Favorite Childhood Story

[steinanwine]

I just reread one of my favorite childhood stories, The Giver.

I read it about 11 years ago for the first time and it surprised and moved me so much at that young age, and rereading it again 11 years later for the first time, it still retains its shock and surprise. It is still an incredibly powerful and interesting novel, especially for a child to read and I especially appreciate its power now, reading it as an adult.

Its quite interesting for me to reread a book that had such a lasting impact on me when I was a child, to find that that impact still remains.


So I was curious to hear other peoples' favorite childhood stories, whether they were merely frivolous favorites or meaningful favorites that still stand the test of time ... although I think one can safely say that whether its Berenstein Bears or something "deeper", these stories and books will be meaningful to someone today, regardless their message.

 

[up all night]

Very early childhood was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It's a childhood classic and I bought a beautiful hardcover version for my niece when she was born.

In primary school (from the age of about 8-10) it was The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks. I have no idea why I loved this book so much, but even now when I think about it it makes me smile.

One book I will be sure to read to my children is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint because it's a story I think you get something new from throughout your life, and that's a beautiful (and rare) thing.

 

[crazy_lil_1]

The Diggiest Dog - Dr Seuss

and

 

[L2R]

the earliest books i remember enjoying are the choose your own adventure ones. have no idea of the titles.

 

[Raz]

^^^Oh yeah, I used to love choose your own adventure books! And now I am a roleplaying nerd, go figure...

I used to cheat like a bitch though...."I choose page 8.....OH DAMN WAIT NO THAT WAS JUST A TEST CHOICE......let's saaaaay.....page 17....YAY TREASURE!" :D

Children of the Dust really made an impact on me, it was a series of short stories about generations during and after a nuclear war....the final chapter was a bit fanciful from memory with mutants and such (not like chernobyl mutants, more like X-Men mutants), but I remember being really moved by descriptions of radiation sickness settling in survivors of the initial blast. It was quite sad. I was such an emo fuck when I was a kid...

 

[up all night]

^ I remember reading Children of the Dust in year six! I thought it was really beautiful (in a way.)

I also loved reading (at about the same time) Finders Keepers by Emily Rodda because to me it perfectly explained why I kept losing shit all the time.

 

[Olyn]

Also: "Where the Red Fern Grows".