Childhood Favorites

Although I have a lot of books from my childhood that I loved reading, these three books give a sample of what I liked to read during different stages of my youth.

Image by Kaelan. Reading From A Young Age, 1998.

Knuffle Bunny By Mo Willems

Image by Hyperion. Knuffle Bunny Cover, 2004.

Trixie, her dad, and her stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny, are taking a trip to the laundromat when Trixie realizes she lost her animal. What follows is the adventure to find the missing Knuffle Bunny.

What Makes This Book Worth Reading?

• Outstanding Graphics. Willems creates a fascinating contrast of black and white photographs overlapped with adorable cartoon color images.

• Comedic Element. In general, Willems is also one of my favorite picture book authors because his stories have great comedic content and Knuffle Bunny is no exception to this.

Skulduggery Pleasant By Derek Landy

Image by Harper Collins. Skulduggery Pleasant Cover, 2007.

The story follows the adventures of a skeleton detective and his teenage sidekick, Valkyrie Cain.

What Makes This Book Worth Reading?

• An Abundance of Magic. What stuck with me after reading the Skulduggery Pleasant series was the unique and diverse super powers the characters of the series had and how they were used. I wanted to keep reading to find out what new magic would come up next.

Alanna: The First Adventure By Tamora Pierce

Image by Atheneum. Alanna: The First Adventure Cover, 1983.

In a world where it's forbidden for women to become knights, Alanna hides her real identity in order to achieve her dreams.

What Makes This Book Worth Reading?

• Compelling Characters. This is by far my favorite childhood book because of the message of female empowerment and the strength that Alanna shows through her determination to challenge gender norms within her culture.