Geeking...Week 3

Week 3 of Weekly Geeks challenges us to write a bit about our fond memories of the books of our childhood. To be perfectly honest, I hate admitting how little I remember of my childhood. When it comes to reading, I know that I was always a big reader. I remember in elementary school that we would participate in Read-a-Thons. I have no idea what we were raising money for, but I do remember how I loved filling up line after line and sheet after sheet with the book titles I'd read. But what books I read...I just couldn't tell you.

One of my old stand-bys was this set of books. The Children's Hour. Oh, how I loved these books. Each volume, loaded with tons and tons of stories, had a genre-like focus. One featured old-time favorites, one sports related stories, one science fiction, etc. I read some of the stories (like The Velveteen Rabbit) over and over, while some I never revisited. (I apologize...I know I posted this same photo not long ago, but it just seemed so appropriate for this week's topic.)



I also had a set of the Little House books, which Annie now owns, but I have to admit that I only ever read the first few...they just didn't do a lot for me. I never read any Nancy Drew, but I did love Trixie Beldon! I also remember reading lots of Encyclopedia Brown.

And then there was Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. I loved that book. I obsessed over that book. I'll bet I read it 20 times (that may be an exaggeration, but not by much). I have this book on my Heart of Child challenge list, so one of these days I will get around to reading it again...and surely will get quite a laugh out of it!

I also really loved From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler! Man, I spent hours daydreaming about hiding away and living in a museum.

As I got a little older, S.E. Hinton entertained me for hours. That Was Then, This Is Now. The Outsiders. Rumble Fish. Yep, read her books over and over, too.

And late in middle school, I discovered Stephen King. I had to read everything of his as it came out. Before high school was over, I'd read The Stand three times (and it remains my favorite book to this day).

The only other thing I can remember concerning books as a kid was the BookMobile. I lived for the days the BookMobile came! Unfortunately, you were only allowed to get out a couple books each time, and it only came around every couple weeks...but still, it was definitely a highlight!

childhood magic

I absolutely loved reading this post by Chris the other day about his favorite books. Not titles, but the actual, physical books. And I have since enjoyed everyone's corresponding posts. I didn't write such a post though, because I thought that I didn't actually get attached to books so much as to the stories they contained. But then it hit me this morning, as I started work on a new, very neurotic project (I'll probably post about that in a day or two), that there is a set of books that I am extremely attached to. They no longer belong to me though; I'd given them to Annie.

This set of red books. Called The Children's Hour. From my childhood. Oh, how I loved these books! I spent countless hours reading these. Some stories I would read just once, while some I would read over and over and over again.



One of the stories I read time and time again was The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. I bought a Golden Book copy of this book for Annie when she was little, but she just never loved it like I did. I don't think I've ever read it to the boys, and I really do need to remedy that. (I'm guessing Max won't like it, but Gray just might.)

Anyway, when I heard about Becky's Heart of a Child reading challenge, I knew The Velveteen Rabbit would definitely be one of my choices. It's the very first book that I can remember loving like this. And when I learned over at Nymeth's that this week is Read an E-Book Week, I decided to see if The Velveteen Rabbit was available on-line. And, of course, it is (otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned it)...right here...in case you'd like a chance to revisit a childhood classic.

I must say, when I read it again this morning, I was every bit as enchanted by it as I ever was. It's such a sweet magical tale about the power of love.