna that's tough, man...

ModJ (ModJ), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:17 (twenty years ago) link

I'm a hardass, what can I say?

luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:18 (twenty years ago) link

Since when is Moomins a childrens book?

jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:24 (twenty years ago) link

Sure it is....it isn't geared toward adults

Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:25 (twenty years ago) link

Did everybody read Green Eggs And Ham?

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:26 (twenty years ago) link

I did.

MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:28 (twenty years ago) link

Loved that book for the drawings, more than the story

Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:39 (twenty years ago) link

Stinky Cheese Man?

ModJ (ModJ), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 17:41 (twenty years ago) link

I should say "And now! Let the wild rumpus start!" more often. Meaning, at all. It's just a cool phrase.

I've read a lot of what was mentioned. Other books that popped to mind that haven't been mentioned:

Just So Stories
Stuart Little
The Hoboken Chicken Emergency
The Rats of NIMH
Amelia Bedelia stuff, Ramona Quimby

JuliaA (j_bdules), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 18:08 (twenty years ago) link

I think I just watched most of these being read on Jackanory.

jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 18:10 (twenty years ago) link

I read about 97% of these as a child, read Astrid Lindgren's Pippi books in the United States to answer Toumas's question, and also read watership down around 9 and have had great respect for Richard Adams ever since. However, I also grew up without a television, so my childhood was abnormal from an American standpoint.

webcrack (music=crack), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 18:18 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, I was not allowed to watch much TV (my childhood memories of TV are mostly of Nova and Star Trek), so I did a ton of reading too.

I probably mention this on every children's book thread, but "The Elephant's Child" from Just So Stories is the coolest children's story ever.

JuliaA (j_bdules), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 18:50 (twenty years ago) link

tikki tikki tembo, no sa rembo, chari bari ruchi, pip perri pembo?

phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 18:51 (twenty years ago) link

Anyone every read "Encyclopedia Brown Detective Books"?

questionallthings, Wednesday, 7 January 2004 19:23 (twenty years ago) link

tikki tikki tembo, no sa rembo, chari bari ruchi, pip perri pembo?

I dunno if it got mentioned earlier but WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT FROM? I totally forget. If it's one of the "Just So Stories" I don't even remember the story itself.

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 19:34 (twenty years ago) link

it was that kiddie book about the chinese boy with a bowl haircut who wants to climb a hill to get rice cakes or something but falls in a well instead. i think maybe an evil witch is involved, and i think his mom keeps calling out his name "tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip perri pembo". or maybe its like a genie lamp and he has to say that to invoke the spirits whatever or something. or maybe i imagined all this. not quite sure.

phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 19:40 (twenty years ago) link

Thanks, Phil! Though I think there was something about him peeing in the witch's coke there too.

While on this tip, I'd like to give a shoutout to the Seven Chinese Brothers. One could drink a lake.

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 19:44 (twenty years ago) link

Or was it five chinese brothers? One's a book, one's an REM song.

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 19:44 (twenty years ago) link

There are two brothers, the older one is called Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari uchi pip perri pembo as I recall. The younger one is called Chang.

One day Chang falls in the well, and his brother has to run all the way up the hill and say "Honorable Mother, Chang has fallen in the well". And the mother calls a bunch of people and they pull Chang out. But then T.t.t.n.s.c.b.u.p.p.p falls in the well and Chang has to run all the way up the hill and say "Honorable Mother, T.t.t.n.s..." but he gets out of breath and all muddled up and it takes a long time and they don't get the older brother out in time.

I think it is about why favouritism is a bad idea.

It was the 5 Chinese brothers. But I dont remember that one as well. One wanted to get married, I think.

isadora (isadora), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 20:00 (twenty years ago) link

wait. are there rice cakes or evil witches involved at all?

phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 20:02 (twenty years ago) link

Carey mentioned The Westing Game up there = I am hers forever. Or something like that.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 20:15 (twenty years ago) link

I suspect that T.t.t.n.s.r.c.b.u.p.p.p gets more and better rice cakes than Chang. No recollection of an evil witch.

isadora (isadora), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 20:38 (twenty years ago) link

Prisoners of The Sun

Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 20:41 (twenty years ago) link

It was the 5 Chinese brothers. But I dont remember that one as well. One wanted to get married, I think.

I think one Chinese Brother got arrested for stealing (or summat) and the townspeople planned to excute him:

1) They tried to drown him (or the one they THOUGHT was him, but the fifth Chinese Brother could hold his breath underwater for eons);

2) They tried to behead him (but the fourth Chinese bro had a steel ring round his neck);

3) They tried to burn him, but the third Chinese bro couldn't be burned;

4) They tried to hang him, but they couldn't handle that, either.

...so they didn't catch on and he was let go. Lesson for today? If you're going to become a criminal, have superpowers.

Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 20:45 (twenty years ago) link

I loved...
the hungry hungry caterpiller
and...
chicka chicka boom boom

(a book i took to heart during my days in the overcrouded public school system because it was about alphabet letters being all smooshed together or something}

I hated the book about Ping the duck that had to get onto a boat otherwise his ass would get paddled and turn RED RED RED
it was very melancholy...

Cordelia, Wednesday, 7 January 2004 21:24 (twenty years ago) link

lion witch wardrobe?

mullygrubber (gaz), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 21:32 (twenty years ago) link

Yes to the Encyclopedia Brown books.

I had all the lion, the witch and the wardrobe books. Are those the narnia ones or do I just have a horrible memory?

What was The Westing Game about? I remember having read it, but can't remember anything about it really.

I liked Tikki Tikki Tembo too!

(From "The Elephant's Child":)
"'Rash and inexperienced traveller, we must now devote ourselves to a little high tension, because if we do not, it is my impression that yonder self-propelling man-of-war with the armor-plated upper deck' (And by this, O Best Beloved, he meant the Crocodile) 'will permanently vitiate your future career'.

This is the way all Bi-Colored-Python-Rock-Snakes always talk."

JuliaA (j_bdules), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 21:42 (twenty years ago) link

yeah, th lion the witch etc is in the narnia series.

was there a scary dramatised bbc version of it btw? or did i have a vivid imagination for cheap sets?

mullygrubber (gaz), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 21:49 (twenty years ago) link

Man I loved that Chinese Brothers story. The illustrations, too.
I think I read The Westing Game, but also cannot remember what it was about.

Has The Little Engine that Could been mentioned yet?
Ramona Quimby books?

oops (Oops), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 21:50 (twenty years ago) link

My God, I've read almost ALL of these!

Bagthorpe Saga, anyone? Three Investigators/Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew/Bobbsey Twins/Trixie Belden? The Witch Mountain books? _Make Way For Ducklings_? _Blueberries For Sal_?

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 23:29 (twenty years ago) link

I loved Trixie Belden!

Blueberries for Sal - I read that one just the other day.

luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 23:31 (twenty years ago) link

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew stories were great to read under the covers with a flashlight

Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 23:38 (twenty years ago) link

Is Misty of Chincoteague known outside the U.S.?

j.lu (j.lu), Thursday, 8 January 2004 00:40 (twenty years ago) link

Wow I thought no one else but me had read Tikki Tikki Tembo! I tell people about it and they look at me like I'm mad.

Having read this whole thread I still refuse to believe a classic folk tale can have gone unread by all. Eg: sleeping beauty, Cinderella, Rapunzel, etc.

Surely?

Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 8 January 2004 01:16 (twenty years ago) link

Sadly...

t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Thursday, 8 January 2004 01:26 (twenty years ago) link

Is Misty of Chincoteague known outside the U.S.?

I liked Stormy more, I admit. Danger and doom!

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 January 2004 01:54 (twenty years ago) link

i had a record with Tikki Tikki Tembo ... he's the chinese kid who became retarded after he fell into a well, right?

Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 8 January 2004 01:56 (twenty years ago) link

has anyone else read "noisy nora"? it was my favorite book when i was three. the illustrations were great, i think that they were mice. or maybe rabbits. anyone?

Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 8 January 2004 01:58 (twenty years ago) link

I was given Noisy Nora and remember being insulted - I thought my parents were drawing a parallel. Now I love it, especially the line

"we've lost her", moaned her Mother as they sorted through the trash/ "BUT I'm back again!" said Norah with a monumental crash

isadora (isadora), Thursday, 8 January 2004 02:33 (twenty years ago) link

Nancy Drew mysteries were great. I also loved Little Women.

Gale, Thursday, 8 January 2004 02:44 (twenty years ago) link

t\'\'t - are there any equivalen finnish folk tales tho, that read similar to the grimm-style ones?

I have a great book by Italo Calvino where he collected all these Italian oral folk tales passed down the ages around fires and what have you. Some really funny, witty little proverbs. Fabulous book, full of spells and death and travels and marriages and theft... and farting.

Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 8 January 2004 02:46 (twenty years ago) link

Erk for Finnish read Estonian, sorry hehe.

Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 8 January 2004 02:47 (twenty years ago) link

fifteen years pass...

i love The Westing Game.

tokyo rosemary, Thursday, 13 June 2019 17:26 (four years ago) link

one year passes...

I never read those Wimpy Kid books (too old) and my kids didn't read them, either. I honestly probably resented the idea of books designed for kids that don't like the read; I volunteered for years in the elementary school library, and I noticed that the kids that read those books *only* read those books. But my nephew wrote a fan letter to Jeff Kinney *four years ago,* and he actually, finally just now wrote him back! It's a long letter, too!

Four years ago my son, aged 7, wrote a letter to his favourite author, Jeff Kinney @wimpykid . We mailed it off and he checked the mailbox every day, hoping for a reply.
He's must get a lot of fan mail, I said.
Eventually my son stopped checking.
Yesterday, look what arrived?😲 pic.twitter.com/rwuWRAOCaU

— Dr Eleanor Limprecht (@TheNeedtoRead) June 7, 2021

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 9 June 2021 12:15 (two years ago) link


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