Favorite Childhood Books

When I was a child I loved to read. Nothing could compare to being swept up in a story so vividly drawn upon the pages of a good book. I have memories of creeping out of bed and into the hall to read by it's light, desperate to finish a book, staying up way past bedtime. I sobbed one night at the ending of Where the Red Fern Grows. My heart pounded throughout the suspense of The View from the Cherry Tree. I can hardly remember any of the books I read as a teenager, but the ones from my childhood have remained with me and it is these stories that I love to share with my kids. So, one of my favorite things to do is read these books to them at bedtime. I love to pick books I remember from those days and that I have loved all these years. This also happens to be one of my children's favorite things to do with me.

Some of our favorites are:

Amy's Eyes

by Richard Kennedy

I never forgot reading this book and so when my kids were old enough that I knew they would appreciate it I started searching for it. It could not be found at any library and when I discovered it was out of print, I was so sad. But, luckily I found it on Amazon and bought a used copy. I must say I was bursting with pride because my kids loved it as much as I did and we all cried together at the end.

The BFG

by Roald Dahl The kids and I have never laughed so hard in our lives! Honestly! Great fun!

Also great books by Roald Dahl: James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; really, we love anything this man wrote.

The Secret Garden

by Frances Hodgson Burnett She writes such wonderful stories, full of vivid characters and rich scenery that you are able to jump right into. My kids loved this one and Little Lord Fauntleroy both equally as much. Her characters always learn great lessons and leave you wanting to be a better person.

Next up from this author: A Little Princess

Also highly recommended by my kids: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, Socks by Beverly Cleary (we are cat lovers around here), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Another fun thing we like to do is watch the movies that correlate with the books, if they have one. We watched both the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movies and did a comparison/contrast to the book. For the record: the new movie more closely follows the book, but we like the Willy Wonka character more from the older film. We've also watched James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The Secret Garden, and A Wrinkle in Time.

What books did you love as a child? I'm always on the lookout for more ideas!