Your Childhood Books

[milano]

What books/series did you read when you were young? (Young, as in anytime before you were 18). Inspired by all the American Girl talk in the other thread.

[Speedy]

I was a voracious reader, so way too many to list off lol, but I remember being really interested in the Wayside School books when I was younger. By the time I got to high school I was reading mostly sci fi books from my dads huge collection - I <3 Ray Bradbury. I also read Ella Enchanted way too many times. The cover literally fell off. I was soooo annoyed with the movie because they got it SO wrong

[charlotte]

The Betsy, Tacy, & Tib books!

I also liked those Dear America books.

[critter015]

I had the Samantha series of American Girl books and I think I remember borrowing some of the others from my cousins. I need to ask my mom about those books because I'd like to read them to C. I also read The Boxcar Children, The Babysitter's Club, Pony Pals, Thoroughbred, the Judy Blume books, Harry Potter (the first 4 when I was a kid, then I reread the whole series when the last one came out), Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly series, and Brian Jacques' Redwall (middle school). My favorite book for a long time was Smoky the Cowhorse, and I read it tons of times. I also remember enjoying books we read as a class, like Holes, Gone Away Lake, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Giver. I was a big reader, so I know there were more, I just can't think of them right now.

[charlotte]

Oh and Harry Potter, duh.

[snowmoon]

Harry Potter over and over. I also remember reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn about a dozen times. I loved The Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies when I had to read them for high school English.

[snowmoon]

Oh, Critter. The Giver was so good.

[ovenrack]

So many books. But in terms of series, I read all of the Boxcar Children, all of the Little House books (and the spinoffs), The Babysitter's Club.

Everything by Roald Dahl, and anything in the genre of survival children books: The Cay, My Side Of The Mountain, Julie Of The Wolves, Island Of The Blue Dolphins, Sign Of The Beaver, etc.

There's tons more, but that's what springs to mind.

I still re-read The Giver yearly.

[critter015]

ovenrack I love all of those books too! I have reread My Side of the Mountain a lot.

[milano]

I was really into mysteries. My library had a great inter-library loan program so I read all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. There's 2 series of each I think, and a crossover series and I read every single one, I was obsessed. Also, the Boxcar Children, Agatha Christie. My favorite non-series books that I remember were Little Women, Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Carry On, Mr Bowditch.
ETA: all of the Anne of Green Gables series, I'm pretty sure I read through those at least twice.

I remember hating The Giver when I had to read it in junior high-ish, but I've been meaning to re-read. Same with To Kill a Mockingbird. I think I just didn't like being forced to read something. Also I was homeschooled at that point so it was my mother assigning reading material, so I'm sure that was part of it too.

[charlotte]

Oh yes, I had a TON of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys-- my grandma owned all of the originals and gave them to me. So good.

I also loved Boxcar Children for a time... completely forgot about those!

This conversation makes me realize how much I DON'T read now.

[critter015]

This post actually made me sad about how much I used to love to read and how I just don't do it anymore. I still love books and I have a ton of books on my nightstand that I haven't read.

[mathrun]

milano I hated To Kill A Mockingbird too! You are the first person I've "heard" say that. Everyone usually loves it and I always feel like a jerk for not liking it.

Also it makes me feel really old that Harry Potter was out before a lot of you turned 18.

I read pretty much anything I could get my hands on. Babysitters club, Nancy Drew, Little House on the Prairie, any thing by Dean Koontz, Choose Your Own Adventure books.

[nikkipal]

Sweet Valley Twins. I was obsessed. Also, Little House books, Ronald Dahl, Stephen King, The Neverending Story (read again and again). So many more, but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. I was 16 when the first Harry Potter book was released, but I didn't start reading them until college.

[nikkipal]

Sept 16, 2017 11:43:15 GMT -6 nikkipal said:

Sweet Valley Twins. I was obsessed. Also, Little House books, Ronald Dahl, Stephen King, The Neverending Story (read again and again). So many more, but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. I was 16 when the first Harry Potter book was released, but I didn't start reading them until college.

Right, also Choose your Own Adventure, R.L. Stine, and Christopher Pike.

[mintyblueair]

Ugh I typed a long response to this and then deleted it accidentally 😒

I'll just list a few of my absolute favorites:

The giver
A wrinkle in Time/a swiftly tilting planet/many Waters/a wind in the door
Bridge to terabithia
Hatchet
Charlie and the chocolate factory
1984
Walk two moons
Silverwing/firewing/Sunwing
Lord of the flies
Death of a salesman

[mintyblueair]

Oh, and the phantom of the Opera and Anne of Green gables!

[nikkipal]

mintyblueair, How did I leave out Madeline L'Engle?! Particularly with Disney coming out with A Wrinkle in Time movie.

[mintyblueair]

Sept 16, 2017 12:44:39 GMT -6 nikkipal said:

mintyblueair, How did I leave out Madeline L'Engle?! Particularly with Disney coming out with A Wrinkle in Time movie.

I had no idea there was going to be a movie! How exciting! Her books are so wonderful.

[ovenrack]

Oh man. Anne of Green Gables and all the followers.

[stringy]

Loved the boxcar children and something similar about girls at sleepaway camp. Also caddie Woodlawn.

[stringy]

I'm team yes to the Giver and Bridge to Terabithia.

I wish I had never watched either movie though. Dumb.

[sassyq]

Oh my, I read pretty much the entire children library, so listing all my favs would be impossible.

My absolute favorite as a kid was Ella Enchanted. Also, the movie is probably the worst movie ever made from a book.

I also loved anything by:
Louis Sachar (wayside!)
Rohld Dahl
Robin McKinley
The Magic Tree House books

The giver, to kill a mockingbird, bridge to terabithia all amazing

Anne of Green Gables is my spirit animal

One of my all time favorite books no one has ever heard of is Mara Daughter of the Nile.

The Joona Trilogy was life changing

His dark materials trilogy on audio book because the second two books were full cast and amazingly done.

Ok, I'll quit now. I was a homeschooled only child, I read a lot

[ovenrack]

Sept 16, 2017 17:46:55 GMT -6 stringy said:

Loved the boxcar children and something similar about girls at sleepaway camp. Also caddie Woodlawn.

OMG Caddie Woodlawn!!!!!  

[charlotte]

I remember this book I was really into in HS, I actually think it might have been Christian chick-lit... who said they read that genre? DGM ? Not my usual genre at all but the only book that has ever made me cry-- it was called Pretense. I recommend it to anyone who is into that genre.

[stringy]

I refused to read amelia bedelia to M tonight. fuck that.

[tj]

Sept 16, 2017 19:41:33 GMT -6 stringy said:

I refused to read amelia bedelia to M tonight. fuck that.

Wait, but why?

[nikkipal]

The Phantom Tollbooth

[stringy]

Sept 16, 2017 19:42:00 GMT -6 tj said:

Sept 16, 2017 19:41:33 GMT -6 stringy said:

I refused to read amelia bedelia to M tonight. fuck that.

Wait, but why?

because its annoying AF.

are we talking about the same thing? lol

[tj]

Maybe

Have not read Amelia bedelia since I was a little kid. But I remember thinking it was hilarious. Like when she called roll. Here roll! Come here roll!