Because when your kids are reading, they're not setting fire to things
This post is sponsored by Chronicle Books. Who doesn't like books? Nobody I'd like to know, is who.
I made this video today, and the thing you need to know is that my film-editor husband was working so I put this together in iMovie by MYSELF and I am quite proud of me. Also, that is a terrible freeze-frame. Although really, is there ever a good one?
Did you enjoy my use of the iMovie music? Scott is rolling his eyes, probably, or he will be, when he sees this. This is not what this post was supposed to be about. Reading! It's about reading.
The Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure Novels are Chronicle’s new series for kids. They are similar in format to your classic Choose Your Own Adventure books, but, I think, more appropriate for kids of Henry's age and sophistication. (He wears a tux to bed.) Henry tore through all three of them within a week. There's one about the Amazon, one about Everest, and one that's Mars-themed. Here's the trailer for the Mars one. It's pretty great. (Almost as great as the video I recently created. Maybe you've heard of it? It's right up there.)
Want these books for a child in your life, or maybe for you? (I'm not going to judge you if you want them for yourself.) Leave a comment. What's the first book you remember falling in love (or at least deep like) with as a kid? Tell me! I'll pick a winner at random.
I remember my first book-love all too clearly. It was a picture book. Each page featured photos: heaps of pastel cookies, climbed on by curious, fuzzy kittens. I don't remember the story. I just remember the cookies and kittens. The kittens and cookies. It was a magical, soft-focus and probably unhygienic world, and I wanted to be in it. Eating the cookies, owning the kittens. I hope I was a toddler when I had this book, but who knows? I might have been twelve. I was probably not twelve. But I can guarantee you that if I had found that book when I was twelve, I would have kept it, and maybe looked at it every night.
Alice
According to Random.org, our winner is...
Ann! She loved Where the Sidewalk Ends, and she is not wrong about that. I mean, it's no kittens and cookies, but it's pretty terrific.
Reader Comments (119)
I've always loved to read but the earliest ones that stand out are Nancy Drew and Judy Blume.
I loved all the shoe books- Ballet Shoes, Theater Shoes, Movie Shoes- and read them over and over. I reread them all again recently and was surprised at much of the themes. Father at war, children earning money. Father hits a child with his car and gets depressed, children earning money. Obviously my own children are slackers in comparison.
I don't remember any favorites as a kid. I did go to the library once I could read well and basically started at A. I picked over some and read about 40 books with authors having last names starting with A. I did this for a while and got to about K when I read some Stephen King. After that I went back to totally random. I would pick up books my sisters had read and that's where I got some of them.
The first real favorite book I had was "Master Of The Game". Something about the determination of the characters stirred me. I still read like a maniac and it's almost like binge eating. I get on a reading high and then once I've enhaled the whole book I get this crash at the end where I just can't believe it's over already. Therapy would probably help, but I just try to go to the library a lot.
I ADORED the Choose Your Own Adventure books when I was a kid, even though they came out at a time when I was probably a little too old for them. I know a couple of kids who would get a real kick out of these. They sound great!
The first book I really fell for was A Wrinkle in Time.
Can I smirk a tiny bit that you did a video about reading? Oops, too late. LOVED the video though. And, as the mom of a 8-yr-old boy, couldn't agree more about some of the blechy stuff I've been tricked/forced into buying and reading. (I'm getting better about going to the library for anything I have doubts about.)
My favorite book as a wee book lover was "I Can't Said the Ant" by Polly Cameron. Our (older lady) neighbor had it and would read it to me. I didn't own it until I found it used for an unseemly amount of money, about ten years ago. It's been out of print since forever.
I remember my teacher reading Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh to our class. I thought that book was so amazing that I checked it out of the library to read myself. I bought it a couple years ago and read it to my son who also loved it.
Rain Makes Applesauce was an early love. McBroom's Ghost. Anything that was a mystery. Borrowers, The Littles, Cleary, Encyclopedia Brown, Choose Your Own Adventure. Many, many more.
My children love Heckedy Peg (see above) which I personally find sort of creepy and awful - I have never quite been able to get at what they like so much about it (other than the illustrations which are truly beautiful).
My son would love those books! If I don't win, I'll get him one anyway.
My first favorite book I remember was 'The BFG' only because I happened to read it right before our teacher read it to the class, so I felt like hot stuff. Great book, though, of course.
I love your blog! :)
Anything by Shel Silverstein (I can still recite a few poems) and Roald Dahl. I also enjoyed "Alice in Wonderland" & "Through the Looking Glass" and "The Phantom Tollbooth"
Easy! The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia Scarry (I was a sucker for holiday-themed books). I bought this book a few years ago for my son since I had such fond memories. And let me tell you, they don't make scratch n' sniff like they used to.
Loved the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary! I specifically remember Ramona Quimby, Age 8. I grew up in Portland and Cleary uses many of Portland's streets and landmarks as character names in her books.
I loved Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books and Ramona and Beezus books.
The book that made me a life-long reader was <B>D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths</B>
I read it over, and over, and over again. Cover to cover. I'm fairly certain that it's the reason that I was so obsessed with fantasy as a kid, and with using sticks as swords. The animated version of "The Hobbit" just sealed the deal....
I fell in love with The Little Princess. That's the first book I remember making me realize just how awesome and transporting reading is.
I feel in love with Bridge to Terabithia, it was the first book that made me cry.
I loved Never Tease a Weasel and made my mother read it to me all the time.
http://www.amazon.com/Never-Tease-Weasel-Conder-Soule/dp/0819300950/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335989402&sr=1-1
I also loved Master of All Masters for the implied bad words.
http://www.amazon.com/Master-all-masters-Thistle-book/dp/0448214334
Earliest memory of a book love? Are You My Mother? (that is not a question directed to you, young lady!)
During my pre-teen and early teen years thought it was Little Women. I still go back and re-read the copy I have had for 40 years.
I just checked one of these Worst Case books out of the library for my 8 year old - hoping he loves them.
In fourth or fifth grade, I read this book called Riff, Remember about a dog who (spoiler alert!) tracks down the hunters who accidentally shoot and kill his boy. It was the perfect book for that age when every book has to be about death and dogs or horses. I think there might have even been a horse. There were definitely deer.
Anyway, I loved it. I even wrote a song about it (which basically consisted of me crooning the phrase 'Riff, Remember' over and over until my mother sent me outside). I'd sob over the picture of the borzoi on the cover. Pathos!
The first books I remember loving were the Winnie the Pooh books. I was so bummed that my son wasn't into them. Is Hundred Acre Wood not action-packed enough? I am crossing my fingers that my daughter will enjoy them.
Albert the Running Bear. About a bear who loves junk food, breaks out of the zoo and runs a marathon. I had distinct memories of the art, up to my early adult years when I ran across a stuffed Albert bear at the thrift store I worked at. Obviously I snatched that bear up, lickety split. Later I tracked down a copy of the book for my daughter, only to discover it's kind of fat negative and realize I was going to have to change some of the language before I gave my kid a complex.
Oh, I would love these for one of my students!
The earliest books that I can remember loving were a whole bunch of I Can Read Books, Favorite Tales from Grimm illustrated by Mercer Mayer, and Socks, by Beverly Clearly. Also One Frog Too Many, by Mercer Mayer, which is the best picture book ever.
There are too many books that I loved to read. One of them is still the hungry catepiller!
totally off topic, but your hair looks amazing. what shampoo do you use? seriously.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory