Over our summer holidays I have started reading novels to Rowan. There are mixed feelings for me… I’m sad that we no longer have a pile of picture books to consume every night – but excited about all the possibilities of old favourites and new authors we can share together. (And I can’t wait for the day – a while away yet – when we can start Harry Potter!) We will still of course read picture books together – hopefully for a long time yet – but they no longer have such a status of centrality in Rowan’s life…
At 4 and a half, Rowan seems more than ready to sit and absorb the story. We started with a wizzbanger – The BFG of course. It was a hit, and Rowan uses lots of Roald Dahl’s wacky words in every-day speech now. We grow snozzcumbers in our vegie patch and occassionally Rowan will wake up and tell us he has had a phizzwizard. The role of reader was shared around between Rowan’s dad, his aunty and me, all of whom hold The BFG very close to our hearts…
Next up was The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. The photo above is of Rowan’s grandmother reading this book to Rowan. She told me that when she was growing up, she read Enid Blyton’s books to her youngest sister, who loved it so much that one day she and a neighbour jumped in their pedal car and set off to find the Enchanted Wood.
We are reading my childhood copy which now has browning pages and a splitting spine. But aren’t these illustrations divine…
I have an Enchanted Wood that looks much like that (though I am not sure my copy has the special coloured-in illustrations!). I must get it out and read it to my boys (4 & 5). I think they’ll love it.
The number of stories written by Enid Blyton boggles my mind! We never had the pleasure of reading this one…
One of our son’s favorite first chapter books was MY FATHER’S DRAGON by Ruth Stiles Gannett. It’s a great transition from picture book to chapter book – full of imaginative fun and adventure! (and there are two sequels).
There is something wonderful about being able to snuggle down under the bedclothes with my child and to read a novel without having to look at pictures, as we form our own pictures in our minds. I love catching a glimpse of the images my son has built – he’ll make a comment and I’ll realise that his view of a character or a place is quite different from mine, and all the more interesting for it!
Rowan and Owen must be talking because the BFG was the first chapter book we started reading.
I too have the Harry Potter books at the ready to introduce once Roald Dahl has been read. My favourite read from childhood (apart from The Faraway Tree series) was the Famous Five…which, surprise, surprise is another Blyton book 
After reading Moomintrolls (twice!) we have moved on to the Phantom Tollbooth… and after that will be Pippi Longstocking
What a very timely post Katie! I’ve made a concerted effort these hols to make time for Finn’s desire for a bigger story. We started small with Poor Fish, a very funny Aussie Nibble written by the very talented children’s editor and writer Jane Godwin. The story of one boy’s love of Auskick and his young brother’s heroic championing of a missing goldfish has a knockout punch for the 3 and 5 year olds when they least expect it – a toilet joke. Had ‘em in fits.
We’ve just finished The 27th Annual African Hippopotamus Race, a 70s standard that was read to me and my country school classmates by our stern language-loving headmaster over a few hot afternoons. I’ve had this tucked away for years, and am so glad Finn enjoyed it. I used to have the same edition of Enchanted Wood like you and Liesl but it’s nowhere to be found sadly. Definitely putting it on the list though, and though Roald Dahl scared the bejesus out of me when I was a kid, I’m going to try BFG out on Finn asap. Would love to read more suggestions!
I too have had mixed feelings about moving onto chapter books for bedtime reading. There is something so magical about really getting submersed in a story that spins out over multiple sessions, but I adore picture books and don’t want to read any fewer than we already do. Fortunately my eldest is always really delighted when we do spend our bedtime reading with a few picture books – perhaps before we move onto our next chapter book. Something that has worked really well for us with chapter books is getting hold of the audiobook version to listen to afterwards. M loves getting very familiar with the story and enjoys being able to make the reading/listening of the story last longer than just our bedtime slots.