We all know about comfort foods (and don’t get me started on scalloped potatoes and warm chocolate pudding). But recently I came upon a copy of Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking, and the mere sight of it sent some of those same warm, wonderful comfort feelings rushing through me (without, I might add, the fat and calories).
I remembered how I got my copy from the Scholastic Book Club at school, and how I’d moved it to the top of the pile, so excited to read it. And how I’d lost myself in it from page one. That time, and again and again over the next few years, when I'd turn to Pippi when bored or a little sad.
I’m pretty sure there were some sequels, but they didn’t “do” for me what the original did, and so why mess with success?
Two more favorites from that time--also from the Scholastic Book Club--that rarely left my night table: Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink and The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz.
Years later, I was so excited to share these books with my daughter, and to my delight, she loved them, too.
Do you have books from your childhood that you turned to again and again? Books that to this day can make you smile? Dish 'em out (again calorie-free) in our comments!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Comfort Reads!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
15 fresh comments:
oh my gosh. Little House on the Prairie. Oh, how I treasured that book! I remember begging, begging for the whole Wilder bookset for Christmas. And yup, I still have it (well, okay, to be honest, it's still in my childhood room in my mother's house -- but they're very safe there! )
I literally inhaled Roald Dahl's books. Even now I can't find fault with them!
Anne of Green Gables for me. No matter where or when I read that book, I'm transported to Prince Edward Island. And there's always an Anne book for you no matter how old you are, which I love.
The Little Prince by Antoine de St Exupery. My uncle gave me a copy in French and one in English and I loved being able to go back and forth between the two. Plus the story was soooo sad.
I think when I was in grade school it was all about Beverly Cleary and those books with each grade in the title? Totally blanking on them right now!
Great post!!
The Giving Tree - shel silverstein
The Dr. Suess books
Definitely Roald Dahl, loved the BFG
Matthew's Midnight Adventures by Allen Morgan (I used to love these)
and Robert Munsch
Thinking about these makes me all nostalgic
The Wind In The Willows, Madeleine, and Barbar. Those were my favorites.
But I read everything, from cereal boxes to the printing on tubes of toothpaste.
love pippi longstocking! it was my fav in elementary school :D
So much fun hearing everyone's favorites! Thank you!
When I was in first or second grade my mom got me into The Boxcar Children series. She had read them as a child and that just made me feel good about them.
I also love Harold and the Purple Crayon! We had that book when I was a toddler and it is a favorite to this day. In fact, when I found out that the elementary school that I went to as a child and work at now was doing a mural for the library I got excited. They had some of my favorite characters in the mural, like Harold with his purple crayon and some characters from Where the Wild Things Are; which was a book that I had gotten for my 6th birthday.
I also like The Monster at the End of This Book. It is too funny!
And for a bit more "grown-up" feeling book, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Which I read in 3rd grade.
~Meredith F.
Thanks, Meredith, those are wonderful books to share!
I was completely addicted to The Baby-Sitter's Club books. Of course Anne of Green Gables was a staple as well as the Little House series. Any time I was sick or sad or just needed a story my grandmother would always read those to me. It's one of my fondest memories.
Most of the YA from my childhood that I still own though consists of Mary Downing Hanh titles and scary kidlit by Betty Ren Wright. One of my favorites is Christina's Ghost.
What a wonderful memory of your grandmother, Erin!
And those Babysitters Club books were really important to a lot of girls!
My favourite would ahve to have been 'A little Princess' by Francis Hodgson Burnett. I got it for my sixth birthday, and it is still one that i pull out and read when I'm feeling down. In fact I might just go read it now... :D
I also adored 'What Katy Did' and 'The Railway Children'
Post a Comment