Childhood Favourites - Which ones do you remember

bbusybookworm · 05-02-2008, 10:55 PM

While thinking about how many books I have, and trying to decide which ones to get rid off (Not enough space

), I started to think about the books I read when I was a kid, and which really got me into the habit of reading.

I can dimly remember starting with the Ladybird reader series, which served our family well, all 40+ volumes were read by about a dozen of us cousins, passing along like prized heirlooms.

Then I graduated to Enid Blytons books. Oh Did we ever love those books. (Feeling nostalgic goes away to see whether they are available as e-books)

Then on to the Hardy Boys adventures. oh and Agatha Christie too.

Brings back so many pleasant memories.

So the Question I throw out to you all is, what books did you start off reading when you were younger. (Mind you the books I mentioned I was reading when I was 6 or 7, managing to convince the librarian that yes, I did want to read the big thick book, with actual stories not picture books)

montsnmags · 05-02-2008, 11:12 PM

Well, I have vague memories of a Zeuss book or two (there was one about fishing, maybe?), but the first books I dug into were the usual Hobbit/LotR standard for developing geeks, but also The Thomas Covenant Chronicles and Julian May's Saga of the Exiles.

...but I must confess that, like my former occupation, my main preference was for what is perhaps considered boring; for books of the type David Attenborough's Life on Earth and What Bird Is That? ("I believe it's the Lesser Spatchthroated Whittlecock, and she looks angry. Better move the pets and small children inside before she takes them back to her cave as a decorative playthings.").

Also, encyclopedias and atlases.

'Tis a wonder I didn't grow up to be some boring IT Project Manager with a bug-report up his backside and a penchant for pedantry.

No, wait, that's right, I did.

Cheers,
Marc (now reading about The Philosopher's Dog)

NatCh · 05-03-2008, 03:10 PM

Let's see, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, Alfred Hitchcock's The Three Investigators (that's what they were called, he didn't right them), Sherlock Holmes.

Digging waaaay back, there's some Richard Scarey and one that always scared me badly when I was like three called The Little Boy From Shickshinney. (sp?)

TallMomof2 · 05-03-2008, 03:24 PM

My father turned me on to SF when I was young, he'd let me watch Star Trek (the original series) even though I was only 9 or 10. I remember reading a lot of pulp type SF. Before that Roald Dahl was probably what I remember the most besides Go Dog, Go! which I memorized from having it read to me and my two younger brothers many, many times. AAMOF, I read it to my kidlets, too and we can still rote recite most of the book.

MMascaro · 05-03-2008, 03:58 PM

The lucky Starr series by Paul French(aka I. Aszimov)
Witch World searies by Andre Norton.

Sparrow · 05-03-2008, 04:53 PM

'Jennings' books, Anthony Buckeridge.
'Tripods' trilogy, John Christopher
'Horatio Hornblower' books, C. S. Forester

ProfJulie · 05-03-2008, 05:32 PM

The librarian at the elementary school I attended really got me seriously interested in reading when I was in the 3rd grade by introducing me to The Little House on the Prairie series

I loved (and still love) the Secret Garden.

Taylor514ce · 05-03-2008, 05:39 PM

Winnie the Pooh
Watership Down
A book of King Arthur tales I found in a cabin in Colorado.
The Hardy Boys series
Foundation series, Asimov
A book about card tricks, I don't recall the title.

tlrowley · 05-03-2008, 06:46 PM

As a good Canadian girl (and a Maritimer as well) my first book memories are of the Anne of Green Gables series. I can still see in my mind the hard cover edition of the first book that I had - wonder if my Mom still has it?

I quickly turned into a mystery buff with Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and Cherry Ames.

Tracey

vivaldirules · 05-03-2008, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taylor514ce

A book about card tricks, I don't recall the title.

Explains much.

NatCh · 05-03-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlrowley

As a good Canadian girl (and a Maritimer as well) my first book memories are of the Anne of Green Gables series.

I much enjoyed those myself, though I didn't encounter them until the Disney Channel miniseries came out in the late '80s.

tlrowley · 05-03-2008, 10:46 PM

Gee, I always thought it was a CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.) series

Fun fact, the first TV series was filmed about a 5 minute walk from our home in Ontario (not PEI) - we could see "Rachel Lynde's" house from our driveway!

Taylor514ce · 05-03-2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

Explains much.

We also had two sets of eEncyclopedia, the standard World Book, but my favorite was the "How it Works" set. I would browse through that for hours and hours. (Wait, that reminds me of another childhood favorite, Encyclopedia Brown.) I took that set with me, and had it up until my youngest child was about 14, then donated it to her science teacher.

We have to add "Where the Sidewalk Ends", of course. If you're looking for a window into my psyche, that would probably be the definitive text. In fact, [shouting over into another thread] put this on on my list of books I want as e-books.

Barcey · 05-03-2008, 11:51 PM

Curious George
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Hardy Boys
Zane Grey

badgoodDeb · 05-04-2008, 12:08 AM

Bobbsey Twins
Trixie Belden
Nancy Drew
Hardy Boys
Encyclopedia Brown
probably more .....

05-02-2008, 10:55 PM	#1
bbusybookworm Tech Junkie Posts: 1,027 Karma: 10080 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Earth Device: iPad, MotoXStyle, OnePlusOne	Childhood Favourites - Which ones do you remember While thinking about how many books I have, and trying to decide which ones to get rid off (Not enough space ), I started to think about the books I read when I was a kid, and which really got me into the habit of reading. I can dimly remember starting with the Ladybird reader series, which served our family well, all 40+ volumes were read by about a dozen of us cousins, passing along like prized heirlooms. Then I graduated to Enid Blytons books. Oh Did we ever love those books. (Feeling nostalgic goes away to see whether they are available as e-books) Then on to the Hardy Boys adventures. oh and Agatha Christie too. Brings back so many pleasant memories. So the Question I throw out to you all is, what books did you start off reading when you were younger. (Mind you the books I mentioned I was reading when I was 6 or 7, managing to convince the librarian that yes, I did want to read the big thick book, with actual stories not picture books)

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05-02-2008, 11:12 PM	#2
montsnmags Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,155 Karma: 4632658 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	Well, I have vague memories of a Zeuss book or two (there was one about fishing, maybe?), but the first books I dug into were the usual Hobbit/LotR standard for developing geeks, but also The Thomas Covenant Chronicles and Julian May's Saga of the Exiles. ...but I must confess that, like my former occupation, my main preference was for what is perhaps considered boring; for books of the type David Attenborough's Life on Earth and What Bird Is That? ("I believe it's the Lesser Spatchthroated Whittlecock, and she looks angry. Better move the pets and small children inside before she takes them back to her cave as a decorative playthings."). Also, encyclopedias and atlases. 'Tis a wonder I didn't grow up to be some boring IT Project Manager with a bug-report up his backside and a penchant for pedantry. No, wait, that's right, I did. Cheers, Marc (now reading about The Philosopher's Dog)

05-03-2008, 03:10 PM	#3
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Let's see, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, Alfred Hitchcock's The Three Investigators (that's what they were called, he didn't right them), Sherlock Holmes. Digging waaaay back, there's some Richard Scarey and one that always scared me badly when I was like three called The Little Boy From Shickshinney. (sp?)

05-03-2008, 03:24 PM	#4
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	My father turned me on to SF when I was young, he'd let me watch Star Trek (the original series) even though I was only 9 or 10. I remember reading a lot of pulp type SF. Before that Roald Dahl was probably what I remember the most besides Go Dog, Go! which I memorized from having it read to me and my two younger brothers many, many times. AAMOF, I read it to my kidlets, too and we can still rote recite most of the book.

05-03-2008, 03:58 PM	#5
MMascaro Zealot Posts: 111 Karma: 1009 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Maryland USA Device: HP mini 1035/Sony Reader/IPad	The lucky Starr series by Paul French(aka I. Aszimov) Witch World searies by Andre Norton.

05-03-2008, 04:53 PM	#6
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	'Jennings' books, Anthony Buckeridge. 'Tripods' trilogy, John Christopher 'Horatio Hornblower' books, C. S. Forester

05-03-2008, 05:32 PM	#7
ProfJulie Evangelist Posts: 423 Karma: 890 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Device: whatever	The librarian at the elementary school I attended really got me seriously interested in reading when I was in the 3rd grade by introducing me to The Little House on the Prairie series I loved (and still love) the Secret Garden.

05-03-2008, 05:39 PM	#8
Taylor514ce Actively passive. Posts: 2,042 Karma: 478376 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: US Device: Sony PRS-505/LC	Winnie the Pooh Watership Down A book of King Arthur tales I found in a cabin in Colorado. The Hardy Boys series Foundation series, Asimov A book about card tricks, I don't recall the title.

05-03-2008, 06:46 PM	#9
tlrowley Quilt Geek Posts: 472 Karma: 91775 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lancaster, PA Device: Kindle	As a good Canadian girl (and a Maritimer as well) my first book memories are of the Anne of Green Gables series. I can still see in my mind the hard cover edition of the first book that I had - wonder if my Mom still has it? I quickly turned into a mystery buff with Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and Cherry Ames. Tracey

05-03-2008, 10:46 PM	#12
tlrowley Quilt Geek Posts: 472 Karma: 91775 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lancaster, PA Device: Kindle	Gee, I always thought it was a CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.) series Fun fact, the first TV series was filmed about a 5 minute walk from our home in Ontario (not PEI) - we could see "Rachel Lynde's" house from our driveway!

05-03-2008, 11:51 PM	#14
Barcey Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 8059866 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3	Curious George Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Hardy Boys Zane Grey

05-04-2008, 12:08 AM	#15
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,574 Karma: 64462893 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	Bobbsey Twins Trixie Belden Nancy Drew Hardy Boys Encyclopedia Brown probably more .....