The books of my childhood – World Book Day
World Book Day celebrates authors, illustrators, books and of course, reading! If you know me at all you will know that I love reading. I regularly read a book week, reading 52 books in a year for the first time a few years ago.
It may seem a lot, but honestly I constantly feel I’m just not reading enough. There are sooo many books out there, it takes all my strength to walk into a book shop and not walk out again with sacks of books!
I share my short books reviews each month on Instagram and save them on my stories if you’re interested.
Reading has always been a big part of my life, my parents would read to me as a child and I would often be found with my nose in a book as a young child and teenager. I remember reading Lord of the Rings over my dad’s shoulder when I was about 11. I don’t think I read much more than a few lines and still have never tackled the full book, but a lovely memory none the less.
I’d be lying if I said I’ve always read loads, I think there was a significant pause at university, where I don’t remember reading much at all. However in recent years I think I’ve really got into my groove with reading, if that’s such a thing.
Reading has become a bit like eating, where I really notice if I have gone a day or even more than a few hours without reading a few pages of my latest book. I have a stack next to my bed that seems to constantly get bigger as I buy books fast than I can read them.
The term addict springs to mind, but a healthy addiction! Right?!
To celebrate World Book Day this year I thought I would go back to where it all began and share some of my favourite books I read as a child. I’d love to hear yours too.
My favourite childhood books
Swallows and Amazons
When I started to think about the books I read as a child this was the first one that sprang to mind. I LOVED Swallows and Amazons. It was the dream to take a boat to a secret island and build dens with my friends (I didn’t have siblings until I was 10).
I read this book more than once and had the film on video (oh videos!) which I watched over and over again too. I got to almost live out my dreams when dad and Karen bought a wood and I spent much of my teenage years making dens in the rhododendron, which were perfect for making dens, it even has ‘den’ in the name!
John, Susan, Titty and the gang had such an adventure, I feel this book seems unbelievably unrealistic for kids to do ‘these days’, but my hope is that if I ever have kids they can have adventures like this too.
The Railway Children
I’m not sure what came first the book or the film, but I know both were firm favourites. My dad named me after Jenny Agguter (think he had a crush!) so I felt I had an connection with ‘big sister Roberta’ in the book and longed to be able to save the day (or trains) from fallen trees or otherwise.
Like Swallows and Amazons, it was all the adventures they had that I loved. Occasionally a little bit naughty, the kids in the novels had big hearts and a real sense of adventure!
Peepoo
‘Again… Again!’
I have it on good authority that this was a firm favourite as a very young child and mum had to read it again and again and again… and again! In fact I think ‘again’ was one of the first words I ever learnt, possibly so mum would keep reading this book.
Looking this book up online and I actually remember it well, maybe I should read it… again!
Malory Towers
I can’t have a list of favourite books without listing something by Enid Blyton. A childhood name, she churned out so many books we almost all must remember today she probably appears in everyone’s list.
Though I enjoyed the Secret Seven and Famous Five, it was Malory Towers that I remember most fondly. The exploits of an all girls boarding school, old fashioned at its core. I hope we never lose these classic children’s books and kids always remember the ‘good ol’ days’ when they could run free and spent most of their time outdoors.
Pinbin dim dominily…
I couldn’t quite remember the name of this book and neither can my family, but we all remember it and I can clearly see the front cover. It was about a little man or something… all I remember is I loved it.
Karen bought me this book as a child and it was so well read (definitely more than once) that it fell apart pretty much to the point of no return. I think that’s a good sign!
Anyone remember what the name of the book is? I’ve tried Googling various things but just can’t find it. Did I imagine the whole thing?
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
I have a lion teddy called Aslan and think I still check there isn’t a door out the back of any old wardrobes I come across. This is probably the closest I got to enjoying fantasy books, I’m more of a realistic fiction girl, but who doesn’t fall in love with Aslan and his friends?!
So there are just a few of my favourite books as a child, there’s a definite theme of adventure in there and perhaps they show my age too!
I don’t really remember any modern day books I read off the top of my head, most seemed to have been out a long while before I picked them up. Probably a sign of how my parent’s book choices influenced mine. I remember them all fondly though and if I ever get kids hope I get to pass on some of my favourites to them too.
Did you read any of these books as a child? or do you have any other books that stand out as being your childhood favourites?
Happy World Book Day everyone! May your life be filled with life-changing bookish adventures
Dear Jen…..It was PEEPO ( Not Pee Poo, although there was a lot of that to deal with, aged 2 )
Love Mum. X