Ten Significant Books - day 2

Recycling isn't a new phenomenon. A group of furry creatures made it fashionable in the 1970s and I was one of their biggest fans. Around the time they hit the TV screen I was reading about them too.

My Mum bought me this edition of 'The Wombles' and I read it and read it over and over again. They didn't look as cuddly on the book cover as they did on the TV programme narrated by Bernard Cribbins but the book still made an impression on me.

So much so that I amassed over a few years a Great Bulgaria toothbrush holder, pillowcase,  schoolbag with Madame Cholet on it and several womble records (which are still in my possession!) My aunt bought me this one in exchange for a bottle of sherry I had won in a raffle - while she probably got the better deal I was more than delighted with my new raffle prize.

What I loved most about the book was the characters Elizabeth Beresford created - they each have their own quirky traits and personalities. She made them believable and brought them to life, before they made it to television.