My Favorite Children's Books...

In response to the question about our favorite book from childhood, I'd have to say that as far as picture books go, "Harry the Dirty Dog" and "Chicken Little" were two of my favorites. Conveniantly for mom and dad, both books lived at my Grandparents' house so they were only forced to read them repeatedly for a few weeks every summer. At our home, we enjoyed any Dr. Seuss Classics, and books featuring the Bearenstein Bears (specifically "The Spooky Old Tree"). Three books I remember distinctly though, are "One Minute Bedtime Stories" by Shari Lewis, "Baby Strawberry Shortcake and Fig Boot's Happy Day"by Patricia Lakin Koenigsberg, and finally, Theo LeSieg's classic "Hooper Humperdink...? NOT HIM!". I have these three books in front of me for the first time in years and it is truly amazing how much just looking at the pictures makes me smile.

I still enjoy children's books for various reasons. For me though, the biggest draw to children's lit is in its creativity.No topic is too fantastic or incredible for the child's imagination and I love that. One can read a book meant for a five year old and fully believe that there are such things as faries, giants, and genies. I love "Harry Potter" for this very reason. Rowling has created a detailed and full world, so separate from our world that I get lost in it.

On a similar note, I have just finished reading Salman Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories." Despite my pile of other assignments to begin tonight, finishing that book was calling to me because I wanted to know how it ended. I wanted to know wheter Haroun and Rashid (the Shah of Blah, the Ocean of Notions) got back home safely and happily with new stories to tell. I was pleased by the ending. :O)

Until later...Cheers!