Book Meme Day 13

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Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)

I love children's books. One of my favorite things about working with kids is the excuse to read their books. I don't get to read to the kids I tutor now, but when I worked for a daycare I used to love reading to a group of kids. I go all out, too: different voices, big gestures--encouraging the kids to shout out the parts they know. So much fun!

One of my favorite books to read out loud is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. It has it all: a good rhyming rhythm, a repetitive chorus for the kids to chime in with, and dramatic moments where you can raise your voice and make the kids jump and giggle.

A told B and B told C: "I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree!"

Chicka chicka boom boom, will there be enough room?

My other favorite children's book is The Giving Tree, which makes me weep like a river. I was babysitting once and reading the story to a three year-old. She was so concerned when I started choking up at the end!



As far as young adult novels go, I'll leave off with a simple list of books I loved as a teen and still love today: The Catcher in the Rye, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, A Separate Peace, Little Women, The Mists of Avalon, Jacob, Have I Loved, Maniac Magee, Jane Eyre.

Comments

[rewindclunkplay.livejournal.com]

okay, uhm, the Giving Tree. THE GIVING TREE. When I read the question, I was like, 'oh, the Giving Tree, obvously.' I can't... ugh. Love it.

on another note, I also love Catcher in the Rye and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. BUT UGH, THE GIVING TREE <3

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

I know, I know! It's brilliant! That tree is just SO DAMN SELFLESS I just...I think I need a moment now!

[tourdefierce.livejournal.com]

A Separate Peace and Jacob, Have I Loved fucking broke me. Both novels are just out of control amazing and they totally shaped my life growing up.

I read Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights in 4th grade and so their charms were completely different since I read A Separate Peace and Jacob, Have I Loved when I was a bit older.

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

I read A Separate Peace in my 9th grade English class, and thank GOD I read the whole story at home before we read it in class, because I cried so hard! I identified so much with Gene and his envy for the easy social prowess of the bright and brilliant Phineas.

I read Wuthering Heights when I was quite young as well, and had to go back to it when I was older to really appreciate it. I was a teen when I first read Jane Eyre, but I didn't come to love it until I read it again in my early 20s.

It's amazing how the meaning of a book changes as you get older; I find myself relating to characters I couldn't understand the first time around.

[sabriel75.livejournal.com]

Jacob, Have I Loved broke me in places I hadn't been aware of before I read that book. So much delving into one's self and how life could go just because of the idiosyncrasies of not really paying attention until it was too late or because despite all you were to a person, you still ultimately could not change them, who they were to fit what you needed. And what a disheartening lesson to learn.

I need to do this meme.

We own Chicka Chicka Boom Boom but I have other children's picture books that I absolutely adore over this one.

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

I don't know what it is with children's books (and movies) and the SADNESS but yes: there's still a melancholy hole in my heart from this novel.

You should do this meme, because I want to hear about the children's books you like! There's a ton that I just love, but Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is fun to read out loud, and always gets the kids going.

Today I was looking through one of my student's notebooks for his math homework, and I came across an assignment from his English class where he had to copy the first stanza of The Jabberwocky and invent meanings for the nonsense words. I recited the rest of the poem to him from memory, and he was amazed I knew it! I used to recite it to the older kids (4 and 5) at naptime.

Ah, books! ♥

[sabriel75.livejournal.com]

Have you ever read William's Doll or May I Visit by Charlotte Zolotow?! Talk about creating catches in my throat. They're my favorite from my own childhood.

Also, rather adore Stellaluna and Henry the Cat books.

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

Yes to Stellaluna and Henry the Cat! But I haven't read anything by Charlotte Zolotow. I'll put her on my list to look up at the library.

[jacknjill270.livejournal.com]

I've always really loved the kid's book Mr. Potter's Balloon Farm. The illustrations are just gorgeous. But, oh, The Giving Tree! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who gets all emotional over what's supposed to be a kid book. :)

A Separate Peace! ♥ I haven't read that book in so long, now I kind of want to dig it out and read it again.

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of Mr. Potter's Balloon Farm, but I'll be sure to look for it the next time I'm in the library.

I need to read A Separate Peace again, too! I was so in love with Phineas when I was 15; in my head, I would pretend to be his girlfriend from a girls' school across the river. (While other girls were obsessed with The Backstreet Boys, all my pretend boyfriends were literary characters! I was am a huge nerd, but I'm kinda proud of that now.)

[planejane.livejournal.com]

Chicka Chicka and The Giving Tree are both books my kids have. The Giving Tree almost makes me want to cry! All lovely choices.

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

Almost? ALMOST?! Oh, you are a stronger woman than I...we're talking snotty-nosed, shoulder-shaking sobs when I read that book. But then, I'm a crier: I've learned to grab a stack of napkins to blow my nose on when I go to see a Disney film.

Again, I ask: what is it with children's entertainment and the SAD?

[sabriel75.livejournal.com]

UP pissed me off for having me a blabbering mess less than 20 minutes in!

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean by 20 minutes in! I had to re-stock on napkins...

[nahara.livejournal.com]

Oh lord. The Giving Tree. I still weep when I read that book. It is so beautiful and stark and hopeful. Breaks me every time.

I love children's books and YA books... I want to work in publishing with those kinds of books. That would be my dream. *sigh* My dream doesn't seem that intent on coming true, so never mind. =/

I approve of Little Women and would add I Capture the Castle, those two really moved me when I was a teenager. The others on your list I've never read. No, not even Catcher or Jane Eyre. Fail!

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

I'm going to have to read I Capture the Castle, I read the summary and it sounds good!

Publishing children's books is a very worthy dream! Don't give up on it! It would be so amazing...

Yes, definitely read those other books! I don't know if Catcher in the Rye will resonate quite the same way if you don't read it as an angsty teen, but it's definitely worth a read; I just love Salinger, though!