A Blast from the Past

Children's Book Week will soon end, but before it does I would like to pay my respects to children's books by spotlighting the books that I remember reading as a kid. Bear in mind that I began reading during the mid- to late 80s, and these books certainly reflect that era. I also listened to tons of audiobooks on cassette tape. If I'm being completely honest, I would do anything to listen to them once again; however, I didn't have the foresight to hang on to my cassette player. Ebay, here I come!

So here we go, starting with the very first thing I remember reading and ending with middle grade novels.

I learned to read by reading (nope, not books):

Why, oh why, did they have to stop making this cereal? I still have cravings for it. My fave cereal ever!

Cereal boxes!!! That's right. I learned to read by deciphering words on cereal boxes over breakfast. It's a habit I never managed to break. I still read cereal boxes (or cookbooks) at almost every meal. Old habits die hard.




Disney's Fun-To-Read Library books:

Disney's Read-Along books:

Other books on cassette tape:

P.S. These books made me laugh out loud each time I listened to them. Love!

Middle grade novels:

I read Charlotte's Web over and over again. The last line still makes me cry.  Best last line ever. Ever.                        

I have always had a mild obsession with horses, so Marguerite Henry was a winning author in my book. It was Henry's Misty of Chincoteague and King of the Wind that first introduced me to the mysterious "stickered books". Yes, I read Charlotte's Web *after* these.  

My fifth grade teacher read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing aloud to our class. I loved it so much, I checked Superfudge out of the school library. This teacher also read aloud Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School. I loved my teacher and her taste in books. 

I read this book during my sixth grade year. I don't know how familiar anyone is with this book, and I can only vaguely recall the storyline even though I read it twice, but it must've made an impression on me since I still think of it every now and then. I would read a chapter, close the book and stare at the cover, read a chapter, close the book and stare at the cover...

So that's it (or at least all I feel comfortable stuffing into a single blog post)! What books do you recall from your childhood? Let's celebrate with memories. Happy Children's Book Week!