Systematic Student:
childhood faves

Today is my first actual Memory Monday post, and I'm pretty excited about it! If you missed what Memory Monday is all about, you can read this post here for a more detailed explanation.

I thought for a while about which book I want to start with, but couldn't really settle on one book. Two of the books I read this week happened to be fairy tale retellings, and I have quite a few (a lot) more on my read and to-read lists, so I decided I would start my Memory Monday postings with the reason I love fairy tales so much. And that reason is:

Grimm's Fairy Tales as written and collected by The Brother's Grimm!

Have any of you read their collection of fairy tales?! It's wonderful!

I first read this when I was 10 years old. We were spending a week or so visiting my grandparents, and I was bored. I love my grandparents very much, but at 10 years old, just being in the same house is usually enough. I'm sure you can all relate...

Always having been a reader, I was looking for a book. They had a few picture books, a lot of plays (my grandfather and that whole side of my family is very big into theater), and a bunch of non-fiction — biographies and the link. When you are ten, all of that equals one big BLAH.

I can't tell you how much time I spent searching their shelves just hoping that something interesting would appear and give me something to read. There are only so many times you can play "River Wild" in the hammock. (That's another long story...) Ahem...

As I was searching the shelves, my grandpa pulled an old copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales from the bookcase and told me to give it a try. I was skeptical at first but soon because deeply fascinated by these dark and often morbid tales. Disney never told me that Cinderella's bird friends pecked out her evil-stepsister's eyes, or that Snow White 'dies' two or three times before finally eating the apple, and that it's the dwarf's who save her the first times. There were so many more tales that I had never heard of before and they were all so fascinating. Not all of the heroines are helpless, waiting for their prince to come. A lot of them are ultimately the ones who save their princes and even the tales that have a happy ending are not nearly as peaceful getting their as the current tales would have you believe.

I overheard my grandpa remarking how impressed he was with me to my parents because of my reading. I was sitting on the couch while my brothers were watching cartoons when my grandpa walked through the room. He assumed we were all watching TV, but was impressed and pleased to find me tuning out the TV and little brother noises to focus on my book. I was, as my grandma says, tickled pink. I remember that day, and I remember that book. I loved the stories so much that my parents got me my own copy that Christmas which I promptly sat down and read again, and would use night after night to read bed time stories to my younger brothers. I have such fond memories of these stories, and I love reading them in their original form and retold in new and unique ways.

Because of this book, I also read The Complete Tales of Hans Christian Anderson, and although there were a few favorites there (namely The Little Match Girl and Thumbina) the stories of the Brother's Grimm are most definitely the favorites. (Do you know that HCA has a fairy tale (no lie) about a dung beetle? Ya, I thought it was weird too).

The Brother's Grimm had a very definite impact on me early reading, and what interests me today. Do you have any old favorites? I'd love to hear about them! Leave me a comment telling me about your childhood favorites, or linking me to your blog post, or telling me about your experiences with Grimm's Fairy Tales! I'd love to hear from you!

Today's Memory Monday takes me back — way back. I remember each of these picture books from early grade school. These are books that I first heard when my teacher read them to the class. I loved them so much I read them later on my own, but then I forgot all about them. Something reminded me of them, and I searched for both of them for a long time before I finally found them.

The first was the easiest to find — The Mitten by Jan Brett. A little boy loses his mitten in the woods, and various animals in the forest use it for shelter. I believe this book was my first real experience with the suspension of disbelief. I distinctly remember thinking to myself that what was happening simply wasn't possible. There was no way these animals could all fit inside this mitten, especially when they all start cramming in there together. But then I remember making the conscious decision to like the book anyway, and just pretend for a moment that it was possible, and I was then able to enjoy the story. What can I say, I tend to over think things.

The next book took a lot longer to find, because I didn't remember anything about the title, I just knew it was about a Christmas tree that kept getting its top chopped off over and over, because each piece was just a tiny bit to big for its new home. I was beyond thrilled when I finally found the title again. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry. I used to examine the tops of our Christmas trees every year after I read this book, looking for that bend in the top that meant we would need to clip it off. I never got to though, and I'm pretty sure I was awfully disappointed about it...

Do any of you have a favorite winter or Christmas picture book? Or a favorite winter read now? I'd love to hear about them!

Before I get started on what books I want to remember today, and the memories themselves, I need to give you a little background on my family and my childhood. Bear with me here. If you actually end up reading the whole story below... It's pretty funny, and totally true. (Welcome to my life... ;) )

So, my dad grew up in a theater family. His father owned a 'local summer theater' up in West Yellowstone, Montana (The Playmill, for anyone who's been out that direction) and my dad (the youngest of 7 kids) began performing in the Playmill when he was 6 or 7. I'm not kidding or exaggerating when I say it's in his blood, which very likely means it's in mine as well (even though I haven't done much in the way of acting) which may explain why I have a tendency to be a little over the top.

Anyway, rather than divulge more family history, I'm going to tell you a story, that will segue nicely into my Memory, for Memory Monday.

As I believe I mentioned, or hinted, I tend to be dramatic, and I can get pretty intense, especially when I was a kid. One day, as the family was getting ready to go somewhere nice (I was in a dress) my father did something that upset me, and I decided that I was tired of it. So, I informed the family that I was leaving, and they could just go on/be happy without me, and I walked out of the house. I don't think I really intended to run away, it was (as it so often is with nine year olds) more of a punishment for my parents. We had a very long driveway/road (about 3 other houses along the road) and I walked to the end of the driveway, and then turned to watch, expecting my dad to be right behind me, waiting to drag me back into the house. Apparently, it took them a while to notice I was gone, so it was a few minutes before my dad came after me. But, by then I was so mad! I couldn't believe that they had waited that long before coming to get me! So, I decided to run away for real, which meant I definitely needed to get a move on.

As I mentioned before, I was a nine year old wearing a dress that had previously been worn in my aunt's wedding... Stiff fabric and a long, straight skirt. So, I didn't move very fast. My dad caught up with my just around the corner, in the libraries parking lot (fitting, I suppose) and dragged me back to the car. He made me get in, we started driving. My dad asked me if I knew what happened to young girls who tried to run away from home. He sounded quite ominous, and he spent the next 15 — 20 minutes explaining to me what exactly happened to nine year old runaways... In a nut shell, I could look forward to being picked up by a pimp and turned into a crack whore. (Did I mention that I was nine, and that I'm not making this up?!)

My mom was horrified, my older sister completely scandalized, my little brothers oblivious, and me? I was belligerent. Every bad thing my dad mentioned — some guy will grab you and force you to be a prostitute/he'll take all your money/he'll make you take drugs/you will have no choices etc and etc and etc was met with a very sincere, well, I won't let him do that. I was a little afraid, because what nine year old want to believe that her possible future includes hooking for some greasy, smelly old guy while completely high on some toxic mixture of meth, crack and heroine?! But, I refused to let my dad know he was upsetting me, and I honestly remained convinced that I would be able to get away, or overcome said greasy, smelly old guy. I believed that they same way I believed, when my mom would tell me never to open the door to strangers when my parents weren't home, that I could just 'shut the door really fast if they were bad' and there would be no problems. I could handle it.

My mom and I were talking about this a while ago (well, she was actually kind of mocking me) and it got me thinking about why I was so convinced I would be able to handle the world's bad guys as some fairly scrawny 9/10 year old kid. I was looking through some of my old favorite books, when I had an epiphany. I had discovered why I was convinced I could take anything those evil nasties threw at me: Willo Davis Roberts. (GR profile)

I read Roberts voraciously. Some of her books were 'issue' books (Sugar isn't Everything about a girl who is diagnosed with diabetes, Don't Hurt Laurie about child abuse etc) but most of her books are more in the vein of The View from the Cherry Tree, Scared Stiff, Twisted Summer, Baby-Sitting is a Dangerous Job, and Meghan's Island. That is to say — a mystery where the young (generally 8-13ish) protagonist(s) ends up matching wits with the sinister bad guy, and the kids always win! True, there are usually adults involved on the periphery, but there role is generally relegated to calling the police, or offering a small amount of moral support while their world collapses. It's always the kids who ultimately save the day, not only figuring out who the bad guys are, but also managing to subdue them until the police arrive, while also caring for the injured adult family member.

I read every single book by Roberts I could get my hands on. And a vast majority of the books I picked up involved a young kid outsmarting the adult criminal. So I ask you... What else was I supposed to think?! How could I not have believed I'd be able to 'take them down?' What we read often reflects on our realities, so in my reality, kids were definitely the heroes, and there was no doubt in my mind that I would be able to bring those suckers down. Those criminals had no idea who they would be messing with, and I was just itching to prove all these great abilities gleaned from Roberts wisdom.

Wanna know the craziest part? I went back and reread a few of my favorite Roberts' stories a few months ago and I can still believe what those kids get involved with! Her stories are just barely plausible enough to work, and if you don't think about it too hard, those kids really could have done everything she professes them capable of. While it's unlikely that they would be so lucky, by just the right combination of brains, luck, boredom and skill, it's a possible scenario!

My mom gave me her old copies of the first two Encyclopedia Brown books by Donald J. Sobol when I was pretty young, around maybe 10 or so. I had Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective and Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch. Each book has 10 mysteries Encyclopedia Brown is supposed to solve. His name isn't really Encyclopedia, it's Leroy. But, no one called him Leroy except his mother and his teachers.

I don't know if any of you read any of the Encyclopedia Brown books, but I absolutely loved them. I read my two copies so often the covers fell off and the binding started falling apart. And then, I discovered that both the public library and my school library had more! I was so excited! I read mystery after mystery, always excited when Encyclopedia outwitted Bugs Meany again or helped his father, the Idaville Chief of Police, capture some bad guys. And I don't think I ever once solved the riddle before Encyclopedia. I always had to peek in the back of the book for the answers.

I pick up copies of these books in book orders, or when I find them in good condition in used book stores, because I had such fond memories reading these while growing up, I'd love to have them in my home. I've found new stories that I'm pretty sure I never read as a kid. And, I'll admit it — I still don't solve the mystery before Encyclopedia tells us the answer.

I loved the recurring characters in the stories — Tough Sally (the partner) who routinely beats up Bugs Meany (more or less, the nemesis), and Charlie with his collection of animal teeth. Encyclopedia Brown has a lot of friends, many of whom we meet as they hire Encyclopedia (for 25¢) to help them solve a mystery.

As I said before, I loved Encyclopedia Brown when I was a kid. I actually believe he was my first (and only) legitimate literary crush. I would so have loved to meet him, but alas... It never worked out, and I've decided I'm way to old for him now. So Encyclopedia, here's looking at you kid.

So, I feel like everyone has at least one book they read as a kid that was way too old for them, but was totally awesome anyway.

Mine was Vertical Run

by Joseph Garber. My aunt left it behind after she stayed at our house for a visit when I was somewhere between 12 and 14. Knowing I was always needing something to read, my mom let me keep it without really knowing what it was about. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to anyone younger than 16 or 17. Not because the book is hugely inappropriate. It's not. It's just very violent and has a lot of very foul language (some of those people are very creative, especially for a 12 year old). This is the book that introduced me to conspiracy literature.

The whole book is about a highly trained group of huge muscle bound mercenaries trying to kill a middle-aged Vietnam vet inside his 50 story office building. As his specialized combat training begins to return, he fights back and serious amounts of mayhem ensue. Dave is our main character and it was fascinating to follow his interactions with Ransome, the main 'bad guy' (or is he?...) . This book takes place within a roughly 24-hour time frame, and with only a few exceptions, happens entirely within one 50 story office building. Dave has to stay a step ahead of them in order to survive and he has very limited resources. He has no idea why they are after him. All he knows is that they seem to possess incredible amounts of power and authority and that they have managed to bring everyone he knows and cares about on their side. With no one to turn to and no where to run, Dave must find the tools to stay alive while also trying to unravel the carefully hidden secret that will explain why everyone around him seems to suddenly want him dead. Ha, and you thought your day sucked.

Interspersed throughout the book are flashbacks to Dave's younger years, both growing up and the time he served in the military. Each segment is a lead in to a skill or ability Dave has learned that will allow him to escape and survive yet again. They were a lot of fun, and never felt clunky or forced. I also loved Dave's snarky inner voice. It isn't really Dave and it isn't really a separate person either. It's more a blend of the two. This inner voice is about as close as you can come to hearing voices without actually being considered crazy... (Perhaps.)

I've reread this book many times and will undoubtedly read it again in the future. It comes really close to a basically amazing review, and I loved it, but I don't love the ending. We do end up discovering why everyone wants to kill poor Dave. But, I feel like the author took the easy way out. The way we (and Dave) obtain the information is plausible, but not quite in character and felt like Garber just really needed a quick way to end it. (a la Ransome ex Machina)

Now that you know my 'under-aged' favorite, please share yours! Leave the book that you knew you shouldn't be reading but loved anyway in the comments section. Share what you liked about it then, and what you think of it now, if you have reread it.

I know this post is a few days late, (been crazy busy) but I wanted to celebrate America's Independence Day with a review of a childhood favorite set during the Revolutionary War, because without that war, and the brave people who fought it, we wouldn't have an Independence Day.

Time Enough for Drums by Ann Rinaldi is the one of three reasons I decided in 8th grade that it was okay to read and enjoy more than murder mysteries. (Robin McKinley is reason one and two but more on that later.) Because this book is one that I credit with vastly expanding my literary horizons, I'm going to tell you that this book is basically amazing. However, I understand and recognize that if I were to read this for the first time now, I imagine my rating would be more along the lines of pretty awesome. Thus, the dual tag.

Time Enough for Drums is enchanting. Jemima, (Jem) our heroine, is a strong, well crafted character. Although she is young, she has strong convictions, intense loyalties and a vast capacity for love and other emotions. When war breaks out between the colonies and the British, Jem knows which side she'll be rooting for. Her and her family and strong patriots who believe in what the colonists Americans are fighting for. Imagine the outrage when headstrong 15 year old Jem is forced to suffer through tutoring sessions with that horrid Tory John Reid. Although John has been a friend of the family for some time, Jem is none too fond of him. He is a strict tutor who demands respect and compliance and tells her what to do. Plus, he's a Tory.

I'll admit, this book is fairly predictable. It isn't terribly hard to figure out some of the major plot points, but in this story, that almost seems irrelevant. It doesn't matter that the storyline flows in a relatively straight and predictable manner, because Jem has such a hard time walking along it and that is where we find the great elements of this novel. There are also enough offshoots and unexpected moments that the story never feels trite or contrived. It is in large part due to those small side routes that we are able to see a true change in Jem from the spoiled and stubborn young 15 year old girl who will abandon her lessons at the drop of a hat (or the whinny of her horse) into a responsible, mature and determined young woman. War changes people. It changes some for the better, while bringing out the worst in others. Jem is one of the strong ones, truly changed for the positive and I consider myself lucky that I was able to watch her grow and learn what it means to be an adult.

Jem finds herself in many tough situations that really challenge her thinking, and force her to evaluate who she is, what she wants from life and what she is willing to sacrifice in order to achieve it. Some of the decisions Jem is forced to make are incredibly hard and have the potential to be seriously detrimental to the people she loves and cares for. These decisions were handled in an honest and realistic manner that made Jemima's character all the more real.

I also believe Rinaldi did a wonderful job contrasting the colonists with the British without turning the British or the British sympathizers into villains or stock characters. They were people too standing up for what they believed in, and trying to act as they found best. Rinaldi is also a master at knowing just how much information to include. She added just enough of the history within the story that I learned something but I never felt overwhelmed by all the details shoved into every single crack and crevice in the story. It always makes for awkward reading when you come away with the feeling that the author just had to show off how much research they did. This tends to bog the book down heavily and really disrupt the flow of the story. There was none of that in this book. Rinaldi transports the reader back in time, allowing us to experience life along with Jemima. There were moments after reading this book (every time) where I halfway expected to walk out of my house into the cobblestone streets in my petticoats and bonnet to fetch fresh fruits from the market. And I was almost always disappointed when I realize I'm a few hundred years late. (And then I remember indoor plumbing and tic-tacs and I'm happy again.)

Time Enough for Drums is a story that I connect with on several levels. I love Jemima's strong patriotism, her desire to do what she believes to be right and her fierce devotion to those she loves. I respect the choices that characters make when they are fighting to preserve what is most dear to them. And yes, there's also that part of my that just loves the happy ending.

One of the most amazing scenes in this book is when Jemima stands at the bottom of the Courthouse steps listening to community members read the Declaration of Independence. Although she doesn't stay for the entire reading (sigh... what a bummer) the emotions of the nameless characters experiencing it with her seep from the pages. You can feel the excitement and the energy is almost tangible. Perhaps it is because our Independence Day just passed, but at this moment, if I were able to visit one day or one event in history, I would choose to attend one of the readings of the Declaration of Independence. It is such an important and decisive moment in American history. It means so much to me personally, but I can't even begin to imagine how much more it meant to the people it was written for. They felt the bonds of tyranny and this document was the first blow to those chains. How powerful would it have been to have listened to those words read for the first time, and truly begun to believe that you could be free.

Although it is not the most complex story I've read about the revolutionary war, nor the most intense, it is one that has stayed with me over the years because of the emotions it invokes. It leaves me with a strong feeling of love and support for my country. (As well as the strong desire to hug my sister and tell her how much I love her.)

Beauty by Robin McKinley was a very important book for me. As is quite obvious by now, I love fairy tales. When I hear that a book is a retold fairy tale, I automatically want to read that book. However, I wasn't always like this. I've always loved fairy tales themselves, but I didn't know that fairy tale retellings existed and I was adamantly opposed to reading fantasy. As I mentioned in a previous Memory Monday, I thought fantasy was beneath me.

But then, my friend introduced me to Robin McKinley and I read Beauty. I couldn't believe it! Here was a fairy tale, fleshed out and grown up! There was more to it than the traditional tale, and we get to see more of Beauty, the beast and her home life and family. I recognized more elements of the original tale than you see in the Disney version, such as Beauty's sisters, her father as a merchant etc. There is no dancing singing silverware in this version but the house is enchanted, just as the beast is, and the servants do not hold their true shapes.

But oh! This story is magical! It changed me. It introduced me to a whole new world of fairy tales, stories and retellings. Without this book, I might never have discovered retold fairy tales, might never have been introduced to this amazing world of literature, and oh what a travesty that would be.

I read and reread this book many times. It adds depth and detail to a story without straying too far from the original and creates a world I fell into effortlessly. Beauty is a solid character, one who sacrifices herself for the good of her family, one who looks past appearances. But she is also very real. She isn't the glowing gorgeous beauty of Disney fame, and it takes her a while to feel comfortable in the beast's home. She slowly learns to open up and trust him, but her responses and feelings toward the beast are very realistic, very believable.

And, I feel that I would be remiss in this review, as a book lover, if I didn't briefly mention the library. If it were in my nature, I would have swooned reading that scene. I tell you, it puts the Disney library to shame, and who would have thought that possible?!

Perhaps my thoughts and feelings for this book would be different, had I read it later in life. But, as it stands, this will always be a very favorite of mine, because it introduced me to a whole new genre and the beauty and magic of it changed my perspective on reading and life. It's one I would recommend to everyone.

Misty posted about this book yesterday! Check out her thoughts on Beauty.

Everyone, please welcome Amber of The Literary Wife to the blog today for Memory Monday! I've loved chatting with Amber on Twitter and was thrilled when she agreed to be my guest! So, here she is!!

My name is Amber Keck and I have been blogging for almost a year at The Literary Wife. I started my blog to fulfill a challenge I gave myself to read through the Top 100 Children's Books, as compiled by Betsy Bird at A Fuse #8 Production. I have had a blast reading through old classics and some books that I hope will become classics in the future. It is my pleasure to be sharing with you, Ashley's readers.

Growing up, we lived about fifty feet from my town's public library, so you can imagine where I spent a lot of my time. I actually ended up working there in high school, one of the best jobs I have ever had. It was just a small library, but there was a great collection of children's literature, complete with bean bag chairs and an awesome reading area. I spent countless hours there reading or picking out books for my little brothers.

The highlight of my own book collection was definitely my impressive Babysitter's Club collection. At one time, I owed books one through 82 in the series. I think anyone that read these as an adolescent can resonate with the love and appreciation shown for this series. However, the series that I most remember devouring and loving is the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. From her first home in Wisconsin to moving in with her husband, we see Laura grow up and become a woman through much adventure and adversity. With Mary as the quiet fixture in her life and Pa as the one instigating her crazy antics, Laura is a character that you just can't help but love.

As I recently spoke about on my blog, I believe there is something in all of us that draws us to books with stories we will never experience. We live vicariously through the literature that we read and that was definitely the case with me and the stories of the Ingalls family. I will never make maple candy straight from the tree or watch my father build a home from logs that he cut down himself. This is the beauty of literature. We can transcend time and grow in our understanding of people by reading their stories and passing them on.

Thanks again Amber! I loved the post! I remember The BSC & Little House books! They were definite favorites! If you are interested in being a guest blogger for Memory Monday, in my blog for more info and the form, or shoot me an email!

Today's Memory Monday post is going to be another author spotlight. I have so many Memory Monday ideas, that it's hard to narrow it down, and decide what books or authors to talk about. Last week, while deciding which topic to write about, a friend on Twitter asked for some book recommendations, and in the large list I supplied her with, I included a link to Sharon Creech's twitter account, telling my friend to read her books. And guess what. Sharon Creech replied to me. She's commented back to me on Twitter before, but every single time it happens I get butterflies in the pit of my stomach because, guys, she's Sharon Creech!

I recognize that many of you will not understand the significance of this to me yet, so let me explain. Sharon Creech was a monumental author figure in my childhood. I don't remember how I got a copy of her book, but I read Walk Two Moons in elementary school, and I was completely blown away by the amazing story and characters Creech created. Salamanca Tree Hiddle completely captured my heart and I felt filled up with her story. I was compelled to turn the pages in a way I don't think I had ever experienced before.

When I finished reading this book, I was completely in love. It completely filled me and I knew that I would never be the same. I needed everyone to read this amazingly wonderful book, and I wanted to tell everyone about it. I loved it so much that I asked my teacher if it would be okay if I did an additional book report on it. Yes, I was, and am, that much of a nerd. I made a shoe box diorama of a significant scene (similar to the one on the cover, but mine was more detailed) and wrote a report about it, that the teacher had displayed for me in the library.

I quickly inhaled Bloomability, Chasing Redbird, Absolutely Normal Chaos, and The Wanderer. Each story brought something new to my newfound wonder at character relationships, life stories and writing. Each book opened a new part of my eyes and I was thrilled at the wonderful world Creech could create for her characters. Bloomability is one of the original boarding school books folks. Long before out heroines were running around their boarding schools seeking out paranormal not-quite-bad-guys-but-definitely-not-good-guys, Domenica had to leave her gloriously eccentric family to attend boarding school in Switzerland.

I read these 5 books when I was younger, and then imagine my shock and joy when I, now almost 20 realized that Sharon Creech had written more books beyond these 5 glorious reads. So, I made a point to find and read them all. And, I think that I have. Or, very nearly.

Sharon Creech was one of the absolutely essential writers from my childhood. Bloomability was my first reading experience in a foreign country, and man did I want to visit the Alps. (Still do). Walk Two Moons makes me want to take a road trip, and part of it takes place in Boise, Idaho. I lived in Washington when I read this book, but all of my dad's family is from Idaho. So, I felt a strong connection to Sal and her grandparents as they traveled to what I considered to be my *other* state. Chasing Redbird is about a girl striking out on her own over the summer, tackling a huge project by herself, and needing it to be that way. I've always loved doing projects by myself, and I get irrationally annoyed when other people try to help me, which Zinnia felt as well. Also, as an awesomely cool connection, Zinnia was best friends with Sal before her dad made them move. She misses her, and mentions her. It's been a few years since I read these books that were so important to me growing up, and this post has reminded me that I have missed them. It's definitely time for a reread soon.

I don't know how else to tell you how important Sharon Creech was to me growing up. Her books rank right up there on the favorites shelf with Billy and his dogs in Where the Red Fern Grows which, if you've been around a while (or click that link) you know at least part of what that means to me. Even today, Sharon Creech goes on the auto-read list for me. If she wrote a book about dirt, I would read it and I would be delighted with how wonderful Sharon Creech managed to make dirt sound.

And guys. She talked to me on Twitter. An icon from my childhood thanked me for recommending her books. I screamed a little.

If you would like to be a Memory Monday guest blogger, I'm always looking for more volunteers. I would love to hear about what books or authors influenced your childhood and left strong memories! If you are interested, in my blog for more information, or send me an email!

Today's Memory Monday guest is Allison! She has one of my favorite blogs, and she is here to talk about a childhood favorite that was also a favorite of mine!
If you would like to be a guest blogger for Memory Monday, in my blog to find out more information, or send me an email! I'd love to have you!

Bio:

My name is Allison. I'm in my twenties, and I live in Oklahoma. I attend OU in Norman and hope that someday I will actually finish school and end up with my Masters in Library Science! I'd love to be a young adult librarian so I can get paid to do what I spend all my time doing already! I'm an unapologetic book pusher and Patrick Rothfuss fangirl.

I would also like to add that Allison is the phenomenal blogger over at The Allure of Books. If you haven't checked out her blog, you are definitely missing out! Head on over there and leave her some loving!

Post:

When I start thinking about books that impacted my life when I was a kid, several series come to mind. However, none of them had a more lasting influence than the American Girls series Felicity books by Valerie Tripp. I read all the American Girl books that were out when I was younger (there are more now), but the Felicity books were definitely the most special to me.

My parents are big antique collectors, and as far back as I can remember, my mom was especially caught up with both the antiques and the history of Colonial Williamsburg. I learned a lot about the time period from her, so when I read the Felicity books, the time period already felt familiar. I was captivated by everything — from the clothes to the proper etiquette to the politics. Felicity's family were patriots, and the tension that caused them was a large part of the stories. The idea of standing up for something you believe in (especially when it isn't easy) is a cornerstone of the series, and Felicity definitely isn't afraid to stand by her family! I loved imagining myself in her place and being spunky and adventurous like she was.

I remember sitting in my dad's lap while he read the books aloud to me (the only time I ever remember that happening!), and I know I read them with my mom as well. I loved collecting different items from the series besides the books... paper dolls, stickers, etc. One Christmas, I even got a Felicity doll! (Since I'm home for Spring Break, I was able to take a picture since my mom still has it sitting out.) Also, since buying things from the catalog was always really expensive, my awesome parents even made things to go with it, like this bed! My dad built it and my mom made the bed linens. Loved it.

We even took a vacation to Colonial Williamsburg one year. I'd mostly grown out of the American Girl books by then, but I still loved walking down the streets and eating different things and getting a clearer picture of how Felicity and her family lived!

So even though I read a lot as a kid, the Felicity books are definitely the ones that hold the most memories. Having the doll and getting to go to Colonial Williamsburg definitely made her story much more personal for me. Anybody else remember Felicity (or any of the other American Girls)?

Thank you so much Allison, for being here with us today! I absolutely loved the post, and am very jealous of your handmade American Girl bed!

I cannot possibly talk about books that have impacted me or bring about strong memories without talking about The Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin. There are over a hundred books in the regular series, along with The Babysitter's Club Mysteries, Little Sister, Super Specials, and Special Character Additions. It all started with Kristy's Great Idea. Why not give parents one place where they can find several babysitters all at once?! And voila! That BSC was born. The original characters were Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey. Over time, other characters came and went, including Dawn, Abby, Mallory, Jessi, and Mary Anne's boyfriend, Logan.

Claudia was always my favorite character, probably because she ate junk food all the time and she loved to read. Although, I must say I find it interesting that she read Nancy Drew nonstop, and I didn't pick up a Nancy Drew book until long after my obsession with all things Babysitter's Club ended. I feel like I should have been just in love with Nancy Drew as Claudia. But, I digress.

When I was 9 and 10, we lived just around the corner from the public library, and my mom decided that, because I didn't have to cross any streets, (and because I begged and begged and begged) she would allow me to walk to the library on my own, as long as I promised not to go anywhere else, and to come straight home after getting my books. This is probably one of the few times I didn't try to push my limits, and just accepted the rules my mom gave me. Going to the library was important enough to me that I didn't even try to disobey or take advantage of the privilege. And, being the awesome mom that she is, and understanding just how much I loved needed to read, she also told me that I was allowed to check out as many books as I could carry home, as long as I consistently returned them without losing any, or aquiring late fees. And let me tell you, I definitely took advantage of that!

One of my first experiences on a computer was using my libraries online catalog to find more BSC books to place on hold. When I was 9, I memorized my 17 digit library card number because I entered the information into the computer system so many times. And once, when I forgot my card, I asked the librarian is I could just tell her my card number. I don't think she believed me, until I spouted it off. And she was quite impressed. All the librarians also recognized me by name, face, and choice of books. They'd see me approach the desk, and pull down my stack of 7-12 BSC books before I even got to the front. Pretty impressive for a 9 year old, I'd say.

Given that I was completely obsessed with the babysitter's club. I wanted to start my own club, and even made plans with my best friend to start one when we turned 12, because that's how old my mom said I had to be before I could start babysitting other people's kids. I also used to purchase anything Babysitters Club related in those Scholastic book orders that came through the school. My mom told me once that there would come a day when I wasn't going to want to read these books anymore, and asked if I'd like to save my money. I'm pretty sure I thought she was blasphemous. I almost cried the day I realized she was right. There came a few times over the years when I almost sold the books, or gave them away, but for one reason or another, I always ended up holding onto them, and now I'm incredibly grateful that I did. I'd also like to fill in some of the gaps on my shelf, especially of the earlier books.

I love that the books I've held onto have stories for me, and you can obviously tell which ones were my favorites. For years, even after I no longer loved the books in the same way, they were my go to books (along with Where the Red Fern Grows) anytime I didn't know what to read next. All of them are a little roughed up, but there are some that have very definite wear and tear to them because I read them to pieces. Each of those stories has such powerful memory triggers for me. Like in Stacey's Emergency. Stacey is diabetic, and in one book she ignores the rules, and ends up getting really sick. I think she ends up in the hospital over it. My favorite aunt growing up (we share the same birthday, so she was my favorite.:) ) is also diabetic and I spent weeks after reading that book terrified that something would go wrong.

All of these characters were so alive for me. I sincerely loved them, and always wanted for things to work out for these girls. I can't wait to hear what you all remember about this great group of girls (with one guy). Please, comment away!!

If you would be interested in guest blogging with a Memory Monday idea of your own, please in my blog for more information and fill out the form. I'd love to have you!

I don't remember how I discovered Lois Duncan, but I remember reading her books. A large part of my jr. high years revolve around her books. I read them all. Every single book I could get my hands on. And some of them completely blew my mind. Let me share.

One of my most favorite Duncan books is Daughters of Eve. It starts out with young girls growing into feminism to rise again the town full of complete chauvenistic pigs in which they live, and quickly degenerates into a dangerous, out of control, vendetta pushed and encouraged by the slightly deranged and very bitter advisor who planted the seeds of feminism in the first place. Let me tell you, reading this took me from, "Yes!! Feminists rock!" to "Wow! That is some crazy-a** s**t". Freaky. Seriously gives me chills, even now.
Gallows Hill is also creepy but a huge favorite. A small town in Missouri is the reincarnation of Salem Village during the witch trials and new-girl Sarah doesn't know what she's getting herself into.

Ransom is about 5 high school students who are kidnapped by their substitute bus driver and taken to a remote cabin in the mountains. This book convinced me that I needed to be prepared and knowledgable about how to react in the event of an abduction, because, you know, they are going to steal my bus. And, it made me want to learn to read in French. Again, definitely a favorite.

Another favorite of mine was The Third Eye which is about a young girl who begins to have psychic flashes, helping her find missing children.
Killing Mr. Griffin, which was one of my first experiences reading about a sociopath and They Never Came Home explores that concept a little bit also (although not quite as well).

I decided that I needed to learn to play tennis because a strong backhand comes in seriously handy for our main character in Don't Look Behind You as their family is on the run from a contracted hit man, Down a Dark Hall is one of the (I assume) original magical/supernatural boarding school books, and Locked in Time makes me happy that I will always be growing older, even if sometimes we think it sucks.
There were some of her books that weren't my favorites, and some of those that I have only read once. But, most of them were books that I read over and over again. They were deliciously creepy without being gross or full of the cheap thrillish horror, like R.L. Stine was (although, seriously — I loved him in grade school. He will be the subject of an upcoming post!) I don't know how good these books would be if I were reading them for the first time now that I'm older. I have a feeling that I'd be more likely to notice inconsistencies and some of the stories might have a harder time convincing me to suspend my disbelief, but they were absolutely perfect for me in jr. high, and I love them still. I want to own most, if not all of Duncan's books eventually, because I have so many fond memories of reading these books, and think they'd still be fun to revisit sometime down the road.
Do any of you remember reading Lois Duncan?
Don't forget to fill out the form, if you'd like to be a guest poster for Memory Monday! I'd love to have you!!

Surprisingly, for someone who loved to read as much as I did as a kid, I seemed to have missed many of the 'staple' favorites. I don't remember reading any Judy Blume, very little Beverly Cleary, I passed on the Redwall series (not into mice), I avoided all things Shel Silverstein, and I didn't read the Chronicles of Narnia until I was 21. I spent all my time reading Mary Downing Hahn, Willo Davis Roberts, Mary Higgins Clark, R.L. Stine and etc. (I seem to have a childhood thing for authors with 3 names... Maybe that will be a future post.:) )

Anyway, in 4th grade, my teacher did read us Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary. This is the only Ramona book I've read, and it was a long time ago, but I remember it well. Mostly because thanks to the lovely Ramona and the boy in my class who was 1/2 tormentor, 1/2 good friend, I became the Susan.

I admit that I remember the experience of Ramona the Pest more than the actual story, but there are many things about this story that stand out strongly in my mind. I do remember enjoying the story, and I liked that my teacher was reading it to us. I remember thinking Ramona was funny, until she met Susan. Once Susan, of the bouncing, lovely blonde ringlets entered the scene, the book became less appealing, although in all fairness, it's not the book's fault.

I'm not blonde, and although my hair has a natural wave to it, it doesn't naturally fall into ringlets like Susan's did. But, my hair does curl exceptionally well, and my mom used to wrap my hair in those old school pink foam rollers at bed time, which would give me lovely bouncing ringlets. After my teacher read this book to class, the aforementioned boy (whom we shall call Bob) thought that it would be such the greatest idea to 'boing' my curls. So, when my mom would put my hair in ringlets, 'Bob' would follow me, 'boinging' my curls all down the hall. It got very old, very fast. So I kicked him into the dirt.

No really, I did. I was finally tired of avoiding him when I curled my hair, which I loved to do. And, he always caught up to me anyway. So, I waited until recess, when 'Bob' was playing football. ~evil grin~. I waited until 'Bob got into the 'hike' position, and I kicked him, face first, into the dirt. He left my curls alone after that.

What are your great childhood reading memories?! I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a comment sharing your thoughts, or fill out my Guest Blogger form /shoot me an email and share what you remember reading with all of us!

I-Can-Read! Can you read? Really?! Me too! We should read together! But, we're just little kids, what should we read? I know... I know! Lets read these I-Can-Read books! Doesn't that sound great?! Ya, I thought so too!

Did any of you read those lovely I-Can-Read books? We had quite a few of them while I was growing up, and I remember loving them. I would listen to my mom read them to me, and as soon as I was old enough, I would read them over and over again. These books, especially the ones I actually grew up reading are on the same mental shelf as the Serendipity books I reviewed earlier this month. I was in the local thrift store on my way home from work the other day and found a group of 8 Serendipity books and 3 of these I-Can-Read books, and I just had to buy them! I already owned a few, and buying more just makes me feel happy inside, like I'm buying a childhood memory to save it.:)

My very most favorites were Danny and the Dinosaur and Zack's Alligator. I also loved Little Bear, Arthur's Honey Bear, and The Big Balloon Race. Not to mention Magic Secrets. I practiced those little magic tricks on my babysitters, and thought I was just so clever!

These books are just so great for beginning readers. I remember when I reached the stage that your regular picture books were too easy for me to read, but I still liked looking at the pictures. (Shoot, I still like looking at pictures). I needed something harder than a picture book, but I wasn't ready for 'real' books yet. So, I read these and the Serendipity books by Stephen Cosgrove. I felt like such an accomplished reader. They were 'real' books, and now, I was a real reader.

Do you remember reading through the I-Can-Read series? They have tons of books, including all the Amelia Bedilia, many of Dr. Suess's books, and on and on. I want to have a large collection of these in my home for any future kids, because they are old favorites of mine, and I think they are great reading tools for young kids.

What are/were your favorite I-Can-Read books? What books helped make you feel like you were really readers? I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a comment, or fill out my guest blogger form /send me an email to be a guest blogger!

Would you like to share your memories too?! Just click and fill out the form to be a guest blogger, or just shoot me an email! I'd love to hear what you remember reading!

Because I am feeling rather nostalgic today, being that it is the first of the year and all, I thought I would talk today about the first books I remember having any experience with at all.
When I was little (like, 2) I had a hard time falling asleep at night. I used to get up all the time, ask for drinks, walk around, make noise etc. It didn't take long to really annoy my parents, because I wouldn't stay in bed. Nothing they tried worked, but they knew I loved to look at books, and I loved snuggling with my parents while they read my older sister and I stories.

So, my parents made a deal with me. I could stay up as long as I wanted and 'read' my books, as long as I promised to stay in bed, and be quiet. If I got up, or made noise they would take the books away. So, they left me a stack of books almost as tall as I was next to my bed and let me 'read'. And, for the most part, it worked.

The majority of the stack was made up of books by Stephen Cosgrove in the Serendipity series. They are fairly short picture books with poem like text. There are generally 4-8 lines per page, across from a vividly colored picture. And the last page is always the moral of the story, in the form of a 4 line poem.

I remember reading and loving those books all growing up. My mom would read them to us over and over, and when I got old enough to read on my own, I'd still go back and read them again. They are pretty hard to find now, but I look for copies in used bookstores and thrift shops any time I stop in. I've gotten lucky quite a few times, and I get so excited every time I find a new copy.

Does anyone else remember reading or seeing these books? I'd love to hear what you remember!