Ten reasons why being a kid at heart is underrated...

I love books. Yesterday, I went to a Book Fair. I was happier than a pig in new mud after it gets a stay of execution. I was in the kid's area looking for books for a couple of really special little people and a friend and I were talking about how we never really outgrew our love of Children's Lit. There is something about Children's Books. I find myself in the Children's section of the library more often than not. In fact, it is the first place I scope out in a new library most of the time and the genre that I spend the most time staying up to date on. Love, love, love Children's Lit.

So I was thinking on the tram about the top 10 books that I remember as a child. The ones that stand out even now and I can honestly say contributed to my total love of The Printed Word.

1) The Cay (4th and 6th grade Listening Books, 7th grade required reading)
2) The Wheel on the School (3rd Grade Listening Book)
3) Number the Stars (3rd, 4th and 6th Grade Listening Book)
4) Where the Red Fern Grows (3rd grade Listening Book)
5) Charlotte's Web
6) The Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Series (1st Grade Listening Book)
7) Three Tales of my Father's Dragon (1st Grade Listening Book)
8) The Indian in the Cupboard (3rd Grade Listening Book)
9) The Stinky Cheeseman and other Fairly Stupid Tales (Librarian's Reading Time)
10) The Secret Garden (3rd Grade Listening Book)

I know I said 10, but an 11th snuck in here because there was always something magical and wonderful about the way these tales were read to us. As if, the Librarian herself could channel the characters and knew their voices and manerisms. And we were lucky enough to be let in on the secret for 10 minutes. The list just would have been incomplete if I had left out...

11) The Brer Rabbit Books

Mrs. Mack, Mrs. Stem, Ms. Spottick and Mrs. Mason could pick darn good books. And none of them followed the Recommended Grade Groups given for the books. Bless them for that!