Shropshire Star

Top children's books ever written

No matter how old you get, the impact of a great children's book will stay with you forever. Here we take a look at what we think are five of the very best ever penned. With Christmas only around the corner, these could make some lovely stocking fillers for the little ones...

Published
The Twits by Roald Dahl

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

First published in 1969, Eric Carle's iconic work has been a favourite across the world for decades.

Following the journey of a little insect who just can't get full (despite a week spent imbibing everything from Swiss cheese to salami), this treasured classic no doubt takes many of us back to very happy childhood memories.

Not only that, it's rather informative of a typical caterpillar's life cycle... forgetting the indulgence of a whole piece of chocolate cake of course...

The Twits

Roald Dahl remains a Godfather of children's literature, and this is one of his finest ever works.

A tale of a mean and hideous woman and a wicked man with far too much food in his beard, The Twits is a delicious morality story where a pair of ill-spirited pranksters get their comeuppance. Without doubt, this one teaches us a lesson or two. The first? Building a house without windows is not a timeless style choice...

Oi, Frog!

An absolute sensation, the first in Kes Gray's Oi! series is a solid gold belter. A tale of rippling rhyme following an amphibian hero who really does not want to sit where he is told, the pay-off in this one is laugh-out-loud hilarious.

Indisputably one that belongs on the shelf of any home lucky enough to have cheeky young inhabitants.

The Hobbit

Technically a children's book, but nothing less than one of the finest ever contributions to literature.

J.R.R Tolkien's inaugural tale of Middle-Earth is quite simply imagination at its most formidable, and marked the creation of a world that has influenced fantasy authors around the globe for over 80 years. Not read it in a while? It's time to go there and back again...

Mr. Men / Little Miss

It's impossible to pick out one entry as the best of the bunch, so the entire joyous series by Roger and Adam Hargreaves makes our list.

Set in the wonderful world of Misterland, these stories focus on delightful colourful types with one overriding trait that takes them on their own unique adventure.

Timeless and treasured, these ones will remain on the beloved kids books podium for as long as they all shall live.

-Got any other recommendations? Email daniel.morris@mnamedia.com or Tweet @DMorris_Star to tell our readers about your favourites.

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