Top Ten Tuesday – Favorite Childhood Books

~ Erika K

5/19/15 – Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every Tuesday they post a new Top Ten list prompt. This week’s list is a freebie – post your Top Ten anything you like! 🙂

I’ve chose to list my 10 favorite (I should say 10 of my favorite…) childhood books. Some of these I’ve re-read since and loved just as much. Others I only vaguely remember the plot but get a warm, happy feeling whenever I see the cover. I know this is a Top Ten list, but these are in no particular order…

Do you have any childhood favorites you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments, and if you have a blog, why not write your own Top Ten list? Just be sure to link back to The Broke and the Bookish, and leave a link to your post in the comments here, too.

1. The Cricket in Times Square
by George Selden
The Cricket in Times Square
This is the first book in the Chester Cricket series, but the only one I remember reading. I can’t remember anything that happened, but I know I liked it!

2. A Wrinkle in Time
by Madeline L’Engle
A Wrinkle in Time (A Wrinkle in Time Quintet, #1)
Another first book in a series, but I actually read all of these. I remember my 6th grade teacher Mrs. King reading this story aloud a little bit at a time at the end of each school day. That was always something to look forward to – listening to the teacher read us a good book.

3. The Book of Three
by Lloyd Alexander
The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain #1)
This is book 1 of the Chronicles of Prydain. I read them all, but this was my favorite because I got to meet Taran and Gurgi for the first time. I got it at Waldenbooks in the mall, then came home and laid across my bed just to “flip through” it for a few minutes. Several hours (and a sore neck) later, I had finished and couldn’t wait to get back to the store to buy book 2!

4. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
by Robert C. O’Brien
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Rats of NIMH, #1)
Another book one of my gradeschool teachers read out loud in class.

5. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
by C.S. Lewis
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)
Of course my copy didn’t have the movie tie-in cover, but that was ok with me! I love all of the Narnia stories, but there’s something especially magical about Lucy’s first foray into Narnia.

6. Every Nancy Drew book ever written
by Carolyn Keene
The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, #1)
I wanted to BE Nancy Drew!

7. Every Hardy Boys novel available
by Franklin W. Dixon
The Tower Treasure (Hardy Boys, #1)
While I never actually wished to be Frank or Joe, I still wished I could have come along for the adventure.

8. The Borrowers
by Mary Norton
The Borrowers (The Borrowers, #1)
Yet another book read to my class in 4th or 5th grade. I only remember reading the first Borrowers book, but I know there are many more.

9. Island of the Blue Dolphins
by Scott O’Dell
Island of the Blue Dolphins (Island of the Blue Dolphins #1)
I remember the horror I felt at Karana being left behind, and the wonder that she was able to fend for herself. This was a story that really made me stop and think, what would I be capable of, it it were me?

10. Little House on the Prairie
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little House on the Prairie (Little House, #2)
One more series that I couldn’t get enough of. Now my daughter is reading them!

If you’re in the mood to reminisce a little more, here is a list of the 100 Best Children’s Chapterbooks of All Time, put together by childrensbookguide.com.

15 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday – Favorite Childhood Books”

    1. Hi Rachel – I’m lucky enough to have 2 daughters the right age for these books now, so I have an excuse (if I need one) to re-read them! Heading to check out your list now. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  5. What a terrific list! I think the only one of these I didn’t read and love is Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. I’m not sure why I didn’t read it, except that I was really scared of rats. (Still am, for that matter.) But the others? Almost all were favorites, and re-read several times. The L’Engle, Wilder, Lewis, and Alexander I still re-read – and I’m just over 50. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Cricket in Times Square – do you know how many times I read that book as a kid?? The best and I’m certain the beginnings of my love affair with the city that never sleeps. I would also add “Serendipity” by Stephen Cosgrove and “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss – I was obviously raised by an environmentalist. Great list – thanks for sharing. Now I’m off to buy Cricket in Times Square for my son so we can read it together. Cheers.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment