The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes -- I remember that this one really hit home because I grew up pretty damn poor. Not as poor as the girl in the story, but poor enough to relate. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis -- My aunt got me the box set for Christmas when I was around 10 or 11. I read them until the fell apart. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume -- I think pretty much any girl who read this book remembers it...for better or worse. And finally, Mysterious Wisteria (Keys to reading) by Theodore Lester Harris -- I read this book when I was in first grade. I can't recall any of the stories, but I remember that I loved it. I would check it out from the classroom library and read it over and over again.
The books I mentioned certainly helped me become the person I am. They're full of tollerance, love, multiculturalism, personal responsibility and wonder. If my mother hadn't read to me every night before bed I don't know where I'd be, but it certainly wouldn't be as nice as where I am.
I wouldn't say it shaped me as a kid, because I was an old kid when it came out, but in my mind, there is no better children's book than The Butter Battle Book.
Great series, although until now, I never met anyone else who'd ever read them. I've always remembered Jupiter Jones and the concept of winning a limo 24/7. I was going to say the Hardy Boys, just because I spent sooo much time with them. Other favorites, though too busy today to explain them: The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner Adam of the Road by someone named Gray The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder The Forgotten Door by Alexander Key (same guy who wrote Escape to Witch Mountain) Watership Down by Richard Adams Rikki Tikki Tavvi by Rudyard Kipling
Rikki Tikki Tavi is a good one and it reminded me of the complete collection of Kipling's The Jungle Books. I discovered this book (noticed it because of its jungle pattern cover) while I was hiding from my brother--during a cardboard tube and rubber band fight--between the back of the couch and and the bookshelves in the living room. I picked it up and started reading it. That led me to a long exploration of the "grown-up" books on the shelves, seeing as how I'd liked one of them already. Even after I moved away from home, every time I visited my folks I'd cruise the bookshelves and take one to read while I was there.
I used to read that all the time. What's cooler than carving a huge tree hollow to live in and having a pet hawk at the same time?
I think I was 7 (near the end of second grade?) when my mom picked up a set of the Happy Hollisters books from a garage sale, which were my first chapter books, as I recall. After that, these were some favorites: Pippi Longstocking books Oz series Swallows and Amazons Lloyd Alexander's Prydain books stuff by John Bellairs Encyclopedia Brown Jack London EB White kid versions of the Greek myths Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing/Superfudge (was that Judy Blume?) Beverly Cleary
Jack London: I must have read Call of the Wild and White Fang 20 times apiece. All of the Jim Kjelgaard "Red" books, plus Wild Trek and Fire Hunter (which was totally awesome--way before Clan of the Cave Bear). Roy Chapman Andrews: In the Days of the Dinosaurs, and assorted others. Robert Lawson: Ben and Me, Mr. Revere and I
When I was a kid in the late '50s, I really enjoyed the sports novels by John R. Tunis, especially the baseball ones. Here is a link to a short article on him and those books: Tunis. The other books that I really liked a few years later were the novels by the 'Big Three': Andre Norton, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein.
I like that book immensely; I carried a dog-eared copy in my pocket for years, along with a smaller book of Robert Service short stories/poetry! The best reading of my life! Those days are long gone! I highly recommend Robert Service stuff if you like the far north by the way!
HAHAHA Oh man, it's all coming back to me. Favorite part has to be the mouse class war in the French palace with the US Navy Sea Rats coming in to break the palace guard lines. (Don't ask)
too many books so here are authors who works shaped me as a youngin: Louisa May Alcott Judy Blume Laura Ingalls Wilder Louis L'Amour Carolyn Keene and when i started getting into sci-fi: Anne McCaffrey Spider Robinson Robert A Heinlein
Pretty much everything from Astrid Lindgren. From Pippi Longstocking to Brothers Lionheart, imo one of the best childrens books that deals with theme of death.
A great read. The sequel, The Long Secret, wasn't half as good, tho. Read just a bit too much like the literary version of a chick flick. I loved most of her stuff as well. The Mouse and The Motorcycle was my favorite. Richard Adams' Watership Down ended up being a high school read rather than a children's book because I didn't know about it earlier, but I enjoyed it just the same. I read it again about five years ago, and unlike Cleary's books and Harriet The Spy, it hadn't lost any of its appeal. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH was a classic, and the movie wasn't too bad itself. There was another about a community of animals who lived behind a house that soon became occupied by a family who shared their garden produce with tem. The main character was a young rabbit named Georgie, but I can't remember the title for the life of me. Does Scholastic Book Services still exist?
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, Newbery Medal winner Carry On Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham, also Newbery Medal My 4th grade teacher read Johnny Tremain to the class, several pages a day, during the winter months, in Evanston, Illinois, when it was too cold for outdoor recess.
Funny, the only detail I remember from that book was that he mangled his hand in an unfortunate smelting accident.
Speaking of Newberry books, The Door in the Wall, by Marguerite de Angeli, is excellent. It's set in the middle ages and features a boy who loses the use of his legs to polio but ends up being essential to his towns defense against invaders.