I used to devour books when I was a kid--I loved reading many, many different kinds of stories--horror (esp. Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine), romance, historical, mystery, family drama, etc. I don't know if I can think of one book in particular that stood out as an all-time fav, but here are a few that are still very memorable for me:
Homecoming by Cynthia Voight. I distinctly remember this one because the kids are traveling by themselves to reach a relative after their mom abandons them. And they have to ration their money by living off bread and peanut butter. I was riveted!
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I cried and cried and criiiiiied about those dogs. Seriously, I was a mess. That one scene stuck in my head for a long time.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I distinctly remember when I was reading this that I was drawn to Rochester. I couldn't help it--he was magnetic, and I loved and hated him for how he treated Jane. And I wanted poor Jane to finally get something good in her life. I loved all the crazy twists in the story!
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. I remember being horrified that this was a real person's story...it moved me to hear about the trials and struggles she went through, hiding from the Nazis.
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Another tear-jerker. I guess I was into those. But I was so caught up in the story, and the death totally floored me. I was NOT expecting it.
There are many, MANY more books I adored, of course, but right now I wanna hear from you. What were your favorite books when you were growing up?
Your list is so funny to me, because most of those books I didn't like. Bridge to Terebithia, I'm not sure why I didn't like it, but it annoyed me. And the death-well, that made it worse.
ReplyDeleteI thought Homecoming was sooo long and I was bored by it. I think we read it in seventh grade, but I was already reading adult books by then, so I think I was just bored I was reading YA again.
And OMG-Where the Red Fern Grows! I was so upset by that end. I was so convinced that when one of my cats died a few years ago that his brother would miss him terribly and the same thing would happen. I even told my parents we'd have the ending to Where the Red Fern Grows happen and I would cry forever. (The brother cat missed his brother, but he's still around and enjoying a new sister cat now) But that book stuck with me for sure!
As for Anne Frank and Jane Eyre, I never read them-someday!
I've never read any of those books. As a kid, I read an interesting mix of things - the Little House on the Prairie series, Shakespeare and Spiderman comics, to name a few. Yes, I'm strange. But it's the good kind of strange.
ReplyDeleteI loved Red Fern, too, and also cried!!
ReplyDeleteMy house had a lot of older books that I inherited, so I remember reading THE FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS, LAD: A DOG, and some of those old school novels.
I loved anything horsey-- Walter Farley's books but also, in second grade (I think), a British book my grandfather bought me called FLY BY NIGHT by KM Peyton... wore that out. Ahmed's sister found me a very weathered copy at a library sale a year ago and I cried when it came in the mail.
I jumped to "older" stuff by third grade, but I loved cutting my teeth on those. :)
My first loves were the Oz books. Then Nancy Drew. Then the Little House books.
ReplyDeleteThen Edward Eager, Joan Aiken, the Happy Orpheline, and A Little Princess.
Then Louisa May Alcott. And Tolkien!
I used to make lists, I loved so many books. My top 15, my next best fifteen, and ten more that I really loved...
Growing up, I read a variety of books. Everything from Louisa May Alcott and Anne Frank to Little House on the Prairie and Where the Red Fern Grows. But, I think my favorite books were the Babysitters Club series.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't remember a lot of the books I read when I was younger (embarrassing, really). But, I read Homecoming this past year and absolutely loved it. I read the next one in the series as well, Newbery Winner Dicey's Song, but I didn't find it to be quite as good.
ReplyDeleteI never read "Where the Red Fern Grows." Was never allowed...my mom was so horrified by the ending. Kinda like Bambi and Old Yeller. Other (supposed) classics that were banned in my house.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of Homecoming. I might have to check it out.
Like Jennifer, I loved the Babysitter's Club books as a tween. Also the Sweet Valley Twins and (when I got slightly older...maybe like a year later) the Sweet Valley High books.
Loved the Little House books, Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey Twins, anything by Judy Blume, Little Women, the list goes on and on.
Oh, and I forgot to mention To Kill a Mockingbird. LOVED that one.
Another fan of Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley (Twins and High). Also an avid Christopher Pike fan, would prowl the local Waldenbooks religiously for new releases. Harriet the Spy and The Long Secret were grade school faves that I still read now and again.
ReplyDeleteJudy Blume was the altar for me. Might explain what I write now. Also, Madeleine L'Engle.
ReplyDeleteI also remember a book that I can't name...all the adults die from some virus and the kids have to take over? Ring a bell with anyone?
oh..and Trixie Belden books.
ReplyDeleteOff the top of my head:
ReplyDeleteThe Westing Game
The Egyptian Game
Half-Magic
The Dark is Rising Series
(And so many other books that I can't even begin to narrow it down any more.)