When I was little, my parents had a set of book, bound with blue leather, on a cabinet in the living room. I loved those books. Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, and possibly my favourite book of all time, Pride and Prejudice. And four or five others I don’t remember. My mum threw them out a while ago, but I remember those books, and how I loved to read them, and I think it was those books that made me love to read. So, I have devised a new plan. I’m going to re-read all the books I loved as a child.
I don’t remember a lot about my childhood, for some reason, but I do remember the books. Not only the stories, but the books themselves. I can see The Ballet Shoes, cream, with tall black lettering, and a pale pink pair of ballet slippers. I can practically smell those old blue books. I can remember lying in my bed with a pink bedspread, in my room with pink walls, on Linwood Ave, with the door slightly ajar, reading. My Mum thought I liked to sleep with the door open because I was afraid of the dark, but it wasn’t that at all. If they left the light in in the hall, and the door was open, I could read by the light (I wonder why I need glasses now?).
I’m going to buy as many as possible, because one day, I might have a daughter. And if I do, I’d like to give her the same gift my parents gave me: Unfailing belief in my abilities and a sense of wonder at the worlds I found in books.
I’ve started making a list, from my memory, and from a bit of a Google, but I’ll add and subtract from it as I go. Feel free to leave a comment if there’s something on my list you think I might have forgotten. Yay, I love having a project! And hey, it’s much easier than that other book list!
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A Little Princess
Under the Mountain
The Secret Garden
The Little Prince
The Ballet Shoes
Ralph S. Mouse
Curious George
Madeleine
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Charlotte’s Web
Black Beauty
Alice in Wonderland
Anne of Green Gables
The Wind in the Willows
Treasure Island
Robinson Crusoe
A bear called Paddington
Romona the Pest
James and the Giant Peach
The Twits
The Witches
The Diary of a Young Girl
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Hobbit
The Halfmen of O
The Fireraiser
Alex
Gullivers Travels
The Wizard of OZ
Any number of books by Judy Blume
8 responses so far ↓
Julie // July 14, 2008 at 3:01 am |
Did you ever read any Tamora Pierce? (Alannah the girl who wanted to be a knight is probably the character you would remember if you did) I love her to bits and still read a lot of her books. I’ve been slowly collecting good kids books (some I read as a child, others I am only getting around to now as an adult). There really is some tremendous writing, eg after years of turning my nose up at John Marsden’s Tomorrow When the War Began I read it recently and was astonished at how good it is and how much I just want to curl up in bed with the rest of the series.
meganwegan // July 14, 2008 at 3:56 am |
No, but it totally sounds like the kind of thing I would have lived.
Reminds me I must add some Nancy Drew to the list!
Caza // August 1, 2008 at 1:07 am |
Trixie Belden? I loved those.
meganwegan // August 1, 2008 at 1:08 am |
No, I never read those. I did find a stash of $6 Judy Blume’s at Arty Bees though. Exciting!
Wondering « Craft is the New Black // August 4, 2008 at 7:12 pm |
[...] The 2008 Book Project ← Friday frock [...]
Make Tea Not War // October 16, 2008 at 8:08 pm |
Great project! I’m thinking about getting the Little House on the Prairie books. both to read myself and share with my daughter.
amy // November 13, 2008 at 8:02 am |
What about The Enchanted Wood? Enid Blyton before she sold out. I have it if you want to borrow…
janine // December 10, 2008 at 6:43 am |
Love your project and have read and own a few of those books myself. What about Little Women, The Velveteen Rabbit, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,