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)
My first love was the Poky Little Puppy!! I loved my Little Golden Books.
My first favorite book (age 4, maybe?) was one about a pig, whose name I recall as Wilbur but who WAS NOT from Charlotte's web - my mom gave my copy to a cousin while I was at college and I kind of never forgave her. But really I wanted to comment to say your HAIR LOOKS AWESOME.
The Secret Garden... A hard cover copy discovered in my elementary school library, it felt and smelled old and magical and perfect. I was already 'a reader' but that was THE book. I fell in love with the escape of reading, the magic of it, nd never looked back.
Laura Ingalls Wilder. And I HATED the Michael Landon series. Yes, I am THAT old...
I fell in love with Curious George when I was about 4. I worked really hard at getting my son to fall in love with him too. I was finally successful!
I loved Robinson Crusoe, mostly because of the pictures :-) I was 3 at the time!
I was going to say "a Wrinkle in Time' because I read it so many times over the years, but then realized that did not come into my life until I was 9 or 10. Thinking way back, I suddenly remembered "The Color Kittens" a Golden picture book all about these kittens who spill their paint buckets and color the world with them. I LOVED that book when I was 5 and read it over and over. May be a clue to why I always have cats and still love color to this day.
I think it must have been the Wizard of Oz books. My intro to a life long obsession with science fiction/fantasy.
I loved the Little House books and Charlotte's web. Already mentioned but prereading, I also loved Popcorn.
Can't wait to check out this series for my 7 year old.
I loved The Secret Garden. I read that book in kindergarten (with my mom's help) and I adored it. Also, a lovely reading memory I have is recording the Boxcar Children as a book on tape with my mom and my brothers and sister. We traveled by car a lot, and we were frustrated with the lack of books on tape for children, so we did it ourselves. I wonder whether my mom has it somewhere...
My first booklove was a Wrinkle In Time. I still love it and sometimes read it just because.
I have an 11 year old boy at home that needs these books.
Another vote for Black Beauty!
My favorite was "The Poky Little Puppy", it's the only book I remember my mother reading to me, although I'm sure there were others. I have bought a new copy for each of my children when they were born, it still makes me feel happy, though I'm not sure why I love it so much.
Alice Bradley on Reading: "Too many adverbs."
i remember falling in love with The Best Nest when i was about 4. and, in my moves as an adult, i resemble the very irritated look of Mrs. Bird.
you look fab, btw! it finally dawned on me who you remind me of - kelli carpenter, rosie o's ex. she's a beautiful girl, as are you.
The Runaway Bunny and Best Friends for Frances were the ones that popped into my head.
This post is making me remember so many loved stories from my childhood. One summer we lived near a library, and I walked there twice a day, every day. I read 6 books a day. All of the Boxcar series, everything written by Issac Asimov, The Little House on the Prairie books. I was in heaven.
The Phantom Tollbooth. I'm STILL in love - or, you know, deep like - with that book.
The first book I remember totally loving was called The Witch at Blackbird Pond, and this was the cover art: http://www.orgsites.com/ny/salemproject/witch_of_blackbird_pond.jpg
I don't even totally remember the story line, but I remember loving the book, sleeping with it, and staring mesmerized at the cover art.
Thanks for helping me remember that!
www.railcitybaby.com
I remember loving "The Treasure in the Little Trunk" in elementary school. I need to re-read it! And I also read the Little House on the Prairie series a few times. Apparently I was into pioneer on the plains themes at the time.....
I learned to read with He Bear She Bear, so it will always have a special place in my heart, but when I read your prompt the very first title that came to mind was Matilda. love, Love, LOVE it!
I can't remember the first book I fell in love with, but I remember reading Charlotte's Web, Harriet the Spy and Trumpet of the Swans over and over again. Loved those books.
I've always had tons of books in my life, even as a child. I clearly remember the first big book that I read by myself in Kindergarten. It was called Scaredy Cat and I was SO proud of myself. Many pages, many words on each page and I was so stinking proud. But I think the first book I totally fell in love with was Charlotte's Web. My family lived on a farm and we showed hogs in 4-H. I could be Charlotte! That book still is very special to me. I am trying to foster a love of books in my son. He is nine months old and he has been read to every day of his life. He jumps up and down in my lap when it's time to read Big Red Barn! I hope he enjoys a lifetime of reading as I have.
"Blueberries for Sal." I think what captivated me was something about the way it made confusing a bear for your mother and plunging headfirst into adventure with your little silver pail seem so possible.
Mine was Raggedy Ann and the Cookie Snatcher. :) There were so many after that, but it was my first love, truly.