Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Books That Take Me Back to the Innocence of My Youth

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books with Sensory Reading Memories (These are the books that are linked to very specific memories for you: where you were, what time of year it was, who you were with, what you were eating, what you were feeling, what you were seeing, etc. Ideas include books you read while on vacation, books that you read while you were eating, books you read at work/at a family or social event/on the train or plane, books you’ve buddy read with loved ones, books you read during an emotional time in your life, books you read by the fire, etc.)

I have to admit that I drew a blank for a long time while thinking about this topic, but then I landed on “books you read during an emotional time in your life” and I knew that was the angle I wanted to go with.  I’m sure there will be many more emotional moments, both good and bad, as I move through life, but as of right now, aside from the moment my son was born, the most emotional time of my life were the months leading up to my parents getting a divorce.  I was ten years old when they split up, so I was old enough to know things just weren’t working out and that moving out was the right thing to do, but that obviously didn’t make it any easier for me.  Sorry it’s kind of a downer, but my list this week focuses on some of the last books I remember reading while my parents were still together and we were all living in the house I grew up in.  Every time I see or even think about these books, they conjure up memories of me reading, either curled up on the bed in my very first bedroom or sitting by the big windows in our attic playroom.  They also take me back in time to those many evenings when I was a kid where my Dad and I would sit on the couch reading together.

It really is amazing when you think about how books can become so interconnected with defining moments of our lives.  Anyway, I couldn’t even decide what to call this since I didn’t really want to go with Books I Read Before My Parents Got Divorced, so instead I went the innocence route.

 

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10 Books That Take Me Back to the Innocence of My Youth

 

BAMBI by Felix Salten

THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE by C.S. Lewis

THE BLACK STALLION by Walter Farley

SOCKS by Beverly Cleary

LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS by Laura Ingalls Wilder

BLACK BEAUTY by Anna Sewell

STUART LITTLE by E. B. White

ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS by Soctt O’Dell

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY by Roald Dahl

THE NANCY DREW SERIES by Carolyn Keene

 

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What are some books that take you back to your childhood?

28 replies
  1. ShootingStarsMag
    ShootingStarsMag says:

    I imagine you would remember a lot of what you read around that time in your life – it was a big change, I’m sure! I used to read the Little House books when I was younger too. And anything Roald Dahl. There are a few books I have strong memories of reading – where I was, etc. but I don’t know that I’d have ten!

    -Lauren

  2. Angela
    Angela says:

    I think your list shows how books can be comfort in times of sadness. It’s nice that you have the memories of reading with your dad, too, even if the overall time wasn’t super-happy. The Nancy Drew books hold a special place in my heart, too. My grandmother kept the copies my aunts read as children, so when we would visit her, she would let us read them.

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      That’s so cool that she kept those books so that they were available for you. Now that you say that, I think my grandma was the one who actually bought me my Nancy Drew set as well.

  3. Michelle @ Pink Polka Dot Books
    Michelle @ Pink Polka Dot Books says:

    I love thinking about the books I loved as a kid. I read Nancy Drew too– it reminds me of my mom, since she liked it as a child as well. My faves were– Hatched by Gary Paulsen, Matilda by Roald Dahl, and sooo many Judy Blume books!!

  4. sjhigbee
    sjhigbee says:

    Oh yes! Black Beauty and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are both outstanding reads I recall from my childhood:)). Thank you for sharing your other reads – I always love seeing what other readers found inspirational as youngsters.

  5. Jordan Rose
    Jordan Rose says:

    What a wonderful direction to take this prompt. Life’s not always full of ups (sometimes it seems like it’s only downs!), so it’s really special to be able to go back and see some books that bring some happiness and comfort. 🙂 Nancy Drew and The Black Stallion are two that also make me think of the fonder moments of my childhood. These are all such great books!

  6. Greg
    Greg says:

    Oh I like the direction you went in- and I had trouble with this topic too. In fact I almost skipped it, but it’s been nice seeing people’s nostalgic reads. And you’re right- it’s amazing how books can be tied up in very powerful emotional moments. My parents divorced too, but I was older- having graduated high school, but m,y sister was younger and it affected her a lot more.

    I’ve never read the Black stallion but I LOVE the movie (probably because my mom took me and it’s a powerful memory- again the power of memories) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Nancy Drew series, the Little House books. Narnia… I can relate to all of those. 🙂

  7. Cam
    Cam says:

    The Nancy Drew series was a huge part of my childhood! I loved reading a lot of mysteries back then which included many of Enid Blyton’s books!

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      I’m glad I’m not the only Nancy Drew fan out there 🙂 I’ve got my son reading the Hardy Boys now and he loves those.

  8. Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight
    Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight says:

    “Books I Read Before My Parents Got Divorced” Yeah, maybe not the best post title lol. But I say don’t worry about it being a downer, you’re allowed to talk about personal things on your blog. I don’t think I’ve read any of these, but it is interesting how books can have such strong connections to memories!

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