Memories of Childhood Reading
Have you always been an avid reader or is it a newly acquired habit? I’ve been an avid reader since I first encountered Dick and Jane in first grade. But my love of books goes back even further. My earliest memory involves sitting on a baby blanket in the sun with my mother, surrounded by books. I don’t remember all of the books but do recall two – Nurse Nancy and The Gingerbread Man – because they were two of the first books I read by myself.
Two recent events have me thinking a lot about the books I read – and loved – as a child. First, I was sitting in a favorite restaurant enjoying a leisurely brunch, mimosa in one hand and Kindle next to my plate, when a family was seated at the table next to me. I immediately cringed, afraid that my peace would be spoiled by fighting children. Fortunately, I was wrong. While the parents and son quietly scanned the menu, the daughter (about 10 years old) pulled a book out of her pack and began reading. When the waitress came to take their order the girl briefly looked up, gave her order, and began reading again. I stayed for about 45 minutes longer, and the girl read the entire time.
I thought about that girl a long time afterward. Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money, and rarely ate meals in restaurants. But reading during meals at home? Oh yes! My brother and I were encouraged to read whenever we wanted, and we often read during meals.
But what types of books did I read? One of my fellow AAR staffers, LeeB, recently sent around a link to a USA Today article that lists the 100 Greatest Books for Kids as ranked by Scholastic Parent & Child magazine.
I immediately looked at the list and discovered that I had read 8 of the top 10 but only 22 out of all 100. I started feeling bad about this low number and checked out the editors’ methodology to see if they were flawed in their selections. Then I checked the list in more detail and discovered that many of the books I haven’t read were published well after my childhood years. And since I don’t have children, I don’t regularly read newly published children’s books unless they capture my attention, Harry Potter being a key exception.
But did I read books of comparable quality to those on the list? Frankly, my parents didn’t care what I read; they just wanted me to read. My brother and I, along with our mother, spent many days on our back porch reading piles of comic books – Archie, Batman, Superman, Richie Rich – whatever we could get our hands on. I’ve talked here before about my love of girl sleuth mysteries, particularly the Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew series. But my brother and I regularly read each other’s books, so I also read a lot of the Hardy Boys and Rick Brant series, as well as many books featuring race car drivers (a particularly favorite of his).
I know I read many of the childhood classics both in school and at home. My parents made certain we had cheap versions of all “important” books in our home (often picked up at thrift stores). Once a week my father took us to the public library where we would walk out with anywhere from 10 to 20 books piled high in our hands. But honestly, it’s not the classics that stick in my mind. In addition to those girl sleuth mysteries, the books I enjoyed the most are decidedly non-classic books.
As an early reader I loved what I thought of as books set in “olden times” such as the Bobbsey Twins and the Little House on the Prairie series. I also dearly loved the books I purchased through the Scholastic Book Club. Three of my favorites, that I’ve recently bought copies of, are The Pink Motel by Carol Ryrie Brink, Mrs. Coverlet’s Magicians by Mary Nash, and Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine by Jay Williams and Raymond Abrshkin. All three of these books feature children engaged in exciting adventures. The latter two had at least one child who was either brilliant or had particularly interesting talents. These books engaged my mind and made me want to have adventures. And most of all, they were fun.
I guess it’s that sense of reading as fun that has remained with me into my adulthood. Yes, I’ve read lots and lots of classic adult fiction, both in literature classes in college and on my own. I even briefly belonged to a classic literature book group. But I quickly came to the conclusion that as an adult, my reading tastes are very similar to my childhood tastes. I’ll read a classic book from time to time if it’s compelling. But for a daily diet, I want fun, enjoyable reads, the ones I get most frequently these days from romance and mysteries.
So let’s talk childhood reading. Does the Scholastic Parent & Child magazine list of top children’s books match with your childhood reading? Are there classics you think are missing? And what are the children’s books that have stayed in your memory the longest?
– LinnieGayl AAR
I have really noticed that credit restoration activity must be conducted with techniques. If not, you are going to find yourself endangering your ranking. In order to succeed in fixing your credit score you have to always make sure that from this second you pay any monthly costs promptly in advance of their appointed date. It’s really significant simply because by never accomplishing that, all other measures that you will decide to use to improve your credit position will not be successful. Thanks for sharing your concepts.
I have really noticed that credit restoration activity must be conducted with techniques. If not, you are going to find yourself endangering your ranking. In order to succeed in fixing your credit score you have to always make sure that from this second you pay any monthly costs promptly in advance of their appointed date. It’s really significant simply because by never accomplishing that, all other measures that you will decide to use to improve your credit position will not be successful. Thanks for sharing your concepts.
Great resource. I read a lot of classical philosophy, but I have been branching out further into more contemporary philosophy. Thanks for the posts.
Great resource. I read a lot of classical philosophy, but I have been branching out further into more contemporary philosophy. Thanks for the posts.
All the professionals tell little company owners that they must get benefit of the rewards of a Social Media Method and, with more than 750 million members, a Facebook Webpage is essential.
All the professionals tell little company owners that they must get benefit of the rewards of a Social Media Method and, with more than 750 million members, a Facebook Webpage is essential.
I started reading in the mid-1960s and never had kids, so I have never heard of most of the books on that list. My mother was a child of the late 30s/early 40s, and she made sure I read some of the books she had loved as a girl. I adored Inez Haines Irwin’s “”Maida”” series, along with “”Meet Corliss Archer”” and “”Junior Miss.”” Those were in addition to the Little House books and the Betsy-Tacy books. I also loved books by Rosamund du Jardin, I liked the 5 Little Peppers too. These are in addition to E B White’s books, and some of the older titles on that list.
And then, I was precocious enough to have read several Georgette Heyers, a couple of Austens and “”Jane Eyre”” by the time I was 12 or 13. I still love those.
For some reason, while I still love to read, I don’t get to do it as much as I used to. Hopefully, my circumstances will change soon and I’ll be able to get back to tackling my TBR list.
I started reading in the mid-1960s and never had kids, so I have never heard of most of the books on that list. My mother was a child of the late 30s/early 40s, and she made sure I read some of the books she had loved as a girl. I adored Inez Haines Irwin’s “”Maida”” series, along with “”Meet Corliss Archer”” and “”Junior Miss.”” Those were in addition to the Little House books and the Betsy-Tacy books. I also loved books by Rosamund du Jardin, I liked the 5 Little Peppers too. These are in addition to E B White’s books, and some of the older titles on that list.
And then, I was precocious enough to have read several Georgette Heyers, a couple of Austens and “”Jane Eyre”” by the time I was 12 or 13. I still love those.
For some reason, while I still love to read, I don’t get to do it as much as I used to. Hopefully, my circumstances will change soon and I’ll be able to get back to tackling my TBR list.
In a very small town in Tennessee the Bookmobile delivered books to a shelf at the “”Dime Store””. I knew the expected time and was first in the door. My author of choice was Zane Grey. His stories took me far away with fabulous descriptions of western landscapes, strong honorable females, and men who did whatever it took to keep them safe. And the horses, oh the horses. Is it any wonder that we now travel to Wyoming and Colorado regularly. Thanks for the question.
Great memories.
In a very small town in Tennessee the Bookmobile delivered books to a shelf at the “”Dime Store””. I knew the expected time and was first in the door. My author of choice was Zane Grey. His stories took me far away with fabulous descriptions of western landscapes, strong honorable females, and men who did whatever it took to keep them safe. And the horses, oh the horses. Is it any wonder that we now travel to Wyoming and Colorado regularly. Thanks for the question.
Great memories.
I hardly drop remarks, however I read a ton of responses on this page Memories of Childhood Reading All About Romance’s News & Commentary Blog. I do have a couple of questions for you if it’s allright. Could it be simply me or does it seem like a few of these comments come across as if they are left by brain dead visitors? :-P And, if you are writing on additional places, I’d like to keep up with you. Would you make a list of all of all your shared pages like your twitter feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile?
I hardly drop remarks, however I read a ton of responses on this page Memories of Childhood Reading All About Romance’s News & Commentary Blog. I do have a couple of questions for you if it’s allright. Could it be simply me or does it seem like a few of these comments come across as if they are left by brain dead visitors? :-P And, if you are writing on additional places, I’d like to keep up with you. Would you make a list of all of all your shared pages like your twitter feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile?
To one Anne from another Ann,
Your daughter sounds like I me. One summer vacation my mom came into my bedroom and said “”I don’t care if you read all summer, but could you read outside sometimes?””
I drove her crazy during a family driving trip through the Canadian Rockies, missing the scenery with my nose buried in a book. And the best part of that trip for me? An overnight ferry trip with a tiny state room and a top bunk with a little light in it and curtains I could shut. A heavenly place to read.
Anyway, if you can find the Danny Dunn books, your daughter might like them. I really liked them. Kind of like Bobbsy Twins with a sci-fi twist. My most memorable was Danny Dunn and the Smallifying Machine.
In a couple of years she might enjoy Victoria Holt books. I think I was in seventh grade when I started reading those.
To one Anne from another Ann,
Your daughter sounds like I me. One summer vacation my mom came into my bedroom and said “”I don’t care if you read all summer, but could you read outside sometimes?””
I drove her crazy during a family driving trip through the Canadian Rockies, missing the scenery with my nose buried in a book. And the best part of that trip for me? An overnight ferry trip with a tiny state room and a top bunk with a little light in it and curtains I could shut. A heavenly place to read.
Anyway, if you can find the Danny Dunn books, your daughter might like them. I really liked them. Kind of like Bobbsy Twins with a sci-fi twist. My most memorable was Danny Dunn and the Smallifying Machine.
In a couple of years she might enjoy Victoria Holt books. I think I was in seventh grade when I started reading those.
Mrs Coverlet’s Magicians was always and still is one of my favorite books. I can’t tell you how many times I read it as a child. Reread it in my 20’s and then when my 3 children were old enough, each got read this very special story!
Mrs Coverlet’s Magicians was always and still is one of my favorite books. I can’t tell you how many times I read it as a child. Reread it in my 20’s and then when my 3 children were old enough, each got read this very special story!
Oh, and a comment about the Little House books – I remember loving those books when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. When my daughter was 7 I started reading the series with her. While there was much to love about them, I became increasingly uncomfortable with the way Native Americans were portrayed. I know they were written in a different time, but I increasingly felt the need to explain to her why all the “”white”” people classified all the Indians so disdainfully. So although it was an opportunity for some lessons on stereotyping and some less-than-positive aspects of American History, it started to ruin our enjoyment of the stories.
Oh, and a comment about the Little House books – I remember loving those books when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. When my daughter was 7 I started reading the series with her. While there was much to love about them, I became increasingly uncomfortable with the way Native Americans were portrayed. I know they were written in a different time, but I increasingly felt the need to explain to her why all the “”white”” people classified all the Indians so disdainfully. So although it was an opportunity for some lessons on stereotyping and some less-than-positive aspects of American History, it started to ruin our enjoyment of the stories.
Like most everyone else I was an avid young reader, too (another cheer for SRA!), but I have to say my 9 year old daughter has eclipsed even me. She tore through the Bobbsey Twins series (all 11 of them) last summer, and she is one of those kids who reads at the table, in the car, even while she walks in the halls at school, LOL. The school librarian is her favorite teacher. And while she loves so many new books/authors, I have to say I really love the older books for her because of their interesting yet sweet content. We will definitely be looking for some of those books people have recommended above for her to read.
The books we read as youngsters can really make an impression on us. There was a book I remembered so fondly from my childhood (not a novel, but rather a storybook with pictures), but I could only remember a few vague details about it (not the author nor the actual title). I loved that book, but we hadn’t kept it. I knew there was no way I would ever find it again. (This was before the internet was such a vast resource for information, btw). But as I shopped at an out-of-town antique store a number of years ago, I happened to look towards the floor to see a book, half hidden behind something else. All I had to see was the corner of the book and I KNEW it was the book I had been remembering. I’m not kidding when I say that I sat down on the floor and had to wipe away tears as I turned the pages. I had no idea I would be so emotional about it! And the title, if anyone is interested, is The King with Six Friends by Jay Williams.
Like most everyone else I was an avid young reader, too (another cheer for SRA!), but I have to say my 9 year old daughter has eclipsed even me. She tore through the Bobbsey Twins series (all 11 of them) last summer, and she is one of those kids who reads at the table, in the car, even while she walks in the halls at school, LOL. The school librarian is her favorite teacher. And while she loves so many new books/authors, I have to say I really love the older books for her because of their interesting yet sweet content. We will definitely be looking for some of those books people have recommended above for her to read.
The books we read as youngsters can really make an impression on us. There was a book I remembered so fondly from my childhood (not a novel, but rather a storybook with pictures), but I could only remember a few vague details about it (not the author nor the actual title). I loved that book, but we hadn’t kept it. I knew there was no way I would ever find it again. (This was before the internet was such a vast resource for information, btw). But as I shopped at an out-of-town antique store a number of years ago, I happened to look towards the floor to see a book, half hidden behind something else. All I had to see was the corner of the book and I KNEW it was the book I had been remembering. I’m not kidding when I say that I sat down on the floor and had to wipe away tears as I turned the pages. I had no idea I would be so emotional about it! And the title, if anyone is interested, is The King with Six Friends by Jay Williams.
Back again. I apologize – I am writing on an iPad, and just brushing the wrong key posted my message before I was finished. I wanted to mention Patricia Beatty’s Hail Columbia, about the early women’s movement. A great introduction to the subject.
I mentioned her before in my first post, but wanted to also say that Elizabeth Enright is an author who writes such lyrical prose that she shouldn’t be missed. If I could describe the natural world just a tenth as well as she did, I’d be happy. Her portraits of happy children interacting with older adults is also exceptional. Her list of titles is short, but (with the exception of her first book, Kintu: a Congo Adventure) all of them are treasures.
Back again. I apologize – I am writing on an iPad, and just brushing the wrong key posted my message before I was finished. I wanted to mention Patricia Beatty’s Hail Columbia, about the early women’s movement. A great introduction to the subject.
I mentioned her before in my first post, but wanted to also say that Elizabeth Enright is an author who writes such lyrical prose that she shouldn’t be missed. If I could describe the natural world just a tenth as well as she did, I’d be happy. Her portraits of happy children interacting with older adults is also exceptional. Her list of titles is short, but (with the exception of her first book, Kintu: a Congo Adventure) all of them are treasures.
Julie, thanks for mentioning Sally Watson! I am fortunate to own several of them, and I actually have a photocopy of Highland Rebel. My favorite was its sequel, the Hornet’s Nest – I love Andy, who keeps proposing to the heroine throughout the story, and how her brother doesn’t realize he’s serious until the end! I also owe my early education about the birth of Israel to her novel To Build a Land. Last I checked, her books are hard to find and very pricy.
I still have many of Lee Wyndham’s ballet books in battered book club editions. I also loved her YA title, Beth Hilton, Model. Does anyone else remember Madye Lee Chastain? She wrote wonderful historicals and also
more contemporary girl’s books, and I loved the Fripsy family series. I’ll have to see whether I can find any of those titles now.
Julie, thanks for mentioning Sally Watson! I am fortunate to own several of them, and I actually have a photocopy of Highland Rebel. My favorite was its sequel, the Hornet’s Nest – I love Andy, who keeps proposing to the heroine throughout the story, and how her brother doesn’t realize he’s serious until the end! I also owe my early education about the birth of Israel to her novel To Build a Land. Last I checked, her books are hard to find and very pricy.
I still have many of Lee Wyndham’s ballet books in battered book club editions. I also loved her YA title, Beth Hilton, Model. Does anyone else remember Madye Lee Chastain? She wrote wonderful historicals and also
more contemporary girl’s books, and I loved the Fripsy family series. I’ll have to see whether I can find any of those titles now.
Wow, lots of good memories here! (And very good timing for me, as I’ve been trying to recall and make a list of books I read pre-1975, when I actually started keeping book diaries instead of random notations that may or may not be hiding in boxes somewhere). I also loved Those Miller Girls, and the sequel The Motoring Millers. IIRC, the widowed father was the professor with the telescope, and he fell in love with Miss Kate who owned the hat shop.
Some favorites I don’t think I’ve seen mentioned above: Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Phyllis A. Whitney (juvenile mysteries), Eleanor Cameron, Frank Bonham, S.E. Hinton, E.L Koningsburg, Robb White’s sailing adventures, Leon Garfield, and John & Patricia’s Beatty’s westerns.
Best-loved and still frequently re-read: Joan Aiken’s alternate history; Sally Watson’s historicals featuring adventurous heroines who meet up with really appealing guys – I still like them better than most current romance heroes; and the Dorothy Dixon mystery series from the 1930’s, with a 16-year-old heroine who has her own airplane, carries a gun and knows ju jitsu.
My three favorite books by Patricia Beatty were – The Queen’s Own Grove, O The Red Rose Tree and The Nickel Plated Beauty. I own copies of all three. Eleanor Cameron’s Mushroom Planet books were great, but I haven’t found inexpensive used copies yet. One day….
Wow, lots of good memories here! (And very good timing for me, as I’ve been trying to recall and make a list of books I read pre-1975, when I actually started keeping book diaries instead of random notations that may or may not be hiding in boxes somewhere). I also loved Those Miller Girls, and the sequel The Motoring Millers. IIRC, the widowed father was the professor with the telescope, and he fell in love with Miss Kate who owned the hat shop.
Some favorites I don’t think I’ve seen mentioned above: Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Phyllis A. Whitney (juvenile mysteries), Eleanor Cameron, Frank Bonham, S.E. Hinton, E.L Koningsburg, Robb White’s sailing adventures, Leon Garfield, and John & Patricia’s Beatty’s westerns.
Best-loved and still frequently re-read: Joan Aiken’s alternate history; Sally Watson’s historicals featuring adventurous heroines who meet up with really appealing guys – I still like them better than most current romance heroes; and the Dorothy Dixon mystery series from the 1930’s, with a 16-year-old heroine who has her own airplane, carries a gun and knows ju jitsu.
My three favorite books by Patricia Beatty were – The Queen’s Own Grove, O The Red Rose Tree and The Nickel Plated Beauty. I own copies of all three. Eleanor Cameron’s Mushroom Planet books were great, but I haven’t found inexpensive used copies yet. One day….
SO enjoyed reading everyone’s memories. I still have four Cherry Ames, two Trixie Beldens, Eight Cousins and Five Little Peppers on my bookshelf. My sister and I still still talk about the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books. I read all of the Carolyn Haywood books in the library and was delighted by Betsy and Star being snowbound. My first romances were the books by Rosamond du Jardin (I was fascinated by her Marcy series). And loved all the Janet Lambert books, especially the Penny and Tippy Parrish series.
Did any of you ever read Those Miller Girls, set in the early 1900’s- two girls with a widower father and a school teacher with a telescope? The adults fell in love and it was very sweet.
SO enjoyed reading everyone’s memories. I still have four Cherry Ames, two Trixie Beldens, Eight Cousins and Five Little Peppers on my bookshelf. My sister and I still still talk about the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books. I read all of the Carolyn Haywood books in the library and was delighted by Betsy and Star being snowbound. My first romances were the books by Rosamond du Jardin (I was fascinated by her Marcy series). And loved all the Janet Lambert books, especially the Penny and Tippy Parrish series.
Did any of you ever read Those Miller Girls, set in the early 1900’s- two girls with a widower father and a school teacher with a telescope? The adults fell in love and it was very sweet.
What a wonderful column. It and many of the comments have brought back so many happy memories. I am a much older reader (63) so many of the newer books are unfamiliar to me. Many of the books on the list I became familiar with by reading to my children – Madeline L’Engle’s series being one of my favorites.
As a kid I loved Albert Payson Terhune’s dog books. I also loved Richard Halliburton’s Book of Marvels (which I still re-read occasionally). The Bobbsey Twins and Cherry Ames were long running series that I waited for book after book. Kari S just reminded me of Rosamond DuJardin – I took them from the library compulsively I think, and I re-read them many times.
Miss Pickerell was also a favorite. There may be something to reading about strong and scientific women as a child since I grew up to be a Civil Engineer during a time when women were not encouraged to do such things.
I passed many of my favorites along to my kids – it was very satisfying when one of my kids loved a book that I had also loved.
What a wonderful column. It and many of the comments have brought back so many happy memories. I am a much older reader (63) so many of the newer books are unfamiliar to me. Many of the books on the list I became familiar with by reading to my children – Madeline L’Engle’s series being one of my favorites.
As a kid I loved Albert Payson Terhune’s dog books. I also loved Richard Halliburton’s Book of Marvels (which I still re-read occasionally). The Bobbsey Twins and Cherry Ames were long running series that I waited for book after book. Kari S just reminded me of Rosamond DuJardin – I took them from the library compulsively I think, and I re-read them many times.
Miss Pickerell was also a favorite. There may be something to reading about strong and scientific women as a child since I grew up to be a Civil Engineer during a time when women were not encouraged to do such things.
I passed many of my favorites along to my kids – it was very satisfying when one of my kids loved a book that I had also loved.
Thanks so much Barb in Maryland! :)
Thanks so much Barb in Maryland! :)
Thanks for the reminders about the Catherine Woolley books–I’d totally forgotten about Ginnie and Geneva!
Also, I wanted to add I was a huge fan of Lee Wyndham’s ballet books, starting with “”On Your Toes, Susie!”” Thank you, TAB/Scholastic Book Club!
Thanks for the reminders about the Catherine Woolley books–I’d totally forgotten about Ginnie and Geneva!
Also, I wanted to add I was a huge fan of Lee Wyndham’s ballet books, starting with “”On Your Toes, Susie!”” Thank you, TAB/Scholastic Book Club!
Kari…OMG, Alvin’s Secret Code…thanks for the memory. As a tomboy I also loved “”boy’s books.”” I was a fan of Alan E Nourse (Star Surgeon and The Universe Between) which led me into Sci Fi and the works of Asimov and Heinlein in my teens. I think it very significant when a novel sticks with you decades after you have read it. I still remember the phrase “”four parallel lines meeting at right angles”” from The Universe Between. I also wonder to what extent my choice of fiction at that time led to my later interest in science as a career. Did I become a chemist because I was fascinated with the mom in A Wrinkle in Time who cooked dinner over her bunsen burner or was it my interest in science that led to my selection of pleasure reading. Considering the age I was when I read those books, I suspect that it was my love of the subject in books that led to incorporating that into my life. I hope authors of children’s and YA fiction realize the power they might hold to influence their readers in ways far removed from just what they read at that time.
Kari…OMG, Alvin’s Secret Code…thanks for the memory. As a tomboy I also loved “”boy’s books.”” I was a fan of Alan E Nourse (Star Surgeon and The Universe Between) which led me into Sci Fi and the works of Asimov and Heinlein in my teens. I think it very significant when a novel sticks with you decades after you have read it. I still remember the phrase “”four parallel lines meeting at right angles”” from The Universe Between. I also wonder to what extent my choice of fiction at that time led to my later interest in science as a career. Did I become a chemist because I was fascinated with the mom in A Wrinkle in Time who cooked dinner over her bunsen burner or was it my interest in science that led to my selection of pleasure reading. Considering the age I was when I read those books, I suspect that it was my love of the subject in books that led to incorporating that into my life. I hope authors of children’s and YA fiction realize the power they might hold to influence their readers in ways far removed from just what they read at that time.
Rachel, I’m happy to know that someone else remembers Ruth M. Arthur. Those might be considered YA today, and many had a very lightly sketched “”romance.”” Dido the evil witch doll (A Candle in her Room) is an unforgettable character.
I do remember Dot for Short, but I didn’t discover Elizabeth Goudge until I was an adult. I love Joan Aiken’s Alternate England series (she wrote about a dozen of them before she died) but I also have a special place in my heart for her fantasy anthologies of short stories, particularly the Armitage family series. A complete Armitage short stories collection was published in 2008, The Serial Garden. I can’t recommend that highly enough. Screwball fairy stories is the best way to describe them.
I think I’ve read all of Carol Ryrie Brinks’ books. For some reason I was particularly fond of Baby Island, in which two capable young girls and a group of babies were stranded on (what else?) a desert island. I particularly remember when they mixed up the twins… The girls sang patriotic Scots ballads to retain their courage through multiple disasters.
More commonly considered boy’s books, I did love The Mad Scientist’s Club series, and Alvin’s Secret Code. Also great – and still in print today – John Christopher’s Tripod series. Those books started my brother’s love affair with reading. I could go on and on… Thanks, LinnieGayl for giving me the opportunity!
Rachel, I’m happy to know that someone else remembers Ruth M. Arthur. Those might be considered YA today, and many had a very lightly sketched “”romance.”” Dido the evil witch doll (A Candle in her Room) is an unforgettable character.
I do remember Dot for Short, but I didn’t discover Elizabeth Goudge until I was an adult. I love Joan Aiken’s Alternate England series (she wrote about a dozen of them before she died) but I also have a special place in my heart for her fantasy anthologies of short stories, particularly the Armitage family series. A complete Armitage short stories collection was published in 2008, The Serial Garden. I can’t recommend that highly enough. Screwball fairy stories is the best way to describe them.
I think I’ve read all of Carol Ryrie Brinks’ books. For some reason I was particularly fond of Baby Island, in which two capable young girls and a group of babies were stranded on (what else?) a desert island. I particularly remember when they mixed up the twins… The girls sang patriotic Scots ballads to retain their courage through multiple disasters.
More commonly considered boy’s books, I did love The Mad Scientist’s Club series, and Alvin’s Secret Code. Also great – and still in print today – John Christopher’s Tripod series. Those books started my brother’s love affair with reading. I could go on and on… Thanks, LinnieGayl for giving me the opportunity!
I have read about half of the list, but most were ones I read to or with my children. I started reading at age 3 1/2 when I begged my mother to teach me. She labeled everything in the house and within a few weeks, I was reading independently. I read the same type books as many of you: Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Robin Kane, the Bobbsey Twins, etc. I remember one summer we moved to a new city and the library was pretty thin on fiction, so I read their entire selection of children’s biographies and autobiographies. I remember several like “”Florence Nightingale: Lady with a Lamp”” and “”George Washington: Father of a Nation,”” but I was never able to find them when my kids were young. I think I was around 10 or 11 when I discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck and Jane Austen. So I went through a classics stage. I almost HAVE to have something to read. I have even resorted to Field and Stream while waiting for my car to be fixed. Reading is an addiction I am proud to have.
I have read about half of the list, but most were ones I read to or with my children. I started reading at age 3 1/2 when I begged my mother to teach me. She labeled everything in the house and within a few weeks, I was reading independently. I read the same type books as many of you: Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Robin Kane, the Bobbsey Twins, etc. I remember one summer we moved to a new city and the library was pretty thin on fiction, so I read their entire selection of children’s biographies and autobiographies. I remember several like “”Florence Nightingale: Lady with a Lamp”” and “”George Washington: Father of a Nation,”” but I was never able to find them when my kids were young. I think I was around 10 or 11 when I discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck and Jane Austen. So I went through a classics stage. I almost HAVE to have something to read. I have even resorted to Field and Stream while waiting for my car to be fixed. Reading is an addiction I am proud to have.
I’ve not read many books on that list (another older, childless person here) but I was an avid reader when a kid too. One of my first memories is my mom reading Heidi to me – it was a very old book from her childhood and had these marvelous color plates in it. If I was very careful, I got to turn the pages as she read.
When I started reading myself, I read just about anything I could get my hands on. I read my mom’s Bobbsey Twin books (from the 30’s and 40’s) and also the more “”modern”” Bobbsey Twins (from ’60s – ’70’s). I read my mom’s Cherry Ames. Loved Encyclopedia Brown and all the Judy Blume books. My sister gave me a box set of the Little House books for my birthday one year which quickly became a prize possession. The Narnia series is still my all-time favorite series of books, I remember reading all of the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe in one afternoon. I read some Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys but they were never my favorites. There were lots of other books I read too, I just can’t remember them all at this time.
I’ve not read many books on that list (another older, childless person here) but I was an avid reader when a kid too. One of my first memories is my mom reading Heidi to me – it was a very old book from her childhood and had these marvelous color plates in it. If I was very careful, I got to turn the pages as she read.
When I started reading myself, I read just about anything I could get my hands on. I read my mom’s Bobbsey Twin books (from the 30’s and 40’s) and also the more “”modern”” Bobbsey Twins (from ’60s – ’70’s). I read my mom’s Cherry Ames. Loved Encyclopedia Brown and all the Judy Blume books. My sister gave me a box set of the Little House books for my birthday one year which quickly became a prize possession. The Narnia series is still my all-time favorite series of books, I remember reading all of the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe in one afternoon. I read some Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys but they were never my favorites. There were lots of other books I read too, I just can’t remember them all at this time.
I’m old, so I’ve missed a lot of those on the Scholastic list. I didn’t read more than 15, although I read others to my kids. I did read a lot, although we weren’t allowed to during dinner. (There would have been no mealtime conversations if we could — my mom, dad & two sisters ALL read constantly.)
My most favorite childhood books ever aren’t even on Scholastic’s list. Where is ‘Swiss Family Robinson’? Where is ‘The Hobbit’? Where is ‘A Child’s Treasury of Poems’? (Okay, I actually read that to my kids.) And yes, where is ‘Nancy Drew’?
Even as a kid, I read a lot of non-fiction. There was a whole series called ‘How and Why Wonder Books’ that covered everything from ballet to kid-level explanations of electricity & magnetism. I found them at Woolworths along with the Nancy Drew books. And one of the best Scholastic offerings I ever got was a biography of Florence Nightingale. I kept it for years.
Thanks for taking me back. :)
I’m old, so I’ve missed a lot of those on the Scholastic list. I didn’t read more than 15, although I read others to my kids. I did read a lot, although we weren’t allowed to during dinner. (There would have been no mealtime conversations if we could — my mom, dad & two sisters ALL read constantly.)
My most favorite childhood books ever aren’t even on Scholastic’s list. Where is ‘Swiss Family Robinson’? Where is ‘The Hobbit’? Where is ‘A Child’s Treasury of Poems’? (Okay, I actually read that to my kids.) And yes, where is ‘Nancy Drew’?
Even as a kid, I read a lot of non-fiction. There was a whole series called ‘How and Why Wonder Books’ that covered everything from ballet to kid-level explanations of electricity & magnetism. I found them at Woolworths along with the Nancy Drew books. And one of the best Scholastic offerings I ever got was a biography of Florence Nightingale. I kept it for years.
Thanks for taking me back. :)
These books will never make a “”best for children”” list but I seriously inhaled R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike. I still remember my “”aha”” moment when I realized the formula of building suspense to just a false alarm every chapter break just didn’t work for me anymore. That was about the time I meandered over to the adult section of the library and discovered Victoria Holt whose extensive backlist kept me busy for awhile. :) I so hope at least one of my children is a reader like me. Books have brought such joy to my life and I hope it does for them too.
These books will never make a “”best for children”” list but I seriously inhaled R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike. I still remember my “”aha”” moment when I realized the formula of building suspense to just a false alarm every chapter break just didn’t work for me anymore. That was about the time I meandered over to the adult section of the library and discovered Victoria Holt whose extensive backlist kept me busy for awhile. :) I so hope at least one of my children is a reader like me. Books have brought such joy to my life and I hope it does for them too.
RachelR, thanks for mentioning Carol Ryrie Brink! I was racking my brain yesterday trying to remember the author’s name because she was another author whose books were all just wonderful! In particular, there were two of hers that were personal favorites of mine, “”Family Grandstand”” and “”Family Sabbatical””. They were about a Midwest family–the father was a professor at a local college, and the characters were wonderfully written.
One nice thing about children’s literature is that rarely does the fiction go out of print. So, if you would like to introduce your childhood favorites to your children and/or grandchildren, it’s relatively easy to do!
RobinB – I actually own both of those books as well as a number of others by the same author.
Kari S – I also enjoyed the Ruth M Arthur books. I has a friend all through school who tended to have the same taste in books as me, and we both read them. We would go to the library every Friday on our way home from school to stock up for the weekend. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken was another favorite I purchased for our home library (along with the sequels).
Anyone besides me have fond memories of – Linnets and Valerians by Eileen Goudge, The Secret Language by Ursula Nordstrom, Dot for Short by Frieda Friedman, The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill, Twenty-one Balloons by William Penn du Bois or Time at the Top and All in Good time by Edward Ormondroyd? Not to mention The Three Investigators series, Henry Reed books (Keith Robertson) or Herbert books (Hazel Wilson)?
RachelR, thanks for mentioning Carol Ryrie Brink! I was racking my brain yesterday trying to remember the author’s name because she was another author whose books were all just wonderful! In particular, there were two of hers that were personal favorites of mine, “”Family Grandstand”” and “”Family Sabbatical””. They were about a Midwest family–the father was a professor at a local college, and the characters were wonderfully written.
One nice thing about children’s literature is that rarely does the fiction go out of print. So, if you would like to introduce your childhood favorites to your children and/or grandchildren, it’s relatively easy to do!
RobinB – I actually own both of those books as well as a number of others by the same author.
Kari S – I also enjoyed the Ruth M Arthur books. I has a friend all through school who tended to have the same taste in books as me, and we both read them. We would go to the library every Friday on our way home from school to stock up for the weekend. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken was another favorite I purchased for our home library (along with the sequels).
Anyone besides me have fond memories of – Linnets and Valerians by Eileen Goudge, The Secret Language by Ursula Nordstrom, Dot for Short by Frieda Friedman, The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill, Twenty-one Balloons by William Penn du Bois or Time at the Top and All in Good time by Edward Ormondroyd? Not to mention The Three Investigators series, Henry Reed books (Keith Robertson) or Herbert books (Hazel Wilson)?
What a wonderful post. I am not from US and so I have not read many of the books in the list. However I have been reading from a very early age. Started off with Enid Blyton, Nancy Drews and would cross read Hardy Boys, Biggles as well. I still remember finishing Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre when I was in 5th grade (didnt understand most of the book – just knew all the words!!). Just like the kid, most mealtimes were with a book in hand as well. My local library had a rule that I could not return the books within the same day and I had to prove to them that I had finished reading my books before they made an exception for me!!
Recently, I read Ann M Martin and Goosebumps to understand the type of books that my kids are choosing to read. It was fun enough that I catch up on the series along with my kids.
What a wonderful post. I am not from US and so I have not read many of the books in the list. However I have been reading from a very early age. Started off with Enid Blyton, Nancy Drews and would cross read Hardy Boys, Biggles as well. I still remember finishing Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre when I was in 5th grade (didnt understand most of the book – just knew all the words!!). Just like the kid, most mealtimes were with a book in hand as well. My local library had a rule that I could not return the books within the same day and I had to prove to them that I had finished reading my books before they made an exception for me!!
Recently, I read Ann M Martin and Goosebumps to understand the type of books that my kids are choosing to read. It was fun enough that I catch up on the series along with my kids.