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If you were to visit my house on any given day around 6:45 p.m., you’d hear a lot of “Goodnight Moon.” We say it over and over as bedtime approaches. That’s also the book I read my daughter every night right before I turn out her light. She’s not a very good listener. She’s more interested in trying to grab the pages and get them into her mouth, but still I persist. I don’t remember my mom reading a particular book to me at bedtime. I know she read to me, but I don’t think it was any particular story.
I was thinking recently about books I loved as a child. I liked all the Dr. Seuss books and The Little Golden books too. The first “real” book I read was THE BLACK STALLION. I was never one of those little girls who wanted a pony—I wanted to be Han Solo and fly a starship—but that book did open new doors for me.
I was one of those kids who was always looking for something to do. I didn’t like playing with dolls much, and I wasn’t allowed to watch more than an hour of TV. When I discovered reading, it was a Godsend. Finally I could travel all around the world, do new things, meet new people—and all without leaving my bedroom.
Was reading an escape for you as a child? What books were your first loves? What was your bedtime story?
Filed in: Jaunty Post
Mar 5th
2010
9:27 am
kristan higgins Said:
For some reason, my mom used to read Pale Green Pants by Dr. Seuss, a story that terrified me. Cruel woman! I loved Dr. Seuss (still do). As a kid, Little Women was my fave. And yes, the Black Stallion series. Shana, I still read my kids Goodnight Moon occasionally, despite the fact that they’re elderly now. They still love hearing it.
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Mar 5th
2010
9:39 am
Kirsten Said:
I loved the Anne of Green Gables series. Anne always had the greatest adventures. I also liked Alice in Wonderland. Can’t wait till it comes alive in Tim Burtons movie. Bound to bring back some memories.
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Mar 5th
2010
12:30 pm
Margo Maguire Said:
I don’t remember ANY childhood stories! I’m sure my mom read them to us because 1) She was an early elementary educator, and 2) when we were all old enough for her to go back to work, she actually recorded books for my youngest siblings to listen to when they got home from kindergarten and first grade. It’s weird that I can’t remember.
MY kids heard stories all the time. I preferred reading to them, but my husband made up “brain stories” (which is what my kids called them). They were *really* good, too.
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Mar 5th
2010
1:03 pm
Kacey Roman Said:
My dad and I used to collect ALL of the Nancy Drew books for me. He carried a list in his wallet, and would mark off the books as he found them. We’d check garage sales, stores, etc. They are still my most treasured possession. And my mom read me “Uncle Remus”, the stories of Brer Rabbit. That book is absolutely worn out, but I still love the memories I have with both my parents and reading with them…
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Mar 5th
2010
2:20 pm
Emily McKay Said:
My first memory of my mom reading to me is The Hobbit and Chronicles of Naria, but I know she read pictures books to me too, because I remember the books, just not her reading them. Isn’t that odd? I never thought about that until just now.
We love Goodnight Moon now. Though I always get a little sad, because it makes me think of that scene in Playing by Heart (the best romantic movie ever, if you haven’t seen it) where the mom recites it to her dying son. Oh, gosh, I think I may start crying now.
And of course, there’s Love You Forever, which is such a great sad children’s book (though kids never find it sad), and I always cry in that one too. And then i laugh, because I can’t help remembering the episode of Friends where Joey read it aloud to Emma on her first birthday and all the adults were bawling.
We also love so many of the Sandra Boyton books (But not the Hippopotamus is my favorite) and the Nancy Shaw Sheep books and … okay, I could be here all day.
I did just start reading “real” books aloud to my girl (she’s almost five) and we just finished Mrs. Frisby and the Rats from NIHM, which was wonderful and I loved as a child. And I discovered that all these years, I still have a crush on Justin the rat. *Sigh*
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Mar 5th
2010
5:07 pm
Tonya Kappes Said:
My mom would read a book of nursery tales. I still have the book and they bring back very fond memories.
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