KristenR Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 So what books left such a lasting impression on you that you can't wait to share them with your kids. Any kind of book - it can be a living book or textbook or comic book- whatever. For me I remember being totally immersed in True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. Please add your memorable must haves for me to add to my x-mas wishlist!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 A Little Princess The Secret Garden The Little House series Calvin and Hobbes The Far Side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilly Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 My two favorite books from my childhood were The Fourteen Bears in Summer and Winter and Miss Twiggley's Tree. I was so happy when I read them to my children for the first time. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lahmeh Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 My Side of the Mountain :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirch Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Heidi and A Wrinkle in Time are two that come to mind immediately. And The Secret Garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) The first book that popped into my head was Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink. Also loved and well read would be Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, and all the Chronicles of Narnia. Dd11 read Baby Island last year and thought it was just ok :glare: She just began The Secret Garden last week, so we'll see. We are reading through the Chronicles of Narnia out loud. I'll have to give this thought and see if there are others. ETA: I thought of another one...The Witch of Blackbird Pond Edited November 2, 2011 by Angel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The book that first got me excited about reading was Rowan of Rin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 As a child, I can remember really loving... all the Billy and Blaze books The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe A Wrinkle in Time The Road to Damietta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 No question about it, hands down favorite: "The Diamond in the Window". It is set in Concord, Massachusetts, and it refers to all of the most famous Concord residents of the 1800's, so it has great tie ins with history and other literature. It's also a great standalone book. I started telling my DD stories from that book (which has fairly discreet chapters) before she could even read. Then when she was old enough, I read the book to her. Then when she was older and we had read all the referenced books, she read it again. Then I designed a monthly homeschooling literature group around it and the referenced literature. And I still love to read it. It was my favorite until I read LOTR in 7th grade. I've been hooked on LOTR ever since. Another obscure fave is "In Place of Katya". And a close third that I only ran across as an adult is "Number the Stars". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyagain Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Little Women Chronicles of Narnia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIS0320 Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, although I intend to wait until Ariel is about 10 before sharing it, as it would just be confusing to her if she read it now. Ballet Shoes Anne of Green Gables The Secret Garden although she's very familiar with the radio theater recording and has seen the movie, so I'm not sure she'll be super-thrilled to read the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 What age? Picture Book- The Big Tidy Up Raggedy Ann and Andy books by Johnny Gruelle Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace The Shoe books by Noel Streatfeild A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett Little Women by Louisa May Alcott A Wrinkle in Tme by Madeleine L'Engle Gone With the Wind Emma Sense and Sensibility A Midsummer Night's Dream Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony Dune by Frank Herbert tons by Robert Heinlein and even, dare I say, trashy though it is... the vampire books by Anne Rice! And a ton more. I remember the books I read growing up better than I remember my actually childhood. Of course, that may be because I had the opportunity to read the books again and again.:) My poor sons! Actually, my oldest loved many of these books. Emma was his favorite for a long time and he says that should he have a daughter he wants to name her Alice. Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I couldn't wait to share the Little House and Ramona books with the girls. I'm also excited to have them read Enid Blyton's boarding school series (St. Clare's, Malory Towers). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 So what books left such a lasting impression on you that you can't wait to share them with your kids. Any kind of book - it can be a living book or textbook or comic book- whatever. For me I remember being totally immersed in True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. Please add your memorable must haves for me to add to my x-mas wishlist!! The first books I remember reading where the babysitter's club books. They were my gateway to other books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye. :001_smile: I loved this one too. And... Cheaper by the Dozen The Hobbit The Borrowers series anything by E. B. White Little House series A Little Princess, The Secret Garden and Little Women, because my mom read it out loud to me at night...good memories. Edited November 1, 2011 by Zoo Keeper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorrainejmc Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I always loved the Grimms' Brothers stories and Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Match Girl was my favourite. I also loved Heidi and The Secret Garden. Oh, and The Borrowers.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) The first book that popped into my head was Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink. I loved Baby Island! I also loved the Shoes series, Wrinkle in Time, and Narnia series. I remember throwing A Little Princess across the bus and crying when I found out her father died so I must have been really into it. I also remember throwing Jane Eyre across a room in high school when I found out about Mr Rochester's wife. My all time favorite book as a kid was From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweller, but I also loved The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. Along the same vein is The Witch of Blackbird Pond. For picture books, I really enjoyed Mousekin's Golden House and Miss Twiggley's Tree. Edited November 1, 2011 by FairProspects Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The Just So Stories The Jungle Books the Black Stallion series Around the World in 80 Days I Robot a collection of H.G. Wells' novels Born Free books James Harriot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Crime and Punishment Though we have a while before they're ready for that. :lol: I honestly can't recall the before-high-school books as much. I liked Clifford as a young child, and the Pokey Little Puppy (my kids love it too), then later on I was into the Black Stallion series, Babysitter's Club, and Saddle Club. I don't see my boys doing the latter two, but they might read the Black Stallion series, since we have a horse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellesmere Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 For their earlier years, I was excited to share Barbara Cooney's Miss Rumphius. I remember My Father's Dragon from my elementary school years. I also had my old book of nursery rhymes and some picture books. But a lot of books that I am enjoying with the kids are ones that I had never read as a child. And a lot of ones I hope they will read when they are older are ones I didn't get around to until the past few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basschick Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 "Home For a Bunny" by Margaret Wise Brown. My parents read to me a lot when I was a toddler, then at some point they stopped. I didn't read much as my reading comprehension has a lot to be desired and I find it so frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 My earliest favs were and the Little House on the Prairie, Ramona Quimby, and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books. Then a little later, Anne of Green Gables, followed closely by The Secret Garden . Later it was Little Women and a Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eewaggie99 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Little House on the Prairie Series Ramona Series Fudge Series Harriett the Spy Castle in the Attic Behind the Attic Wall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Island of the Blue Dolphins and Julie of the Wolves Wow, I just realized how similar these two books are. Interesting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessReplanted Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 For me I remember being totally immersed in True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. I LOVED that book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 The first books I remember loving were the Nancy Drew book series and the Happy Hollisters book series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellyndria Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I could list lots of books already mentioned here, but I'm only going to mention two that haven't been mentioned at all. The original Oz books by L. Frank Baum, all 14 of them (Didn't anyone else love these??) Under Plum Lake, by Lionel Davidson -This book is so incredibly imaginative, it wowed me when I first read it over 20 years ago. I obtained a used copy from the library later, but I haven't seen it in a long time. Last time I looked, it was out of print, but it looks like it's back in print, as of March. I'm looking forward to reading it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Coast Mom Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Tramp for the Lord - Corrie ten Boom The Best Christmas Pageant Ever The Great Brain series Little House Series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Picture book - Animalia by Graeme Base Chapter book - The Phantom Tollbooth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I could list lots of books already mentioned here, but I'm only going to mention two that haven't been mentioned at all. The original Oz books by L. Frank Baum, all 14 of them (Didn't anyone else love these??) Oh, I forgot about those! I particularly loved Ozma of Oz! I need to find a really wonderful copy of that book. My copy was read so much the cover came off. Actually, I did the same with Ballet Shoes. I couldn't do that with Sally because it was a library book. :lol: I did check it out so many times the librarian dedicated it as a "birthday book" for me when I was in 5th grade, though. The Secret Garden fell in a creek, and I still kept it and read it with the wavy, puffed out pages and all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 The first books I remember loving were the Nancy Drew book series and the Happy Hollisters book series. :iagree: Oh my gosh that is exactly what I came to write. I loved those books. I really wanted to solve mysteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 (edited) Here are 10 off the top of my head, beloved in childhood... - Dr. Seuss books, especially The Grinch, and "On Beyond Zebra" (the magic of an entire *alphabet* AFTER our alphabet -- it was as good as a "secret passage"! ;)) - Richard Scarry's "A Story a Day: 365 Stories and Rhymes" - The Tall Book of Christmas (Smith) -- I remember this book was only allowed to us during December, and we LOVED reading and re-reading the story of "Giant Grummer" - Margery Sharp's Miss Bianca series: The Rescuers; Miss Bianca; The Turret; Miss Bianca in the Orient; Miss Bianca in the Salt Mines -- these are SO well written and amusing! - Land of Oz; Ozma of Oz (Baum) - the magic books by Edward Eager: Half Magic, Magic by the Lake, Knight's Castle, Time Garden, Seven Day Magic - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Carroll) - short story "The First Letter" from Kipling's Just So Stories - The Hobbit (and then, of course, The Lord of the Rings) (Tolkien) - Father Christmas Letters (Tolkien) -- the ones with the yellow cover PS - ETA Another Nancy Drew fan here, along with my dear sister -- we yearned for mysteries and secret passages! We also read some of the Happy Hollisters and Bobbsey Twins, but Nancy was always our favorite! And how could I forget! I was (still am!) a fantasy and fairytale nut, and LOVED the "Book of ..." series by Ruth Mannning Sanders, illustrated by Robin Jacques -- Trolls, Dragons, Wizards, Mermaids, Giants, Princes & Princesses... ah... that was heaven! :) Edited November 2, 2011 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 A little Princess Little House Series (maybe partially because I watched her on TV every week) Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 My two favorite books from my childhood were The Fourteen Bears in Summer and Winter and Miss Twiggley's Tree. I was so happy when I read them to my children for the first time. :001_smile: *Warm, fuzzy memories of Mrs. Twiggley!* Now I miss my mama. :( Sniff, sniif! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 (edited) Mine was a book called Andrew Henry's Meadow by Doris Burn. I loved this story about a boy who was always annoying his family with what he invented and built inside the house until finally he ran away and built himself a house in a meadow. Every other misunderstood kid in the neighborhood eventually relocated out there and he built each of them houses especially suited for his or her particular oddity. Finally the parents all tromped out and found them in the meadow and realized how wrong they had been... I was a misunderstood kid who wanted badly to run away and have a meadow like that. I bought that book as an adult and read it to my kids. I will never get rid of it. Edited November 2, 2011 by Hedgehogs4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 What age. For littles (I see you have littles): One Horse Farm (just reprinted) The Outside Cat (still OOP but available on Amazon). My Father's Dragon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 First Place: Ramona the Pest, Ramona Quimby - Age 8 (tie) Beverly Cleary is a genius. Second place: Little House on the Prairie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakesask Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles (AKA the Black Cauldron series) are at the top of my list. I read all 5 of them twice while in elementary school, read them all again in grade 12, and then once during undergrad. Then I finally bought (and read) the whole set while I was in grad school. We have them in the house now, so my daughter won't have to borrow from the library like I did so many times! I also loved all the books by LM Montgomery, but the Anne books especially. I had been given all of Montgomery's novels as birthday and Christmas presents by the time I was 12, and I have read them all many times since. Shasta of the Wolves by Olaf Baker is probably the stand-alone book I loved best. I got it as a discard from the elementary school library when I was in grade 4 or 5. A Dragon for Danny Dennis was probably the book I most loved having read to me as a small child. It was the only book I had with any "extra" features: the dragon images were fuzzy! The Stephen Cosgrove Serendipity series were also read many times when I was little. Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now? by Dr. Seuss was another favourite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncmomof5 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Little Golden Books - The Poky Little Puppy and The Gingerbread Man Stories and poems by A. A. Milne Nancy Drew Little House Series Anne of Green Gables Series Little Women In His Steps Jane Eyre - all time fav in high school lit. This is fun to think about and remember. I LOVE books! RuthAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Picture book - Animalia by Graeme Base For the first time in possibly a couple of decades, a memory of this book came to me in the past week and I had no idea how in the world I would locate it when I could recall nothing but those detailed pictures. The possibility of asking the hive occurred to me but the odds seemed pretty slim considering how little I remembered. Then I read this and would you believe it was some ghost memory of the author's name that made me pause and look again. Totally crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FromA2Z Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 My all time faves that have been read many, many times: Picture Books: Classic Golden Books - Pokey Little Puppy, Saggy Baggy Elephant, Yellow Taxi, Scrawny Tawny Lion Richard Scary Books Frances Books Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Nancy Drew Series - I don't know what happened to these, most that I read were my mother's and aunt's (60's) and we added new ones (80's). Wizard of Oz Series The Borrowers Series The Black Stallion Series - my mom sent these to me a couple of years ago and I read them all again. I really wanted that horse. Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates Swiss Family Robinson - I also read this fairly often (still) A Wrinkle in Time All the Frances Hodgson Burnett Books The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings - I started the series in 5th grade...it took me a couple of years but I finished it. Since then I read them every year (I'm 38). I saw someone else list the Ballet Shoes (forgotten about that but loved it as well) I also had Dancing Shoes, I think there was also a third book in that series. But I probably won't be sharing those with my boys. High School Books: All time fave: A Separate Peace by John Knowles, no girls, no adventure, it just speaks to my heart. I've read it every year since the 10th grade and cry every time. Wuthering Heights Watership Down Jane Austen Books Robinson Crusoe Phantom of the Opera Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Most of my favorites have been listed but not this one...'I Capture the Castle' by Dodie Smith. Loved this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwg Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I loved Whistle for Willie- b/c (i think) my grandmother had a dog just like Willie. And I loved How Fletcher was Hatched. Not seen that mentioned. We also had the little Beatrix Potter books that were a favorite though I can't remember if it was more to play with them or read them :lol: I know I loved Where the Wild Things Are too. I had these great records that played stories/songs too; it was like an entire series. I loved Ramona books, Sheila the Great, Nobody's Girl, Witch of Blackbird Pond, Anastasia, ...so many to list! Fun thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Only one? horrors! An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott (and actually I loved all of her other books too) Frosty, A Raccoon to Remember Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairyMom Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I have so many that I loved, they are like old friends now. The one that stands out to me is: The Bridges at Toko-Ri. I was in 4th grade and we were instructed to pick out a book for a report from the book shelf. At the time, I had not really enjoyed reading. I picked this book solely on the basis of thickness, or lack thereof in comparison to the others. I read it three times and wrote a huge report, for a 4th grader, mostly about my feelings, not about the book. It sparked something inside me that I will never forget..... I think I need to put that old friend out again. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye (The princess looks like me.) The Sword of Shannara Series by Terry Brooks Bread and Jam for Francis and all the other Francis books Lyle, the Crocodile books Madeline series Mary Poppins (I remember my Mom reading this to us one summer and telling us if it was ever made into a movie, she would take us to see it the same night. Wouldn't you know it, that same afternoon there was a commercial for the Disney version. I still can see her calling my dad to come home early to take all 6 of us kids that night.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Most of mine have been mentioned but two of my FAVORITES that haven't been (I didn't see them anyway) are: Among the Dolls by William Sleator (although I just re-read this and think it might freak my kids out. They don't like anything slightly creepy. But I probably read this 50 times as a kid.) The Dark is Rising (series) by Susan Cooper for when they are a little older. I'm just so glad they liked the Little House books as much as I did! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 The first book that really hit me in a deeply emotional way was Tornado Jones by Trella Lamson Dick. At the time I read this I was a big reader, but it was most happy books in the Henry Huggins and Encyclopedia Brown vein. But this novel, about a family that was going to lose their farm to a dam/electrification project was the first time I was really touched reading a story on my own. It sort of changed my ideas about literature when I was a little boy. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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