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A Bee and Her Books



We've been busy bees preparing for school to begin.  Since we are a home~schooling family, we have a library and classroom in our home. Fortunately, our new house has loads of Craftsman era bookshelves built all around our family room.  I get all giggly and grin-ish whenever I look at them.  I feel like I'm in a public library...one of my favorite places in the world to be!

Yesterday, while I was putting away the final box of books, my mind wandered back to my childhood when I would spend HOURS in the library.  I grew up in a small Ohio town and we had a haunted library. 


The Pickaway County Library...isn't it awesome?!


There was a resident "lady in white" ghost who was known for tossing books around (especially in the children's area.)  My aunt was a volunteer there and would tell me all about the spooky antics of the ghostie. It was a bit creepy if you were there after dark!


In the summer months, the Bookmobile would come to our neighborhood.  I LOVED the Bookmobile! 




I'd get my paper library card (which I still have) and book it right to the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books.  My heartstrings are still tugged everytime I see these books too... 







I adored Pippi Longstocking, Eloise, The Littles and The Swiss Family Robinson.  I would devour ghost stories, witch stories and tales of terror.  I loved these two  books so much that I kept my original copies.






I think Catherine and I will re-visit lots of these old favorites of mine this school year.  I just purchased the complete Little House set last week. I want to do a pioneer theme week and know she will love Laura as much as I did.
                                   
One of the things I didn't want my kids to miss out on as home-schooled students was the thrill of ordering from the Scholastic Book Club.  (yes...I'm that much of a book nerd...)


 

When I found out home-schoolers can get the circulars and order from them, I was all in.  I remember how I would love to go through and circle all of the books I just had to have.  I love watching Catherine do the same!  


As luck would have it, both of my kids are avid readers.  I love sharing their books with them.  When Connor was reading the Percy Jackson series a few years back, he would hide them from me so I couldn't read ahead of him.  When the final Harry Potter book was released, we were at the bookstore at midnight.  We were first in line.  After taking ownership of this prized possession, we went to Nico's Taco Shop for breakfast burritos (at 12:30 am!)  What a great memory!


Every night, Catherine will read at least 3 books to her dolls.  She also loves to read to my mother (who's away in OH) over the phone each night because she knows Nana can't sleep without a bedtime story.  




Lately, she's putting on the heat about visiting our new library because we've lived in Tucson for two months and haven't been there yet.  She thinks that is pure sacrilege.  


So what about you? Do you have a fond book memories from your childhood?     
Have you re-visited any of your books from "back in the day" lately?  Do share!


XoXo



Comments

Anonymous said…
I remember that I loved the book Heidi - I read it in college LOL!!! I didn't read much when I was younger; my mother frowned upon reading. But, I LOVE it now!
Little house books are my all time favorites!!
Kat said…
I was such an avid reader as a child. I remember my all time favorite book was The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. I do believe it won a Newberry Honor award.
Randi Troxell said…
i love all books.. no seriously, i do!

but i think these memories with your kiddos are AWESOME that you are making.. and they will remember them forever!
Meathead said…
I always loved reading. I remember being so proud that I read a novel in one day when I was 9. It took 9 hours.. Now I can read a book 3 times the size in about 3 or 4 hours.
Funny thing though.... I have zero memory of EVER going to the library. My kids have a TON of books, But we do't go the library either.

I read the "Ramona Quimby" books, Anne of Green Gables, etc. Loved them!
Tracy said…
You are making WONDERFUL memories that your children will always cherish!

Ordering from the scholastic book club was the BEST part of the year for me... tied with the book fair actually. I loved it! That little flimsy circular was tattered by the time I was ordering!

My mom and I lived far from my school... so every morning on our drive in I'd read to her. We read the Boxcar Children, Babysitters Club, Goosebumps, Ramona Quimby, Diary of a 5th grade fat kid, and pretty much any mystery/who-dun-it type of book I could get my paws on. Those were some of the greatest memories I have... I loved reading to my mom.
Kristina P. said…
I forgot about bookmobiles!

And I was such a voracious reader when I was younger. I loved all the mystery series. Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Encyclopedia Brown, etc.
Kristina P. said…
I forgot about bookmobiles!

And I was such a voracious reader when I was younger. I loved all the mystery series. Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Encyclopedia Brown, etc.
You have some of my top fave's and I would add Anne of Green Gables trilogy, when she's older. The language is beautiful, like poetry!
Liz Mays said…
Yes, I introduced many of my favorites to my kids and was delighted they liked them too.

I loved the Little House series, Nancy Drew and all of the Roald Dahl books!
Jenners said…
I feel so ripped off ... I never got to go in a Bookmobile!!

And we had a lot of the same books we loved. I love the Jennifer Hecate... etc. Did you ever read "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler"? Loved loved loved that book.

And it is horrible that you haven't visited your new library yet. GO NOW!
Can you believe I have never been in the bookmobile? It's true. Not something I'm proud of, considering my love of reading.

My oldest and I have started reading some of my childhood favorites together, like James and the Giant Peach and just about everything by Beverly Cleary.
Alexis AKA MOM said…
OMGosh you so just picked every freaking book I love!!! I love those circulars. Cole's little private school gets them and I love picking up new books him. We're on a big dino kick lately.

I've been hitting half price books and getting some great used books for him.
Cyndy Bush said…
OMGosh, I remember The Wednesday Witch! I loved that book, thanks for jogging my memory. I'm going to find it for my daughter now!
aurora said…
I loved your post! Loved, loved Trixie Belden. My friends loved Nancy Drew. Trixie was MUCH better!

Blogging hasn't been on my radar this summer. Just actually remembered about it this morning, haha! I plan to post again, promise! ;-)
Mother Mayhem said…
LOVE books! LOVE the library! I remember escaping often into a book when I was younger. My favorite book was The Phantom Tollbooth. Then, as a pre-teen, I fell in love with S.E. Hinton's books. The Outsiders was the best. Wish they's never made that dreadful movie version, or they could have asked me to cast it... LOL

Sweetums has inherited my passion for the written word. We go to the library and the book store A LOT.

Right now Sweetums is reading the unabridged classic Little Women. It is a real challenge for her, but she's doing AWESOME! :o)
What a beautiful library! Oh goodness, I think the library was my second home as a child. There were at least four that we frequented in our area. I participated in "Book It", and another reading program sponsored by the library. I read just about everything!! :) Happy Wednesday!
I can remember most of those books. It is great your kids have inherited the love of reading. And, Book Orders...LOVE THEM! My kids circle too.
Unknown said…
I loved books as a child and still do. All my kids love to read and now I'm getting to introduce my grandchildren to Beezus, Ramona, Trixie Belden, and others. Have you ever read Island of the Blue Dolphins? One of my favorites!
Grand Pooba said…
I recently have started collecting children's books because I LOVED books when I was a kid! Brings back so many good memories :)
Kristen Andrews said…
I use to love little house on the prarie books when I was little
yonca said…
Your post brings back so many good memories:)I used to love Heidi.
Stopping by to say hi.I'm following you now:) Hope to see you at my place sometime.
LadyStyx said…
I loved The Scholastic Book Club!! I had a good many of the books that I got through them for several years.

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