Depictions of the one child family in books

[BoccaDellaVerita]

Following the thread about where the desire to have a family of a particular size comes from, I've been thinking about the depiction of families in children's books. Of course, most families have more than one child and it's not surprising that children's books reflect this. A few that come to mind from my youth are

Narnia Chronicles 4
The Railway Children 3
Ballet Shoes 3
My Family and Other Animals 4

BabyBocca is a voracious reader and I'd like to find her a book which depicts an only child (and ideally as part of an ordinary family set-up, rather than (say) an orphan). Milly Molly Mandy is the only one I can think of but surely there are others.

Any suggestions?

[teafortwo]

The children in The Secret Garden are all only children I think. Two of them are terribly unloved though - so maybe very loved babybocca might not relate veyr well to this?

George, in the Famous Five, is an only child - but it, I think, is given as the reason she can be a bit odd sometimes!

Michael Morpurgo's Kensuke's Kingdom has a very balanced only child - recommended!

Is Hatty in The Midnight Garden an only child? That is a nice story!

The Worst Witch doesn't refer to a sister or brother and I think she is lovely!

If you are looking traditional tales Beauty in Beauty and the Beast is an only child I think?!? So too is the Gingerbread man - ha ha ha!!!!

And Mr Toad in Wind and the Willows, with all of his carrying on was probably, lets face it, an only child - ha ha ha!!!

That is for starters I have a few more banging round my head - I haven't included any orphans (v popular in children's lit - nicely gets rid of authority figures to give main characters freedom...)as I think that you probably aren't looking for that kind of book? - Or are you???

[TsarHumbug]

Ooh how old is BabyBocca? The Phantom Tollbooth was one of my favourite books as a little girl (age 6 or 7ish)

I seem to recall it was about a boy in a magical land. I must get it on the go for dd now I think of it.

Tbh though I wouldn't worry too much about how many children are in the stories. I never really took that aspect on board and I am an only.

[Racingsnake]

Not sure about Hatty, but Tom has a brother. Actually I am pretty sure Hatty is not an only.

Lyra in Northern Lights and its successors is an only. Not sure if she is an orphan - I never thought for a moment about her family.

Harry Potter (I know he is an orphan, but a bit of a hero). I have always assumed that Hermione is an only child.

I'm sure I will think of more; I'm just letting them filter through as I potter about trying not to freeze doing a few chores.

[Earlybird]

Is Christopher Robin an only?

[TsarHumbug]

Alice in Wonderland has a much older sister but the story is just about her.

I did seem to like those magic lands didn't I?

[teafortwo]

Awww - awww - awww - don't forget dear little Charlie From Charlie and the Chocolate factory and the boy in The Snowman or Charles and Smudge both only children in Anthony Browne's wonderful absolute masterpiece - Voices in the Park!!!

[RebeccaX]

The Tiger Who Came to Tea. OK so they have a tiger visit them but they seem a very happy mum, dad and one child unit when they go out for tea at the late night cafe!

[Racingsnake]

Henrietta in Henrietta's House and the girl in The Little White Horse, both by Elizabeth Goudge.

[Racingsnake]

Actually not sure about parental status in latter (as in how alive they are). I was never interested in the rest of the family in these stories and I wasn't an only. They certainly have independent protagonists who don't do things in gange with their siblings.

Wasn't Charlie in the Chocolate factory an orphan living with his grandparents?

[slayerette]

Ooh - Nim in Nim's Island is a brilliant depiction of an only child!

[BoccaDellaVerita]

Thank you for these suggestions. I'm not hung up (really!) on BabyBocca reading books about onlies, but just as I'm always a tiny bit pleased when the protagonist wears glasses - particularly important when she was being teased about this - I'd like her just occassionally to read a book where the family in the background ressembles our own.

Keep 'em coming!

[stitch]

anne of green gables. ok, so she isan orphan wh o is adopted, but she is treated liek their child, and they are a family.

[BoccaDellaVerita]

Gratefully invites all participants to come to the tea room for a complimentary glass of champagne.

[TsarHumbug]

Oh yes.. And have we had Heidi?

[mistlethrush]

I'm pretty sure that the two children in 'The Talking Parcel' by Gerrald DUrrell are singles but cousins - as far as I remember it - although the Parot has a larger part....

I second the LIttle White Horse - I went back again and again

Just William - possibly had older sister? who doesn't play hardly any part in the stories.

[slayerette]

I'm afraid William had Robert and Ethel, who play significant roles in many of the stories - usually as William's deadly enemies!

[Tee2072]

Nancy Drew is an only child.

And Charlie, of Chocolate Factory Fame, lives with his mum and his grandparents.

[FrannyandZooey]

just william has sister and brother
neither hatty nor tom in midnight garden onlies, sorry

for younger ones try jamie and angus stories / anne fine (angus is his cuddly cow)

what age are you partic after?

[BoccaDellaVerita]

Age 7 but with a reading age a bit older than that.

[Takver]

Danny the Champion of the World - mother dead, but he & his father are one of my favourite storybook families

Rosemary in the Carbonel books (father dead - why do onlies always have to lose a parent?).

Of the Narnia books both the boy and the girl (sorry can't remember names) in the Horse & His Boy plus the boy in the Magician's Nephew are onlies I'm pretty sure

[FrannyandZooey]

it's a really interesting question
it's fab that you have asked it imo
most classic novels do have large families in (usually for plot purposes of course) but the ones that stand out as having onlies in, are roald dahl books

slight to realise this is because his characters need to be alone as it makes them more vulnerable
but ultimately stronger? what do you think?

[FrannyandZooey]

oh rosemary in carbonel a great choice

[FrannyandZooey]

arrietty in the borrowers!

[FrannyandZooey]

a lot of jacqueline wilson's
gemma in noel streatfeild