The year was 2001. I was nine years old, a very shy little girl, and a ridiculously big bookworm. These were just a few of my favourite books that I read and reread to my heart’s content.
The Past, The Present, and The Loud, Loud Girl
Meet the Love children: oh-so-perfect Linn, airy-fairy Rowan, animal-obsessed Tor – and Ally, trying to have a normal life somewhere in the middle of it all. Which isn’t easy when you live in a house that’s a cross between an animal hospital and something out of ‘Changing Rooms’. And then there’s school and the small matter of the forgotten history project and the obnoxious new girl that – oh joy! – Ally’s been nominated to look after. It’s going to be a fun couple of weeks…
This is the first in the wildly successful, utterly loveable “Ally’s World” series.
I remember reading the Ally’s World series when I was around nine years old and they were hilarious. A really quick, funny and easy read for young readers! I remember McCombie using a lot of colloquial language which only made it funnier and more realistic. I absolutely loved the whole series, and read it over and over again. It was so relatable and laugh out loud hilarious. Ally’s family are quirky, troubled and eccentric and just suck you in. I would definitely recommend it to any pre-teens that enjoy a good read. The protagonist Ally is an awkward teenager, trying to find where she fits in with her family and the world,and to deal with the ups and downs of growing up. I would love to read it again now to see whether it is as perfect as I remember!
Bad Girls
Shy, mild Mandy has been bullied at school for as long as she can remember. That’s why she is delighted when cheeky, daring, full-of-fun Tanya picks her as a friend.
Mum isn’t happy – she thinks Tanya’s a BAD GIRL and a bad influence on her daughter. But Mandy loves spending time with her brilliant new friend, and is sure Tanya can only get her out of trouble, not into it . . . or could she?
Now I still own my original copy of this book, and it is falling away from the spine it has been read so much. I remember literally just finishing it and starting over again from the beginning, straight away! It was my favourite Jacqueline Wilson book for many, many years. I remember identifying with Mandy hugely, as I was always the shy, timid and sensible one in every situation. I think there are lots of valuable lessons to be learnt from it with regards to growing up, finding yourself, and how to deal with bullies and the feeling of isolation that many young people can face.
Danny Champion of the World
Danny’s life seems perfect: his home is a gypsy caravan, he’s the youngest car mechanic around, and his best friend is his dad, who never runs out of wonderful stories to tell. And when Danny discovers his father’s secret, he’s off on the adventure of a lifetime. Here’s Roald Dahl’s famous story about a 9-year-old boy, his dad, and a daring and hilarious pheasant-snatching expedition. Just as important, it’s the story of the love between a boy and his father who, in Danny’s own words, is “the most marvelous and exciting father a boy ever had.”
This was a family bedtime favourite! My mum used to read this to me and my brothers every single night before bed, and we even had it on a tape that we used to listen to as we were drifting off to sleep. Remembering the story gives me such fond memories. It has a humour and lightness of spirit to it, like Roald Dahl’s other books, but it is also more serious, and has a very nostalgic, homely feel. Danny’s father is a fantastic, fantastic character and when Danny calls him the best father in the world, you agree with him. It is a very heartwarming story that I think any child would love, and it remains my favourite Roald Dahl book to this day.
Heidi
What happens when a little orphan girl is forced to live with her cold and frightening grandfather? The heartwarming answer has engaged children for more than a century, both on the page and on the screen. Johanna Spyri’s beloved story offers youngsters an endearing and intelligent heroine, a cast of unique and memorable characters, and a fascinating portrait of a small Alpine village.
My Nanny gave me a copy of this book at Christmas, 1999. She wrote in the inside cover: ‘I hope you have as many hours of enjoyment from reading Heidi as I did when I was young. I read it at least ten times!’ I then proceeded to read it at least ten times! It is my ultimate favourite childhood book and I seem to love it more and more every time I read it. Even now, as an adult, I can appreciate how lovely it is. It transports me to a world of purple mountains peaks, jumping goats, a bed made of hay, and windows that pile up with snow during the winter. It is so precious. The scenery is vivid, the story full of truth, and Heidi herself is a feisty, strong and independent spirit who I remember completely idolizing as a little girl.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter, along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can’t wait to get back to school after the summer holidays. (Who wouldn’t if they lived with the horrible Dursleys?) But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There’s an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school…
This is an obvious one. I read Harry Potter from the age of seven, all through my childhood years, and now, as an adult, I continue to read it just as much. I still find new things in it that I missed the first ten times round! Prisoner of Azkaban has always, always been my favourite Potter. In 2001, Goblet of Fire had just been released the previous year, but I still reread this particular book like it was about to disappear. I actually visibly remember reading it whilst walking, maybe through a park or down the street, and my mum telling me off because it was a hazard! I think that tells you how much I adored it. I can quote whole passages off by heart. It was, and remains to be, my favourite out of the whole series, although even now, I couldn’t really tell you why.
As J.K. Rowling said, ‘I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.’
Fiona Reads 