To keep in the spirit of World Book Day 2018, the 2QT team have been remembering their favourite books from childhood which evoke treasured memories.
A few popular titles have cropped up including Enid Blyton’s Famous Five as well as C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia (Author Robert Auty’s choice) making a few appearances, but here are a few more of our top children’s books making the rounds:
Tintin by Hergé – Charlotte Mouncey is struggling to pick just one as she is one of the advocates for the Chronicles of Narnia and the Nigel Molesworth series – Down with Skool! But Charlotte remembers having a large collection of Tintin and of course, loves the illustrations.
Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison – A firm favourite for Dale Rennard.
Fairytales by Hans Christian Anderson for Hilary Pitt who’s Grandmother bought for her Christmas 1970. She left the price on the cover flap (a family trait!) but wrote inside it so Hilary still has some of her handwriting which makes the book extra special. It’s paper case is looking a bit battered but she still reads the occasional story and loves the illustrations.
The Lone Pine Series by Malcolm Saville – Karen Holmes loves the twenty-book series set in Shropshire, which tells the adventures of the Morton family as they travel away from war-torn London.
For Catherine Cousins, it’s Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree, as she remembers being a bit of a “tomboy” so loved the adventures that were part of Blyton’s tales.
Sara Ward loved Pooh at Pooh Corner by A.A Milne’s Winnie the Pooh.
At the age of twelve, Joanne Harrington could not put down The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien and has even read it a three further times over in her life. She also loves all things Beatrix Potter but never tired of reading Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things are to her own children.
Kate Cousins’s childhood consisted of her nose constantly buried in J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter to which she has read over and over again well into her adult years. But most of all, she cherishes the stories her Grandmother wrote about her and her teddy bear – one of our very first 2QT publications – The Adventures of Hamilton Bear by Patricia Anne Donald.
That’s only a select few of our favourites as we could have written an entire series, but it’s got us all feeling nostalgic on a winter’s day!
Rick was born in Saltburn and lived in the family home on Milton Street – Kemball’s Bakers & Confectioners – until he left home to go to college in London. Eventually he became a teacher and taught drama in a variety of schools and colleges throughout the UK.
I have borrowed the easily recognised street names, layout, buildings and the garden paths, which are embedded in that memory for my story, BUT everything else: the characters, the events and the horror are all imagined and bear no resemblance to anyone or any occurrence in the past or present.
The late 70s and 80s was a tough time in the North East of England. There was little money for civic pride, but on recent visits I can see that the town has recovered and both locals and visitors can now enjoy the quiet splendour of its unique heritage.’