~~~~ favorite childhood books ? ~~~~ (cover, children book, mythology, characters)

[nancy thereader]

When I was growing up (in the late 1800s it sometimes seems) , there were very few "chapter books" for young people. Often we were forced to read really boring series like The Bobbsey Twins or something. That's why I was thrilled when Trixie Belden came along. She was , to my POV much more modern than that stuffy old Nancy Drew. Does anyone else have memories of books that they loved as children ?

[lolagranola]

I've been thinking of asking a question in a similar vein...what book made you a reader? I read the book Just a Dog by Helen Griffiths at least a dozen times in third and fourth grades. And just recently I got a copy off of PBS, and read it again! I was thinking that I'd find it more juvenille than I remember, but I still loved it! And, both of my kids read/are reading it.

I adored Judy Blume. And I enjoyed many of the Little House books, but mostly didn't like series.

My kids first chapter books that they really enjoyed (and me too) were Junie B Jones and Series of Unfortunate Events. Love Junie B, often read it if I'm babysitting.

[knoxgarden]

I read lots of "chapter" books and series. I remember my mother reading me the Mary Poppins books and Dr. Doolittle, Treasure Island, Swiss Family Robinson, Little Women.
Beverly Cleary's books were my favorites for reading myself.
I also remember reading a lot of Jack London at a very young age until my mom caught me. For some reason, the stories about tankers and freighters fascinated me.
I also read a lot of Science Fiction, particularly Ray Bradbury.

[jmarkey]

A long, long time ago when I was a kid I loved the books by Albert Payson Terhune about dogs, collies in particular.

Over the years I've re-collected them all, especially the ones with illustration by Marguerite Kirmse. Thank goodness for eBay!

[TheJickler]

Any of the Beverly Cleary 'Ramona' books were great. I read them over and over. Ramona The Pest, Ramona Forever, Beezus and Ramona. I loved that stuff.

[Haven]

I loved the Roald Dahl books, particularly James and the Giant Peach.

My second grade teacher read it to the class, and I was mesmerized!

I also love the Little House books, and Nancy Drew.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by knoxgarden

I read lots of "chapter" books and series. I remember my mother reading me the Mary Poppins books and Dr. Doolittle, Treasure Island, Swiss Family Robinson, Little Women.
Beverly Cleary's books were my favorites for reading myself.
I also remember reading a lot of Jack London at a very young age until my mom caught me. For some reason, the stories about tankers and freighters fascinated me.
I also read a lot of Science Fiction, particularly Ray Bradbury.

Are you my secret twin or something?

I also read and reread Kipling's The Jungle Book over and over.

And Harriet the Spy and The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh.

[RDSLOTS]

OMG, but the least favorite book from m y childhood comes to mind almost immediately. Our 6th grade teacher read to us after lunch, every day, from a series of books, Miss Minerva. I don't know if they are even still in print. Bless her heart, but they were, without a doubt, some of the most boring books.

The only exciting thing was the day the boys in class got in mega-trouble -- leaving the cafeteria, they smeared white icing all over the lower halves of their faces, and ran around the playground, yelling, "Look! Grandpa Grunts!" (One of the characters.)


Let's see. . . my very favorite was the original Boxcar Children. I was amazed they lived on their own, and fantasized taking my two younger sisters, and doing the same.

As an adult, I have some favorites including the Ahlbergs' Jolly Postman series, and any of the Raold Dahl books -- I used to share clips of those with the SRs I had in British Lit. I used Dahl's The Witches in class every Halloween.

Madeleine is wonderful, Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh (I got a spanking for calling him 'poot'), Ingalls's Little House series, some historical fiction for children, and a whole slew of fairy tale books. I used to stage plays from what I read, it was always that real to me.

[TCK]

Same here. Loved the Boxcar Children books - my favorite too!

Then another book flashed through my mind. I remember reading a book about the founder of J.C. Penny dept. store. I really liked that book too. Remember when they started having the department store open on Sundays after his death, thinking he was probably shaking in his......

[tigerlily]

A few that come to mind:

Mary Poppins (my favorite - I still remember the disappointment when I finished the last one)
The Black Stallion
Greek and Roman Mythology (I discovered in the sixth grade)
Little Women
Swiss Family Robinson