This post first appeared on my former blog Nov. 1, 2010.
I started reading at an early age because I was surrounded by readers in my family. Our household was the kind where gift-wrapped books under the tree on Christmas morning weren’t just expected, they were treasured.
My mom and older siblings would take me to the local library in Lakewood, Ohio when I was too young to be crossing the street by myself. Later, I’d go to library on my own. The little one in Deer Isle, Maine (where we spent out summers) was open two days per week and was as dark and crowded as that magic wand shop in the first Harry Potter movie. My hometown library in Madison, Ohio was located in the village near my house, then later moved next to the high school—perfect for after-school studying.
But I remember trolling the aisles and looking for the perfect book to read. Something with a story that would offer me a totally different world than the rather ordinary life I led as a kid in a middle-America town.
I also remember a program in the early ‘70s called Reading Is Fundamental—anyone else remember RIF? At least 3 times a year, our teacher would hand out a pamphlet of books available for purchase from Scholastic Books. I remember being so excited to take that home and beg my mom for $5-$10 to buy a pile of paperback editions.
Every Sunday I got first dibs on the comics section of the newspaper. Beetle Bailey, Archie, Peanuts. Loved Peanuts. I still remember the success I celebrated when, as a beginner reader, I worked out that WWI stood for World War I. Finally, Snoopy’s cap and goggles made sense!
So, here they are, my favorite books from my childhood. Many of them are now considered classics. I know younger generations will list stories I may never have heard of, but these are books I love like a member of the family.
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (I’ve always loved ducks!)
The 500 Hats for Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Seuss (which may explain why I don’t like to wear hats)
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (come back Wednesday for more about Mr. White!)
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (I still love historical fiction)
All The Mowgli Stories by Rudyard Kipling (a compilation of stories from The Jungle Books featuring Mowgli)
The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (I read these long before the television series came out)
The Black Stallion books by Walter Farley (I was a total horse freak and read every one of these books!)
Hmm, looking over the books, it appears I read a lot of material featuring animals as protagonists. This is pretty common in children’s books, less so in adult books. Tomorrow, at Magical Musings, I’ll be discussing animal characters in books for adults.
Meanwhile, chime in and share your favorite books. And consider giving a book as a gift this Christmas. Children who read become adults who read. What better gift than a world of great stories?