Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Childhood Faves

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. They created this feature because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to start participating in this fun feature. This week's list is Top Ten Childhood Faves. Don't forget to check out their blog for a full list of everyone participating.

I decided to start with this week and Top Ten Childhood Faves because I've always been a huge reader. My mom used to read to my sister and I all the time and we just kept on going once we were able to read on our own. This list is a mix of both from when I was just a toddler up until the end of grade eight (that's when I decided childhood stops). Because I was such a book addict (ha..."was"...yeah, I still am) I had to create an Honourable Mentions part to this post because I couldn't settle on just ten! I hope you enjoy this list :)

1. Little House Books - Laura Ingalls Wilder
This favourite comes with a really amusing story. The nursery school I went to was accidentally sent a complete box set with a big book order. I was only four years old at the time but they obviously knew I was going to be an avid reader so the teacher told my mom she could have it. I'm so glad I got that set because it was one of my favourites growing up. I even read all the other books that were about her mom, daughter, and so on. They were definitely more fictionalized but I loved them just the same.

2. Anne of Green Gables Set - Lucy Maud Montgomery
If you looked for a Canadian girl who's never heard of Anne of Green Gables I'm sure you'd only come up with a handful. This is a classic that's been read many times over by many girls. I devoured all of the books in one summer and I've also watched the movies and even a few episodes of the animated series!

3. The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear - Audrey and Don Wood
I absolutely adored this picture book. It has the best story and some amazing artwork. This little mouse is trying to hide a gigantic strawberry from the bear with some hilarious results. If you're looking for a book for a young kid I definitely recommend you order this one!

4. Cinderella
Oh, Cinderella. What little girl doesn't fall in love with one of the Disney princesses? In my case, I adored Cinderella. When I was little my mom used to read me this story All. The. Time. From what I've been told, she would read it to me before bed and I would always fall asleep. It didn't matter if it was the first story or the third, without fail, I would fall into a Disney filled slumber after hearing the story of Cinderella and her glass slipper. While this story may appear as though I didn't like the book (I mean, who falls asleep during something they enjoy?) I like to think of it as a soothing story that was so comfortable and familiar that I was able to sleep soundly. :)

5. The Baby-Sitter's Club Series - Ann M. Martin
I loved loved loved this series when I was younger. There were so many to choose from at the library and I was always upset when one was missing. If I remember correctly, I had to make sure I read them in order. They were numbered for a reason! I think many girls grew up wanting to have a profitable babysitting  business just like Krisy, Claudia, Mary Anne, and Stacey. They seemed to have it all together! And the super specials? Fantastic. They were so much bigger with a much more involved storyline! When I used to work in a bookstore I always wanted to recommend this series but they're so outdated and hard to find that I never felt I could. Not to worry! You can now purchase updated and released versions of the books. Now, go find a twelve year old girl to give them to. And throw in the movie too...classic :)

6. Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
I have to confess that I haven't actually read the entire series. I know, I know. It's on my list of favourites and I haven't read all the books. I fail. However! I have read up to Prince Caspian (did a book report on that one in grade seven. Complete with a map and a stuffed sword fighting mouse!) and always enjoyed the fantasy and magical feeling the books gave me. An enchanted wardrobe that led you to a whole other universe? Count me in.

7. Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne
The Bear with Little Brain. He is probably the best bear ever (though I'm sure some would argue with me. Any takers?) and most loved by many generations. I'm in my twenties and still love him. In fact, I have asked for the newest movie for Christmas! Now if that doesn't make me the coolest person ever, I don't know what will. I loved Pooh Bear so much that I actually did a speech on him in grade seven (that appears to have been a good year school project-wise for me). I may have even moved on to the second level - speaking in the gym - that year! (I was painfully shy so to read a speech to many people was a big deal for me.) The story about a boy and his bear is so classic that it's no wonder he's stuck around for so many years.

8. Harry Potter Series - J.K. Rowling
Whenever I read Harry Potter I am always thankful that my younger sister was at just the right age when they became popular. We weren't one of the early adopters but I think we were one of the first to jump on the bandwagon after the first three books were released. And, boy, am I ever glad we did. My sister and I are definitely a little obsessed (she's done the midnight line up to buy the books. I never went that far figuring that she'll stand in line, read the book, and then pass it onto me) and we're totally ok with that. These books are best sellers for a reason. The story is great and your imagination goes wild when reading them. Thank you J.K. Rowling for creating such an amazing world and allowing us to be a part of it.

9. Little Women  - Louisa May Alcott
No, I was not a crazy advanced reader. My grandmother bought me an abridged copy of the classic and I used to read it all the time. And I admit, I still have not read the full novel. It's currently open on my Kobo and is waiting patiently for me to get started. There's just something about a story of four sisters who were so different yet so similar that I really liked.

10. The Wonderful Pigs of Jillian Jiggs - Pheobe Gilman
Jillian Jiggs was great. There were a couple of books written about her crazy life but the one I remember most is the one where she makes all sorts of pigs out of old nylons. She had old pigs and young pigs, fat pigs and skinny pigs and she didn't want to sell any of them! The drawings and story were just downright adorable.

Honourable Mentions

- Berenstain Bears - Stan and Jan Berenstain
- Charlotte's Web - E.B. White
- Amelia Bedelia - Peggy Parish
- His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
- Circle of Magic  - Tamora Pierce

I hope you have enjoyed this massively long post and amusing (I hope) insight into my childhood. I sure had fun writing this and I came across two really amusing sites that any child of the nineties will appreciate. Check them out here and here and have a good laugh. I would love to hear what some of your favourites are too so please leave a comment!

Happy reading :)

I Believe!

If you've been reading this blog, or if you know me really well, you know that I absolutely love Christmas. There are a couple of movies that I love to watch every year and I've already been able to watch some of them...Love Actually, The Holiday...and have yet to watch a few more...The Santa Clause, Rudolph, Miracle on 34th Street. Another Christmas movie I make a point of watching each year (and what might be my favourite one) is The Polar Express.

Last night I finally got to watch it, and convinced my best friend, her boyfriend, and her sister to watch it with me. We had our Christmas gift exchange and it just happened to coincide with one of the best Christmas movies ever, how could we not watch it? I was the only one who stayed awake for all of it, but that's besides the point :)

I think I tend to forget every year why I adore this movie. It's not really for the animation (though it is really spectacular). What I love is the way it takes me back to when I was a kid and still believed in Santa. Although some of the details are a little fuzzy now, I remember my sister and I picking out the cookies for Santa and making sure there was a carrot out for the reindeer. We didn't have a fireplace, and since Santa could only come in through a fireplace, we created one out of these awesome brick blocks that we had (anyone else remember those?) Every Christmas Eve we would hang our stockings on the blocks and in the morning we would rush into the living room and our stockings would be stuffed full and placed beside the "fireplace." Life was good.

These days, our stockings are still pretty stuffed (yes, my sister and I are totally spoiled by our mom and Grandma) and we actually have a real fireplace. The thing that's missing? That unwavering childhood belief in Santa Claus. And that, I think, is why I love to watch The Polar Express. For a couple of hours I'm able to sit back and watch as a little boy is able to go from doubting Santa's existence to believing in him for the rest of his life. It's kind of nice, and I almost wish that I could still believe myself. Does that make me a little crazy? Maybe. But I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.
The last lines in the movie are simple and so very sweet.

"At one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe."

If any of you haven't seen this movie yet, I highly recommend it. The book's been a classic for years, and I think that the movie has already established itself as a classic as well. The story is timeless and that is what makes it so great. I actually love it so much that I actually bought it today! :)

Well, that is it for me tonight. I've got a Christmas card to make! Also, some packing to do. But that is slightly less fun.

Have a very merry Christmas everyone, and listen for those bells!