As I turn in the remainder of my IB assignments, I have started to have more time to return to reading. While I would write about my current favorite books, I have been so busy with school I have not had time to pleasure read recently. So I decided to talk about some of my favorite childhood books. I was obsessed with reading as a kid, and these books have unforgettable childhood memories attached to them.
The Mercy Watson Series. I have amazing memories associated with this series. When I was in first grade, on the weekends, I would go to my school library and check out a few of these books and spend the weekend at my great aunt’s house, and we would read these books together. While I don’t remember much about the books, I cannot forget how Mercy Watson would always eat a giant stack of toast with butter. I will never forget these key childhood memories and will always be associated with this series.
The Little House on the Prairie Series. When I was in first grade, I was OBSESSED with history. LIKE OBSESSED. For this reason, I was in love with the show and the book series Little House on the Prairie. When I’ve seen re-runs of the show, it pains me to see some of the horrible language and stereotypes portrayed; however, as a first grader, I loved how they dressed in the TV show. I remember proudly working with my friends and completing the April Fools homework assignment. As a joke, our teachers had assigned us to read a 200+ page book and write a report on it. Because I was in first grade, I found homework fun and exciting (wow, I wish I still felt that way). While I didn’t read the whole book in three days, I did read the remaining pages and wrote my version of an essay in 3rd grade. I miss how proud I was of turning in that essay
.- American Girl Doll Books. Continuing my historical fiction journey, I loved the American Girl Doll Books. These were what got me into historical fiction. My favorite was Josefina as I was CONVINCED that if there was a movie about her, I would play her. I mean to me, it was perfect. We both lived in/near Santa Fe. I also used to go to the historical museum place that was unofficially advertised as “her home.” I also looked like her. You cannot convince me that we were not twins.
What a fun topic! I loved The Babysitter’s Club series, Choose-Your-Own Adventure books, The Hardy Boys mysteries, Where the Red Fern Grows, Charlotte’s Web, Grimms’ fairy tales, and the Amelia Bedelia series. Believe it or not, I didn’t ever read the Little House on the Prairie series until I was a mom, reading them to my kids in elementary school!
I have been randomly going through old pictures of me as a baby recently, and my favorites are the ones of me “reading” big picture books! I was like 1 or 2, so obviously I couldn’t read, but I absolutely LOVE that the book itself was double the size of my face. Not that I was the biggest reader once I learned to actually read, but “Good Night Moon” destroys me into a puddle tears if I ever see it — my parents used to read it all the time and now I’m too nostalgic about it 🙁
I loved the little house on the prairie books as a kid, but I think I stopped reading after the grasshoppers fell from the sky bc that freaked me out.
YESSSS the American Girl books. I had so many of the American Girl choose your own adventure books.
You just unlocked a memory with the Mercy Watson books. Didn’t she save her pig parents from a fire? And there was something with a convertible.
Yes to all!!! I was obsessed with all of those books. I was OBSESSED with Little House in the Prairie. I owned and read every single series, one for each generation going back like 5 from Laura. Please ask me about them, because I will never shut up. That obsession explains so much about me now.
the american girl books were everything!!! i loved the kit kitteredge books she was my girl
LITTLE SARAH OMG!!!!!! SO CUTE!
Why were you literally TWINS with Josefina. My mom used to love Josefina too- but she had Addy and Felicity. I had Kaya, and a look alike, and got VERY into all of the books. They were all so dark!!
We are also a very big little house on the prairie household lol.
SARAH! That picture of you is the most precious thing I have ever seen. 🙂 I loved my American girl doll. I was convinced that in another life that I was Kit Kittredge. I mean, we both lived in Cincinnati and had a short blonde bob!
I totally forgot about the Mercy Watson books until this moment. Such an underrated classic!