I know for a fact that my parents started reading to me from a very early age. But when I think of my favorite books from childhood, they aren't picture books, they are always chapter books.
We had stacks of books everywhere in our house because I read hundreds of books as a kid. Picture me as a girl with glasses, unruly hair, and a purple t-shirt {tied on the side} who would rush to get her work done in class so she could get back to reading. It wasn't that I didn't have friends or even that I was shy, the books just sucked me in (like they do still!) and I could spend hours upon hours reading by myself.
Looking through GoodReads for photos of these books that I most remember, the illustrations on the covers brought so many memories back! Since most of these books were not illustrated inside, I remember staring at the covers & those faces would be the characters who inhabited the stories in my head.
The first books that I remember really enjoying were The Boxcar Children & The Babysitter's Club. These books were about kids my age, having great adventures. I don't think I read them in order, but I know I read them all!
If you had asked me as a kid who my favorite author was, I would have definitely told you Roald Dahl. His stories were that perfect mix of magical & likely. I loved that the main characters were always intelligent children who had to outsmart their evil parent figures. The semester I spent at Oxford I wrote a paper on Roald Dahl and his storytelling.
These might be more obscure titles but The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and The Witch of Blackbird Pond came to mind almost immediately when I was thinking of my favorite childhood books. In 4th grade I liked nothing better than a strong feminine heroine. I still love books with these types of characters, especially when we are talking about historical fiction.
When my mom gave me this book I probably looked at her skeptically, but I am so glad I took her advice. The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom is the true story of two sisters who survived imprisonment during WWII. It was the first of many books on WWII that I have read, fiction & non-fiction, and started my obsession with reading about The Holocaust.
This list could go on and on: C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Orson Scott Card, L. M. Montgomery, Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Laura Ingalls Wilder. These are the authors who inspired me as a child, who taught me to imagine & who kept me out of trouble. I am a better writer, reader, and blogger today because of these authors who dedicated their life's work to writing stories for children.
What books stand out to you from your childhood?
Be sure to check out Flaunt Your Cause today hosted by Emmy June & Lindsay.
I'm sad to say that I don't have an official cause at the moment,
but these girls have inspired me to start looking!
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