Why I’m grateful for books:
Growing up a shy child, books were the friends I wished to have. Reading about brave or adventurous story characters helped me absorb just a little of those elements. Pippi Longstocking was an elementary school favorite because she was so bold, outrageous and had super-strength. Not go to school? Sail away on the ocean with a horse and monkey as pets? Those actions were daring to imagine but very far outside my suburban experience. This is about the time I discovered the Little House books and what young city girl didn’t want to get into such innocent mischief like she did. I’ve re-read the series a couple of times, attributing the beginning of my love of historical fiction to that series.
When I hit that age when all girls seemed to yearn to own a horse, I discovered My Friend Flicka, The Black Stallion, National Velvet and Black Beauty. Those books were read and re-read, and plastic horses were integrated into my Barbie doll collection. Then I discovered the Nancy Drew series and imagined myself as a young crime-solving detective. And oh, Nancy drove such a sporty little car. During high school and college, pleasure reading took a backseat except for the occasional “must read” like The Exorcist or Roots.
While raising my kids, I always made sure to include a wide diversity of type of books in our family read-aloud titles. From their homework assignments, I was introduced to new authors and exciting characters in stories that became much-beloved. I remember one summer of several novels having death as a theme and those titles are imprinted as definite tear-jerkers. Like the movies you’re glad you saw but won’t seek out again for a repeat viewing.
Now, as a writer, I build on all I’ve learned from those stories and always have the fervent wish that a story I’ve created has the power to evoke emotion in the reader.
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My mother would read to me all the time. The book I loved so much was Black Beauty. I loved that horse!!!
Judy, I agree. I went through a horse-crazy stage and that was a favorite. Thanks for posting.
I had a large book of Grimm’s Fairy Tales that I just loved to read. But better still, I loved it when my mom would read the stories to me. Especially when she read Heidi.
Karen, I’ll bet your Grimm’s had some wonderful illustrations. My husband and I are staunch believers in reading aloud of our kids, and as adults they all love to read. Thanks for posting.
My favorite book, from when I was a kid, is Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling. It was the first book that I read, all by myself. It fostered the reader that I am today.
dragonfee64(at)hotmail(dot)com
Fee, our first books do hold special places in our hearts. I appreciate your taking time to comment.
Yes pouring from my heart r the issue of my heart ..Yes’s I am grateful..life,family ,freedom! Truly grateful that my last 3children attend college!! Extremely grateful for author Ashely Farley’s bk. Merry Mary..a story of life’s ups&down love! Great heart warming story for the holidays,I must read!!
redz041@yahoo.com
Cinderella was my favorite bk.
redz041@yahoo.com
Janice,
I’m always glad to learn of a great holiday story. We had a Disney storybook of Cinderella that was passed around among 3 sisters and much loved. Thanks for stopping by.
I grew up reading a lot of SFF. I especially remember Isaac Asimov’s Lucky Starr series – which is great for kids.
I didn’t read much science fiction, but my husband did. I’ll have to ask him about that series. Thanks for stopping by.
I guess Alice in Wonderland is one of the first books I remember
Jan, a wonderful story for sparking the imagination. Thanks for posting.
I love, Loved, LOVED the Little House on the Prairie books when I was a kid.
Terri,
I can remember enacting a wagon train ride with my younger sister using picnic table, sawhorses, ropes and our dolls. I’m not sure if I even let her “drive the horses.” VBG I appreciate you stopping by.
My father made sure we had several big sets of books to read, as well as two sets of encyclopedias, which he read several times each, cover to cover. I remember Mother Goose, some Grimms fairy tales, and Aesop’s fables that I read over and over again.
Teresa, I’d forgotten about Aesop’s Fable. We had a copy of that too. What a great model your father was to read the encyclopedia. Thanks for posting.
From my childhood it would have to be The Little Red Hen.
My mom swore I learned to read with that book because whenever she turned more than one page at a time, I knew. Thanks for dropping by.