Tuesday, May 14, 2013

What were your favorite childhood books?

The Favourite Book. Honor C. Appleton (1879 – 1951, English)

This is Children's Book Week, so I'm bringing back a post from the archives about my favorite childhood books.  What were yours? Let me know in my comments section!


I've been a voracious reader since I was able to string words together. Interestingly, I don't have much of a memory of the books that were read to me before I could read myself, but I vividly remember the books I loved as a child.

Here is a nod to some of them.



Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, is the first full-length book I remember reading. I was eight years old.

This is a picture of the actual version I read. It was an abridged version, but I loved the illustrations. In my mind, that is still what Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy look like.

My Aunt Jean (sadly no longer with us) had recommended it to me, saying "You'll cry your eyes out and back in again!"

This was just before my family went to Beirut, Lebanon as missionaries. We were in New York City for several days before our ship sailed, and my parents bought me beautiful hardbound copies of "Little Men" and "Jo's Boys." I was in heaven.


This book laid the foundation for my lifelong love of The Chronicles of Narnia. I saw British friends reading it at Manor House School in Beirut, and that sparked my interest.

Even as a child, I was able to see the spiritual parallels. Years later, I made sure my own children read them.


I received this book as a Christmas gift when I was a little girl, and it was a treasure trove for me! I also loved Blyton's "Mallory Towers" series.



This was the first Noel Streatfield book I read, but I think I probably ended up reading all of them. They were all about children who were very talented, either as skaters, dancers or actors. I enjoyed them immensely.

I was delighted when the books were actually mentioned in the movie, "You've Got Mail."



Those are just a few. You can read here about my other favorites, Auntie Robbo and Red Knights from Hy Brasil...and here about what my love of a childhood book has to do with a murder in an English village!

Reading enriched my childhood and continues to do so today!

What were YOUR favorite books as a child?

Sunday, May 12, 2013

My life lately on Instagram...

Lots going on lately! Most recently, my two sons and the youngest of my two grandsons came up for my daughter's graduation last Friday night from Illinois State University.

Here are some moments captured on Instagram:

No visit from my kids is complete without an outing to Giuseppi's Pizza


I like having my sons around for morning coffee...scruff and all :) This is my firstborn, Jonathan

JD LOVED the Discovery Center...he had so much fun!


With the graduate, my daughter Elizabeth


JD waiting patiently for the graduation to begin...he was SO good!

My husband Doug and son Justin
My kids had to leave this morning for Texas, but I feel I got to celebrate Mother's Day with them  

Hubby and me after church

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