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As a kid I read and re-read both 'Charlotte's Web' and 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' so much it became a running joke in the library. My grandfather had randomly given me Peter Benchley's 'Jaws' (I was around 7-8), and while I read it (and found my young mind terribly confused by certain parts) I didn't enjoy it as much as the other two I mentioned. I mean, I worshipped those two stories, man.
As a teen Stephen King's 'Pet Sematary' evoked a strong emotional reaction in me (sadness for the characters) and Danny Sugarman's 'No One Here Gets Out Alive' brought me close to a band whose music has become a part of my life. There are tons of other books that I'll never forget, but these are the few that come to mind immediately when I think back to my early youth.
I don't know if you intended "childhood" to extend up to junior high (as we called middle school back in the day), but when I was in 7th or 8th grade I read and loved The Call of the Wild by Jack London, the complete Sherlock Holmes stories, and Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey. Upon re-reading them in adulthood, I still loved the "Call" and liked "Purple Sage", but found the Sherlock Holmes stories not as fascinating, though still good.
Strangely, I cannot remember any book from elementary school which grabbed me with much intensity. Either I didn't come across the right ones or I am too old to remember back that far (now 71).
The Chronicles of Narnia
Ramona the Pest
James and the Giant Peach
The Little House books (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
The Borrowers
Charlotte's Web
Judy Blume books
Among others.
As a young teen, I discovered Ray Bradbury and Stephen King. I also discovered GK Chesterton's books, Watership Down, the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings stuff, and a gazillion other books.
I loved all the Marguerite Henry "horse" books, & the Beverly Cleary books. My all time favorite childhood books were the World Book encyclopedias we had. I would read those cover to cover, over & over. Yes, I'm a complete geek.
I went from quantities of "Little Golden Books" as a preschooler to quantities of books from the Scholastic book club in early elementary school to adult-level books by the time I was around 9.
Didn't have a specific favorite.
Oh my god, the Scholastic Book Club. That was like Christmas every month for me (if my memory serves me correctly we'd get the little flyer every month or so and order our books from it).
I also recall--with TREMENDOUS fondness--a couple of girls names Beezus and Ramona, and I spent many, many hours with the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Was also briefly into the Black Beauty series.
I loved all the Marguerite Henry "horse" books, & the Beverly Cleary books. My all time favorite childhood books were the World Book encyclopedias we had. I would read those cover to cover, over & over. Yes, I'm a complete geek.
I thought I was the only one. The books were holy to me and I read every single page of those encyclopedias. I even took my aunts' college textbooks and went through them, but they didn't mind.
My mom was a teacher in my elementary school and every afternoon I waited in the library for her to finish up so we could go home. I read anything and everything in that library! Some of my favorites:
Ellen Tibbets
Henry Reed's Babysitting Service
The Moffets
Baby Island
I also liked biographies - Virginia Dare, Annie Oakley, Walt Disney....
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.
The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Beverly Cleary's books
Betsy, Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace
Lois Lenski's books
Reading was one of my very favorite things to do as a child.
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