We all start somewhere. For most of us there’s that one book that “spoke” to us and got us started on our very own “reading journey”. For me, it was Socks by Beverly Cleary. It was the story that got my imagination going and helped me to realize I could picture things I read just like the movies on TV, but I could create the way it all looked. As I’ve grown older the types of books I’ve read have varied, but there has always been that first book that got me hooked.
In an effort to get to know members of the book reviewing community better I have been asking them to share what inspired them to get into reading in a weekly feature titled “When I Was Young”. Today I’d like to highlight some of them. Because I truly believe there’s more to a “classic” than just having sold so many copies or winning certain awards. It’s the journey they get us started on that makes each one a “classic” in our own eyes.
Below I’ve included the title of each reviewer’s book as well as the short review they originally provided me for the interview. Look them over and feel free to click over to their site to get to know them a little better. You may just find your next “classic”!
Make sure to take a minute after reading to let us know what book got you started on your reading journey in the comments!
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Reviewed by Anastasia from Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog For sure my favorite book from my childhood is Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. I first read it back in second grade, and I immediately became obsessed with keeping a notebook and writing down everything myself. The movie (starring Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O’Donnell) came out that same year and just made me even more obsessed.
What I like about Harriet the Spy even know is how curious she is about everything. She’s not a typical 60′s heroine, one who’s frilly and clings to her mother. Harriet’s tough, brash, conceited, self-obsessed, confidant, not afraid to get dirty or wear pants or play with boys as well as girls, and she’s still pretty much my hero.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Reviewed by Aarti from BookLust My favorite book from my youth is The Phantom Tollbooth. It’s a short fantasy chapter book where a bored young boy travels to another world and helps save princesses locked in a Castle in the Air. I reviewed The Phantom Tollbooth on my blog for the Flashback Challenge in January. Another series I loved growing up was Patricia C. Wrede’s Enchanted Forest Chronicles, in which the Princess Cimorene goes to a cave to live with a dragon. There, she participates in dragon politics, makes great friends and gets rid of all the princes who come to “save” her from the dragon. The first book is Dealing with Dragons. I loved the series because Cimorene was so strong and there was so much humor, and it was a really great story. I highly recommend the story to younger girls, particularly, as Cimorene is a great role model. She is strong and self-confident and really comfortable with herself.
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Reviewed by Elisabeth from YS Princess’s Ideas, Resources, and Reviews I was really trying to think of some amazing book that no one else would ever say, but I have to admit – it would be the Harry Potter series – at least the first four. I first tried reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when I was 9 or 10 and couldn’t make it past the first chapter. It wasn’t too difficult for me, and I wasn’t what you’d consider a “reluctant reader”. I had been going to the library since I moved to florida when I was 3, was reading books on my own by 4 and made my way to the adult section “far too early”, and had the 10 books that my mother allowed me to check out from the library done the same night we had gone [to the library]. Something about the book just didn’t grab me. But when I gave the book another chance a year later, I made it through. And then I made it through the second and third. And then I made it through them all again 6 more times (each!) – though I only read the fourth one four times. I was the last in the generation that wasn’t raised on computers, so the first thing I can say I really did on my own on the computer was make a website for roleplaying Harry Potter. It was amazing. I was always coming up with new things to add and always going through the books again and again. I had gone through the books so many times that I got to the point where just a quick scan of the page was all I needed to know what was on the entire page and whether I could use anything for my website (a lot of the ideas came straight from the books). I was very sad when Geocities closed this past October and I lost all my work.
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
Reviewed by Pea from My Own Little Pod In the fourth grade my teacher, for the life of me I cannot remember her name. Asked us to choose from some books to read while we were studying the American Revolutionary War, she gave us several to choose from and after class was over I remember not being able to pick one. So I asked her what one she thought I should read. She recommended “My Brother Sam is Dead” by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier.
Written in 1974 and published in ’75. It is the historically fictional story of a hard working family that is torn apart by the War. The young narrator is Tim Meeker, an impressionable and eager to please son of a Hardheaded Tavern owning father and a Hard working solely Christian mother. When his brother Sam comes home from college to tell the family that he is leaving school to join the Rebel army the family is slowly shredded by the effects the war brings upon them. Although some of the events that take place in the story are graphic. In fact it was the twelfth most challenged book between 1990 and 2000. It tells the real story of what it would have been like to be in a mostly loyalist town with the son, or brother on the other side.
I read this book every year in an effort to bring me back to the root of my own love of books and learning. I hope that any who read this will go find “My Brother Sam is Dead” You will fall in love with the Meeker family, maybe develop a little crush on Sam and cry as the whole family learns the hard truths of war.
Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink
Reviewed by Carrie from Books and Movies One of my most favorite books growing up was Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink. I must have read it a dozen times! I have three younger sisters who loved me to read aoud to them, and I read it to each one of them in turn as they became old enough to sit still. Baby Island is the story of 12-year-old Mary Wallace and her 10-year-old sister, Jean. They are on an ocean liner bound for Australia, where they will join their father on his ranch. Then spend their time on the ship playing mother to the various toddlers and babies of the other passengers. When the ship wrecks, Mary and Jean are set afloat in a life raft with four babies, and when they run aground on a deserted island, the two girls must find a way to survive and to take care of their four little wards until they are rescued. This book appealed to the wanna-be Mommy in me – and I loved the adventure and the way the two sisters related to each other. I read it aloud to my own daughter a few years ago, and it was a hit with her, too.
Danny the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
Reviewed by Kara from Not Just For Kids I can remember, with crystal clear recall, the day I learned to read; the day I first looked at a printed page and it all made sense. It was unbelieveably exciting. My mother is a big reader, and I always saw her with her nose in a book, so part of the thrill at being able to read myself was related to being able to do something my mother could do (it just goes to show–never, ever underestimate the power of a child witnessing an adult reading.) My favorite books from childhood are those first books I cut my reading teeth on: Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff; Johnny Lion’s Rubber Boots by Edith Thather Hurd; The Fire Cat by Esther Averil; Bears on Wheels by Stan and Jan Berenstain. They were the first books I claimed as my own; the first books that sent me back to the library for more. I still have a soft spot in my heart for that Early Reader level, because I remember how much those books meant to me, and how mastering them encouraged me to move on to chapter books.
The Forbidden Game by L.J. Smith
Reviewed by GRGenius from Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers My favorite book from my youth? Ummm, I’m not certain I can pick just one! I remember my mom reading to me when I was younger and then I just took over from there. When thinking back to childhood memories of home, I can still remember the layout of my two favorite libraries. Grant it they may have changed by now, and I know the one did as I discovered a year or two ago the roof came off in a major storm (THE HORROR!)….but they are always fond thoughts indeed. How about I tell you of the first book I reviewed at my site? The dubious honor of first review post went to the first book of a triology….The Forbidden Game by L.J. Smith. It’s a really good series that I read for the first time in 9th grade I believe….my friend loaned me a copy and I was hooked. Got the three pack as a present that very Christmas. Here is the link for the review (but be kind, it was my first post….there is a learning curve with this blogging bit…).
Man o’ War by Walter Farley
Reviewed by Emily from What Book is That? My favorite book when I was growing up was Man O’ War by Walter Farley. I had a pretty serious infatuation with horses and horseracing for years and I read this story over and over again. I think I was personally responsible for the library not getting rid of the only copy because I checked it out so often. Even now, when a chance comes up to donate a copy of this book to a charity or organization, I pick up a copy and make it happen.
The Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls
Reviewed by Melissa from Imagination Soup My favorite book was a series of books, The Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. My mom read aloud to us every night and I can still imagine Laura’s story as I did in bed so many year ago. I vividly remember a scene from (I think) The Long Winter where the snow was so high that the family had to hold onto a line tied to the barn and the house so they wouldn’t get lost in the blizzard-like conditions. All the books stuck in my mind as I imagined myself as Laura, facing the trials and challenges of the frontier. Her entire life was such an adventure, I loved reading about every bit of it.
The Paperbag Princess by Robert N. Munsch
Reviewed by Kristen from Bookworming in the 21st Century Well, when I was really little, I devoured all of the Little Critter books and outside of those I was mostly in love with The Paperbag Princess. In middle school, I encountered my first fantasy series – The Golden Compass – which made me obsessed with any and all things fantasy, but I still read a wide range of books. I recently listened to The Golden Compass on audio and loved the full casting they did and found myself still in love with the adventure-ful Lyra and the world she lives in.
Make sure to visit the Share A Story Shape A Future site for more wonderful information about Literacy. Also, make sure to stop by The Book Whisperer, the fabulous host for today’s Tour.
If you happen to be interested in participating in our When I Was Young Feature please feel free to contact us via our contact page and we’ll get right back to you!
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What a wonderful feature! And thanks so much for including me again.
.-= Carrie K.´s last blog ..Guest post: Lynn Cullen, author of The Creation of Eve =-.
You are quite welcome! It’s so neat to see all of the reviews together!
What a fabulous list of classics! There’s a nice mix of genres for all types of readers, and that fact that it’s come about organically, without an attempt to create the mix, is quite impressive. It jut goes to show that there is a book out there for everyone. Thanks for the repeated feature as well
.-= Kara´s last blog ..Go on–Wimp Yourself! =-.
You’re so welcome! I completely agree, it’s so fun to see them all together and wonderful to see how it can be so different for each person.
I second Kara’s point. What a wonderful collection of classics. You know, I can’t tell you what book got me hooked … I ALWAYS remember reading.
It’s a tough question. One, that I’ve actually ended up coming up with more and more books that got me “started”.
I have quite a few childhood favorites, of course, many that I still turn to. But the first series that I remember capturing my attention, such that I simply HAD to keep reading, was the Little House series. I remember sitting on the radiator in my third grade classroom reading the books. Nice to see that Melissa listed these, too. I knew she was a kindred spirit!
.-= Jen Robinson´s last blog ..Share a Story – Shape a Future: Day 4: Old Favorites, New Classics =-.
Definitely a kindred spirit! I’ve actually heard from quite a few people that that was one of their favorites. So neat to see what an impact they had!
The scary thing about this is that most of these books seem modern to me!
The one I remember as my early favourite was The Swiss Family Robinson. I also saw it at the drive-in movie, but I think I probably read it about fifty times!
.-= Book Chook´s last blog ..Stupeflix, Playing with Words, Music and Images =-.
Hehe. A lot of them are a little more modern I think, but even I remember seeing and reading the Swiss Family Robinson (maybe not when it first came out, but still). It’s just so neat to see what/how different “classics” inspired each of us!
I loved the The Little House on the Prairie series, too. I vividly remember the roasting of the pig, for some reason. She made it sound so absolutely mouth-watering… But anything Judy Blume was always a real treat.
Oh, Judy Blume! Another of my childhood favorites! Isn’t it fabulous, the wonderful things books can bring to our memories?
I agree with The Book Chook . . . many of these seem a bit modern to me as well, which makes me feel old!!
The Phantom Tollbooth and Little House series are definite classics. I think I would have to say The Boxcar Children though. Love that book, the series, and even revisit it as an adult!
I love your feature, by the way!!
Thanks Tif! It’s funny because at my book club last night everyone was talking about The Boxcar Children and how much they loved it! Funny coincidence.
We still have our original copy of Danny and the Dinosaur. My sister read it to her kindergarten class when she was five, upside down so that they could see the pictures. They skipped her a grade shortly thereafter. I wasn’t quite so brainy but loved that book, too! This is a fun list.
.-= Kim´s last blog ..5 a.m. haiku =-.
That’s what I love about this, is that a “classic” is really different for everyone. Both of you loved it, but were completely different people. It’s just about how it speaks to us. Thanks!
I havoe loved a t read all the books mention except Baby Island. I have to get hold of that one. What started me reading (in a bookaholic type way) was a series called “Childhood of Famous Americans” As the title indicated they wer biographys, WITH LARGE PRINT AND SPACE BETWEEN THE LINES. They are all still available today. I was put back into something called “preprimer” halfway through first grade. (I had started the first grade year in Paris at a French nursury school – as there was no room for me in the English first grade.) Halfay through first grade, I did not know how to read. By age 8 I had caught up, but was not very interested in the process of reading. Then my father gave me two books. Louisa May Alcott Girl of Old Boston, and Clara Barton, Girl Nurse. I read them both so quickly that my dad insisted on testing me on the contents of the books. I passed with flying colors. As I said LARGE PRINT large space between lines. I read over 80 of these books and loved them
What a fabulous journey, Susan! Thank you so much for sharing! It’s amazing how well we can do when we find a book that speaks to us.