My friend Randi did a post on her blog about books and it got me thinking about the books in our house. I remember being read to...ALOT! I don't remember all of them but to this day I can pick up a book and it will stir up a childhood memory; laying in bed listening to my dad read-he always smelled clean, like shaving cream, toothpaste and soap, going to the library and listening to story time, remembering how much I loved to check-out books at the library-I always wanted to open each book and put a return card in it. The first book I remember reading was "Rub-a-Dub Suds", I got to read it to my kindergarten class. My best friend Calley was jealous so she had her mom read it to her until she memorized it and she "read" it to the class as well! I hope she eventually learned to read for real...she is now a Homeschooling Momma to 3 precious boys!
My parents never had to "make" me go to bed, I couldn't wait to get in bed so I could read. I remember having a stack of chapter books by my bed and I would read a chapter or two each night out of each of them. I remember in 3rd grade we had indoor recess one day, the class was rowdy but I was immersed in a book. Ms. Armstrong asked me how I could concentrate and I didn't know how to answer-I was in a different world-I could read for hours at a time.
One of my motivations for becoming a teacher was my love for reading-it was the most amazing thing to me to see my students learn to read! Through my college years I invested a small fortune in Children's Literature. I had so many books in my classroom that I had to rotate them-I didn't have enough room in my library for all of them! I have a collection of books for each holiday-right down to Groundhog Day and Martin Luther King Day! When I decided to stay home I was so grateful that I had bought most of my books with personal money so that I could bring them home for my children. We have them EVERYWHERE! I even have a bucket of books in the van for the kids to read.
So, with all of that said, here are just a few of my favorite childhood books.
1. Don't Call Me Fatso- I was overweight even as a child and my mom bought this, I think to give me self-confidence, but maybe to let me know I was a Fatso. (JOKING)
2. When The New Baby Comes, I'm Moving Out- I got this when Mom was pregnant with Amanda, I loved the part where he was going to put his mom and baby in the trash can-I thought that sounded like a great idea. I read this to the girls when I was pregnant with Phoenix...Violet was uninterested and Veronika thought the boy was very mean.
3. Where The Wild Things Are- How can you not love this book? Who hasn't wanted to escape and be king of the Wild Things?
4. Philadelphia Chickens- This is a book/cd combo. The girls LOVE it! We get really crazy in the car and rock out to all of the silly songs.
5. The Dumb Bunnies- This book is hysterical! You MUST check it out.
6. The Going To Bed Book/Yoo Hoo, Little Rabbit- I combine these two into one because they are special for the same reason. I am not sure where these books came from or how it happened, but these are Violet's "night-night" books. They do not go on the bookshelf, they have a special place of honor next to the CD player so they are easily found everynight at bed time.
7. Someday- My friend Randi introduced me to this book. I cry EVERY TIME I READ IT! I look at it and think, "I know what is in you, you can't get to me this time. I will read you and not cry." I do ok for a few pages, and then my throat tightens up, and my eyes start to get wet, and then I give up and sob. I DO NOT read this book in front of anyone over the age of 2...I am embarrassed-but at the same time I want my children to always remember the message of this book.
8. I'm Gonna Like Me- One of my most important goals as a parent is to instill self-confidence in my children. In a world where we are bombarded with messages of what we "should" be I want them to love and like themselves no matter what.
9. Eric Carle books- I count this as one because there is not one of his books that I don't like. His illustrations are beautiful and his books hook children and adults alike.
10. On the Night You Were Born- Another confidence builder with sweet, soft words and beautiful illustrations.
11. Without You- A little Spann boy bought this for me at the book fair when I was teaching. I was very pregnant with Violet and cried as I read it to my class. "Where would I be? What would I do? Who in this world would see me through? Where would I be? What would I do? Without you"
