All us bookworms have them—those particular books that changed us, helped us grow, swept us away to a whole new world that shifted our perspective or simply introduced us to a genre that quickly became the One True Favorite. Those special few that became our stories.
I definitely have those stories. Some of them may not even be my top favorite books anymore; there are plenty of other novels that I find more engaging and suit my tastes far more these days. But these are the stories that shaped the Christine you know today, and no other tales can replace them. They will hold a special place in my heart forever.
And so today I am going to introduce you to the 5 most integral stories from my childhood, and explain why they are so important to me.
Grab some tea or your beverage of choice, and allow me to take you down nostalgia lane!
THE BETSY-TACY SERIES
by Maud Hart Lovelace
This one may surprise you because *GASP* it’s not fantasy!
I very rarely see anyone talk about this series, which makes me sad because…oh, guys. This series… This was everything. It was the start of it all.
I, of course, have loved reading and stories since…always??? There wasn’t a single time in my life that I don’t remember not adoring books. But it was with the Betsy-Tacy books that my incurable love of reading blossomed. I think I was about 8 or 9 when I first started this series about Betsy, a spirited little girl who dreamed of being a writer, and Tacy, her softhearted best friend, and the ups and downs of their quaint little life in early-1900s Minnesota, from young childhood up to Betsy’s wedding.
I think the biggest appeal was Betsy herself. To this day, I’ve yet to come across a character to whom I relate more. Betsy WAS me. From her wild imagination to her love of writing to many of her—AHEM—character flaws, especially in her teenage years. She even had hazel eyes like me, and was born in 1892 (while I’m a 1992 baby *grins*). These books helped me grow and see my own failings and strengths, because whenever I opened the pages, I was right there. Betsy’s thoughts and reactions felt like my own, uncannily so.
And what makes it even more special, is that these books are semi-autobiographical! The author, Maud Hart Lovelace, started telling her daughter stories of her childhood, and in doing this she had the idea of writing this series. Though some of it is, of course, made up, so much of it came straight from Lovelace’s own life that even she struggled to remember what was real and fictional. It always felt so special to me that I related so deeply to a woman born 100 years before me. That even after her death, she could reach out and touch so many simply with the stories from her childhood.
Not only did this series make me realize just how much I love stories, from reading to writing, I found myself within the pages on such a personal level, it became instrumental to my growth.
Aside from the relatability of the protagonist, these little books are filled to the brim with an endless dose of charm. They’re not action stories. They’re not even particularly dramatic. They simply tell the story of life, of the small little moments that shape who we are, of the quiet joys, and of how beauty can be found in the simplest of things. It’s very Little Women-esque in that. (And, honestly, I was always kind of sad it’s not as widely known as Little Women.)
If you’ve never read this enchanting tale of a girl named Betsy, her dear friends Tacy and Tib, and the many highs and lows of growing up, I couldn’t recommend it enough.
THE AMERICAN GIRLS BOOKS
by Various Authors
More historical fiction—surprising, I know!
These books came very soon after my Betsy-Tacy discovery. I know for sure I was 9-years-old when I read my first American Girls book, because my 10th birthday was coming up and all I wanted was an American Girl doll. XD (Which I got by the way. I received Kirsten and loved that doll SO MUCH.)
My bestie was the one who brought these books (and the whole franchise) to my awareness. Though it only lasted for about a couple of years, our American Girls obsession was REAL. Some of my most vivid memories are going to our local Books-a-Million where they had a whole little American Girls section, and just scouring ALL the fun books they had—from novels, to quiz books, to everything in between.
Being the book devourer I was, I read ALL the main American Girls books available (from Samantha to Kaya) in like a year, and then turned around and reread a bunch of them. And after I read those, I got deeply into the History Mysteries, which is where I discovered I love me a good mystery! And it was also then that I discovered mysteries are best read in one sitting. Because I would, quite terribly, often stay up to the wee hours of the morning with a flashlight reading the History Mysteries book because I just had to know whodunnit. (When I was most certainly supposed to be asleep. *cough, cough*)
Though I always “claimed” Kirsten was my favorite, I think that was just because she was blonde like me. Apparently I was a terribly vain child. XDD But as far as the actual STORIES, I always most enjoyed Molly, Felicity, and Kit. Samantha’s tales were great too.
Not only did I learn a ton of history from these books (I declare to this day most of my history knowledge is whatever I read in American Girls books XD), but, like the Betsy-Tacy series, they were integral in my discovery of just how amazing reading was. I read SO MUCH when I discovered these books. Seriously, I lived and breathed all things American Girls during my 10th and 11th years—from reading the books, to poring over the catalogs, to scouring the American Girls sections in bookstores, to playing games on the official website. Ah, such good memories.
THE HOBBIT/LORDS OF THE RINGS
by J.R.R. Tolkien
And I suspect this one surprises approximately no one.
I was 10-years-old when the Fellowships of the Ring film came out and LotR and The Hobbit came to my awareness. I don’t think I had even finished the second sentence of The Hobbit before I knew this book was going to be life-changing.
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”
You really can’t beat that.
Though I had always loved fantasy stories like the classic Disney films and things, this is what really, truly introduced me to my great, unending love of the fantasy genre. These stories full of brave dwarves and majestic elves and a fierce dragon and a magic ring and dangerous quests and epic battles and dear, humble hobbits to face it all—they wowed me. I devoured The Hobbit whole, and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. After I finished, I immediately dove into Lord of the Rings. And I believe soon after turned around and reread The Hobbit…and again and again and again. To the point that it is my most reread book ever (I sort of lost count after the dozenth time).
I had discovered my love for writing at 9-years-old (and I suspect Betsy-Tacy had a hand in that), but after reading The Hobbit, I set aside my first story that was a random contemporary about a girl and her horse (because, yes, I was that type of girl) and jumped straight into writing a fantasy novel. And I never looked back. Honest to goodness, I’ve not written a single non speculative fiction novel since.
I don’t even know who I would be today if I hadn’t read these stories as a child (and watched the LotR films some 928932 times). Because of them, I discovered not only my favorite genre, but the types of stories I love as well. Stories about brave people facing impossible odds and darkness and danger, but woven with hope. Stories that make you want to face your own hardships with courage and strength and know that there is always goodness in the world, even when you can’t see it. Stories about light always triumphing over darkness. (Also dragons. I blame Smaug for my ridiculous love for dragons, the sassy little beastie that he is.)
I’m just…I’m so grateful for these stories Tolkien created.
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES
by L.M. Montgomery
Another non-fantasy? I KNOW. I read way more historical fiction when I was little! (These days, if it’s set in the real world I want nothing to do with it. XD)
Oh, these stories.
This series was my mom’s favorite books, and I grew up watching the Megan Follows film which, in my eyes, is still perfection. It was inevitable I’d eventually read the books. I can’t remember exactly how old I was. I want to say early teens, but— *clutches heart* They changed everything for me.
Like Betsy-Tacy, these books are the quiet kind, focusing not so much on the drama, but the beauty. It’s hard to put into words, better something to be experienced, but these stories open your eyes to how wondrous and magical this world God has created truly is. Before I read these books, it was like I was wearing dirty glasses, able to see but not to the full extent I could. But then I opened the pages of Anne’s mind, saw the inner workings of her beautiful and wild imagination and all the wonder she found in something as simple as a reflection, and it was like the dirty lenses were lifted and the world became bright and clear and filled with fairy dust. My childhood wonder expanded beyond anything I could have imagined, and my appreciation for this beautiful world erupted into something glorious. To this day, sometimes when I go outside, I reflect on how Anne would see everything around me, and suddenly it becomes so much more incredible.
Sometimes in the midst of all the turmoil our world has created, it’s hard to remember that this universe is BEAUTIFUL. That God created endless wonder for us to enjoy. But these books remind me of that more than any other. L.M. Montgomery had a gift, and I will forever be grateful to her for sharing Anne (with an E) with us all, and allowing us to step into a little orphan’s mind and through it see the glories and beauties God has created.
DRAGONS IN OUR MIDST/ORACLES OF FIRE SERIES
by Bryan Davis
Ah, yes, here we go!
If The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings introduced me to my love for fantasy, it was Bryan Davis’ dragon books that led me to the world of YA Christian fantasy and, from there, basically every type of book I read now. Discovering this series was the end to my historical fiction phase, I fear. XD
I was either in my early- to mid-teens when my bestie (the same one who made me aware of the American Girls books; I have her to thank for SO MANY of my favorite reads) very enthusiastically told me about a series she had found at the library. She pulled out the one she was currently reading, The Candlestone, book #2, and when I saw the cover with a girl with DRAGON WINGS, I basically got hold of the first book immediately. And thus began my Bryan Davis obsession. (That is still going, by the way.)
This contemporary fantasy about “anthrozils” (half dragon, half human children) and quests and Arthurian legend (another thing I LOVED since my early days) and convoluted plots and did I mention DRAGONS??? was nothing like anything I had ever read. The second I finished one book, I begged my parents to take me to Lifeway so I could buy the next one. And then when I finished the ones that were currently published, I waited in agony for the newest ones to release.
I think most of us can thank Bryan Davis for what is now the YA Christian fantasy market. When I was younger, I mostly read historical fiction because there really wasn’t any fantasy books like this. I wanted more fantasy, but there weren’t many options as far as clean fantasy for teens. It took Bryan Davis a lot of effort to get a publishing house to accept his works, because they were so far from the norm. But boy did he prove that they were salable! And, because of that, we now have a wide variety of novels like this.
Once I read these, I searched for more and found Wayne Thomas Batson’s The Door Within trilogy. Later I discovered Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (which is another series that could probably go on this list, honestly!). I read Donita K. Paul’s The DragonKeeper Chronicles. As I got older, I was introduced to Jill Williamson’s epic Blood of Kings trilogy. And then branched out into some general market YA spec-fic like The Hunger Games and The Lunar Chronicles. I had found the books for me. But it all started with Dragons in Our Midst.
These books also helped me grow in so many ways. They are utterly filled to the brim with beautiful, powerful themes, characters who face so much danger but still cling to their faith, spiritual warfare that really made me think, just…so much! Maybe it’s dramatic to say, but they really were life-changing, in more ways than one.
Bryan Davis created something amazing, and paved the way for a much-needed genre in the publishing world. And I will forever be grateful to him.
Wow, what a nostalgia trip! Now I want to go reread ALL THE THINGS and relive my childhood. These books make me so happy.
And I feel like there are so many more books I could talk about (I didn’t even mention Peter Pan, or Alice in Wonderland, or fairy tales in general!), but if I had to sum up the 5 most important series from my childhood/teenage years, these would be it. Because of them, they opened up worlds I would have never before discovered, led me to genres and other stories I hold near and dear, helped me mature, aided in my spiritual growth, and just brought endless joys during those vital growing up years.
Stories really are powerful things.
Obviously I want know what stories were integral to YOUR growing up years. I absolutely love hearing about the tales that hold those special places in a person’s heart. So PLEASE. Gimme all the titles! And have you read these? Do we share any childhood books? Am I the only one who adored the Betsy-Tacy books? I need to know there are others out there!
Great post💕 The only books I’ve read from this list are Anne of Green Gables and LOTR/ the hobbit, and I read all of them after I grew up a bit but I love them none the less😁 I read the Narnia series and lots of other classics but I’ve never heard of the rest you’ve mentioned here.
Thanks so much, Jan! LOTR and Anne are such classics. I couldn’t imagine life without either of them, as wildly different as they are. XD And I understand! I’ve come to a bunch of other popular ones later in life too (such as reading the Harry Potter books for the first time just a couple of years ago!) but that doesn’t damper my enjoyment of them a single bit. If anything, it just makes me appreciate them more!
SO. MANY. GREAT. BOOKS.
I’ve read almost all of these. I haven’t heard of Dragons in Our Midst, and I haven’t read LOTR yet (though I know the story! And it’s definitely on my to-read list).
I love the Betsy-Tacy books! They 100% deserve more recognition. It’s so cool that you related so much to Betsy. I love it when I can relate to a character.
The American Girl books were really great, too! I think those were pretty much all I read for at least a year. XD.
Anne of Green Gables is great. I re-read it SO MUCH as a child (I still re-read it, though not quite as much). The story is so timeless, and I’ve always related to Anne a lot.
I don’t think I actually read The Hobbit by myself, but my dad read it to me, and I loved it.
Hmm, I had lots of childhood favorites. Some of my favorites were the Percy Jackson series, the Harry Potter series, the Dear America/Royal Diaries series, the Ramona Quimby books and The Doll People series.
EEP. I’m so glad you agree!
The Dragons in Our Midst books are SO GOOD. I will say, they’re starting to age a bit; the writing style can feel a tad cheesy at times. BUT the plot and characters are so engaging, I don’t even mind.
AAAHHH ANOTHER BETSY-TACY FANS. I knew others had to be out there! *high-fives*
Okay but SAME with the American Girl books. Between the main ones and all the other random books they produced, like the History Mysteries, I was SET for a couple of years on reading material. It was great. XD
I love that you reread Anne so many times! As dear as they are to me, I haven’t ever reread the whole series! I want to say I’ve read the first book a couple of times, but all the others only once. Clearly I NEED to reread them.
Awww, that just makes it even more special that your dad read The Hobbit to you. That is a fabulous read out loud story! ^_^
Oh man, Percy Jackson! I LOVE those. I actually came to those fairly late, as in I read them for the first time in 2016. But I was instantly HOOKED and have been hankering for a reread (especially after hearing that they’re working on making a TV series!). And Harry Potter I honest to goodness didn’t read until 2018 and now I’m wondering what took me so long because I LOVED IT. SO MUCH. And oooh, I read some of the Dear America books. Those were fascinating! I never read any Ramona ones, though I’ve definitely heard of them. But I’m sad to say I’m not familiar with The Doll People at all! I need to go look these up!
Thanks so much for sharing your faves! It’s so fascinating seeing what stories captured people during their childhood. ^_^
Our lists are pretty similar! I think Bryan Davis’ books were my first introduction to the world of modern Christian fantasy. I don’t like them as much as I used to, but there’s so much nostalgia that I reread them anyway… also I adore Walter and Ashley and Gabriel!!
Which of the Betsy books is your favorite? I think mine is Betsy and Joe, but it’s so hard to choose.
Really??? That’s so special we share so many! And YES. The Bryan Davis books were such a great way to get into modern Christian fantasy. I’m so grateful to them for that. But I know what you mean. They are starting to age a bit, but I definitely adore them anyway. AND WALTER AND ASHLEY AND GABRIEL. GAH. I adore them! <3
I’m just so happy to see others have read Betsy-Tacy! And oh my goodness, Betsy and Joe was my favorite too! The highschool years books were definitely my favorites, but that one beat them all for me.
American Girl and Anne of Green Gables were my whole childhood! I still read my old AG books sometimes for nostalgia, and I have the Felicity doll. She sits on my bed during the day and looks so pretty in her green and gold dress!
I definitely still read the Anne of Green Gables series ALL. THE. TIME. My favorite book is the eighth, Rilla of Ingleside. Which is your favorite?
To be honest, the themes started getting darker with each subsequent book Montgomery wrote (Anne of Windy Poplars and Anne of Ingleside were actually written after RoI). So I didn’t enjoy Anne of Ingleside that much, honestly. The storyline about Anne thinking Gilbert no longer loves her leaves a bad taste in my mouth. When I was little and read that, I just thought, “Anne’s dumb to think that,” and at the end, “Yay, she realized she was dumb and it turned out great!” But now, being older, when I read that happy ending it is just so unconvincing, and the whole storyline just doesn’t sit well.
The Blythes are Quoted is really dark. I have it in my library because I just have to read anything Anne and Lucy Maud Montgomery, but in my mind I don’t count it as part of the Anne series. It just doesn’t fit with the Blythe family I know and love.
But the darker themes are attributed to Montgomery’s depression and her difficult marriage, and that makes me see them in light, if you know what I mean. Her empathy and genius really shines through everything she writes.
I love Rilla of Ingleside the most because it is so beautiful and patriotic. Also, may I mention that Walter and Rilla’s relationship is just so beautiful! I adore the older brother, little sister connection in books. I love Walter so much – he doesn’t get half the appreciation he deserves. I believe his death in RoI was the first time a book ever made me cry. His passion for beauty, his courage, and his sacrifice was a thousand times better than the other boys’ excitement about the war. Also, Susan Baker is my absolute favorite character. She’s so kindhearted and hilarious. The Whiskers-on-the-Moon storyline added some much-needed comedy relief.
This comment is officially very long, so I’m going to end it now. This was an awesome post, Christine! Keep it up!
Aaaahhhhh I love that!!! That is so special you still have your Felicity doll out. Those dolls were seriously the best. ^_^
Okay but I adore your enthusiasm for Anne! I’m going to be 100% honest and say my memory of some of the books, especially the later ones, are severely lacking because it’s been so long since I read them, and I only read most of them all once. But I do know the first was my favorite. Something about that one was just the most fun and delightful to me. It does seem like some later ones didn’t really feel like Anne to me because they weren’t as bright. And I don’t think I’ve ever read The Blythes are Quoted, and now hearing your thoughts I think I’m glad! Lol. The Anne books will always be my “happy” books, and I don’t want to read anything that will taint that, if you know what I mean.
That is sad about L.M. Montgomery, but understandable that her works would start to reflect her life. She really did have such an authentic, beautiful way with words that I think can speak to all of us.
Clearly I am way past due for a reread, because my memory is terribly fuzzy on Walter and Rilla’s relationship! Though I do remember really liking that one!
I loved your comment. Enthusiasm over stories makes me so happy! Thank you so much for sharing all your thoughts! <3
Can I jump in here and ask if you’ve read L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle? It’s not in Anne’s world, but it’s truly a charming story, and I really enjoyed it – I’m due for a reread.
(If you haven’t read it, the basic premise is that this woman who is dissatisfied with her life gets a letter from her doctor that says she could die any day because of a problem with her heart. And so she sets out to make life worth living and… well you’ll just have to read it ;P but I will say it isn’t a sad story, in case you’re worried. :3)
I have been meaning to read that one for AGESSS. It’s just shameful I’ve still not done it. Especially because I have a pretty bad heart problem myself, so I feel like I’d relate to the character. (I mean, I’m not dying any time soon, but ya know.)
I did read the Emily of New Moon books and quite enjoyed them. Definitely not to the extent of the Anne books, but they were good reads for sure!
So cool to see all the series that you grew up with! I’m with you on LotR, Anne of Green Gables, and Dragons in our Midst.
Awwww thanks, girl! And that’s so special we share some of the same ones! Those are all such special books. <3
Oh my goodness, Anne of Green Gables is one of my FAVORITE series [does “series” have a plural form?] that I have ever read. So is the Lord of the Rings — though I think I enjoy the Hobbit a leetle more than LotR, probably because it’s a lot shorter. I loved reading this blog post — all of your blog posts are great! You just radiate joy somehow! (Teach me your waaaays.)
I’m technically not through with growing up, some of the books I enjoyed IMMENSELY as a
youngerkid were the Narnia books. They were the books that integrated a love for fantasy in me at a tender age. I read them all to myself when I was about eight years old. My mom read The Horse and His Boy aloud to us for school (I’m homeschooled), and we owned and watched The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader on DVD (not the BBC versions). Narnia is like a second home to me now (as are Avonlea; Middle-Earth; Neverland; and, of course, the weird fantasy world in my brain that features a LOT of mythical Races derived from my imagination and my indignation at the fact that humans don’t have wings.IT’S SUCH A GOOD SERIES!!! (Lol. Series is such a weird word, because it can be single or plural. It’s special like that. XD) And oh, I’m totally with you. As much as I adore LOTR, The Hobbit was always my favorite. It’s a much easier read and just always appealed to me more. Awww, YOU ARE SO SWEET. Oh my goodness, I am grinning so hard right now. Thank you!
NARNIA. YES. It sounds like Narnia is to you what The Hobbit is to me! Because yes, that’s how I was after reading The Hobbit. I was all about fantasy after that. The Narnia books are so wonderful. I didn’t read them until my teenage days, but I’ve adored them with my whole heart ever since. And I 1000% agree on it being like a second home, and so many others, absolutely yes! Narnia, Middle-earth, Neverland, Wonderland–just so many! And oh my goodness, I am OBSESSED with wings and have a series where people have wings! Wings are the BEST, and it is a true tragedy we humans don’t have them. 😉
(Also, random note, I was homeschooled too! *high-fives*)
Great selection!
I’ve only read Bryan Davis (that specific series too) recently, but I definitely see why he was so influential, and I’m thinking of getting deeper into the YA Christian fantasy genre. :3
I enjoyed a lot of (one of) the Canadian equivalent(s) to American Girls: ‘Dear Canada,’ though those were geared towards people growing out of the Middle Grade section. I’m also only recently getting into Tolkien – I know, I know. xD My mom read Green Gables to me and my sister when we were younger as well, and I’m looking to revisit it sometime soon and get through the whole series. The others I haven’t heard of.
Ben M. Bagilo was quite prolific with his stories and got me consuming books super super fast, because there were so many to read! His various series were all about animals and I liked them a lot.
We also had a ton of these books that had fairies in them, and that coupled with Tinkerbell movies and the games I’d play with my closest cousin really drove home my love of fantasy!
Thanks for sharing! ^-^
Thanks!
I really do love the YA Christian fantasy genre, and am SO grateful to Bryan Davis for paving the way for it! Have you heard of Enclave publishing? They produce some AMAZING books in that genre. Definitely one of my favorite publishing companies!
Oh, that is so fun about the Dear Canada books! And that is TOTALLY okay you’re just now getting into Tolkien. You’d probably be shocked at all the popular books I’ve yet to read or come late too. Lol. And I’ve honestly not read all his other works, just The Hobbit and LOTR. The Silmarillion intimidates me. Lol. ONE DAY THOUGH. That is the sweetest thing your mom read Green Gables to you and your sister. Those are definitely wonderful books to share with the family. <3
I’m ashamed I had to look up Ben M. Bagilo. I wasn’t familiar with the name, but that is wonderful his works got you reading so much! That’s always the best.
OH. FAIRIES. My favorite!!! That is so special that grew your love of fantasy. I’ve only seen the first Tinkerbell movies, but I thought they were so fun. ^_^ And I am a HUGE Peter Pan nerd, so I am definitely here for this!
I have not! I will go check them out :D.
LOL. I’m slowwwly working through LOTR and the Hobbit. The Silmarillion intimidates me too xD. They are! <3 She read a lot of books to us ^-^ they were always some of my favourite times.
It’s not a well-known name. My library hasn’t heard of him either. Which surprised me, because we had like thirty of his books and they were a stable of my childhood literature. xD
Fairies are the best. ^-^
I have read both the Hobbit(and part of LOTR) and the AG books. The others seem interesting though!
*adds to TBR*
I really am interested in giving the Betsy-Tacy books a shot! They seem similar to a project I’m working on, following tweens until they get married(potentially longer…I’m very interested in the concept of my main character as a young mother as well…)
If I had to choose any books from this list to read, it’d be The Hobbit, so thumbs up to you! ;D
Oh, they are such charming reads! And that’s so fun they sound similar to your own project! I love that! Yeah, they never get to Betsy’s motherhood, instead sticking to her younger years. But they were truly delightful all the way through.
Wow, I remember reading the American Girls books over and over again! My favorite was definitely Samantha! Another series I loved was The Boxcar Children!
*HIGH-FIVES* I was so obsessed with the American Girls book for a time. And I LOVED Samantha! Her books are extra special to me because they were my first ones to read.
Oooh, The Boxcar Children! It’s funny, I knew so much about those books, and knew a lot of people who read them, but somehow I never read them myself??? I don’t know how that happened! I MAY have read one or two? I’m not sure. But I know they are very special books to so many. ^_^
Ahhhh so many amazing books in one place!
Betsy-Tacy 100% played a HUGE role in my growing-up years. LOVE those books. <3 <3
And I read the American Girls books, too! But mostly Kirsten, Felicity, and Rebecca, because those were the ones I could find at the library. 🙂
I didn’t read The Hobbit/LOTR until just a couple of years ago–I had trouble with The Hobbit when I was little–but I’m planning on making those part of the growing-up years of my kids and/or my siblings’ kids, if/when we all get married and have kids!
Anne of Green Gables! Those were less a part of my very early years, but from age 12-13…oh boy. SO many rereads of those books!
I have never even HEARD of Bryan Davis…but those books sound really interesting!
The books that shaped my growing up years most were, I think, the Ranger’s Apprentice series, the Book of Three series, and the Narnian books. Ranger’s Apprentice was realistic fantasy, and really taught me to read between the lines, The Book of Three was a series based on Welsh fantasy and I loved it for the outsized characters and subtle lessons, and Narnia obviously needs no explanation. 🙂
ANOTHER BETSY-TACY FAN YAY!!! I knew there must be others out there. That’s so wonderful! 😀
And that’s so exciting you read the American Girls books too! Kirsten and Felicity were two of my FAVES. I didn’t read Rebecca though?? She must have come out when I was older. I think Kaya was the last one I read before I kind of outgrew them.
That is totally okay! To this day, as much as I love it, LOTR kind of makes my eyes glaze over with all the fancy writing. Lol. I ADORE it, but it is definitely one to read…slowly. I love that you plan to make The Hobbit a part of your future kids’ growing up years. That’s 100% my plan to, should I ever have children! ^_^
I think that was about the age I was when I read Anne too. I want to say I was 13? And AH! *clutches heart* They were just so magical!
Oooh, Bryan Davis writes the most unique plots! Some of his early stuff is starting to feel a bit…cheesy, as far as the writing style. But it’s still 100% worth it for the characters and epic plots. I love ’em!
Aaaahhhh so fun! I’ve read the first Ranger’s Apprentice book AND the first Book of Three one, but shamefully never read the others. I need to do that. And YESSS to Narnia! It definitely needs no explanation. It speaks for itself. <3
Ahh! So many good books! The American Girl books also shaped my childhood years!
Thanks! OH MY GOODNESS YAAASSS. They were so much fun!
Hi Christine! I’ve just subscribed to your blog and I AM IN LOVE W/ MOST OF THOSE BOOKS!!!
I adore Anne of Green Gables and have almost all of the original paperbacks!
My sister sent me to your blog (so you can blame her) and am a totally unashamed bookworm!
Can’t wait to explore your blog some more!
Hey, Amy! I am THRILLED to have you along. Thank you so much for the follow! And EEP. It sounds like we have a lot of similar reading tastes! Anne of Green Gables is such a wonderful series.
Awww! Then a huge thank you to your sister as well! I am honored! Thank you so much, Amy! You’re so sweet. <3
Oh, Christine! I loved reading about your childhood books! I’m sorry to say I didn’t know of the Betsy-Tacy books until a few years ago, but CLEARLY I missed out on a fantastic series because I adore Little Women and if you’re comparing the two then I should look into them. <3
I love the American Girls! I really loved Kirsten’s stories, but my favorites were Felicity, Samantha, Kit, and Molly. ^_^ I also really liked Josefina as well!
Hobbit! LotR! I have shamefully only read each book once, technically twice if we’re counting audiobooks, but I can’t express how much I love the movies! I watched them when I was 13 and it just irrevocably sucked me into my love of fantasy that had already been pretty strong thanks to Disney. XD I really need to reread them soon…
Anne! Oh I love those books! And the Meghan Follows films! I always thought Anne was crazy for not liking her red hair when I always wanted red hair. XD I was first introduced to Anne by the films as a child and then read the books, which I was already planning on rereading soon and now you’re making me want to reread them even more! ^_^ Anne was one of the first characters I ever related to and is one of my top favorite characters ever. <3
My library doesn’t have any Bryan Davis books! *sobs* I must fix that by requesting them immediately! XD I’ve been wanting to read them ever since I learned about them during the Silmaril Awards.
Awwww, thank you! It was really fun to reminisce over all these…even though now I just want to go on a rereading binge! XD
That’s all right! The Betsy-Tacy books seem to be almost a little obscure. Which makes me sad, but I totally get it if you hadn’t heard of them before. They are DELIGHTS though. ^_^
Aaaahhhh another American Girls fan! YES. And it sounds like we liked the same books! Though I loved Kirsten, the Felicity, Samantha, Kit, and Molly stories were my favorites. Man, I reread those so many times!
That’s not shameful at all! I mean, LotR alone is quite the undertaking. o.o And that’s so special you listened to them on audibooks as well. I bet those are GREAT audiobook stories! And EEP. THE MOVIES. I honest to goodness wonder how many times I’ve seen those films. It’s got to be a ridiculous number at this point. XD They just never get old!
OH YAY. You’re an Anne fan too? That makes me so happy! AND that you loved the film. It was just the sweetest little movie, and followed the book so well. It’s seriously my happy place. I can totally see you being a lot like Anne! And she is seriously the best. <333 I’m making myself want to reread them as well. Lol. It’s been far, far too long!
*sobs with you* That’s so sad!!! He creates such unique stories! Though, I will say, some of the writing feels a little…cheesy sometimes? His earlier works especially are beginning to age. But I love the plot and characters so much I don’t even care! XD
I can relate to the Dragons In Our Midst thing SO much, I can’t remember if it was The Door Within or Dragons In Our Midst that introduce me to Christian Fantasy, both of them definitely launched my love for [Christian[ Fantasy,
What you wrote about Anne of Green Gables was really cool XD
Also out of the 3 series which one is your favorite? Mine is definitely Oracles of Fire (Sapphira’s and Elam’s relationship.) it has my favorite plotline and in general probably the best written(????) idk though, just my opinion XD
Reading posts like this is honestly inspiring because it reminds me of just how much impact authors have and makes me want to go write something that could be life changing/spring XD
Aaahhhh you too??? SO SPECIAL. Seriously, those books just changed EVERYTHING and I’m so beyond grateful for them. But ooooh, which is my favorite of the three series? ACK. Such a hard question! Definitely either Dragons in Our Midst or Oracles of Fire, but the problem is I have favorite books in each of those. Circles of Seven is one of my top favorites EVER, but so is Eye of the Oracle. Like you, I adore Sapphira and Elam. Sapphira is actually my top favorite character from the whole series. So…probably Oracles of Fire is my fave? But…I DON’T KNOW. I LOVE THEM ALLL.
Awwww! I’m so glad this was inspiring to you. And I couldn’t agree more. Stories have such an impact in the world, and you absolutely never know what all lives you can touch with your words. So YES. Go write! Go create stories. It is a beautiful thing and a true privilege. <3
Oh my WORD!!! I was actually planning on writing a post very similar to this (I’d scribbled the idea down in my brainstorming journal a couple weeks ago), but THIS WAS SO SO MUCH BETTER THAN ANYTHING I COULD HAVE WISHED FOR. I feel like you and I are very similar with how we were searching for “our stories” while growing up. I definitely struggled to find books which spoke to my heart, because–as you said–when I was growing up, it seemed the only clean fiction out there were the historical things. (which, don’t get me wrong, there are SO MANY GOOD ONES. but like…my heart always craved fantasy. XD)
I’ve never read the Betsy Tacy series, but MY GOODNESS I THINK I NEED TO NOW. Even though it’s not a fantasy or science fiction novel, I feel like it has a very Anne of Green Gables vibe, and I ADORE Anne!!! That was one of the first series I ever truly connected with, as well! I remember my mom handing me the first book and telling me she thought I’d like it, and I absolutely DEVOURED that novel. And then the next. And then the next. XD (growing steadily more in love with Gilbert Blythe, by the way. XD)
Another book with a similar vibe to Anne which truly helped shape my love for reading was The Five Little Peppers. That book was just!!!!! *clutches heart* I just love it so so much. (and if you’ve never read it, I think you’d love it, too!!!)
BRYAN DAVIS!!! I’ve technically never read the Dragons in Our Midst series, but I DID read the first Oracles of Fire book, and I really really want to go through and just….read them all. XD I find it so wonderful how he really paved the way for the books which we’re now trying to write! I can’t imagine the hurdles he’d have to jump through in order to find his niche, but it only goes to show that with a little faith and some trust, God’s will always finds a way. <33
OH OH OH!! And I was obsessed with American Girls, as well!!! I didn’t read all the stories (my sister was a little older than me when they got super popular and therefore probably read more of them than I did) but I had a doll that looked like me and had the cat–Licorice. Which I THINK is no longer available to buy. XD So clearly I’m in possession of a collector’s piece, here. XD
I could probably go on for three more paragraphs squealing over everything you’ve said, but I’ll try and end it here. This was SUCH a fun post, and I absolutely loved being able to stroll with you along memory lane and look at all the wonderful books which brought us the wonderful, whimsical Christine we have today!!! You are such an incredibly sweet soul, and it makes my heart so happy that we share some of the same books which helped pave the way to our future selves!
WHAT WHAT WHAT? TWINSIES!!! And GIRL. You should totally write a post like this! I WOULD LOVE THAT SO MUUUCH. And PFT. Do you know every single time I read your posts I’m always wishing I could be as funny AND poignant as you? You always write such thought-provoking things while ALSO make me nearly snort coffee all over my screen. YOU HAVE A GIFT.
It really was so hard to find books that really stirred my soul when I was little. I NEEDED some good fantasy but I just…didn’t realize it and didn’t know how to find it. Thank goodness there is a practical endless supply of it now! 😀
But yes, yes, yes! There was some fabulous historical fiction to read in the meantime. Betsy-Tacy is PRECIOUS and if you liked Anne, I feel like you’d enjoy those too! And AAAHHHH! I love that you loved Anne’s books. THEY ARE SO GOOD. (And so is Gilbert, you better believe it. He may have been one of my first ever fictional crushes, before I even realized what that was. XDD)
OH. You know, I think I may have read the first Five Little Peppers??? Or my mom read some of it out loud to me or something. I’m very aware of that book and think we actually have it somewhere, but I’m not sure I ever read the whole thing?! Now I need to go digging through our old books, because it sounds DELIGHTFUL and I don’t know why I didn’t properly read it as a child???
Bryan Davis’ books are soooo fascinating! Absolutely worth a read, YES. I’m so grateful to him for working so, so hard to pave the way for YA Christian fantasy to be such a huge market. God really did do amazing things through Him, and it’s so inspiring. <3
EEP. Another American Girls fan! *high-fives* Ooooh, you had the cat? SO FUN. I had the dog, Coconut! And she had her own little dog house and everything. I love her! Lol. Ah, nostalgia… Those were such fun days. ^_^
D’AWWW, KENZIE. I don’t even know what to say. You are seriously the sweetest, and it makes my heart happy that you enjoyed this post. It was honestly a joy to put together. Thank you so much for reading and your absolutely precious comment. *ALL THE HUGS*
Oooh, I’ve heard of Betsy-Tacy from reading the Mother-Daughter Book Club series because the characters read them in it! 😛 And so it’s been on my TBR for a while, but I didn’t grow up knowing about it.
YAAAAS AMERICAN GIRL!!!!!! We book bloggers need to boost it more! Why do I feel like as soon as we reach a certain age we forget they exist?! I used to read almost all the books, and I loved the “originals” like Samantha, Kaya and Felicity too. And the movies! Ahhh I wish I could rewatch and reread all of them but I don’t own any of them anymore. Did you ever read any of the Girl of the Year books? I think my first was Nikki? I think she was for 2006, but I don’t even remember what it was about. I think my favorite was Chrissa though, but I think I only watched the movie for it. I owned it so I watched it all the time. I like how each one has some unique hobby. It’s just fun and cute to watch.
I only watched the first LOTR movie like two years ago and have never read the books. I was more into Narnia. 😛
I read the first Anne of Green Gables when I was little and liked it, but I don’t think I realized it was a series. I really like the newer Netflix show (well, most of it) so it’s made me want to finally get to the whole series. 🙂
Hmm, I’ve actually never heard of Brian Davis’ books.
Peter Pan was definitely MY book when I was in elementary school. 😛 I reread it so many times my copy broke clean in half and I had to tape it back together. O.o I was obsessed with the 2003 live action movie too, and to this day I think no other adaptation can trump it. Even the Disney one, which is surprising cuz I’m a huge Dis-nerd too. XD Now I collect different editions of Peter Pan and reread it every January for my birthday month for nostalgia. 🙂
I definitely loved Magic Treehouse (I blame Tonight on the Titanic for my Titanic obsession :P) and The Life of Faith series. Did you read those? They were kinda like American Girl but Christian and longer and only had like four different characters with series I think. I grew up reading just the Millie books, but I had her and Kathleen’s dolls and I still want to read the other series one day. 🙂
It’s so fun to discover books from OTHER books. I remember one time reading a Baby-sitters Club book (because yeah, I read a few of those too back in the day XD) and one of the characters was reading a book I had read, and it got me so excited. Lol. But ANYWAY. Betsy-Tacy is just the most charming series. I think they can still easily be enjoyed as an adult. <3
ANOTHER AMERICAN GIRLS FAN. *high-fives* I totally agree! It’s like, once we outgrow them we just forget about them completely and never talk about them again??? It’s sad! Because those books were so great! I think I read just one of the Girls of the Year books, but now I can’t for the life of me remember what her name was? The originals and History Mysteries were my main ones to consume. But yeah, I lived and breathed pretty much anything American Girls I could get my hands on for a while there. Such fun days! ^_^
Well hey, you can NEVER go wrong with Narnia. <3
I’ve actually not seen the Netflix Anne show. For some reason it didn’t appeal to me, but maybe I should give it a shot! I definitely recommend the whole book series though! They’re all fantastic. ^_^
Bryan Davis writes SUCH epic Christian fantasy! I can never recommend him enough! 😀
AAAAHHHHH PETER PAN. My word, I love that story SO. MUCH. I love that you wore your copy down. That just means it was much loved! And OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS. To this day the 2003 movie is one of my top favorite movies to ever exist. EVER. I honest to goodness love it just as much as the book. Just… *clutches heart* That movie means everything to me. It’s another one of those things that defined my growing up years, to be honest! I was obsessed. Still am, actually. XD I do LOVE the classic Disney cartoon–it’s one of my favorites, in fact. But you just can’t beat that 2003 movie. <333 I love that you collect different editions of the book! I do the same for Alice in Wonderland and The Hobbit!
You know, I never actually read The Magic Treehouse books. I’m not sure HOW, because I’ve definitely always known about them. I just…never read them for some reason? But OH. THE MILLIE BOOKS. I did read those! They were fantastic!
YAAAAAS! I read a few of the History Mysteries too and really liked them! 😀
I mostly love Anne With An E for the cast. The girl who played Anne is just so great. She just makes me happy, I just think she does such a good job. XD <3 But I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of the other adaptations of it, so I’m probably biased. 😛
YAAAYYY SOMEONE ELSE WHO LOVES PETER PAN! XD That 2003 movie was my LIFE!!! I do like the Disney one, but not as much.
I started doing it because one of my favorite BookTubers has a huge Alice in Wonderland collection because it’s her favorite, so that’s where I got the idea to do it for Peter Pan, and I started doing it for the Hunger Games too. 🙂
What HOW have you never read Magic Treehouse?! XD
Yeah! They were really good. I mostly grew up on the first half of the series cuz when it skips ahead to when she’s married and in her 20s I wasn’t as interested in reading it so I saved them for when I was an adult too so I could relate to it more I guess? I mean I’m not married, but I’m the same age she was now I think so I finally finished the series a couple years ago just so I could grow with it.
They were such fun! Even if I stayed up WAY too late reading them all the time. XD
That’s great it has such a good cast! That’s honestly how I am about the 1985 film with Megan Follows. It was cast to perfection and I grew up on it so I just can’t imagine any other adaptation living up to it. Haha. But I should give Anne with an E a try!
I am ECSTATIC to find someone who loves the 2003 film too. IT’S JUST SO PERFECT. SO SO PERFECT. <333
It’s a blast collecting editions of a favorite book. And oooh, Hunger Games editions. SO FUN. That’s one of my favorite series right there!
I honest to goodness don’t know how I missed out on the Magic Treehouse stuff??? Pretty wild! XD
Awwww, that’s really special that you chose to grow with the series. I love that! ^_^
These are all such great books! I remember my mom reading Anne, The Hobbit, and LOTR out loud to me and my sister and even though I reread The Hobbit and LOTR on my own years later I have to admit I…like the movies better. *hides* I KNOW, I’m such an awful bookworm but it’s the truth. I just have trouble keeping up with Tolkien’s writing and struggle to not get confused or bored, a thing I have trouble with in spades with classic books in general. I chalk this up to not getting into reading as early as everyone else….
American Girl! I LOVED those books for SO many years! And I read a few of the Betsy-Tacy books! I think only the first couple or so because that’s all my library had, but I do remember liking them.
I actually read Dragons In Our Midst/Oracles of Fire/Children of the Bard a couple years ago based on your gushing and LOVED THEM!!!! Though I do agree the writing of the first one especially (Raising Dragons) is a bit….old, but they were also the author’s first books so I don’t hold that against him, haha. My first Bryan Davis series was actually Dragons of Starlight which I started on book two, Warrior, and had NO IDEA what was going on (again, the library. Why can’t they ever have the full series?) but I ADORED them. I especially like how he can write characters to be so great yet so frustrating you want to shake them even as you understand WHY they are thinking and saying and doing those things. Also, am I the only one who thinks the new covers for that series are not as good as the originals?
One of my childhood/teenhood faves would be the Thoroughbred series by Joanna Campbell (and other various authors) which was actually the first BOOK series to plant the seed of writing in my head (Disney’s Tangled was actually the story that drove me to write my own and want to become an author for real). Others would be Narnia, The Kingdom series by Chuck Black, and a really obscure and sadly out of print series called Bella Sara which are fantasy stories based on the online game of the same name in which there is a land of magical horses. Bella Sara was the one to make me fall head over heels in love with fantasy and I read the first two nearly every day for the longest time. Oh, I almost forgot the Horse Angel series (which is now called Horse Guardian for those who want to look it up 😉 ) by Angela Dorsey! It’s MG supernatural about an angel who helps various horses and their girls across the world as each book is about different characters. I loved those books and another staple to ground me in the speculative genre forever, haha!
I better stop there or I’m gonna be here all day clogging up your comments, LOL! Maybe when I (eventually) start a blog I’ll make a post like this!
Awwww! What a special thing. I love that. <333 But hey, I make no judgments on liking the films more. I’ve seen the LOTR films way more than read the book. I adore the book with my whole heart but…yeah. It is a bit hefty to get through! The Hobbit films are…not my favorite, but I’m probably biased there. XD But ANYWAY. As much as I love reading, I am hard pressed to get super into a classic myself. Classics are not my favorite at all and that’s OKAY. We all have different reading tastes, and just because they’re classics doesn’t mean we have to like them. The way books are written change over the years, and if we change with them, there is no shame in that!
AMERICAN GIRLS YASSS. I’m so glad to hear you loved them too! And that’s really exciting you’ve heard of and read the first couple of Betsy-Tacy books! Super sad your library didn’t have the whole series though. Our library system is failing us! *collapses*
Oh my goodness, you read them all because of me??? AWK. I AM SO HONORED. And doing my job as a relentless booklover RIGHT. ;D Oooh, his Dragons of Starlight books are fascinating. Not my favorite of his, but I still very, very much enjoyed them! The realism of the characters was amazing, yes! I totally agree there. And THE COVERS. Okay, I’m really happy to see someone else who likes the originals better. I am absolutely with you there. I really loved the originals and am so glad those are the ones I own. <3
I think I’ve heard of the Thoroughbred series! And it’s honestly a shock that I never read them, being the horse fanatic my younger self was. XD And that is SO special it was one of the things that led you to writing (and even more special that Tangled inspired you because TANGLED MY LOVE <333).
NARNIAAAA. You can never go wrong with that! And OH OH. I read some of Chuck Black’s Kingdom series. Those were really cool! That’s so sad this Bella Sara series is out of print! Yeah, I’m not sure I’ve heard of that but MAN. It sounds like that would have been SOOOO up my alley as a kid. I mean, a land of magical horses??? YASSS. Everything I loved in one! And I don’t think I’ve heard of the Horse Angel series either, but they ALSO sound like something I would have adored.
I LOVE hearing about your childhood books!!! Fill up my comment section any time. This comment made my day! And EEP. That would be a blast if you did a post like this one day. Yesss! 😀
You have hazel eyes, too?? Yet ANOTHER thing to add our twin-list! (I’m the only person in my family with hazel eyes, so I always love finding other people who have them. xD) The Betsy-Tacy stories sound a little bit like the Elsie Dinsmore series. I only ever read the first book, but it was so charming and lovely and I still would love to read the rest of them eventually!
YES AMERICAN GIRLS! I, too, learned much of my history knowledge from them. xD And how funny that you first read them and wanted a doll for your 10th birthday, because the girls always started out at 9 and turned 10 in their birthday books! I got my American Girl obsession from my older sister, who let me read her books and (sometimes) play with her dolls. Molly and Kit were some of my favorites, too! And prooobably Josefina. I think they’d be my top three! And I, too, spent hours on the website playing the games. (they had some pretty fun stuff, not gonna lie. I still go there every now and then. xD) My dolls still have a place of honor in my hallway. (including Kirsten, who I saved up for and bought with my own money and was very proud of. xD) Every now and then I’ll go back and reread the AG books, particularly the Christmas ones. They make me so happy. <3
Something about reading what LOTR means to people always seems to make me a bit emotional, because it reminds me just how incredible those stories are. (Also, I had a bit of a crisis when you said you were ten when the FOTR movie came out. Like, I knew it came out a long time ago, but whew. Feeling old here. xD But I also didn’t even see the movies until they’d been out for years, so it’s still so strange to me to think they ARE so old!)
Ahh, Anne of Green Gables! I’ve only ever read it once, years ago, and I’d really like to reread it sometime. Along with the rest of the series. I’ve seen the movies a few times, though, and I always so enjoy them! Anne and Gilbert are so adorable! (And Anne’s being a writer doesn’t hurt, either!)
*is reminded for the 2093848th time that I need to read Bryan Davis books*
You have me feeling nostalgic now, too! Aside from what I already mentioned, some of my favorite series as a kid were The Baby-Sitters Club, The Berenstein Bears (a little younger but still a GEM), Sweet Valley Twins, and every single horse book imaginable. XD I especially loved The Saddle Club. And I was also a member of a club that sent me two horsey books (along with a bunch of other goodies) every month, and let me tell you I DEVOURED those books. I don’t think they ever lasted until the next box arrived. xD
We’re so alike in how our reading tastes have changed over the years! I rarely read a fantasy story back in the day. I always loved magic and dragons and the like, but for some reason I just never read them. (Maybe there just weren’t enough to choose from!) But now, like you said, the books in fictional worlds are where it’s at. xD I do read the occasional contemporary or historical fiction, but my fantasy-loving bookworm heart feels the most at home in the pages of another world. <3
Aaaahhhh hazel eye twins! *high-fives* It’s so hilarious how alike we are!
Hmmm… I guess they are sort of like Elsie Dinsmore? Though I liked the Betsy-Tacy books MUCH more. I got bored with the Elsie books once she got older and never finished them. Lol. But Betsy-Tacy kept my attention alllll the way through, again and again and again.
EEP. I love that you were a major American Girls fan too!!! Man, those were such fun days! And oh my goodness, you’re right! I was the exact same age as the girls while I was reading them! I had forgotten about that! And YES, that website gave me hours of fun. XD That’s so special you saved up to buy a Kirsten doll! AND that they all have a place of honor in your hallway. I love that! I really need to go back and reread some for nostalgia’s sake. They were my happy place during those preteen years for sure. <3
I know EXACTLY what you mean! Of course, pretty much anything LOTR gets me emotional, so. XD BUT THEY’RE JUST SO PERFECT. I hope Tolkien knew what an impact his beautiful stories made on this world. <3 (And RIGHT??? It gives me a bit of a crisis now and again when I realize just how old those movies are. They don’t SEEM that old somehow. I don’t even know. How does time go by so fast???)
Shockingly enough, I’ve only ever read all the Anne books once as well! I want to say I’ve read the first one two or three times, but the others just once. And yet they still left such an impression on me. And AWK YES. Those movies! Forever some of my favorites. <333
Oooh, I read a few of The Baby-Sitters Club books. Those were so much fun! And oh my GOODNESS. The Berenstein Bears!!! WE LOVED THOSE. Those and another series called The Little Critter books were some of our most loved children’s stories! I’ve heard of the Sweet Valley Twins books but I don’t think I ever read them? And it’s honestly shocking how few horse books I read, as obsessed with horses as I was. That is the BEST you got sent two books ever month! Oh man, that’s the childhood dream right there!
It definitely sounds like we had SUCH similar reading experiences throughout our lives! I just love that. So many good books to grow up on. ^_^ But YES. Thank goodness we eventually discovered all the good fantasy books the literary world has to offer! I am so pleased with the wide array of spec-fic we have to choose from now! Gimme ALL the magic and dragons! Gotta make up for lost time. ;D
The American Girl books!! I remember reading those over and over SO many times! I loved the Kirsten ones because she lived in Minnesota, and I thought it was so cool to read about a girl who lived where I lived haha 🙂
Oh my gosh, I would do the exact same thing with the History Mysteries…I would stay up waaaay too late reading those XD
AAAHHHH YOU UNDERSTAND!!! I love that we both liked Kirsten AND stayed up late reading the History Mysteries! Yesss. Man, it was just shameful how late I’d stay up reading those. XD But how could I sleep until I knew what happened??? REALLY NOW.
I have only read The Hobbit on this list.
Oh, man, I have many childhood books that are so special to me. Especially with me going through my library history and seeing all of the books I read and loved so much as a child. There are so many I have forgotten I loved. Now I want to buy them and reread them all, haha. But the most favourite childhood books from the top of my head would be Deltora Quest (all three series), any fantasy series from Emily Rodda (she is also the author of Deltora Quest but Deltora Quest needed to be mention separately because it was the first series I fell in love with from her and likely the first fantasy book series I ever read), Into the Woods by Lyn Gardner, Emily Windsnap series (only the first four), The Secret Garden, Pictures of Hollis Wood, The Silver Brambly and countless others I can’t remember right now.
Well that is the best one, SO! 😀 If I had to choose ONE book for everyone to read, you know it’d be The Hobbit. *grins*
And, shamefully, the only one I’ve read that you listed was The Secret Garden. But, man, I LOOOVED that book. The Little Princess too!
I have heard of the Deltora Quest series! I actually may even own some of the books in the series because I found them for super cheap at a library sale and thought WHY NOT??? But I’ve shamefully not read them. You’re reminding me I need to do that, and making me even more excited to give them a try! And all these others sound sooo amazing too! That is so special you have so many and can look back through your library history! I’m not sure I have access to my library history…? Which makes me SAD because I know there are so many books out there I read as a child that I’ve forgotten about. Maybe one day they’ll all come to me! ;D
I have not heard of The Little Princess. It sounds interesting.
I actually have kept a bunch of the receipts I got from library, haha. Since I’m getting rid of them now, I have been able to look back properly and see all of the beautiful books (and the not-so-beautiful ones) of my younger self’s reading life. But I can also look online at the library history there but it isn’t very good since most books I’ve read aren’t on it anyway because for some reason a lot of books that they don’t have anymore disappears from the history. Lame.
Oh! A Little Princess is written by the same author who did The Secret Garden, which is why I mentioned it. I know that probably sounded random. Lol. But yes, I loved it as much as The Secret Garden!
That is such a good idea to keep all the receipts! Man, I wish I had done that. Very smart! But awww, that’s a shame the library history doesn’t always work. That’s why I adore using GoodReads these days. It’s SO great being able to keep track of all my books! Haha.
Childhood I think was the American girls, the Little House Books, the Boxcar Children, the Annie Henry books, Mandie Books, The Borrowers, Narnia, Sarah’s Journey Series.
A bit later in preteen/teens I think was Little Women and Little Men (didn’t know about Jo’s Boys until I was older), some of the Anne books (we actually didn’t have the iconic first, or Rilla), The Grandma’s Attic series.
*high-fives for American Girls books* They were such fun! And Narnia OF COURSE. Little Women was also suuuch a special book to me, although shamefully I never did read Little Men or Jo’s Boys!
Some of these others I’ve heard about or read a few of, but they weren’t a huge part of my childhood. Which I know is shocking! Most EVERYONE read The Boxcar Children and such, but somehow I never did??? I don’t even know how I missed out on that one. XD