My FAVORITE book as a child...

Good Dog Carl is a book that I used to adore as a little girl. Part of my love for this book came from the main character, Carl of course. I used to love how he played with the child whom he was left with so often, and the relationship that the two shared. I myself had a dog who I used to believe was my best friend, and although he has since past, I may still sometimes believe that he always was. I loved how well the two characters played together, and how much fun they had. Whether Carl was carrying his infant friend around the house on his back (which I myself had tried to do many times when I was young. It was much easier when I was a baby with the help of my parents!), or playing dress-up in mommy's jewelry and make-up, the two were always innevitably having a good time.

I loved the security that was also there with having Carl around. I mean, really... Who would ever leave their child home alone with just a dog? Especially a child as young as this one was. But that never mattered to me when I was young. The thought never crossed my mind, and I think it's better that way when you're a child. All I could see was this amazing dog, companion, protector, and everything else Carl could be to a young child.

I think another part of my enthusiasm for this book came from the lack of words. There was just the first page on which the mother would tell Carl that she was leaving and that he would have to watch the baby and take care of him while she was gone. From the next page on, the pages were void of text, and simply portrayed the different things that Carl and his sidekick were doing at any particular time during their day. I loved the pictures, I loved how I could use those pictures and create my own dialogue with the characters. I loved when my mother would "read" the book to me, creating her own interpretation of what the book might say if it had been made with text.

I believe that this book was a way for me to be able to move into a different stage of reading as well. This was a book that I didn't have to just ignore the words and the fact that I didn't know how to read them, and make up my own story. The words were never there, and I could make up any kind of story based on what I saw in the pictures without the distraction of text I didn't understand. The pictures were always easy to understand.

I was so happy to discover the wide variety of Carl books that I never knew were out there. I will be very interested to see what some of the others look like, and what kinds of adventures Carl and his infant friend go on. However, I know that there will never be anything like the original story, or the many originals I created for myself with this first book; Good Dog Carl.

I hate to be predictable, but...

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has absolutely changed my life!!! 

On a serious note, though, I started reading Harry Potter in the seventh grade - after three of the books had already been published. I originally had refused to read them; I was determined not to be seduced by the wonderful cover art and thick binding... I took my literary career very seriously in middle school. Once I gave in, however, I was hooked. 

I grew up as the HP series was released, and became more and more serious. It dealt with increasingly tense and serious issues, and I don't think anybody forgets the character to fall victim to Death: Sirius Black. 

Rowling held an entire tween - and even adult - audience captivated with her imagination. From the complex rules of quidditch to the important plot points scattered throughout the series (which became crucial not to forget by the seventh and final installment). I grew up with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Hedwig (RIP). Rowling's narrative power and creative twists made me detest Professor Umbridge as much as the students at Hogwarts did; I found myself shaking in rage at her cruel antics. In short, the Harry Potter books were so much more than just an escape from the every day monotony; the characters became a part of my life - I became utterly and irrevocably emotionally invested in each of the characters. 

My heart belongs with Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. 

....Move aside, Ginny.

As a kid "The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room" was one of my favorite books. My mom would buy my brother and I a new Berenstain Bears book almost every week with the groceries. We always looked forward to reading the new book. One week Mama and Papa bear were even at the grocery store and I got to meet them. Being in first grade I thought this was the best thing ever! We got to say hi to them and have our picture taken. We still have the picture of my brother and I with mama and papa bear inside the grocery store.

I always looked forward to bedtime as a kid and the best thing about bedtime was reading new stories. I would have my parents read the new Berenstain Bears book every night until we got a new one. We would take turns reading bedtime stories in my room and my brother's room. I always liked it best when they were in my room because I got to get all cozy in my blankets first. I also would get to pick where on the bed I wanted to sit, therefore I could always see the pictures.

"The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room" was my favorite one because I always had a messy room. My parents were always after me to pick up my cloths and toys from my floor. I also thought that brother and sister had cool toys like the airplane and the puzzles. My brother and I would pick out toys from the story that we had or that we wanted to play with. I thought that it was cool that other "kids" had messy rooms too. I thought that my toys should just stay everywhere like Brother and Sister. I did not like having to put them away in certain places.

The kids I babysit for now have a few Berentstain Bear books and those are the books I always want to read them. I still enjoy reading them and it is neat to know that kids today are still interested in some of the same stories that I grew up having read to me.

The Spider and the Fly

When I was very little, one of my absolute favorite books was The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt. This book is very near and dear to my heart because my Grandfather use to read it to me every time I would visit him as a child. He would tuck my sister and I into bed and just before we closed our eyes he would read this story to us in his thick Polish accent. I especially loved how he would really get into the characters by creating different voices for both of the main characters.

This story is about a nasty spider that desperately wanted a beautiful fly to come alone and visit him in his parlor for some food and polite company. The spider continuously enticed the fly using various creative tactics, but the fly always refused. Then one day the spider complemented the fly's beautiful looks and she finally fell for his trap. She entered into his home and was never heard from again. At the end of this story there is also a lesson about avoiding stranger that offer children a free car ride and candy. Occasionally my grandfather would talk to us about what we would ever do if a stranger tried to offer us a free toy or to steer us away from our parents. Looking back, even though it was not the most romantic or happy story, I loved this story because it made me truly appreciate just how much my grandfather cared for us.

I can still remember after each time my grandfather read this story to me how much I wanted to squish the spider and any spider I saw for that matter. I had many favorite stories growing up as a child, but this one will always stick out in my mind.

Ramona Quimby

Confession: When I was younger, I thought that Ramona Geraldine Quimby, could have been my separated twin sister. We seemed to get in similar scrapes, have crazy imaginations, be puzzled by the same things in this confusing adult-run world, and we both separated our gummy bears by color before eating them. What more proof do you need? I loved all of her adventures on Klickitat Street as she manuevered the world of growing up with charm and spunk. For instance, when she saw on a television sitcom a little girl asking a lady why she had 'elephant legs' when her pantyhose were bunched up around her ankles, Ramona couldn't understand why her own schoolteacher didn't think her charming and have canned audience laughter when she repeated the comment. Puzzling. Ramona grew up and went through elementary school with me, and I always felt a connection to her and the things she was encountering. We even shared a bad haircut! Who wouldn't want a friend who had a green haired doll named Chevrolet? She never failed to make me laugh.

One particular aspect that I loved about Ramona was that there were eight books in the series. I personally was always drawn to books in series because I would get so attached to the characters that it would always be a letdown when I finished a book. With eight stories, I felt like there was a Ramona world to which I could escape and live out her problems, whether it be her anguish about her librarian's poor spelling ability, weird family dynamics, or seeing that she noticed the little things about life that many people miss. As if multiple books in the series weren't enough, there was also a video series about Ramona that I used to check out of the library. I never liked these as much as the books- I felt that the actress they chose for Ramona matched what I had envisioned, but the sister, Beezus, never quite felt right.

To this day I'm convinced I still have certain 'Ramonaisms'. She will always hold a special place in my heart.

When I was younger my favorite book to have read to me was Papa, please get the moon for me by Eric Carle. My mom used to read me this book almost every night and I think my favorite part were the beautiful and unique illustrations. I also really liked that the pages folded out when Papa was bringing out his “very long ladder” and putting it on top of a “very tall mountain” so that he could reach up to the moon. In the story the main character, Monica, asks her Papa to go up and get the moon for her, because she wants to play it. So Papa takes out a big ladder, and puts it on top of a tall mountain, and climbs up to go get the moon. When Papa does make it up to the moon, he decides that the moon is far too big for Monica to play with. The moon tells Papa, “Every night I get a little bit smaller and when I am just the right size you can take me with you.” So Monica and Papa wait for the moon to get small enough, and then Papa goes to get it for Monica. Monica plays with the moon every night, and every night the moon gets smaller and smaller, until it disappears. Monica is sad to have lost the moon, until a few nights later she sees the moon up in the sky, a tiny little sliver, and then over the time the moon grows bigger and bigger until it is round again. This is an adorable story, and like I said I still love the illustrations in this book, which is why I think it was always my first choice to read when I was younger.


As I got older and started to read my own I really started to like all of Shell Silverstein’s poetry and illustrations, especially Falling Up. I remember collecting his entire collection with my friends, and reading them during silent reading or out loud together during recess. The good thing about Silverstein’s poetry is that it is humorous and to the point, so I didn’t have to analyze the meaning of each poem, I could just read it how it was and then have a laugh when I was done. I also really like that a poetry book is something that you don’t need to read page by page, and that you can skip around to whatever poem you are the most interested in and understand it without reading all of the other poems before it first. When I was in third and fourth grade it was hard for me to sit down and pay attention for long periods of time so I didn’t read many books, but with Shell Silverstein’s poetry I could read one poem and then if I got bored with that one I could move on to a different one on a completely different topic.

I am ashamed to say it, but I ♥ Edward Cullen...

Cue the corny lit rose-scented candle, rainy afternoon and you curled up in your bed with a book—that image was me for the first two weeks of this summer, reading none other than the Twilight Saga. I know, I know, it is terrible and I swore I would never read the Twilight books, but after everyone told me that I needed to read them, I thought that I would give them a try. I was expecting something more like Harry Potter, which I never made it through, but instead I got something so much more…

Stephanie Meyer has a way of writing that really draws you in to the story of these characters. This love between Edward (vampire) and Bella (human) is so strong and since they cannot be together, it makes this bond so much more powerful. I was able to sit and read all four of the books in the sage within a week and a half due to the fact that Meyer is capable of writing a story that you feel you are a part of. Throughout all of the books, I felt what each of the characters felt. When Bella was crying, I was sitting here bawling my eyes out! I don’t know what it is but Meyer is able to make these books play with your emotions.

When I first heard about these books, I thought they were another sci-fi genre sort of like Harry Potter, which really does not interest me, but these books are really not science fiction. Yes, maybe there are vampires and werewolves but I found myself not concentrating of the fact that Edward and Bella could not be together because he is a vampire but instead it could have been any obstacle that was keeping them apart. These books are more romance novels and stories about friendships. Meyer is able to build the characters so they each have their own backgrounds but all come together in the end. The stories that she creates are so well thought-out that it makes you feel like you know these people or that they actual exist, but then you come back to reality where you are sitting in your room by yourself with a candle lit. I mean I guess we can’t all have Edwards and Jacobs in our lives!

I know that these books were not from my childhood but I felt that they affected my reading life enough for me to write about them. These books have really drawn me back into reading all together and into all different genres. Don’t worry I have shied away from the sappy teen romances!

While reflecting on different books that I enjoyed reading when I was younger, I came across a similar theme in all of the books that I enjoyed. I realized that the books I most enjoyed as a very young girl were ones that involved animals. Some of my favorite books included, The Mitten by Jan Brett, Babar by Jean De Brunhoff, Curious George by H. A. Rey, and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.
As a child, I always loved all sorts of animals. Books about animals were so interesting because it made me feel like I could connect with them since I couldn't communicate with them in real life. I liked that I could look at life from an animal's perspective even if it wasn't exactly realistic. I could imagine being an animal, something I think many children like to do.
In particular, one of my favorite books to read over and over again was Jan Brett's retelling of The Mitten. This story is about a little boy who unknowingly loses his mitten in the woods one day. One by one, a variety of animals from the forest begin filling the mitten. Each new animal, increasing in size, contributes to stuffing the mitten so much that it eventually bursts. I remember, as a child, my mom told me that this had happened to one of the mittens that I had lost, but that hopefully mine was strong enough not to rip. I wondered if it were really true. Being able to use my imagination because of a story was appealing. I felt like I was part of the story, as if that mitten was the one I had lost. Much of the reasoning for loving this book also had to do with the illustrations. For me, stories were always more engaging when the illustrations were ornately detailed. I loved the story alone, but Jan Brett's illustrations complemented it so well. I still love this book today for the same reasons I did years ago.

Dragonriders of Pern

I received my first Dragonriders of Pern novel when I was in 4th grade, home sick from school. I read about a girl named Menolly, who had been forbidden to sing or play instruments by her father simply because “girls can’t be Harpers”. Menolly ran away from home, survived dangerous Threadfall on her own, and accidentally adopted nine firelizards, devoted tiny dragons, before Harper Hall discovered her musical talents and offered her a place in their ranks.
Anne McCaffrey’s fantastical world of Pern filled my head with dragons and their riders up through high school. I devoured the novels one after another, imagining that I had a dragon of my own and that we could fly through the skies together, protecting the planet. My best friend and I played at hatching dragons, and ran around playing with our imaginary firelizards. I spent my allowance on the novels the library didn’t have. My bookshelf had a whole shelf devoted to the series. Menolly was a sister I never had and together we were Harpers when I wasn’t busy being a dragonrider. I was the heroine and the damsel all in one.
Anne McCaffrey’s books were filled with strong women and brave men, filled with ideals and duty. The dragons were noble and beautiful yet very human, and the world was one very different than my own. A dragon could choose anyone to be their rider, even someone like me. Each book was an escape on dragon wings.

Growing up's a mystery...

Growing up as a shy, insecure child, the youngest of four kids, books were my escape. I could be anything or anyone. So, who did I chose to be? I found myself drawn to boldly confident, intelligent characters like, Nancy Drew. I was enamored by her quick wit, ability to problem solve and help those around her.

My mother had scads of Nancy Drew books that she and my sister had read. I remember traipsing down to the basement after reading all the books on the shelf in the hall to scour the Nancy Drew box for another adventure. I recall wishing my eyes could process the words faster as she would creep up the attic stairs or open the ominous box. To date, mystery novels are my favorite to read for pleasure. Authors like John Grissom or Michael Connelly make me feel like a kid in a candy store. I remember thinking that having Nancy Drew meet the Hardy Boys was, “like the greatest idea ever!” I also remember learning I had to hide the Hardy Boys books from other peers if I checked them out because apparently, those were ‘boys’ books.

My family always encouraged me to read any books I wanted and introduced me to other genres that allowed my imagination to flourish, while still drawing on my desire for adventure and mystery. My oldest brother, Rob, paved the way with Piers Anthony’s land of Xanth series and many more. Being lost between the pages of a book, completely immersed in another’s life, emotions, and excitement are some of the many reasons why the ability to read is one of the greatest gifts a person can give a child. Life is instantly transformed and the troubles of daily happenings can be put on hold for a while. Reading is the window to another world full of endless possibilities.

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

The books that I really enjoyed reading as a child were the Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parish. These books were about a literal maid named Amelia Bedelia who worked for an older husband and wife named Mr. and Mrs. Rogers and follows their directions to a tee. Anything that Mr. and Mrs. Rogers told her to do, she did it exact, for example dusting the couch with powder and dressing the chicken in clothes. There were many adventures Amelia Bedelia took on, including camping, driving, and taking care of a baby.

These books were very important to my life because these were the books that made me really want to read. I liked reading, but once I found these books, I really wanted to read. I wanted to read all the Amelia Bedelia books and couldn't wait for a new ones to come out. I remember going through the Scholastic book fair fliers looking for Amelia Bedelia books. I circled any that I could find and begged my mom to buy them for me. I did every book report I could on these books. These books were so important to me because they made me feel very knowledgeable about books. I knew everything about Amelia Bedelia and loved to share my knowledge with the class. These books made me feel smart, plus they were hilarious!

Love You Forever & PS Longer Letter Later

When I think back to my childhood, there are two books that I remember that made impacts on my life. The first was Love You Forever by: Robert Munsch. Love You Forever is about a mother and a son and the poem the mother sang to her son every night when he was sleeping and then in return he sang it to her when she was old and sick. My mom used to read me this story every night before I went to bed after the bedtime story I had picked for that night. When I got a little bit older we used to read the poem together. I believe this book made a big impact on me wanting to be able to read, because it was a consent in my life and the book gave me a sense of security.


The other book that was important to my childhood, came once I had been reading for awhile. The book was PS Longer Letter Later by: Paula Daniger and Ann M. Martin. This was the first young adult novel that I can remember reading. My best friend, Kate, and I found this book in a bookstore when we were camping. The book was made up of letters between two best friends, Tara-Starr and Elizabeth, the letters told the story of their lives apart from each other, after Tara-Starr had to move away from their hometown. We fell in love with this book because we could each be a character and read the letters back and forth to each other. I think we ended up reading the book five times together that summer. This book was important to me, because it showed me that it was possible to enjoy the experience of a book with a friend. With all the books I read during my childhood, these books left me with the strongest positive memories surrounding books and reading.

Madeline by: Ludwig Bemelmans

"In an old house in Paris, that was covered in vines, lived 12 little girls in two straight lines. In two straight lines they broke their bread and brushed their teeth and went to bed. They left the house at half past nine, the smallest one was Madeline." My grandmother bought this book for me when I was in preschool and it has always been one of my favorites. She also gave me the Madeline doll along with it. She used to read it to me all the time and told me it was one of her favorite books growing up. She also told me it was one of my mom's favorites. This made it extra special for me knowing it was my mom and grandmother's favorite books!

By the time I was 5, I had this book memorized word for word and basically page by page. I would then try reading it to my grandmother, but really I was just memorizing it. She caught me a couple times when I read a couple lines on the wrong pages. When I graduated from kindergarten, my grandmother gave me a Madeline book that had six stories in it. I thought this was awesome. I loved all the different stories and variations of Madeline. They then came out with a Madeline TV show.

From the time I entered school, I was always one of the shortest in my class. Madeline was the littest out of the bunch of the bunch of girls, so I felt a connection to her. Even though she was the smallest, she had a big voice and heart and stood out. She also caused quite a bit of mischeif, so these stories were interesting for me to read. The illustrations in the Madeline books were different from the other books. They are more like colored sketches and water paint. I really enjoyed these books growing up and still do today

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne and I became kindred spirits and bosom friends when I was in my early mid-twenties and a newlywed. PBS aired three films based on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series. Montgomery tells a sweet story about how an orphan girl finds a family at the turn of the century. Although my husband is not usually a discriminating viewer, and will watch anything as long as it moves across a screen, to my complete surprise, I had to watch the films alone. My husband couldn’t appreciate them, relate to them, or even tolerate watching them! I remember laughing and crying with Anne and wishing I had someone to share the precious moments as Anne navigates from childhood into adolescence and eventually adulthood.

Usually I enjoy books more than I enjoy the films made from them. However, the Anne films are on exception. They are filmed on location and the plot and dialog are authentic to the books. It is the films that prompted me to read for pleasure again because, after seeing them, I wanted to read the entire Anne series. I had stopped reading for pleasure in about seventh grade. My homework load became too heavy, there was no class time provided for reading as there had been in elementary school and my mom had a new baby for which I was given a great deal of responsibility as a caretaker. I found that during high school, college and graduate school, my homework load and responsibilities were so great I no longer had time for pleasure reading.

My daughter, Jewelle, fell in love with the series the summer she turned eleven. Anne helped her grow up as she read all the books. After she read the books, I bought the films for her for Christmas. It was at this point that my husband watched the films and enjoyed them every bit as much as the rest of us. He couldn't understand why he he couldn't tolerate watching them fifteen years ago. The next summer Jewelle convinced us to take a literary summer vacation to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Prince Edward Island in Canada. We toured all the Anne museums, saw the Anne musical, played Anne trivia and were able to further appreciate the stories and the author.

One reason I love the Anne series so well is that she and my daughter Jewelle are so much alike (aside from Anne’s incredible vocabulary). They are both lovable and memorable characters who live life to the fullest and take their families on rollercoaster rides with their escapades and the drama that erupts over every day events.

Logan's favorite

Horton Hears a Who, Dr. Seuss

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