so what did you read as a kid????

My parents thought so too, and I must honestly admit I didn´t really understand some of those books at that time.
And, yes, I remember, I loved The name of the Rose, just skipped the philosophical parts:)))

As for books availability in general: you could get "classical" literature (French realism, Moravia, some Irving too), but not until it was time and ideologically proven, so it was very hard to come by anything published after 1975.

But to be completely frank: there were myriads of children books by Czech authors, I just didn´t state them here for the sole reason nobody would know them Didn´t expect meeting someone who read Quo vadis etc...:)

OOps, bjd was faster, this meant to be a reply to Fieldgate.

OOps, bjd was faster, this meant to be a reply to Fieldgate.

Ooh, I loved Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Famous Five, Secret Seven, all Roald Dahl, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, the Magic Faraway Tree, etc, etc.

#31 -- "there were myriads of children books by Czech authors, I just didn´t state them here for the sole reason nobody would know them"

I read Karel Capek's War with the Newts when I was about 12, and reread every year or two for a while after that. I don't know if that counts as a children's book, though. And I think some people would know, or at least know of, The Cunning Little Vixen (which google tells me is really Příhody Lišky Bystroušky) from the Janacek opera.

Isn't Quo Vadis Polish? I read that when I was pretty young.

"and reread it every year or two"

Wow!!!! You seem to be pretty well-read man...

And yes, Quo vadis is Polish, perhaps the best historical novel I´ve ever read. I just wanted to make Fieldgate happy...LOL
Karel Capek also wrote a children book called "Dashenka, a tale of a puppy" about a small foxterrier´s adventures, it was extremely popular amongst kids, too.
The Cunning Little Vixen is far more known as an opera than the tale itself, but yes, you deserve at least ten points!
Cheers!

Club des Cinq, Clan des Sept then i moved forward with San Antonio !

LR

Great question!!

Ofcourse my favourite book was The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (see also my nickname).
I also read everything from Astrid Lindgren. The Brothers Lionheart is such a beautiful book.

Another favourite was Roald Dahl. Matilda, The Twits, The Witches, Charlie ofcourse...
An the Dutch author Annie M.G. Schmidt. comparable to Astrid Lindgren I think. About naughty children...

Hhhm, I have to check my books tonight and reread a childrens book. Good thing is you finish them really quick.

Phew! I thought I was going to get all the way to the end of this thread without seeing Roald Dahl´s name mentioned... I still have all his books, which I started reading when I was five, now with curled corners and creased spines and pages on the verge of falling out.
The Quentin Blake illustrations really did it for me though, I was never as keen on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory because the illustrations were by someone else.
And Ria - I read all the Astrid Lindgren books you mentioned, and the only other book worthy of being treasured alongside my Roald Dahl collection is Ronia the Robber´s Daughter. I actually re-read it last year, and it was still as magical as ever.