(Probably Found) Plants which move at night and a granddad

[pablo_honey1981]

Ok so this is a long shot. Im reading books to my kids and Im wanting to start off with books I read when I was a kid. I've done the obvious ones but there is one on the periphery of my memory that I just cant track down. It's a long shot because I can remember next to nothing about it, and Google hasnt been able to help. I read it probably around 30 years ago from the library, Im not sure how old it was at that point.

The only details I can remember are that there is a boy and I think he is living with his grandfather on an alien planet. There are lots of alien creatures, but they are particularly afraid of one type of creature.

They are called something like the old grandfather time plants. They are plants, but they can move (at night I think). There is a set of circumstances its of vital importance they avoid, else these plants will be able to get into their house - I cant remember what that is, something like turning their backs on them or leaving doors unlocked or something.

So its a boy and his grandfather living on an alien world with plants which move at night time that try to get into their house and I think the plants are called grandfather something plants.


Sorry, I know thats next to nothing to go on, but here's hoping it will jog somebody's memory as it's driving me crazy!

 

[Danny McG]

Was this definitely a full length book?
I'm in mind of a 'longish' short story I read in an anthology that was similar (it might take a bit of hard thinking to drag it out of my memory)

 

[PaulMmn]

There was a Monty Python episode about The Walking Tree of Dahomey (with David Attenborough)... But it was a comedy.

 

[Danny McG]

Was this definitely a full length book?
I'm in mind of a 'longish' short story I read in an anthology that was similar (it might take a bit of hard thinking to drag it out of my memory)

The story I was thinking of doesn't match the OP's question, mine had some starship crash survivors on a far planet who actively hunted moving plants at night. In the harsh daylight they were inedible as all the moisture left so they were like a bundle of dried sticks...soz

 

[pablo_honey1981]

Was this definitely a full length book?
I'm in mind of a 'longish' short story I read in an anthology that was similar (it might take a bit of hard thinking to drag it out of my memory)

It was definitely a stand-alone book, of typical length for a children's book. I remember getting it out from the library. I have since remembered a book I read directly before it called 'The Falcon's Malteser', I also read The Silver Citadel around the same time so I thought it might be an Anthony Horowitz story, but that seems a dead end. QUite amazing what search engine's cant help you with. I remembered a phrase from another book I read around the same period. A character made something he called 'A Parson's Dough-ball" for his dinner. That's all I can rememebr about that book, but I know it is a 100% accurate phrase, yet nothing comes up when plugged into Google

 

[Ursa major]

Just a comment....

something like turning their backs on them

This makes them sound more like "grandmother's footsteps" trees than "grandfather clock" trees.

 

[tachyon]

OK, I found a short story called "Grandpa", by James H. Schmitz, which may be what you're looking for.

It's set on an alien planet, with moving plants, one of which is called Grandpa, and a resourceful boy who saves the day by figuring out a certain thing, and various alien creatures.

However, there's no home invasion or actual (human) grandfather, and the whole thing happens in a day, no night time...

Fortunately you can read the whole thing online to see if it's the one you want:

- Chapter 2

 

[Danny McG]

Fortunately you can read the whole thing online to see if it's the one you want:

- Chapter 2

Oh wow, I started reading it and it's another of those I'd read many years ago and forgotten all about.
Cheers for putting this link here, I'm gonna enjoy this one

(I hope it's the story pablo-etc was looking for)