Thursday, January 8, 2009

Books, Books, Books

I love the fact that when my granddaughters visit overnight, they always go to bed along with big stacks of reading material. They are in luck here, since I like to think of myself as a first rate bibliophile. As noted elsewhere in this blog, I have stashes of books everywhere in the house.

I thought you might like to see some of the books the girls enjoyed this past week. Almost all of these were school editions that were purged and sold at local thrift stores. I especially love old library books.

The First Book of The Opera by Noel Streatfeild illustrated by Hilary Abrahams copyright 1966

The Tortoise and the Hare adapted and illustrated by Janet Stevens copyright 1984

Dolls by Bettina Ehrlich copyright 1962

Who Wants Willy Wells? by Gina Bell illustrated by Jean Tamburine copyright 1965

This is a Department Store by Louis G. Romano and Nicholas P. Georgiady illustrated by Jim Collins copyright 1662

The Wooden Horse of Troy by Juliet Mozley copyright 1970

They look battered and well loved, but in reality they are still quite sturdy and should stand up to many more years of loving perusal.

On about night 5, I had to look for more challenging reading material for the 7 1/2 year old, as she had already read all of these and more. Both she and her 6 year old sister are very proficient readers. I found an Encyclopedia Brown book as well as a couple of other chapter books for her.

Do you have memories of favorite books you read over and over as a child?

20 comments:

  1. I read voraciously and don't recall reading anything twice There were so many books and so little time... Your collection is wonderful! I have books piled all over the house too. Some in every room. I reread good books all the time now.

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  2. What an amazing collection of old childrens' books you have Steviewren. No wonder your grandchildren love them! - Dave

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  3. Oh, lovely, lovely books! I love your vintage collection, and yes, aren't old library books great! My sister used to be a teacher and when her school library was cleaning out... well, let's just say she was happy to take things off their hands. She's been giving the spoils to my kids for several years now!

    Neither of my grandmothers had a great collection of children's books. You are a good grandmama!

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  4. While I read a lot now, I don't remember reading much as a child. I remember wanting to read more but I could hardly sit still long enough to do so. I always had to be moving.

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  5. Love this post. I love books. We have always read in our house. What treasures you have I would now be interested in the illustrations and the artists who did them.

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  6. When my boys were much younger, our Bookmobile would come through town several times a year with a clearance sale...all books 25 cents each. It was so fun to come away with a big stack of books!
    My Taylor loved those Ency. Brown books!

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  7. My kids loved 'Encyclopedia Brown'. Do you have 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'?

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  8. It's like uncovering a treasure when you find these older books at bargain prices. As a child, my favourite book was Enid Blyton's The Magic Wishing Chair.

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  9. I can honestly say I was not that much of a reader in my early years. I read all the time now. I read at night to fall asleep, sometimes waking up with my "itty bitty book light" still on at 3AM and starting all over again. I read to my daughters all the time when they were little. I wanted them to be readers. My youngest reads all the time. My older daughter has finally joined in on the fun. Your grandkids must love all the books you have to offer. I know you love looking for them, that is a great combination.
    denise

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  10. Who doesn't love the classic story of the Tortoise and the Hare!?!? I remember going to bed at night reading Aesop's Fables and also the big green book of Disney Classic Stories. As a child, I was a reader. If I could get my hands on a book, you could bet I had read it cover to cover. :)

    Thanks for sharing this with us! Have a beautiful Friday!

    Sarah

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  11. I love that "Dolls", "Willy Wells" & "Department Store" just from looking at the covers! Both our kids were named after characters in books. Annika because of "Pippi Longstocking" & Niklas because of "Die Gute Saat". Coincidentlly. my husband was reading "Pippi Langstrumpf" (German version) as a child while I was reading the English versions.

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  12. Bibliophilia as a trait must be one of those that can passed on by marriage.

    Bibliophile mother gives birth to book-hating son, who marries girl - the girl (and her 4 daughters) slowly but surely develop, yes, bibliophilia. Big time. :-)

    Love ya, Steph! Thanks again for letting us invade, mess up your space, be loud, cluttery, hungry...and at home.

    BB

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  13. Books are the path by which children reach an understaning of the world around them!

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  14. What would we do without books! I loved Winnie the Pooh, Brer Rabbit, The Faraway Tree, Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell, My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell.....and sooo many more.
    Great post, Stevie. It must be wonderful gathering books for your grandchildren to read.

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  15. these all look delightful ! i'm going to start shopping for books at the thrift store!

    like you i consider myself a bibliophile and i was also an avid reader as a child. i tended to read every book i could find of a certain author and then move on to another author. i kept a little notebook and recorded the books i had read by each author and which ones i still wanted to read by that author. my clearest memory of a book really touching me was when i read a good earth by pearl buck. it was so alien from the life i lived in the indiana countryside and i was mesmerized.

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  16. I love the old book covers! It reminds me of a simpler time for sure. Have a great weekend.

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  17. Oh, Encyclopedia Brown! I haven't thought about those books in years.
    Thanks for that sweet memory, Stevie.
    Love & Laughter

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  18. I wandered over from modobject and being a recent bride myself I think your idea of using turquoise and silver wrapping paper for wedding gifts is a great one! It was to me to open things that people had wrapped themselves and not just had wrapped at the store.

    I want to check out that Noel Streatfeild book since I am a fan since the movie You've Got Mail. I'm off to look up some of these old books. Thanks! Kelly

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  19. I loved looking at these old, well loved books.. I always loved to read as a child ..when I was in elementary school I belonged to the Weekly Reader Book Club and new books would be sent to my home monthly...I still have many of them and cherish them. My oldest daughter is a libraian so I never know what to get for my grandchildren...they have so many books! My grandson's favorite was always "Katy and the Big Snow"...

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  20. I love your collection of old books. I too love old library books! They are treasure when you find them! Thanks for sharing.

    Affectionately,

    ~Unfurling Flower~

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