Monday, July 20, 2009

Bookworm

Queen Bee tagged me in this wonderfully fun book game. The rules? To list my favorite literary moments as a child. It was NOT easy to cull this list down. I was a complete and utter bookworm when I was young (it hasn't changed much since then). Without further ado, here are my favorites then (and still now).

1. Frances books - Of all of the characters I encountered in my fictional journeys, I most related to Frances the badger. The little rhymes she made up, and her well-intentioned, yet often melodramatic, antics always melted my heart. Bread and Jam for Frances is the best, by far.2. The Boxcar Children - this series was captivating, charming, sweet, and wonderful. Not only was I enchanted by the adventures of the Boxcar Children on the page, I translated it into my real life. I would play "Orphans" on a regular basis and pretend I was an orphan running away from a terrible orphanage and hiding in a boxcar (these books + Annie, maybe?). Please don't judge my warped imagination.3. The Bobbsey Twins - I was never able to really get into Nancy Drew, but the Bobbsey Twins mysteries had my full attention. Always riveting, but rarely terrifying, their hijinks had me entertained for hours on end. Flossie was clearly my favorite, because she was so precocious, and with a name like Flossie, what was there not to love?4. Madeline - Who doesn't love Madeline? I mean, really? I don't think I need to even explain this one. I think I owned almost the entire series.
5. Berenstein Bears - Ditto for the bear family. How could I pick a favorite? If I had to, it might be the summer camp one. Or the puppy. Or the gimme gimme's...
6. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs - Not a chapter book, but to this day, one of my most treasured picture books. It was so whimsical and fanciful, and even though, I think the overarching idea was fairly scary and negative, I wanted to live in the town of Chewandswallow. I was thrilled to hear that a movie version will be released this fall.
7. The BFG - Standing for Big Friendly Giant, I read this book over and over again. I love any and everything by Roald Dahl, but I think this one tops the list. I even dressed as Sophie one year for our school's character day.8. Amelia Bedelia - Another year, I dressed up as the lovable and kooky Amelia Bedelia. These are some of the most entertaining stories I've read to date. I dare you to read one and not crack a smile!9. The Mandie Series - These books are much lesser-known, and maybe only published regionally. I ate them up when I lived in Knoxville because they took place in Tennessee. Mandie was an orphan (natch... I can't resist a good orphan), and her tales were always poignant and harrowing. She was also a devoted Christian girl, which I admired.10. Lurlene McDaniel novels - When I graduated a bit from the easy reader books, I was immediately attracted to any and everything by Lurlene McDaniel. As if my obsessions with orphans was not enough, I added to it a love for the tragic. No McDaniel book had a happy ending. Someone always died - a baby, a boyfriend, a parent, a best friend, it didn't matter. Usually it was from terminal illness - AIDS, cancer, etc. I still don't know why I was such a voracious reader of these sad, sad books.

I could go on and on, but for now, I think that's a solid synopsis.

16 comments:

Magda said...

Lurlene McDaniel!! I used to read those, as well. Along with a lot of others from your list. :)

Unknown said...

I LOVED the Mandy series too and they're so hard to find now! I also love Boxcar children- I'm in the process of trying to collect the entire set.

Britt said...

I read the Mandie series and the Boxcar children!

holly-lynn said...

boxcar children! love it. forgot how much i loveed all of those books!

Sarah Elizabeth said...

I loved all these books too, but especially the Mandie books! I discovered them the summer going into 4th grade when I lived in Prince William County Virginia and have looked for them since in other places I've lived but have never found them!

The Pink Chick said...

I adore Amelia Bedelia. Both my mom and I love those books!

QueenBeeSwain said...

kept on saying "shut up" aloud when reading through your fav's! the berenstein bears are just not to be beat! oddly enough, the stranger danger one was my fav'- ooh kreepy!

cloudy with a chance of meatballs was something I'd always check out of the library- loved the illustrations!

and you cannot go wrong with roald dahl!

great pics!

xoox

kHm

Piper Jacquelyn said...

Oh my goodness - talk about a flashback! Lurlene McDaniel, haha! I loved all these books - I remember "ordering" them from the scholastic booklets & patiently waiting 2 weeks to get them at school. So fun!

DSS said...

Madeline was always a favorite for sure. Now, I feel out of the loop. Who is this Lurlene McDaniel of which you speak? Hmmmm.....perhaps I need to pick one up?

~M~ said...

I LOVED LOVED the L. McDaniel books!!

Brown Eyed Girl said...

My siblings and I all loved playing boxcar children too! (and I will still pick up the Bernstien Bears if there is a copy at the Dentist or Doctor's office!)

Shannon Dew said...

Loved Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs!!! I forgot all about that book!!!!

Annabel Manners said...

OMG! We are library soul sisters. I read and loved almost all of those. How could I have forgotten about Frances? Thank you, great post! :)

Lexilooo said...

I LOVED the Boxcar Children and one of my friends and I played Orphanage too! We'd set up an area of my room where the orphan had to sleep and then the other would come by, pretending to be prospective parents! I thought I was the only one who played this game :)

MLD said...

oh my goodness i LOVED cloudy with a chance of meatballs! you totally just brought me back to my childhood. :)

Jennifer said...

I loved these books! Especially the Mandie series!!!