When I was a child, the only story I ever wanted to hear was The Wait-for-me Kitten. I just LOVED it. Briefly, the wee kitten is always being left behind by it's mates and always the one to get the trouble meant for the other "naughty" kittens. Suffice to say, the wee kitten triumphs in the end. For years I wondered where my well-leafed thru copy went. We moved around a lot when younger so the book could be anywhere. However, one afternoon a few years ago I was recounting this story to the wife of a friend of my husband's. Well, that year on my birthday...they proudly handed over The Wait-for-Me Kitten which their now grown up kids have long since forsaken. It is in good condition, actually it's not... but it is more likely in the same condition as my own well-loved copy would have been at the time. I just LOVE it.Sure, I had other favourites..The Velveteen Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh....but this book has held a special place in my heart forever!
What was your favourite book as a child? Do you still have it?
12 comments:
When I was VERY young, my first book was Tootles The Taxi. A little older and I was a big fan of Enid Blyton.
Oh, and I don't still have any of them.
Sounds really cute! I loved "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and other Roald Dahl stuff (bit predictable I know). A particular favourite though, which I still have a copy of, was "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" by Joan Aiken which I remember our primary school teacher read to us. Set in the Victorian age - all about Sylvia, a poor girl who goes to live with her rich cousin Bonnie in the mansion-sized Willoughby Chase. A governess by the name of Miss Slighcarp (great name) comes to teach them but she's really bent on taking over the mansion, and when Bonnie's parents disappear she seizes her chance...Meanwhile there are wolves roaming the countryside (we are supposed to imagine that the channel tunnel was completed back then and they have wandered into England from Europe - quite a scary prospect!) Anyway it's a great read, and even though it might be perceived as "girlie" (as it's two main protagonists are female!) it's still an exciting and action-filled tale!
Gosh I went on there a bit didn't I?
Talking of cats, did your beloved pet ever come home?
I must be older than I think because I can't even remember any of my childhood books.
Sad.
My favourite book as a kid was The Explorer's Handbook - probably explains my Ray Mears fixation - I bought it myself with my own money and yes I still have it knocking about somewhere looking much the worst for wear.
My favourite was a book bought for me by my father. It is called The Surprise Doll, & I still have it.
He never bought me an actual doll, so it was a sort of 2nd prize.
I have several others that were favourites too. I have moved so often I have lost count, but I thank my Mother for saving my favourite books.
'The wait-for-me kitten' looks strangely familiar. I loved the Arthur Ransome books, which I suppose brands me as horribly decent middle-class. It was mainly because we enjoyed similar summers, involving lakes and boats and a freedom children don't get now. Least favourite was Strewwelpeter.
101 Dalmations!
By the way Sagittarian you have won an award over @ mine.
L x
Well, I think The Velveteen Rabbit was my fave although I also liked Little Grey Rabbit and the Weasel. Had a bit of a thing about rabbits, didn't I?
I also liked The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and still have my original version of that.
I think my mother has my copies of the two bunny books although maybe she burnt them long ago. I daren't ask.
Rol - I had a thing about Enid as well. My older brother is named Quenton but he hates it when my kids call him "Uncle"...I don't think he enjoyed Enid as much as I did.
OC - ah yes, good choices! Some of the older books certainly had great character names eh? No, sadly Daisy has not come home.
Mike - kids books didn't have bare nakes ladies in 'em otherwise I'm sure you would have remembered!! :-)
Meggie - what a lovely memory! Actually, Harry the Dirty Dog was another favourite of mine, it belonged to my brother but I loved it too.
Brother T - welcome! Books are all good, it's really one of the few things we buy lots of for our kids. Fungus the Bogey Man has even made it to our house!
Poet - thanks for the Award! 101 Dalmations is a fave of my daughters' too (mind you, we always bought good fun books cos we figured if we had to read them over and over then we might was well enjoy them too!!)
RB - good to see you out and about. Hm, yes I do see a pattern there with the wascally wabbits. Bright Eyes too?
I LOOOOVED "Frances the Badger" by Russell Hoban, "Harriet the Spy" by Louise Fitzhugh, and there was one totally magic Narnia-esque book called "Four Crowns" that I lost, and have never seen or found or heard of from that day to this. Don't even know who it was by... everyone needs a quest, though, don't they?
Hi Lucy, can't say I have heard of any of those books! I am always on the look out for books tho'...have one from my grnadmother about a Princess, she had it as a girl and there is an inscription in the front from her friend dated 1902! It is still in good nick for a book that has obviously been around for 100 years. Sadly its not a rivetting read by today's standards but the pictures are lovely.
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