Summer Reading
Ah, summer…a time for relaxing by the pool with a good book, right? Even for 9 year olds, as my daughter has received her first ever summer reading list of 12–count ‘em 12–books.
Before our trip to Tennessee last weekend for my niece’s graduation, we went and picked up two of the books on her list. She read one voraciously on the flight and in the car as we drove from Chattanooga to Nashville. No getting car sick. No complaining about the long drive. Nary a word, she was so into the book, which was her favorite type–light comedy. The book was titled SAY WHAT? and it’s the story of a 6 year old girl named Sukie and her two older brothers who are perplexed when their parents try and experiment on them to get them to listen better.
I read the book after she did and it was great…and it got me thinking about the books I remember from my childhood. Not the young adult stuff like Judy Blume or VC Andrews, but the stories from when I was younger…my first forays into independent reading. Now those of you who are regular plotmonkey readers know about my horrible memory, so it shouldn’t surprise you that I couldn’t come up with a very long list. But I had a few: Misty of Chincoteague. Rikki Tikki Tavi. The Hardy Boys…the entire set. No Nancy Drew for me. She relied on Ned waaaaay too much for my tastes…let’s hope the new movie starring Emma Roberts isn’t like that (doesn’t look like it from the previews.)
But I digress…
I’ve already read Misty to my daughter…over a year ago. I hadn’t thought about Rikki for years and just ordered the book and DVD (remember the Chuck Jones animated film?) from Amazon. I know she’ll love it. I remember reading Dr. Seuss…and the two other children’s books about the spotted bear-like animal that wants to live in the zoo and my favorite, Are You My Mother? Which was a favorite before I became a mother, btw. I remember a story I read as a child at my grandmothers…one of the few books left over in the house that had belonged to my father. It was about a little boy being chased by a tiger who runs around a tree until the tiger turns into pancakes. I couldn’t remember it for the longest time…but then Google came into my life. Unfortunately, the book hasn’t been reprinted in years because of racial stuff (the hero was African, I believe)…but it’s a shame because that story has always stuck with me and if there was racial stuff in it, I certainly never internalized it, that’s for sure.
Sharing books with my daughter is one of the many joys of parenting. Finding new books to love with her is great too. Talking books with her is wonderful! And my nephews and nieces…got to get those future readers trained!
Think back to your own childhoods…what were your favorite books. Who shared them with you? Are you sharing any with the children in your life?
I know that I’m dating myself but when I was really young I loved Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and Trixie Bleden books. I had them all and even wrote some of my own.
While I always read as a kid it was my 8th grade year that sold me on romance. We had to pick a book from “the list”, read it, and then do a book report. None, of the books were small reads and none of them looked the least bit interesting. Since I didn’t know anything about any of them I randomly picked “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck. OMG, that was the most amazing book. The love story was wonderful and as an 8th grader I fell in love with romance books that had great story lines. Talk about some conflict for that time.
Comment by Vicki — May 30, 2007 @ 6:07 am
Oh boy, I can’t think back that far! I started reading at a young age, so the books I remember are Nancy Drew, and some ghost stories, or books about the Loch Ness monster, but anything before that, I’m drawing a blank.
Comment by Stacy ~ — May 30, 2007 @ 6:45 am
I spent a lot of time with my grandmother and she would read to me every night. Can’t even remember those books. But she fostered a love for books which was reinforced by some fabulous teachers. I remember my 3rd grade teacher reading to us in class THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (probably banned from public school now)–loved it. And one of my teachers (might’ve been the same) read CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY to us — loved it!!
I recently heard a lecture from a professor at an alumni banquet who spoke about children’s books and the subliminal almost techniques used to show things. It was amazing. Like he used WHERE THE WILD THINGS are and how the illustrations begin v. contained and then spread on the page and then later retract again to show how that has meaning. He gave lots more examples, but I don’t remember the names of the books. One was something like Hello Moon–people out there probably remember b/c apparently it is one of the most popular children’s books evah. Children’s books can often be much deeper than you think. He also used a few ads to show this, my favorite being Ingle Ells — and then said something like, what are the holidays without J&B (whiskey)
Comment by Kelly R. — May 30, 2007 @ 8:54 am
I still remember my dad reading to us every night. He read all the Little House books and Little Women plus many more. Plus he would change all the regular fairy tales to add little things that had happened to us into the mix(fav is still the 3 little pig that went to see me turn green with purple dots at the county fair). I loved all the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and all the Beverly Cleary & Judy Bloom books. I pretty much read as much as possible(some things never change). I have bought all the Ramona books for my nieces and I loved the I can read book “A Bargin for Frances” and Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. I actually found both not too long ago and added back to my collection. My mom was also a big reader and she is the one who always kept me in new books. Guess that’s why I still buy my nieces new books every time I’m with them.
Comment by Liza — May 30, 2007 @ 9:08 am
My favorite two books as a child (they still rate right up there) are Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) and The Witch of Blackbird Pond (by Elizabeth George Speare). I gave both to my niece when she turned 10. Because she had already seen the DVD of Little Women she just wasn’t as impressed with the book. But she loved The Witch of Blackbird as much as I did. I now give it to all of my friends daughters for a gift. As an 8th grader I read Gone with the Wind for the first time. I can remember borrowing my grandfathers copy of the book. (He was a very big reader of anything he could get his hands on!) I still have his copy of GWTW on my bookshelf. Scarlett and Rhett set me up - I went right into the Harlequin romances next. Started buying them when they were 60 cents and I was 13.
Comment by Barbara-Jo — May 30, 2007 @ 9:14 am
I always loved Nancy Drew, then Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High. One of the books that I remember from when I was younger though is Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. When my son was three, I saw a copy in the book store and could not resist getting it. Now my son is almost seven and it is still one of his favorites.
Comment by shannon t — May 30, 2007 @ 9:21 am
I remember reading the “Little House” books with my mom. It was fun to actually go to one of her ‘houses’ a few years back. I also loved “Where the Wild Things Are” and a book called “A Lion In the Meadow” (although, they have recently republished it with new illustrations that do NOT do it justice). I loved the pink colors (I loved pink) in the illustrations. I also remember the Sweet Valley High series. My best friend used to even read them in college (she got teased a lot, but she didn’t care). They were the best! I was a HUGE Francine Pascal fan (anything she wrote was golden), Judy Blume, Ramona books and a few other authors who wrote what they would call now “contemporary books” with a slight bit of romance (as much romance as you could have back in the day, now days the teenage books seem to be a lot different…the ones I am thinking of also dealt with issues along with a little romance).
Comment by katie — May 30, 2007 @ 9:34 am
the Misty series was one of my favorites. we used to drive down to Chincoteague and spend time in the reserves there.
All the L.M Alcott books, the Anne of Green Gables series, Little House series were some of my favorite books too. Sometimes I still reread them.
Comment by Cail — May 30, 2007 @ 9:42 am
I loved the Chincoteaugue books, too. And Island of the Blue Dolphins. Oh, and I read all the Oz books and Wrinkle in Time… man, how lucky were we that books were introduced so young and with such joy? I know for me, reading has made all the difference. I wish every child could know the pleasure.
Comment by Jo Leigh — May 30, 2007 @ 10:14 am
Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, etc - I’m going back to the 40s & 50s. Little Black Sambo - it’s back in print now!!
Comment by Karen B — May 30, 2007 @ 10:17 am
I’m going to look for a copy of Little Black Sambo now that it’s back in print, thanks! I knew they were planning a reprint, but never saw it in stores…though with all the controversy, I guess I can see why. It’s a shame because the STORY was never the problem, just the illustrations and the word “sambo” which I honestly have never heard used as a racial slur. I keep thinking it’s just from a different era? I don’t know. Either way, it’s a great story…or at least, that’s how I remember it!
Comment by Julie Leto — May 30, 2007 @ 10:28 am
Oh count me in on almost all of the above! Loved Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon and the Little House books. Island of the Blue Dolphin was wonderful–I reread it when one of my kids had to. Adored A Wrinkle In Time and went through a Madeleine L’Engle glom, which all my kids have now read, too.
I remember being in maybe 3rd grade and they had one of those Scholastic book order days. I ordered a book called “What The Witch Left” and absolutely loved that book. I read it over and over throughout elementary school. Just one of those things that stuck with me.
Comment by Leslie — May 30, 2007 @ 10:30 am
I forgot about Anne of Green Gables. I loved that book so much that my aunt and uncle bought me a second copy when they were on Prince Edwards Island when I was 12. I also love the whole Wrinkle in Time series.
Comment by Liza — May 30, 2007 @ 10:47 am
Hands down all time favorite for me was The Secret Garden. We borrowed it from the Bookmobile which was outside our school every Wednesday afternoon. My mom read us a chapter every night and we were hooked. I’ve since then read it to both my children and watched the movie with them.
Now that I think back it was probably the Bookmobile that allowed me to discover the pleasure in reading, before that I read because it was required of me.
Neither of my children are big readers, even though I read to them every night
Comment by Tina Martinesi — May 30, 2007 @ 11:08 am
I loved Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. My dad was (is) an avid reader and I developed my love of books from him. To this day my dad will devour a good western in a day and I remember reading his books when I was young because he made them look so interesting. As for my kids, my daughter loves to read and her book collection is almost as out of control as mine. My son likes to read, but finding books that interest him is usually the problem.
Comment by Patty L. — May 30, 2007 @ 11:47 am
Little Women and all of the Nancy Drew books were constant companions until middle school. Then I jumped to whatever my mom or older siser were reading. I read many things that was too old for me, but somehow survived. I still remember reading JAWS at 12! I was afraid to go swimming in the lake all summer.
My kids love to read, but they are boys and are not inerested in Jo or Nancy. The oldest-middle schooler- is suddenly into history. He just started THE KILLER ANGELS. My youngest-third grade-reads anything he can get his hands on, so I have to vet his reading material for suitability due to his age. He loves Harry Potter, Eragon, etc.
Comment by Fiona — May 30, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
Nancy Drew! My grandfather setup a subscription for me so I received every book in the series. It’s the best gift I can remember getting as a kid. I eventually gave them to the girls I babysat for.
Comment by Susan — May 30, 2007 @ 12:37 pm
Oh, wow, great question. My fondest childhood memories are of reading. Trixie Belden, Little House on the Prairie, Ramona, Boxcar Children, Sweet Valley Twins…I read everything I could get my hands on. I loved reading biographies, too, like Laura Ingalls Wilder and Helen Keller. I don’t have kids yet, but when I do, I’m afraid their fate is pre-determined: they will be readers!!!
Comment by Julie S — May 30, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
For me it was mainly Nancy Drew and the Little House series. I also enjoyed the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books–I still remember laughing so hard at those I cried.
My favorite Beverly Cleary book is absolutely, hands-down, ELLEN TIBBETS. Never in childhood had I come across a heroine more like me–especially when it came to the drooping underwear in ballet class, and the odious Otis mimicking her every move to hitch it back up. Another favorite Cleary read (when I was a teen) was SISTER OF THE BRIDE. Ms. Cleary was like the Erma Bombeck for America’s baby-boomer youth–she could make you see the humor in the growing pains of childhood, though admittedly I see that humor more clearly now than I did as a child.
Another book I found in the local library and loved was MISSING MELINDA by Jacqueline Jackson, about identical twins and a kidnapped doll. It was fresh and funny and . . . a long time ago. I was about 11 years old, but I still remember and smile.
Comment by Karen Lingefelt — May 30, 2007 @ 2:05 pm
My half-brothers, who were much older (14 & 12 years older) were amazed by my reading abilities.
They didn’t know my mom read to me all the time and I had memorized all the words of the books.
“Kate and Kitty” was my absolute favorite. Kitty was always on the wrong side of the door and to this day I tease my cat about always being on the wrong side of the door. I also read Hardy Boys - no Nancy Drew.
When I was in Jr. High I read, what I guess was a YA, about a girl who loved violets and the sweet boy gave her a necklace made out of a porcelain violet. I have no idea the name of the book but every spring when the violets pop up I think about that book. Also, “Are You There God? It’s me Margarite” was another I read over and over.
To my boys I read, “Never Talk to Strangers,” “The Pokey Little Puppy,” and “That’s Good, That’s Bad.” What a fun topic and fun to go back and remember!!
Comment by Jodie — May 30, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
Boy, I had to think waaaaay back to childhood! I was an avid reader as we did not have TV until I was 13 & then it was only a local channel & we had 1 channel, black & white!! My how life has changed!
The Bobbsey Twins were big favorites & then the older sibling of the twins, also the Little House books & Misty, Black Beauty, and I remember reading a book about Queen Elizabeth & her sister as children that I really loved, the name might have been Lilibet but I’m not sure. All three of my grandchildren have been readers which makes me very happy. I think the oldest one doesn’t read much any more but maybe a little, he is 18, plays guitar & spends time with his friends! Oh yea, he is still in high school & doesn’t have enough credits to graduate so he is still going to be taking classes!! The two younger grandchildren read some but they both play baseball & are busy with school activities. I remember the Little Black Sambo book & how the tigers melted! Boy, that was a long time ago. I’m pretty sure it was a Little Golden Book, but I could be wrong!
Julie, thanks for bringing up fond memories.
Comment by Donna M — May 30, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
Its funny how the titles don’t come straight to mind. Where The Wild Things Are; Indian In The Cupboard and its sequels, babysitters club, sleepover friends and pretty well anything by Gordon Korman I read through in a flash. Plus there was a book where a girl had these magicial pencil crayons and she drew a picture of her with wings and she started to grow them. that was one of my faves for years.
Comment by Lis — May 30, 2007 @ 2:39 pm
My niece and nephews are just getting old enough to share the good stuff with, so I look forward to introducing them to lots of old favorites. In DVD form we’ve already fell in love with Rikki Tikki Tavi, one of my all time favorites, too. And of course, Charlotte’s Web though the original cartoon movie was fantastic the book is still the best.
Oh, and I think every kid should have to read Velveteen Rabbit. That one still makes me cry. Beautiful story. And Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax made a big impression on me when I was just a budding tree-hugger, lol.
There’s a kid’s book one of my classmates did a dramatic reading of in drama class many years ago. Not sure the author, but the title was I’ll Love You Forever, with a great tear-jerking poem. Found it on the shelves and read it to the kids, though it chokes me up.
I’m trying to find the Thornton Burgess series starting with Little Joe Otter that I read and re-read until the pages pretty much fell out of the books as a kid. And the Olga da Polga series by Michael Bond — so much better than his Paddington the Bear books.
Comment by Laure — May 30, 2007 @ 3:03 pm
I have never been given a summer reading list nor have my kids….hmm maybe its the area.
I loved Nancy Drew and this series about girls at a boarding school. I read ALL the time, Judy Blume and countless others. My mom fianlly made me get rid of my keepers when I was about 22, now my daughter is 9 and I am buying new hardcovers of Nancy Drew. I will never make her get rid of hers.
Also, I have checked all the bookstores for one book I read about the Amish when I was in 6th grade. It was Out of Time Into Love or the hardcover was Halfway Down Paddy Lane. I have yet to find it. Maybe I will try this google thing.
Have a great day!
Comment by Debbie — May 30, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
Well, in the dark ages, I remember loving & reading the following: Bobbsey Twins; Nancy Drew mysteries; Louisa Mae Alcott’s books; a series of books about dogs & horses (I think one author was Terhune); & a group of 30 or so orange books that told stories of RL people: Presidents, sports figures, inventors, etc., written for pubescent teens. Sadly, a few years ago, when I inquired at the library if the latter books were still available, the librarian didn’t even know what they were.
Patricia A.
Comment by Patricia — May 30, 2007 @ 5:06 pm
My mom used to read me the golden books(small hardback version) I liked those because they were easy for me to hold while she read them.
I like reading the Hawaiian Heritage books to my kids, our favorites are Limu the Blue Turtle, Humu and Momi the mermaid.
Comment by danette — May 30, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
Yes I remember feeling bad about the controversy over.
“Little Black Sambo”. It actually was a book about “India” and the
confusion involved “Sambo” the name.
The author was Helen Bannerman and there
is a free ebook on the internet at, http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17824
Didn’t Disney do it later in a revised version?
My very favorite book as a youngster was “The little Red Pony”
Comment by jeannie — May 30, 2007 @ 6:12 pm
PS> just finished “Under the Wire” book 5 in the bodyguard series.
I was also a good read if your keeping track.
Cindy said here that Manny was her favorite male and I can see why.
Guess this means I have to try and get
“Into the Dark” now!
I have enjoyed these books.
Comment by jeannie — May 30, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
I have my father’s copy of Little Black Sambo. It’s really old.
I read anything I could get my hands on. I ventured out into Sci-fi when I was 8 thanks to the MacCaffrey Dragon Books. Mom had it out and I read it. Then I moved into mysteries she felt we ok. I was never told I couldn’t read something. If I wanted to try it, I did.
I did all the nancy drew/hardy boys books.
As a little kid I loved Make Way For Ducklings. Still do. And harold and the Purple Crayon. And Curious George. Although we have perverted that one at work.
I love being in the kids section- I keep buying books for the twins. And I am having a blast doing it!!
Comment by ev — May 30, 2007 @ 6:20 pm
My favorites were the Boxcar Children, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and a book called The Strawberry Girl. And I guess my love of romance books started at an early age. I remember reading Judy Blume’s “Forever” and turning in a book report on it in the 6th grade. I also vividly remember my teacher’s eyebrows arching so high they hit her hairline. I got an A on the book report, though.
Comment by ~ Leslie in GA~ — May 30, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
by far Nancy Drew books. Of Course the Beverly Cleary books about the Ralph the mouse, her other books were great too. Charlie and the chocolate factor. Judy Bloom and her Fudge Series of books and other great books. These are the ones I remember the most. I also read James and the Giant Peach. I really think your daughter would get a kick out of reading Judy Blume novels.
Comment by Mary — May 30, 2007 @ 9:07 pm
My favorites were the Nancy Drew books. In the sixth and seventh grade I read every book (the librarian started holding them for when someone turned one in I hadn’t checked out). I thought the Judy Blume books were good to - ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ was the one I remember most. When I was younger though ‘Where the Windl Things Are’ was a great book I remember. ‘Charlotte’s Web’ and the ‘Little House’ books were also winners.
I left all of those behind when I discovered Harlequin in the eighth grade. I never looked back…
Comment by Lynn Matherly — May 30, 2007 @ 10:47 pm
ev, hang on to that copy…I went to an Antiquarian store YEARS ago and the copy that looked like MY father’s sold for nearly $200!
Sorry I was gone all day…found THREE Trojan horse viruses on my computer that have been keeping me from posting. Buggers. I’ve managed to quarantine them with Norton, but my computer guy will be here on Friday to completely wipe them out, hopefully!
Thanks to everyone who posted today…such memories! And it’s surprising how many of us read the same books…or is it? I mean, our favorites are the ones we share with others!
Comment by Julie Leto — May 30, 2007 @ 11:15 pm
I shared my fav books with my daughter.
Little House on the Prairie books
Maud Hart Lovelace books
Judy Blume Books
And Beverly Cleary - I loved her stuff - Beezus and Ramona and all from that great series:love2:
Comment by Pat L. — May 31, 2007 @ 7:31 am
Judy Blume
Beverley Cleary
Baby Sitters’ Club Books
Sweet Valley High Books
Box Car Children
Nancy Drew
RL Stine
Comment by RachaelfromNJ — May 31, 2007 @ 1:11 pm