| By Shelley Coriell | June 25, 2009 |
Like most of you, I spent much of my childhood with my nose in a book. Worried about my lack of exercise, Dear Mom enrolled me in gymnastics lessons. After one class, I sported a goose egg on the back of my head and a new found terror of the high bar. And don’t even get me started on the Evil of all Evils. I lasted four weeks.
Up next? Ballet. I loved everything about it — the music, the swanky leotard, telling stories through dance. Unfortunately, the thought of pirouetting with my bird cage in front of an audience scared the tutu off me. I hung up my slippers after one year.
Lucky for me my mom is not only dear, but very, very wise. She realized early on that not every little girl is meant to be a cheerleader or a ballerina. More than that, she recognized my passion. And she fanned the flames. So instead of dance lessons, she enrolled me in a book club. I vividly remember tearing into that first flat brown box (I know. Not. Normal.) and unearthing Beverly Cleary’s Socks and Sid Fleishman’s McBroom’s Ear.
To this day, the beloved stories from my childhood still flit about my head, books like A Wrinkle in Time (I so identified with oddball Meg!); Are you There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Island of the Blue Dolphins; and The Outsiders. Kids books are powerful. Perhaps it’s because they touch a young, raw, vulnerable place in us. Perhaps it’s because they speak a truth children demand. Whatever the reason, they hold on long after “The End.”
You’ve seen a few of my childhood faves. Now it’s your turn. What books from your childhood refuse to let go?
June 25th, 2009 at 5:59 am
Good morning, Shelley.
My favorite books when I was a child were series such as The Three Investigators and The Hardy Boys. Unfortunately, my older son, who is now at the age where he might enjoy them, has no interest in these books yet.
June 25th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Morning, Walt! Yep, series books are so appealing to kids because they keep the adventure going and going and going. I never read The Hardy Boys, but I did plow through quite a few Nancy Drew books in the day. My two oldest kiddos weren’t big Nancy fans, but my youngest loved her so much that a few years ago she had a Nancy Drew themed birthday party. Picture plaid headbands, detective kit party favors, and an hour-long hunt through the neighborhood to solve the mystery of who stole the birthday cake. Thanks for stopping by.
June 25th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Hey Shelley!
Ah, a topic I could go on about all day! So many books I loved and read and reread until they became a part of me!
I think I already mentioned my love of Little Women here. I still reread it occasionally.
All the Marguerite Henry books. King of the Wind was my fave, but I LOVED the Misty of Chincoteague books and begged to go to a Pony Penning Day for vacation.
The Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander. sigh. The Pern series–I used to long for my very own dragon to come and take me away!
Beverly Cleary–did you hear that they are making a Beezus and Ramona film?
The Trixie Belden series– Jim started a life long fascination with red headed men.
Okay, I’ll shut up now and give someone else a chance!
June 25th, 2009 at 9:56 am
I read all the Little House on the Prairie books.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:00 am
I also loved Island of the Blue Dolphins along with Julie of the Wolves and The Swiss Family Robinson. Have always loved survival stories. And I was a huge fan of the Little House books. I can remember when I got to join the Weekly Reader Book Club, and the thrill of excitement when I came home from school to find a package of new books in the mailbox.
But even before that, I can remember getting Little Golden Books at the grocery store. My hometown was way too small for a bookstore.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:07 am
I read alot of books from the Redwall series by Brian Jaques- the best being High Rulain, Triss, and Rakety Tam.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Hi Shelley
I was a huge Wrinkle in Time fan, too. I also loved The Westing Game for all its quirky mystery and Tuck Everlasting.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Wow, great topic, Shelley! I would say “Wrinkle in Time” and “The Chronicles of Narnia” would be my all time faves. But your post really got me thinking about all the things that make a great children’s book as well. A wonderful way to start the day!
And Deb, I actually used to hang out in Chincoteague growing up, isn’t that funny? Small world!!
June 25th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Deb, a fellow Anne McCaffrey fan, woohoo! I love the marriage of medieval and sci-fi.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Good morning, Shelly,
I hope you are fairing the heat! I see you have LOTS of triple digits this coming week!
As a girl I LOVED the Walter Farley series, The Black Stallion! Oh my, I read through, I believe there were like twenty, several times and then went onto his Island Stallion series. Farley was a master story teller, taking his readers on adventures all over the world–with a beautiful black stallion and his teenage owner, Alex. What could be better for a horse crazy girl!
I had such fond memories of them that when I married, and my first son turned into a voracious reader, I advertised (that was before e-bay) and bought them all second hand from individuals. Unfortunately, as it goes so often, my son had no interest in them at all. That was okay with me a long as he was reading something good!
Great post.
Hugs,
~Caro
June 25th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Kelly, thanks for mentioning the Little House books. No discussion of great childhood lit is complete without a little Laura Ingalls Wilder. I can’t remember which book it was, but I loved the scene where they make the prairie version of sno-cones… maple syrup over snow. Sweet, simple and delicious. Kind of like the books!
June 25th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Trish, I pegged you for a grand adventure kind of gal.
I bet you also wanted to live in a tree house. Me too, except for the days I wanted to live in a boxcar.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Thanks, Kelsey, for the recs on Redwall. I haven’t read them yet, but I might give the warrior rodents a try as we have three pet rats at home and I find them quite endearing.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:46 am
L.A., glad you mentioned Tuck Everlasting! As a child, I loved its whimsical fantasy, and when I re-read it as an adult I appreciated its thoughtful treatment of death in the cycle of life. Funny how the same book can mean different things at different times in our life.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Jenn, all the young people in my life would call your taste in books brilliant. They agree that the Chronicles of Narnia are fantabulous. What I found interesting is that many kids who weren’t avid readers got hooked on the Harry Potter series and made their way to Narnia. Even before the movie! The Chronicles really are exquisite stories.
June 25th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Caroline, from early May to late September our temps in central Arizona are pretty much steady triple digits. We deal with it by staying inside or going to San Diego. The killer days are those over 115 degrees. That’s when everyone’s air-conditioners start wheezing, and you feel like you’re breathing air from a blow torch. But at least it’s a dry heat. Yeah, right.
Why am I not surprised you adored the Farley books? My horse-loving middle daughter is also a big fan. As for those unread books you bought for your son, I have one word for you. Grandkids!
June 25th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! Books I haven’t thought about in years – but loved dearly at the time – and others I read with my children.
Although I dearly wanted my own dragon, I was horse crazy as a kid, too. The only book I can think to add that hasn’t been mentioned is My Friend, Flicka and the sequel, Thunderhead. One of the first stories I wrote was the “next one,” turning those two into a series!
Probably a really good thing that story didn’t survive multiple moves!
June 25th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Hi, Shelley, would it be any surprise that I read every Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mystery available? The children books I loved were The Velveteen Rabbit and my all time favorite Kermit the Hermit written by Bill Peet. Your mom sounds like a very wise woman
Great post!
June 25th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Great topic, Shelley! A Wrinkle in Time was one of my absolute favorites too (and the sequels). I loved all the Ramona books, Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey twins. I clearly remember getting the Laura Ingalls Wilder books for Easter one year. (Yes, our Easter Bunny left books. Wise rabbit!)
My aunt was a school librarian, so she kept us stocked with children’s books. (When I was pregnant, my mother handed me a special gift at my baby shower– my battered and much-loved copy of “Where the Wild Things Are” which my aunt had given to me when I was five and had inscribed again for the birth of my son.)
When I was in 7th grade, Jerry Spinelli came to my school’s book fair to sign “Space Station Seventh Grade.” He was the first author I ever met, and probably helped inspire me to want to be a writer when I grew up. (Whenever that happens. )
Gymnastics was never my thing, either!!
June 25th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
No doubt about it: “The Giving Tree.” Now that I’m a parent, it takes on an entirely different meaning, and I still love it.
Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends” was another fav! Who could possibly forget about Ickle-me, Pickle-me, Tickle-me too?! (Did I completely destroy those names? Ha.)
June 25th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Hi Shelley,
Wow, Shelley. You’ve hit on all the big ones. Trixie Belden books taught me some great survivial skills (including a strange fascination with red-haired men) and The Chronicals of Narnia taught me how to think waaaay out of the box.(I passed my original set from the 70’s to my daughter last year) Beverly Cleary kept me laughing during some rough times and Judy Blume definitely made me start thinking about real life. But I think what impacted me the most, was the birthday gift my aunt gave me in about sixth grade– Eight Silhouette pre-teen sweet romances. I was never the same after that. What’s even scarier–is that I think I still own them, somewhere in my box of childhood stuff.
Sonya
June 25th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Cathy, a big nod to My Friend, Flicka. You know a book has legs when it’s made into a movie AND a TV series. As for your AWOL fan-fic sequel, I think it would be fascinating to read. It may be raw and flawed to your adult eye, but I bet there are some nuggets of good stuff in there. Thanks for stopping by!
June 25th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Donnell, I raise my glass with you to toast all authors of children’s mystery books. How about Phyllis A. Whitney? And the author who wrote the Encyclopedia Brown series? Cheers!
June 25th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Laura, the gods must really like you to have gifted you with an aunt who was a school librarian. I so want one. And Jerry Spinelli is amazing, so says Daughter #3 whose fave book is Stargirl.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Yep, The Giving Tree is in a class by itself, Kristina. Thanks for reminding us of the power and joy in this one!
June 25th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Reading has been so big a part of my life, I worked in the library as a Girl Scout so I could get to all the books first!
Little Women is at the top of my list along with Heidi, Black Beauty, Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames, Lad, a dog, Big Red (Anything with a dog!), Biographies of famous people (Mollie Pitcher comes immediately to mind),Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island, anything Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, or Phyllis Whitney and once I hit High School, the list continued to expand.
One of the first things I did for my kids was sign up for a book club; Sesame Street came first, then Disney, then Value Tales–all of which I still have. Hey, there will be grandchildren one day! LOL
June 25th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Hey, Sonya. Finally! Someone mentioned Judy Blume. Can you believe she just celebrated her 70th birthday? You are so right. She’s done a lot to help young people understand the real world and feel comfortable in their own skin. She’s also taken a strong and steady stand against censorship. This is one author who has really made a difference in the books our children read. Thanks for stopping by!
June 25th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Hi Shelley,
Ah yes. Going back to childhood and recalling the books that vividly pop out first in my memory reminds me of my visits to Grandpa & Grandma’s house, reading the few books they had on hand over and over again..”Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard”. Gotta love those traditional nursery rhymes that are timeless.
Although the bedroom I shared with my sister was spacious, our walk-in closet also provided half a play room that housed a little library of books. I would sit in the child sized table and chairs in my own little world in this secluded space, and was always drawn back to reading favorites like “Snow White and Red Rose”. I can’t help but wonder now if I was envisioning my dark haired sister (Red Rose) and my fair haired self (Snow White) but with the long, thick flowing hair as pictured in the fantasy books, smile. I also enjoyed the story book “Thumbelina”.
As I was reading through some of the other postings before mine, it brought back memories of reading the Nancy Drew collection from my home library, too. There was a set of Encyclopedias that I would go through from time to time looking at all the pictures and learning new things as well.
Thanks for inviting me to your blog site and sharing your love of books and everyone’s special childhood memories of their book reading beginnings. It was wonderful going back to that special place in time.
Love Darla
June 25th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Gwynlyn, dogs rule in my world, too. Shilo, anyone? Glad to see biographies pop up as faves. As an adult I try and read at least one biography a month…it’s some of the most fascinating reading in bookstores today.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Welcome, Darla! You read encyclopedias, too? I’m so glad I’m not the only one.
I can picture your closet hideaway…how wonderful. I haven’t thought of Thumbelina in years, but now it’s coming back to me. A walnut boat, a mean ol’ toad, an ugly mole, a hunky fairy prince, and her own set of wings. Life is good.
June 25th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
…There are quite a few books I liked- and still like. I love the Outsiders! It is one of my favorite books, and movies.
I like Redwall too, but some of the books are a bit slow. My favorite was Taggerung. The 9 Lives Of Chloe King is also a really good series. I also love fantasies, like Narnia. I especially enjoy reading about the magic and medieval times with the swords, royalty, horses, wars and really weird outfits! 
I love grabbing a good book and escaping the chaos of life through it.
Peace out!
June 25th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Encyclopedias! I, too am so glad to hear I was not the only one. They were tiny stories about people, places, and things you had never heard of. A whole new world and one of my earliest memories.
Sonya
June 25th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
The Laura Ingalls Wilder LITTLE HOUSE books, without a doubt. My grade 3 teacher read from one every day. That was when I knew I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to be Laura!
June 25th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
To this day, I get a warm fuzzy feeling in my belly when I see a Little Golden Book. My favorites were The Little Poky Puppy and … oh! I forget the name! The one where the little girl gets the baby doll when her mom brings home the new baby…
Then I remember reading THE SECRET GARDEN and the LITTLE PRINCESS with my mom…
These are the very best memories, aren’t they?
June 25th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I have very vivid memories of reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Also The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Not to mention Anne of Green Gables. Absolutely required reading for any little Canadian girl.
I also read a lot of Bobsie Twins and Nancy Drew books… but none of those really stuck with me. Devoured them, though.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I have to agree with those who mentioned the Prydain series and the Anne McCaffrey books! I loved and re-read both series, though I have to say the earlier the McCaffrey books, the better.
Another that I periodically re-read is Dodie Smith’s I CAPTURE THE CASTLE. An absolutely wonderful read. Not at all like her more child-like 101 DALMATIANS.
June 25th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Great topic, Shell. Wow, YA books. I read SO much, I’m not sure there’s anything I didn’t try. I was particularly fond of any mystery books (every single Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden). I read all of the Judy Blume books, but I think Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret was my favorite. I devoured the Chronicles of Narnia (and even though they probably don’t understand it, my son has started reading these aloud to his 3 and 4 year olds every night. He made it through 2 of them so far.) I read anything and everything about horses. I loved biographies and my mom was a librarian, so she’d save every new biography for me to read first. There was nothing like a brand new book. Some thrill that I can still feel. I loved The Secret Garden and, this is kind of corny maybe, but I LOVED Little Women. I felt for Jo, I longed to have her passion and I wanted to write books like Jo, against all odds. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.
June 25th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Hi Shelly! Great post. Reading this brought back tingly good feelings as I remembered all of those books so long ago. I loved Black Beauty, Where the Red Fern Grows, Mother, is that you? Or was it Mother, where are you? That darling bird book where the baby bird is looking for his mother. LOL I don’t know why that one sticks with me all this time?!
June 25th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
I think I am the only girl on the face of the earth who didn’t read Judy Blume growing up. I was in grade school in the 70s during which time I think she was around. Not sure how I never heard of her back then. Guess I was a recluse.
I read The Outsiders a dozen times. But mainly, I read the entire Nancy Drew and Bobbsey Twins over and over.
Great topic Shelley, got me reminiscing. Should read a Bobbsey Twin book again one of these days…
June 25th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Kate, you crack me up, although I must agree, “swords, royalty, horses, wars and really weird outfits” make for great reading. Thanks for your two bits!
June 25th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
In Cindy we have another Little House fan! But were you a super fan? Which of course would entail dressing up as Laura for Halloween. Speaking of costumes, back in elementary school we weren’t allowed to wear our Halloween get-ups to school. Instead we could dress up as our favorite book characters for a “Book Parade.” For the longest time I couldn’t figure out why so many of the boys came to school in cut-off jeans and hairy feet. I chalked it up to dweeby boys being…uh dweebs. Sometime in college I finally read the Lord of the Rings and had my ah-ha moment.
June 25th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Leshia, moms who read The Secret Garden AND The Little Princess with their daughters rank right up there with way cool librarian aunts. Thanks for sharing that memory!
June 25th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I don’t know how it happened, Maureen, but I never got around to Anne of Green Gables. Sounds like one I should add to the towering TBR list. Thanks!
June 25th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Alix, I think some of the later Pern books were penned by or with Ms. McCaffrey’s son. Could account for some differences. She’s another one of those amazing and prolific authors.
June 25th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Susan, you’re not alone in your adoration of Jo and Little Women. She’s a wonderful mix of broken and strong and feisty and angsty. Talk about a multi-dimensional character!
June 25th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Theresa, I grew up with red bone hounds, and I LOVE Where the Red Fern Grows even though I need a few hankies to get through it. Sniff. Sniff. Last Christmas my dad, who was an avid hunter and who raised hounds, bought the Fern DVD for my kiddos. Stories reach across the years, don’t they?
June 25th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Beth, you mean you never had a friend pass you a dog-eared copy of Judy Blume’s Forever? LOL. That was THE book to share in eighth grade along with the Guinness Book of World Records. Weird, huh?
June 25th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Ooooo…I almost forgot. Theresa, I think the bird book you’re referring to is PD Eastman’s Are You My Mother?
June 25th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Jo of Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Laura Ingalls – all girls/women who I learned a lot about life from!
Growing up in Australia, we had a lot of books from both the UK and the US, as well as Australian ones. Ethel Turner’s Seven Little Australians, originallly written in the 1890s, is one of our classics, and they made a great TV series of it in the 1970s. The Billabong books, written from 1912-1920s and set on a cattle station in Victoria with Norah, her brother Jim and his friend Wally are a bit dated these days, but still an important part fo my childhood reading. In the 1960s – 1970s, when I was growing up and devouring almost anything printed, there was a great crop of Australian YA authors; Ivan Southall, Colin Thiele, David Martin, and Hesba Brinsmead among them. Brinsmead’s Pastures of the Blue Crane is one of my favourites, still. It was also made into a TV series in the early 1970s; I might have to hunt for it on DVD.
June 25th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
That’s it, Shelley! Are You My Mother? Thanks for figuring that one out for me!
June 25th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Shelley, I dressed up as Laura Ingalls Wilder, too!! (In my case, I think part of the charm was her name. It just seemed appropriate for me to dress up as her!)
But too funny about the boys with hairy feet!!
June 25th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Fun topic, Shelley!
I loved The Outsiders, too! Also, Escape to Witch Mountain, Nancy Drew (I read 48 of them in 4th and 5th grade), Anne of Green Gables and The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
June 25th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
So Shelley. Being the supermom and superwriter that you are, what are some of todays hot, yet positive YA books? My daughter isn’t quite ready for Twilight. And I know I’m not ready for the Clique and the Gossip Girls.
She recently read and loved Penny from Heaven, the Newberry Honor winning book by Jennifer L. Holm. Can you or anyone recommend some more of this type for a soon-to-be fifth grader?
June 25th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Bronwyn, thanks for adding a bit of international flavor! I read Aussie author Brigid Lowry’s YA Follow the Blue last year. The read totally “felt” different. But great!
June 25th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
A big “Yes!” from me on Witch of Blackbird Pond, Marilyn. I guess those gold and silver “stickers” mean something.
Thanks for stopping by!
June 25th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Jenn–you lucky thing! As a kid I would have been THRILLED to hang out in Chincoteague! Heck, I’d still like to go!
Although I heard that Misty is stuffed–that would have freaked me out, I think!
June 25th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Sonya, Supermom? Moi? Pffft! That snickering noise booming across the fine state of Arizona is coming from my three kiddos. What I am is an “involved” mom. I read books with them, serve as their Girl Scout leader, and sometimes just sit and listen.
Sounds like your daughter is at that wonderful reading age between MG (middle grade) and YA. In recent years I’ve heard it labeled “Tween,” but in my library it’s called “Middle School.” Ask your librarian or book buyer for some great reads. They are brilliant, brilliant folks.
But just for you I did a little poll of my clan. Here are a few recs.
Classics: The Giver, Bloomability (or anything by Sharon Creech), Diary of Anne Frank, Hatchet, StarGirl.
Adventure/fantasy: Icemark Chronicles, Artemis Fowl and anything by Tamora Pierce. Also Redwall, Inkheart, Series of Unfortunate Events.
For slice of life tween girl contemp: the younger Alice books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and Lauren Myracle’s Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen. Oooo…and Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girl spy school series. The new one just came out this month. My youngest also said don’t forget the Princess Diaries (Meg Cabot).
Anyone else??
June 25th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Thanks,Shelley. Those are great suggestions and I’m printing them as I write. We were planning a trip to Borders tomorrow, so I’m so glad I asked.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
I was a book junky! But three books will forever stand out in my mind. Two of them were teen romances and the other was the tween book of juvenile female angst.
Are You There God- It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume.
Double Date by Rosalind Du’Jordan (I think, It’s been over 30 years)
And Trish. Those books will always remind me of my sister, Sandy.
There’s a tone of others I loved but those three jumped right out!
Donna D
June 25th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Donna. You just took me back almost 30 years. I read Trish from cover to cover multiple times. The librarian at my grade school finally called me in and told me I had to buy the school a new copy or return it that day. Do you remember who the author is?
June 26th, 2009 at 12:43 am
Hi, Donna! Thanks for stopping by and adding some new ones to this fantastic list. Peace!
June 26th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Hi Shelley!
Readings these comments is like a trip down memory lane. I love all the authors already mentioned. But the Anne of Green Gables series is my absolute favorite. When my girls get a bit older, we’re going to Prince Edward Island!
June 27th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Hello Shelley:
Mom gives you a box of books and me an old tennis ball and directions to remove myself from the house. No wonder you’re the smart one!
Much Love,
Davey