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My first book

Sep 10th 2007Karen Rose
Karen RoseOn Writing!

My oldest daughter was writing an essay recently in which she had to discuss the first book she ever read.  She couldn’t remember which book it was and of course thought I would.

The problem was, there were so many.  I couldn’t remember which she’d read first.  There was Are You My Mother?  areyoumymother.jpgYou are not my mother, you are a Snort.  (my favorite line).  There was Sam and the Firefly.  Hop on Pop.  So many books we read together.

There was one I couldn’t recall, but it nagged at me.  The first time I read it, it moved me to tears, but I couldn’t remember the words.  I remembered a cadence, a rhythm of words and part of a verse:  “As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.” 

My daughter went off blissfully and wrote her essay about the first book she remembered choosing herself, while I compulsed over that story I couldn’t remember and the little half-verse that was haunting my mind.  So I Googled what I could remember and readily found the book.  I also found I wasn’t the only person moved to tears by this book.

It’s called Love You Forever.  loveyouforever.jpgIf you have any small children to read to, read them this book.  Even if you don’t have kids to read to, read this book for yourself.  It’s a beautiful tale of living and loving.  If you’re easily moved, have a box of tissues on hand.

I started thinking about the books that I loved as a kid.  I couldn’t remember my first book either - there were just too many. My all-time, hands-down favorite is Little Womenlittlewomen1922.jpg.  (At eight years old, the 1922 edition with full color plates was my greatest treasure.)  Jo March was my role model.  I wished for the comraderie of the four sisters and their friendship with Laurie next door.  I devoured Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldentrixiebelden.jpg mysteries - for the sleuthing and once again for the friendships.  Sue Barton, Student Nurse made me (for a long time) focus on nursing as my future career.   The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet mushroomplanet.jpgtickled my fantasy of sci-fi space travel - and once again, I loved the friendship between the kids and Mr. Bass.  High Heels for Jennifer - Jennifer and her best friend Sara Beth loved horses (High Heels was a horse) and ballet dancing and as I read, I dreamed I was Jennifer. 

There’s a pattern here, I think :-)  As a child I loved the books where friendship was the main theme.  As I grew older, the friendships were still key, but I added a love of romance.  Then I added serial killers and cops.  Okay, it can’t all be fuzzy rainbows!

So many books.  I can’t remember my first.  I just remember loving them all as they sucked me into a different world every time I reverently turned back the cover, usually under the covers with my flashlight.

Do you remember your first book?  Which books did you love as a kid?  Which kid books do you love as an adult?  What is your favorite book of all time?

73 Comments »

73 Responses to “My first book”

  1. colinfirthfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 1:04 am #

    I don’t remember my first book. I remember my Mom reading me a beautiful story from the Readers Digest and crying, so I cried too. I must have been 6 or 7. I still remember the story. :)

    My favorite children’s books are The Secret Island by Enid Blyton and Those Dreadful Children also by Enid Blyton.
    I used to read St. Claires and Mallory Towers and want to go off to school just like in those books (again by Enid Blyton).
    Absolutely devoured her Famous Five and Five Find Outer series and nearly ALL her mystery books.

    I preferred Hardy Boys to Nancy Drew.

    Has anyone read the Just William series by Richmal Crompton? I recently re-read them and I still found them oh so funny!

  2. Judy F on 11 Sep 2007 at 4:40 am #

    Oh I don’t remember my first book. Books have been part of my life as long as I can remember. I knew right away I was going to be like my mom and always have a book on hand to read. (ok Books)

    Karen, I love you forever will make me tear up just looking at it. Another book is by Jamie Lee Curtis, Tell Me Again About the Night I was born (I think that is the title) its about adoption. That will make you cry too.

    I loved LIttle Women. So many books to remeber fondly.

  3. Stacy ~ on 11 Sep 2007 at 5:23 am #

    Gosh I read so many books as I kid, I don’t remember. I liked to read ghost stories, and about the Loch Ness monster and other fantastical creatures. As I got a bit older, the Trixie Belden series.

  4. DebMarlowe on 11 Sep 2007 at 6:03 am #

    One of the first I remember was The Giant Jam Sandwich, a funny little book that I loved. Bought it for my kids straight off.

    So many others that I loved, loved, loved. Little Women is at the top of my list too, Karen. All the Marquerite Henry books. I prayed that I would get to go to Chincoteague every July. LIttle House. Ballet Shoes. ALL the Trixie Beldens. Chronicles of Prydain. I could do this all day. :-)

  5. Kerri on 11 Sep 2007 at 6:19 am #

    Has anyone else read, Something to Remember Me By? I could never read that to my daughter without crying. It is about the relationship between a granddaughter and grandmother through the years, and it just made me think about my own grandma, as well as my daughter and my mom. It’s a great book.

    I don’t remember my first book, but I definitely remember reading Goodnight, Moon and The Big Red Barn to my kids. I can still probably recite them by heart!

  6. Terri Schaefer on 11 Sep 2007 at 6:44 am #

    The first one I remember is Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. I had a copy that I dragged around all through my childhood and into adolescence, and then it disappeared. Truly broke my heart, cause it was kinda like my blankey!

    Hmmm…this may explain why I devoured everything King and Koontz wrote when I was in my late teens and early twenties!

  7. Karen Hawkins on 11 Sep 2007 at 7:15 am #

    Kerri, I LOVE Something to Remember Me By! It’s an awesome book and I dare anyone to read it without weeping. I can’t.

    One of the books that had the biggest impact on me in elementary school was My Friend Flicka. I cried and cried when I read that book but when it was finished, I went to the library and checked out five more books. It was the book that really cemented me as a reader for life.

  8. Keri Ford on 11 Sep 2007 at 7:20 am #

    As soon as I read, ‘As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.’ I knew I’d read that book.

    My favorite books growing up were Dr. Suess. Wasn’t a big fan of Cat-in-the-hat, but I loved Green Eggs and Ham. There was another one about an Elephant. The B book. Several of them. I loved the bounce of them.

  9. J Perry Stone on 11 Sep 2007 at 7:53 am #

    Anne of Green Gables! Oh, how I adored it that series (and fancied myself like Anne, floating down the stream a la Lady of Shalott).

    I also loved The Secret Garden, Grimm’s Fairy Tales and this silly book on the Greek Gods with large illustrations.

    Another book I adored was, Castles, by Alan Lee–the genious who illustrated/designed many of the sets for the Lord of the Rings movies. Besides the amazing illustrations, the book delves into the legend associated with each castle:Tintagel=Arthur so you’ve got a basic rundown of the legend and beautiful illustrations to go with it. It still just knocks my socks off whenever I look at it.

  10. J Perry Stone on 11 Sep 2007 at 7:56 am #

    Karen, my son made me read “Are You My Mother” every night for a year. I’d do different voices for each character and he’d giggle his little face off. I love that book, and you’re right–the snort line is the best.

    I also bawled through Love you Forever … EVERY TIME. My kids stopped requesting it because they didn’t like to see me cry. They replaced it with “Walter the Farting Dog.”

    Great. It’s nice to see them become so sensitive.

  11. Karen Rose on 11 Sep 2007 at 8:40 am #

    J Perry - I laughed out loud - Walter the Farting Dog. I think I’ve read that, or an equivalent. The Secret Garden - loved it!! And Anne of Green Gables, I loved her too.

    Keri - Horton Hears A Who is the Dr. Seuss book with the elephant. One of my favorites. As a kid I liked Bartholomew and the Ooblick and The Lorax, too.

    Karen H - I didn’t know My Friend Flicka was a book - I thought it was only a TV show. I’m going to try to find the book when I go to the bookstore next time. I remember seeing reruns of the show and enjoying it.

  12. SuzyQ on 11 Sep 2007 at 8:46 am #

    I don’t remember the first book, but I’m guessing it was either Dr. Suess or one of the Little Golden Books. My favorite book to read as a little kid was Ten Apples on Top. I still read that book, only now to my kids.

    I also remember reading Judy Blume books when I was in grade school.

  13. Karen Rose on 11 Sep 2007 at 8:49 am #

    Terri - Maurice Sendak - makes me smile to think of those wonderful books. I read Wild Things to my kids and read it myself when I was a kid. The story was great and the illustrations - they are still vivid in my mind!

    Kerri - I haven’t read Something to Remember Me By. I’ll check it out. Goodbye Moon was a staple in our house, too!

    Oh, Deb - Misty of Chincoteague!!! Loved, loved it!!!! I loved any books with horses, and growing up in the MD area made it more special. My DH and I went to Chincoteague and Assateague (sp?) Islands for our honeymoon where Misty was definitely still part of the local culture.

    Colinfirthfan - I haven’t read Just William - I’ll have to check it out, too.

    I like children’s books!

  14. dbrown3400 on 11 Sep 2007 at 8:52 am #

    I was told I had a serious case of German measles when I was two and on my birthday wouldn’t open any other presents after my Little Golden Books. Start of a trend? I remember reading Nancy Drew, etc., but I also pilfered the books from my aunt’s beside table and became involved early on with Mickey Spillane, John D MacDonald, Ross Macdonald, Dashiell Hammett and others. No wonder I love mysteries today.

    Jessica, Meredith (my daughters) and I love Shel Silversteins, The Giving Tree. They each have the special boxed edition I gave them as adults. My favorite book before I became thoroughly involved with romance was Stephen King’s The Stand, which imho is still his best book.

    My favorite book today, and I thought for a long time, is still GENTLE ROGUE, although it has none of my criteria for a hero - a tall, dark duke with piercing blue eyes. I always laugh when James calls Tony “puppy” and would like to consider the Malory series one book, but I don’t suppose that counts.

  15. J Perry Stone on 11 Sep 2007 at 8:59 am #

    dbrown3400, I call my son, “puppy” just because of that book, though he tells me I’m not alllowed to do it in public. He’s 7 and too big stuff for “puppy” in public.

  16. dbrown3400 on 11 Sep 2007 at 8:59 am #

    I had forgotten Misty. That was, perhaps, my favorite children’s book. I don’t have the memory for the books I’ve read. We had such an esoteric list when I went to college aside from the classics I did love that I suppose I should read those now, but don’t.

    I still love the most of the classics (the English and the Russians) but don’t much care for some of the current books that are so popular. I don’t give them a chance, which is bad form on my part but I really want to relax, not concentrate. I should pay better attention to the books recommended here.

    KarenR, btw, your book is awesome.

  17. dbrown3400 on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:02 am #

    Should say “mostof the classics”

  18. dbrown3400 on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:02 am #

    Or “most of”

    Not with it this morning.

    Donna

  19. Karen Rose on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:10 am #

    Thanks, Donna! Glad you enjoyed DIE FOR ME (that villain’s a creepy son of a gun, isn’t he?)

    I missed all the “puppy” stuff. What is this? What did I miss?

  20. Claudia Dain on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:21 am #

    I learned to read thanks to Dr. Seuss, so I’m sure the first book I read all by myself was one of his.

    The first book I remember reading again and again was Beautiful Joe, a big fat “big kid” book with no illustrations. It was about a truly ugly dog that had been badly abused and found a good home. I’d just sob when I read it.

    That book was quickly followed by A Wrinkle in Time, which I read and sobbed through at least once a year until I was about 25. I still have my original copy and had such joy in passing it down to my kids.

    Books are like people, aren’t they? You just can’t wait to introduce them around!

  21. gannon on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:23 am #

    Oh, I remember reading Misty of Chincoteague–I was mad for horses for quite awhile.

    I can’t really remember my first book, but I do remember reading Dr. Seuss’ Hop on Pop. I loved all of the Little House books, Nancy Drew books, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and so many more! Eventually, I moved onto Victoria Holt, and my love affair with romance began. :)

    I read Love You Forever to my kids, too, J Perry and wept every time…and still do!! My kids and I had fun reading the Harry Potter books together for awhile, but then they started reading them by themselves. :( Now, my daughter is the only one who still wants me to read to her, and that’s not often anymore. Oh, how quickly they grow up!

  22. Julia London on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:25 am #

    I remember the Dr. Seuss books, too, especially the Cat in the Hat. But I can hardly remember what I read last month, much less books I read back in the dark ages.

    I do remember what a treat it was to go to the library. It was in an old house and the floors creaked, and it had a distinctive, old book smell. I loved that library!

  23. Karen Rose on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:28 am #

    Judy F - I remember Jamie Lee Curtis being interviewed about that book “Tell Me Again About The Night I Was Born.” It is now on my list of kids’ books to read. I’m so glad she wrote that for adoptive families.

    I looked just looked Jamie Lee up and didn’t realize she was married to Christopher Guest (Harlan Pepper from Best In Show). Sorry, it’s off topic, but I thought that was interesting. (I am easily distractible, you know). I did love Harlan Peppah and his beach balls. Still makes me LOL.

  24. Karen Rose on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:33 am #

    Julia, when I was a kid, being taken to the library was the reward for obeying my parents. I could just stay in a library all day long. Often the stack of books I’d take home were too tall for me to carry.

    Gannon - Little House - How could I forget? Laura Ingalls Wilder was a huge influence on me when I was growing up. I tried to read the books to my kids, but they just weren’t interested. Sigh. But they loved so many other books.

    Claudia - I read a Wrinkle in Time! Loved it.

    How about the Phantom Tollbooth? Loved that too.

    Oh, who am I kidding? I loved them all.

  25. twolilhahas on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:35 am #

    I’m not sure what the first book I read was, but the first book I fell madly in love with was “Old Bones, The Wonder Horse.” It’s been a very long time since I read it, but I believe it was about a retired race horse…and I think it was based on a true story, but I may have that wrong. It’s been a very long time since I read it the millionth time! lol

    I, also, loved Misty of Chincoteague. I loved anything about horses.

    I always loved The Boxcar Children books, too. No one ever mentions them. lol I guess I was the only one reading The Boxcar Children when everyone else was reading Nancy Drew!

  26. cail on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:41 am #

    i made my parents read goodnight moon to me every night for years.

    by the time i got to romance novels i’d read every childrens book and YA novel in the entire library system of the city i lived in. Highlights include, but are not limited to:
    Anne of Green Gables series (fav being Rilla of ingleside)
    Little house books
    Misty of Chin, and all the other books by the same author
    The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
    All of Louisa May Alcott’s books, esp Rose in Bloom and the 8 Cousins
    The Secret Garden
    Daddy Long Legs
    Treasure Island

  27. Karen Rose on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:54 am #

    I read all the Louisa May Alcott books. Loved Rose in Bloom and An Old Fashioned Girl.

    I can still see myself reading Old Fashioned Girl at my elementary school during lunch. Couldn’t put it down. Polly and Fanny Shaw and Fanny’s brother Tom. I never realized then I was reading romance, but Louisa wrote it so well. Jo and Fredrich, Polly and Tom.

    The moment when Tom realized Polly was the girl for him, ahhh.

  28. Kay on 11 Sep 2007 at 10:07 am #

    The first books I remember are THE POKY LITTLE PUPPY and THE COLOR KITTENS, two sweet Golden Books. I loved LITTLE WOMEN, BLACK BEAUTY, NANCY DREW.

    My kids loved THE BIG RED BARN, JESSE BEAR, and TEN APPLES UP ON TOP. My DH would hide TAUOT, because he hated it. LOL He loved to read ARMADILLO RODEO and HARRY THE DIRTY DOG.

    My oldest son is in Jr High, and still has many of his old books, along with current favorites. My kids love to read. When my youngest was given his English assignment to read 60 min for homework, he thought it was 60 min a DAY, not per WEEK! :-)

    My contemporary favorite authors are Karen Rose, early Tony Hillerman, Lois MacMaster Bujold (SF, not fantasy), and Terry Pratchett. I know it is a strange mix. NF: Omnivore’s Dilemma, The Secret Lives of Lobsters, Guns Germs & Steel.

    I love the classics, too. I am currently rereading P & P for the thousandth time. My all-time favorite, though, is TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. I think it is the perfect book.

  29. gannon on 11 Sep 2007 at 10:17 am #

    Twolil, I read The Boxcar Children, too. Can’t believe I forgot to mention them. And yes, on A Wrinkle In Time, also. I also adored James and The Giant Peach! Roald Dahl wrote great books!

  30. Susan K on 11 Sep 2007 at 10:31 am #

    I don’t remember my first book. But I do know I loved to read from an early age. I remember I loved the Bernenstein Bears when I was little. Then when I got older it was The Babysitter’s Club. I loved those books! When I got into middle school it became the young adult horror. I lived on Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series. In high school I finally discovered romance novels and that’s what I’ve been reading ever since. My favorite book of all time that I read as a kid was The Outsiders. We had to read it for 8th grade English class and I loved it! Still do.

  31. Keri Ford on 11 Sep 2007 at 10:55 am #

    I think my first long book was ‘Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing’. Even now when I come accross that book, I pick it up and read it. Peter Rabbit was another biggie with me. The Disney collection books you got from the grocery store. They’re big and yellow. Shel Silverstien is a biggie with me, can’t believe I forgot it because I still read in that collection today. I had my sister read me ‘Wake up, Sun’ I think every day.

    there’s sooo many

  32. colinfirthfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 11:15 am #

    Ooh I loved the Little Golden Books. I have a big collection which I read to my kids. My sons first book that I can remember is Cow Moo Me.
    Both kids love Goodnight Moon.

    I completely forgot the Little House series. I loved those and Secret Garden and Ballet shoes.

    Though I read more Enid Blytons than any other author.

    dbrown, I LOVE the Mallory series, especially Tony and James. I was really looking forward to Jeremy’s book but I was disappointed. I haven’t looooved any of the new Johanna Lindseys. I loved her older ones.
    Julie Garwood is my absolute all time favorite author. Anytime I need to re-read a book I will choose a Garwood. One of my faves - The Prize (too many to list here though)

    My very first 2 romance books were The Bride- Julie Garwood and Secret Fire- Johanna Lindsey.

  33. cail on 11 Sep 2007 at 11:25 am #

    ahhh! the Bernenstein Bears!! in my immediate family we still often refer to eachother as mamma bear, papa bear and brother and sister bear!

  34. dbrown3400 on 11 Sep 2007 at 11:34 am #

    KarenR, the ‘puppy’ referred to is James Malory’s younger brother Tony, a pet name that mostly annoys him. The first five Malory novels are well worth the read as they are interwoven family stories. TENDER REBEL is Tony’s story while GENTLE ROGUE is James’. As colinfirthfan pointed out, there are subsequent stories which tie up loose ends but are not as strong.

    Donna

  35. Caren Crane on 11 Sep 2007 at 12:18 pm #

    Kay, I remember “Poky Little Puppy”, “The Color Kittens” and “The Counting Kittens” (I think it was). They were huge editions my older sisters had received as gifts from my great-grandmother (who died when I was about three). My father would read stories to us from volumes of a 1920s edition of the Young People’s Library (published, I believe, by Altemus). They had gorgeous, hand-drawn illustrations and my father would read poems and stories to us in his wonderful, lyrical voice. We were completely enchanted! I know my mother read to us, as well, but I remember when Daddy did to this day.

    For reading on my own, it was Dr. Seuss’s “Sleep Book” and “The Sneetches and Other Stories”. I adored The Sneetches, Too Many Daves (he said “butt”!) and What Was I Scared Of? I can tell you, my siblings and I were scared of those pale green pants with nobody inside them! *g*

    My son was fixated on “Let’s Go Trucks!” forever. Then my daughters ran us ragged with “Good Night Moon”. Ack!

  36. colinfirthfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 12:21 pm #

    The Mallory series starts with Love Only Once which is Regina Mallory’s story. Both Tony and James are present in the book. Regina is Tony and James’s beloved niece.

  37. Karen Hawkins on 11 Sep 2007 at 1:14 pm #

    Did any of you ever read the Trixie Beldon mystery books? They were about a teenage sleuth who was a tomboy and was written for those of us who gagged at that insufferably prissy Nancy Drew.

  38. Nicole Jordan on 11 Sep 2007 at 1:47 pm #

    Boy, this is bringing back some wonderful memories!

    I think the first books I remember reading were Dr. Suess, but my faves were Anne of GG and The Secret Garden. I still re-read those every year or two.

    I also remember liking The Bobsy Twins. And of course the Walter Farley Black Stallion books. Those are probably what turned me into a horse nut, since no one in my family ever had anything to do with horses.

    Lovely blog, KarenR!

    NicoleJ

  39. Ann in IL on 11 Sep 2007 at 2:04 pm #

    Do any of you lovely ladies know how I could find a copy of a storybook I read to my nieces in the mid 80’s?????????? I don’t remember the exact title, but the first line of the story was “On Saturday, Amy and Paul went shopping with Mother”………..then the story told what they bought at the grocer, pharmacy etc ending with a visit to the Ice Cream Shop.

    My nieces would love to have copies of this book to read to their own kids. Sadly, my copy is loooong gone. ANY ideas would be greatly appreciated.

  40. Karen Rose on 11 Sep 2007 at 2:09 pm #

    Thanks, Nicole :-) I’ve been walking down memory lane today, too.

    Karen H - take a look at the book cover up in the blog text - you’ll see Trixie Belden #16 - The Missing Heiress, when the evil imposter Julianna tries to pass herself as Jim’s long lost cousin. The evil imposter is in cahoots with Jim’s not-so-long-lost-but-still-very-evil stepfather “Jonesy.” Of course Jonesy and the evil imposter are no match for Trixie, Honey, Jim, and the rest of the Bob-whites.

    I read every book over and over. Did anyone else wish they were a Bob-white and got to be part of the club that met in the Wheeler’s old carriage house that Honey and Di made curtains for and that was partially destroyed with the hurricane came through in Book #5?

    I even named my two “girl” gerbils Trixie and Honey. Unfortunately we’d been HAD and the two “girls” weren’t. Trixie was a trickster and we had a couple of litters of baby gerbils (which Honey … well, you don’t want to know).

  41. Karen Rose on 11 Sep 2007 at 2:12 pm #

    I was a Trixie Belden fan-girl.

    When Jim held Trixie’s hand when the Bob-whites took a summer trip to Washington, DC…. I just melted.

  42. krystal on 11 Sep 2007 at 2:41 pm #

    I don’t remember my first books, since there were so many. Some of my favorites were the Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High and the Babysitters Club.

    My favorite book though was Robin McKinley’s Beauty: A retelling story of Beauty and the Beast. It was so romantic and I think that’s what really got me hooked on romantic stories. I still reread it from time to time and I fall in love all over again every time I read it.

  43. Sabrina Jeffries on 11 Sep 2007 at 2:44 pm #

    The earliest book I can remember was an illustrated book of Bible stories that the lady who watched us during the day read to me. There was one gorgeous painting of Elijah going up in the fiery chariot that I vividly remembered for years (all that fire, you know *G*). Mom gave it to me a few years ago, and whenever I look at it, I’m instantly transported to when I was four, sitting on Cecile’s lap, hearing her read it to me. I know I was reading by a couple of years later, but the first title I remember was when I was eight and reading Cherry Ames nurse books. I loved those. I also adored Dr. Seuss (Ten Apples Up on Top was a favorite), Little Women, Lorna Doone, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and several volumes of fairy tales and children’s stories my parents had bought for us.

  44. Sabrina Jeffries on 11 Sep 2007 at 2:48 pm #

    Incidentally, my son Nick loved Are You My Mother? and he drove me crazy for a while because he went around the house chanting, “Are you my mother?” nonstop. He’s nonverbal, but echolalic, which means he loves repeating what YOU say or reciting lines by rote that he picks up from TV or movies. He learned all the Dr. Seuss books by heart from his videos, even though he can’t really read. Of course, you can imagine the looks I got when he and I went out in public and he was chanting, “Are you my mother?” :-) He still adores that book. I read it to him just the other day.

  45. ladydawgfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 3:20 pm #

    Oooh, fave books from childhood?? Mine were Dr. Suess’ Sleep Book (I still have my original copy, battered as it is), Fox in Sox, and Cat in the Hat. I also devoured the Little House books, the Nancy Drew mysteries, and “The Childhood of Famous Americans” series. I also remember a teacher reading a story called “Bad Mousie” from “The Tall Book of Make Believe” when I was in 1st grade. Another favorite was “The Heart of Camp Whippoorwill” by Alice Miller. And of course, the classics. We had the complete Oz series (yes, there are more beyond the Wizard of Oz), so I ran through those a few times. Also read Alcott and Judy Blume as I got older.

    I always loved going to the library.

  46. Karen Hawkins on 11 Sep 2007 at 3:24 pm #

    My kids LOVED “Are you my mother?” i love the part where the baby bird’s on the tooth of that huge ditch digger — my daughter would always squeal when I got to that page and yell, “GET OFF THE SCOOPER OR YOU’RE GONNA DIE!”

    KarenR, ohhhh I LOVED that Belden mystery! And yes, I sooo wanted to have an old carriage house so I and my numerous bros and sisters could solve mysteries. Although, as much as we argued, we’d have been a wretched mystery club. Ahhh . . . that really brings back memories of delicious reads beneath the covers with a flashlight when I was supposed to be sleeping.

  47. colinfirthfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 3:28 pm #

    Has anyone read “Is my Mama and Llama?”. My son used to love that one.

    I have read a few Sweet Valley High.

    Has anyone read The Chalet School series by Eleanor M. Brent-Dyer? I used to love them.
    While we got Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys - we had more British authors than American ones .

    My 7 year old has just started reading The Boxcar Children.

  48. ladydawgfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 3:29 pm #

    As for a favorite book of today, with 2100+ books on my shelves, you know I can’t narrow it down to just ONE!! I love all of my books individually, each on their own merit.

    The best part about reading is that through my books, I have traveled the world, talked to famous people, met long dead queens and kings, fought in battles, sailed the high seas. Reading has allowed me to battle giant whales (Moby Dick), travel in a prairie schooner (the Little House series), meet Cochise and Sitting Bull, and watch the signing of the Declaration of Independence. When you read a book, you free your imagination from its bindings and set it free to travel the world. How wonderful is that???!!!

  49. dbrown3400 on 11 Sep 2007 at 3:39 pm #

    KarenR, ALL your villains are creepy. *g*

    Mer loved Where Did I Come From, when I was pregnant with Jessica. She was five and would read the book to Jes when she was a baby.

    I must have missed Are You My Mother? I’ll need to check that one out. The girls liked Green Eggs and Ham the best of the Seuss books and never got into Nancy Drew or older series but were caught up in The Vampire Diaries, which I’ve replaced for Jes, yes even as an adult, three times, and more of the younger based horror stories. They never went for the sweeter stuff except for Shel Silverstein and Seuss.

    I’ll check with them and they’ll probably make a liar out of me from a faulty memory, but I’m sticking to my story.

  50. dbrown3400 on 11 Sep 2007 at 3:44 pm #

    colinfirthfan, wasn’t there another book where the family converted a bus into a home or is The Boxcar Family the one I’m thinking of? It would need to be copyrighted at least in 1956 or so to be the one.

    The girls might have read Sweet Valley High, but only briefly. I’ll check with them because I know we bought books by the ton. No surprise there.

  51. colinfirthfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 4:09 pm #

    Dbrown, the only book I remember reading where the family converts a bus into a home was a Dick Francis mystery from the late 90s I guess. Can’t remember any children’s books like that.

  52. ladydawgfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 4:24 pm #

    BTW, how in the world did I forget to mention Beverly Cleary’s books, and also The Trumpet of the Swan, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Charlotte’s Web, Harry the Dirty Dog, and Henner’s Lydia, among many others from my childhood library reading?? Jeez, as I think back, more and more come to mind.

  53. ladydawgfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 4:30 pm #

    ACK!!! Stuart Little, The Cricket in Times Square, James and the Giant Peach, The Wind in the Willows, Riki Tiki Tavi and Kipling’s Just So Stories, Black Beauty, The Swiss Family Robinson . . .

    Okay, I was a READER as a child!!!

  54. colinfirthfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 4:39 pm #

    Ladydawgfan, my 7 yr old just read James and the Giant Peach. My favorite though would be Danny The Champion of the World.
    That was such a sweet book.

  55. emmiebee on 11 Sep 2007 at 4:46 pm #

    Oh, so many wonderful books. I loved so many of those listed by others above, and have to choose C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series as my favorite, because my mother would read us one chapter only per night at bedtime. Boy, it took a while to get through that series, but it left us clamoring for “more more more”! Learn to read, she said! I was an early reader- I could handle Seuss at 2 1/2, so there have been thousands of books over the years, but I treasure those one chapter special moments with my mom as some of the most precious of my life.

    -Emmiebee

  56. colinfirthfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 4:47 pm #

    Ooh I loved Riki Tiki Tavi and Just So Stories. I read Riki Tiki Tavi to my son when he was 4. :-)

    Oh another book I loved one hundred and one Dalmations. It is so much better than the movie.
    oh and James Herriot. I loved his books.

  57. dbrown3400 on 11 Sep 2007 at 4:56 pm #

    colinfirthfan - it was The Trolley Car Family by Eleanor Clymer and Ursula Koering published in 1947. I wanted to be in that family because it sounded like so much fun.

    Now that everyone is listing books I remember what the girls read earlier in their lives. Jes, I think, loved the Chronicles of Narnia, and both girls had many books in common, but I can see they missed many books even as much as they read, e.g., James Herriot, Kipling, et al.

  58. Karen Rose on 11 Sep 2007 at 5:15 pm #

    I didn’t read the Chronicles of Narnia until I was in college. I took a class on Sci-Fi and Fantasy Lit. We read CS Lewis and Asimov and lots of other great authors. I was able to pass my boxed set of Narnia books down to my own kids just recently!

    James Herriot - read him in junior high. He wa magic.

    Charlotte’s Web!!!!!!!!!!!!! I read it again and again. Bawled every time with Charlotte died. (Sorry, hope I didn’t spoil it for anyone.)

  59. colinfirthfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 5:47 pm #

    The Trolley Car Family! Sounds interesting!

    For all of you who haven’t read an Enid Blyton - you have no idea what you are missing! She was the most prolific childrens author.

    Her Magic Faraway Tree books are so nice - it is about these kids who move to the country and they find this enormous Magic tree growing in the middle of the woods. All sorts of people live inteh tree - Dame Washalot, MoonFace etc.. The tree grows different fruits all over the tree and right at the top of the tree - a different land comes every few days - The Land of Slaps, The land of Brithdays, Land of Nrusery Rhymes etc… It was just amazing reading about the kids adventures with the pixies and brownies in the various lands.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enid_Blyton

  60. colinfirthfan on 11 Sep 2007 at 5:48 pm #

    I read the Narnia books only 3 years ago. :)

  61. Kelly Ann on 11 Sep 2007 at 7:15 pm #

    I have pictures of me just learning to walk & what do I have in my hands? A book - it’s been my favorite past time forever! I’ve read a lot of the books mentioned above, but my favorite LMA book was Jack & Jill - excellent story even if your an adult. I also read a series of Mandie books, they were christian mysteries and I read them even as an adult. I started reading romances when I was a young teenager, starting with Barbara Cartland. I also would read James Patterson (to scary for me now) & Stephen King (way to scary for me now). I learned when I was living alone to stick w/ Romances - I adore sleep to much!

    I loved Little Women too, but I was soo sad that Jo didn’t marry Laurie, but it was ok after I read Jo’s boys. I cried and cried over that! I can’t even begin to to tell you all the books I love. I did read a new romance series recently by Tracy Anne Warrne - the 1st one is The Husband Trap, they are excellent! I really liked them. Definite re-reads.

  62. Sabrina Jeffries on 11 Sep 2007 at 8:01 pm #

    Karen R, I read the Narnia books in college, too! But on my own, after I discovered C.S. Lewis. I read my way through most of his books.

    As a child, though, I loved the Oz books, too. I also read the original Mary Poppins books and Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang, one of my faves. I also loved Swiss Family Robinson. I wanted to be stranded on a desert island so badly!

  63. Karen Hawkins on 11 Sep 2007 at 8:07 pm #

    Oh, and what about Ronald Dahl’s books? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the most well known, and there’s also James and the Giant Peach and oh, so many others! I didn’t discover those until I was an adult, but they enchanted me just the same.

  64. Kerri on 11 Sep 2007 at 9:33 pm #

    Okay, how about Where the Red Fern Grows? One of my all time favorites - and I still cry when Old Dan dies and Little Ann stops eating, then drags herself off to die on his grave… I can barely even write it down without bawling!

    This last Harry Potter book was such a gift to us. I had read every one out loud to my kids, but since they are now 11 and 14, I thought they would prefer to read this one on their own. What a great surprise to have them request, and even expect me to read it to them, just like before!

  65. Pamela Bolton-Holifield on 11 Sep 2007 at 10:13 pm #

    I am so glad to be back online. My computer died last Tuesday and I have been lost!! Worse, we were afraid the first nineteen chapters of my novel were lost as well. My dumb butt had not backed anything up. Needless to say, thanks to my local bookseller’s wonderful DH, Lost in Love was saved and downloaded to my latest piece of jewelry - my jump drive! My mother taught us to read with Dr. Seuss. Loved Green Eggs and Ham! I loved the Marguerite Henry books. Still have my childhood copies of those and of course, Black Beauty. I have all of my Enid Blighton books that I bought when we lived in England. Anyone read THE BOXCAR CHILDREN? Great book! My favorite classic of all time? Has to be TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. It is just perfection on paper.

  66. Brandy on 11 Sep 2007 at 11:06 pm #

    I remember my Mom reading Where The Wild Things Are to me, as well as Dr.Suess books, my favorite was Horton Hears a Who. When I could read on my own, I devoured books. I read all the Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew books. I’ve read (and loved) Anne of Green Gables, Emily New Moon and Little Women. I worked on from there to Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie, to Gone With the Wind (read that one in 3rd grade). When I was 14 I read a book titled ‘Also known as Sadzia the belldancer!’, which I still have. *g* I’ve read Sci-Fi, Mystery and Romance and still do. As a matter of fact I still read YA books to this day, Meg Cabot being a favorite. *G*
    I don’t have a FAVORITE book I could pick. I like them all. Hence my massive book shelves. *G*

  67. twolilhahas on 11 Sep 2007 at 11:27 pm #

    Just had to add that the first book my daughter read by herself all the way through was Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus. :) I know I’m bragging, but since I homeschool her that means I taught her how to read and that was our first really big accomplishment together! She was five. She’s six now and reads us our bedtime story at night! So, I’m very proud of us…but mainly her.

  68. Karen Hawkins on 12 Sep 2007 at 8:16 am #

    Welcome back, Pamela! :)

    twolilahas, I just started homeschooling my son, which is something I never thought I’d do, but when we moved him out of his high school, he asked to ‘please don’t make me start over’ so here we are. It’s a heck of a lot of work and my hat is off to all homeschoolers out there. And BIG CONGRATS on your daughter’s reading — you should be very proud!

    The nice thing about home schooling is that now I get to make the reading list and so far he’s read Treasure Island and To Kill A Mockingbird and has written a paper on both. What’s nice is that he surprised himself by liking them a lot! Next is Dumas’s Three Musketeers. I think he’ll love that, too!

    It’s neat to love a book, and it’s even neater to recommend that book to someone else and then they love it, too!

  69. Melissa J on 12 Sep 2007 at 10:01 am #

    I loved the Boxcar Children. I was wondering if anyone would mention them. Also read the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden. And of course all the Little House books. But does anyone remember the Meg Mysteries? I devoured them.

    The ones my children loved were There’s a Monster at the End of this Book (hubby go do Grover sooo well), Harry the Dirty Dog. My oldest absolutely loved The Princess and the Pea and the youngest loved the Madeline books.

    How about If You Give a Mouse A Cookie, If you Give a Moose a Muffin, and If You Give a Pig a Pancake.

    When my kids reached middle school and were required to read and had to accumulate points, the joy of reading was kinda squashed so they don’t enjoy reading as much now. Pretty much only what they are required to read in school. But my youngest is an 8th grader and they just finished The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and really liked it and actually admitted it lol.

  70. Dot C on 13 Sep 2007 at 8:46 am #

    I read Love You Forever in our store’s storygroup the saturday before Mother’s Day. We had about 15 kids and parents, and I started to lose it towards the end….the kids were looking at me like I was a mutant. Anywho, why is that mother stalking her grown son??? Kinda creepy! (I’m really hoping that will help the next time I have to read it to a group!)

  71. Dot C on 13 Sep 2007 at 8:48 am #

    The first book that I remember, that is now sadly out of print, was a book called “I Can’t Said the Ant”. It had a story about a little teapot who burnt her spout and fell off the stove. And great lines like “I can’t” said the ant. You can said the pan. Push her higher, said the fire. That’s dumb, said the crumb.” LOL, I still think this is one of the greatest books EVER!!!

  72. Casee on 13 Sep 2007 at 9:38 am #

    I had a friend tell me that I HAD to get Love You Forever to read it to my kids. She also mentioned that I would cry. I highly doubted that. It was a kids book, after all. Boy, was I wrong. Every time I read it I tear up. It’s a great book.

    I really don’t remember what my first book was. I remember reading Judy Blume’s books over and over.

  73. Cyndi on 14 Sep 2007 at 5:43 pm #

    I have been reading my entire life! My mother read us all of Edgar Allen Poe’s stuff and the Little House series prior to my starting Kindergarten. The first novel I remember reading on my own was in 1st grade–Burgess Book Of Nature. Weird kid–I know. From there I moved onto Judy Blume and (gasp) Barbara Cartland! I have been a romance reader from a young age!