Book Suggestions - Maybe something pleasant, calming, enjoyable to read?

[Hope67]

I would love to know any book suggestions for books that are enjoyable - probably fictional - but not necessarily - but basically something that would be relatively easy to focus on - I would consider Children's books as well as adult ones, as I am looking for something to engage me and my younger parts - to spend some relaxation time - I have been doing dot-to-dots - and finding that calming, but I'd like to know any book recommendations anyone has - thank you in advance.
Hope 

[Three Roses]

I don't have a book recommendation but sometimes I do jigsaw puzzles on my android phone and tablet, the apps are free. There are also free coloring apps I've used, right now I have a kaleidoscopic making coloring app that's fun. Bright colors.

[Blackbird33]

Hi Hope,
Have you tried Enid blyton the famous five books?
I often turn to them .

[Libby183]

Hi, Hope.

Both my husband and I love all of the PG Woodhouse, Jeeves and Wooster books. They are funny, but not cruel, and everything always turns out right in the end.

Hugs to you, Hope.

Libby

[Blueberry]

Hello Hope,

I love P.G. Wodehouse especially the Jeeves/Wooster series too.

Other suggestions: R.L. Stevenson's " A Child's Garden of Verses"; also any selection of limericks; Roald Dahl "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"

Depending on how young the young parts of you are, some Dr. Seuss like "Green Eggs and Ham" or for something completely different the Beatrix Potter books. No, not Beatrix Potter!! Because now I think I remember you have an aversion to animals being dressed up and acting as humans.

I read alot especially children's books so I'll let you know if anything else occurs to me. Though I don't know if all those books I read would be calming. The main character(s) usually go through some difficult or sad experiences before they reach the end. The good thing for me is I know what happens at the end so any sad or difficult experiences are tolerable or I can even skip those few pages if too much.

[Hope67]

Hi Three Roses - I would never have thought of doing jig-saws using an app - but it sounds really good and I will look out for some and try it out - thank you.  I saw one of your beautiful kaleidoscopic creations - it was black and green (I think) and it was lovely - you had it next to your name for a while - I thought that it was lovely and wonderful bright colours. 

Hi Blackbird33 - Thank you so much for your reply - and welcome to this forum - I hope you'll find it a supportive place - I think your suggestion of the Enid Blyton Famous 5 is great - I do like Enid Blyton - but stuck with 'Folk of the Faraway Tree' as my favourite one - and also 'The Naugtiest Girl in the School' series that she did - infact remembering those, I might re-read them, to see if my younger parts would appreciate them - as they were great favourites of mine.  I will try the Famous Five ones too - thank you. 


Hi Libby - Great to see you - and thank you for your reply - I have never read any PG Woodhouse - but I've heard of Jeeves and Wooster - and I will have a look - thank you!  Hugs to you too, Libby.   

Hi Blueberry - Great to hear an endorsement for PG Woodhouse from you too - I will definitely be having a look - the great thing with the library is I can dip into them and mix and match - without expense, and that's great.  I also appreciate the other suggestions you've made - and thank you for remembering about my dislike of the animals dressed up as people - I do still find them very disturbing.  Actually - I suspect I'd really like the books you mentioned where the main characters go through some difficult or sad experiences - because those were some of the childhood books I used to love - for example - 'The Secret Garden' and another one where the story was about a young girl held in an attic and visited by a dignitary from India who brought her lovely foods and spices and made her life happy by doing so - can't remember who wrote that or what the title was, but I loved it.  I really related to her dark and isolated experience in that attic, but loved the warmth and love that the man brought to her - by visiting her and treating her in a lovely way - without asking anything of her - that is a lovely story.

I really appreciate all your suggestions, and I hope to go to the library on Friday - and choose some books for the next few weeks - to take me into Christmas - and enable my younger parts and me to enjoy some calm and explore things together.

Thank you.
Hope 

[Kalmer]

Hope67 - The Little Princess?

[Wattlebird]

Hi hope
Teenage fantasy
Harry Potter
Ready player one
Hunger games ( may have triggers, violence against kids, my h couldn't read it ) also the main characters are traumatised a lot, violence, murder and abandonment.
The hobbit
Artemis, Andy wier
Maze runner (triggers traumatised kids )
Twilight series (vampires violence)
Anyway that's a few to give you some ideas.

[Hope67]

Hi Kalmer - yes, that's the name of the book 'The Little Princess' - such a lovely book - I really enjoyed it.  Thanks for letting me know the title.     I might re-visit it.   

Hi Wattlebird - thank you so much for listing those teenage fantasy books - I have seen the films of the Hunger Games - and also Maze Runner too - but I avoid Harry Potter and especially The Hobbit - for some reason it reminds me of animals wearing clothes and doing human things - and for some reason I find that quite difficult to countenance.  I avoid it.  I wrote about that in another thread somewhere, and I must re-visit it - as people did write some interesting things at the time, and I've forgotten what they said about it.  Maybe reading it again after a gap of time will be helpful to me, and I might gain some understanding of why I feel that way.

Wattlebird - I really appreciate your list - interesting about 'Twilight Series' - I like the story 'Dracula' and used to read that as a teenager - not tried the Twilight series though.  I'll have a look.  Appreciate all your suggestions - thank you.   

Hope 

[Blueberry]

 I love The Secret Garden too. I re-read it ever so often. The story of the little girl in the attic is probably The Little Princess by the same author as The Secret Garden. Another author of children's books I like is Rumer Godden. I love Laura Ingalls Wilder's books, the Little House books that is. Especially when I'm feeling down they tend to make me feel better.

At this time of year I also like to re-read Dicken's A Christmas Carol. His other books don't appeal to me though.

It's great that you have a library where you can browse and you don't have to spend much if any money.

[Blueberry]

Heidi by Johanna Spyri is another one I still love to re-read.

[Hope67]

Hi Blueberry - Yes, the Secret Garden is such a wonderful book, isn't it?  I agree that the other one is 'A Little Princess' - I shall look out for Rumer Godden.   I've never read the "Little House on the Prairie" books, but I have seen them on TV - and they are always very calming and make me feel better too.  I have never read any Dicken's - but seen some of the Dicken's films - and especially "A Christmas Carol".  Ah yes, and "Heidi" - again I've watched "Heidi" on TV when I was a child - although for some reason I used to think that my M wanted me to be 'like Heidi' (who seemed like a 'perfect little girl' somehow - I think I need to read the book and see what it's like to get back more memories of that.  I am looking forward to going to the library tomorrow and browsing - and I hope to bring a few books home - so I can dip into them - as true to form, I probably won't be able to read them 'one-by-one' - although I will try to do so at first.
Thanks again for all the great suggestions - I am spoiled for choice now. 
Hope 

[Rainydaze]

I really enjoy the Poldark novels by Winston Graham. It takes a while to get into but it's got such a courageous, underdog heroine in it who is hard not to love and some good storylines. 

[Three Roses]

Demelza! ♥️ I've watched all the seasons of Poldark on PBS but have thought of getting the books. I do love to read.

[Hope67]

Hi Blues-Cruise & Three Roses - Only just seen your replies - and thank you!  Great suggestions.  I need to come back here to update on my reading experience - as I have read some things over Christmas.  I'm a bit too tired right now, but I'll hope to come back later in the week, when I have more energy - and will write about it - as I appreciated all the suggestions, and took some of them on board - as my library stocked some of the books. 
Hope