Do You Do This? - Richmond,VA

Updated on July 15, 2011
R.D. asks from Richmond, VA
37 answers

I find myself re-reading all my childhood favorites, since my daughters are really, really into reading now. The Phantom Tollbooth, The Secret Garden, Nancy Drew, you name it, I'm reading it (again, decades later).

Do you do this? The librarian looked at me like I was stupid when I checked out my 'kid' books. I don't care, I'm loving re-reading these! What are you childhood favs?

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Featured Answers

S.L.

answers from New York on

I LOVED rereading the Little House books to my daughter, and if my son isnt interested in them I will have to read them to myself.

3 moms found this helpful

K.L.

answers from Cleveland on

I just re-read The Secret Garden last summer! It reminded me why I loved it so much when I was a kid!
I didn't realize how much I loved books when I was little until I started reading some of the same one's to my daughter. She loves them now too!

3 moms found this helpful

M.J.

answers from Dover on

I absolutely do this! I re-read Wrinkle in Time & Tiger Eyes (by Judy Blume) both of which I adored as a pre-teen to see if I thought my 10 year old daughter was ready for them & to reminisce!

3 moms found this helpful

More Answers

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

All things Judy Blume. Oh and Black Stallion, curse my parents for not letting me have a horse!!!!!

*shakes fist in a menicing manner*

Yeah I can't spell without spell check. :p I knew Bloom didn't look right! :(

5 moms found this helpful
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M.P.

answers from Raleigh on

Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Still a huge fan.

4 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

any Nancy Drew or Hardy Boy Mystery!!!

3 moms found this helpful
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S.P.

answers from Seattle on

I love Nancy Drew in school and will still read her books today. I also love now V.C Andrews. She is an amazing writer/author. I have so many of her books I can't keep up with them.

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A.S.

answers from Boca Raton on

I used to love Judy Blume . . .

3 moms found this helpful

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

Harriet the Spy was my all time favorite and just found it in the garage and told my daughter is was my fave so of course she refuses to read it! I may have to read it again! Oh and I do have the entire set of Nancy Drew from when I was little and haven't thought about reading any of them as I'm a big reader of novels myself. Maybe I should try it! :o)

2 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

Oh yes. Just the other day I read, Boxcar Children. My husband and I sometimes pick up our old favorites for my daughter. Horton Hears a Who, The Lorax, you know things like that. Have you ever got a book for your kid you end up reading yourself? That's what cracks me up, when my daughter loses interest and I keep reading to find out what happens. :)

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K.W.

answers from Seattle on

My oldest is only four and I bought the entire "Wrinkle in Time" series for her already. Admittedly, I haven't read them yet (again), but I'm excited to do so.

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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

The Secret Garden, A Wrinkle in Time, The Egypt Game, everything by E. Nesbit - I am planning on re-reading them all since my son will be reading them soon. (we forgot to reread Charlotte's Web first - didn't remember the initial graphic scene - he decided to wait almost a year after chapter 1 to read chapter 2).

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

OH YEAH.

It started with Dr. Seuss. It got REALLY crazy with The Black Stallion & anything by Mark Twain. It's still going strong with Narnia, The Secret Garden, Nacy Drew/Hardy Boys.

And I'm discovering NEW ones to absolutely love and adore. Percy Jackson, the 39 Clues (Rick Riodan is now added to my favorite author list).

2 moms found this helpful
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A.L.

answers from Las Vegas on

I LOVE "Where The Red Fern Grows, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, Zeeker Zachariah, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Old Yeller, Charlotte's Web, Walk Two Moons.. now that my child had to read more books, I am having a good time re-reading them myself..

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Yep.
And then I tell my daughter all about my favorite kid books. I got some for herself.

I loved Madeleine L'Engle books, especially Wrinkle In Time.
"Redwall" book series by Brian Jacques.
"Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh."
The book "Watership Down." (LOVED that book) by Richard Adams
Charlotte's Web, of course.
Secret Garden, of course.
Nancy Drew, or course.
Dr. Seuss, of course.
Also Japanese Fables and Haiku books were my total favorites.
I also would read the Dictionary, from front to back. It was so fun!

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.D.

answers from Dallas on

As silly as it may sound, I would rather read my daughter's books than any "adult" book out there. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't read that much at all.

1 mom found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Yep!
I had no idea how much I missed Dr Seuss until I was reading them again with my son - and now he's passed Dr Seuss and I'm missing those stories again.
We LOVE The Phantom Tollbooth and I re-read it again just for myself because I get something new from it every time I do.
I read Nancy Drew growing up, but they weren't my favorite type of story (and having a son, he didn't care for Nancy Drew - he didn't take to the Hardy Boys either)).
We've re-read The Hobbit a few times and he's old enough to read Lord of the Rings on his own now.
I've re-read all the Narnia books, and A Wrinkle in Time, Xanth books (better for older kids), Discworld books, Myth Inc Link books, Douglas Adams books and as my son gets older he has a bunch of my old Heinlein and Asimov and Eddings books to read.
I initially lead him to books he likes and now he's introducing me to newer series and we sometimes want to read them at the same time.
We love the Young Olympians series, all the Harry Potter books, and Charlie Bone series, the Immortal Nicholas Flammel series (just finished the latest book that's come out and we have to wait A WHOLE YEAR before the next/last book is published).
We read like crazy around here - our local Barnes & Nobel almost know us on a first name basis.

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S.S.

answers from Daytona Beach on

judy blume books. ramona, fudge. they are great!!

1 mom found this helpful

C.S.

answers from Kansas City on

Oh, I do love that! I still love the Secret Garden and have 3 different copies of it with 3 different covers. We used to go to the library and check out lots of books and just read and read.
I also love the Anne of Green Gables series, The Little Princess, Brothers Grimm... There are just tons I love and could go on and on. We found a flea market place that had lots of classics and they were priced .10 cents- $1.00. Not only do I love rereading those, I especially love reading them with my children or having my children them read them and express their enjoyment as well. :)

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C.W.

answers from Phoenix on

Yeah i do this all the time. :) i try to get my kiddies to read some of them too but they just want to read manga comic books.

1 mom found this helpful

E.B.

answers from Seattle on

I do for myself. My favorite book of all time is Judy Blooms ''Summer Sisters''. I have read it every year once a year for about fourteen years now.

I also love this book, I cant think of who the author is and I cant find it right this minute. It is titled ''Dancing on my Grave''. It is about a ballerina in Russia during one of the wars. It is a girl who has no mom and a house full of brothers. they send her to a dance school so they can go off to war. The twists, turns and suspense is just amazing.

My kids have odd book choices. They have four books they all absolutely love. So, over the course of their short 6, 4 and 3 years we have had to re-buy these four....more then twice:)

My mom used to read these mystery books to us. Not Nancy Drew. I cant remember the titles. I remember there was this character names Mrs. Altunafish. I still smile when I think back to it:)

1 mom found this helpful

M.M.

answers from Tampa on

I really liked the Boxcar Children, Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High (and others), Anne of Green Gables series (ALL 8 BOOKS!!), Bunnicula, etc. I used to read TONS of books but those are the series that really jumped out at me.

1 mom found this helpful

A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

I reread Little Women this summer...

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P.M.

answers from Portland on

I think it's very cool to revisit things that were important to you in childhood. But does the librarian REALLY look at you as if you're stupid? Or are you simply projecting that anxiety into her expression? Librarians are generally known for their discretion.

I love re-reading old favorites with my grandson. I even discovered a couple of Dr. Seuss books I'd never been acquainted with before.

1 mom found this helpful

T.B.

answers from Bloomington on

Yes! I loved the Berenstain Bear books and love to reread them to my son. (I have all of them and buy new ones anytime I see them!) I have also picked out others from the library that I remember reading as a kid!

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P.G.

answers from Dallas on

Your librarian is a twit for that reaction; a good book is a good book, no matter what age it's written for. If she keeps it up, tell the manager or whoever's in charge of the library cause that kind of "customer service" does not give a good experience of the library and NOBODY needs that.

C.B.

answers from Washington DC on

I love to read books from my childhood! Anne of Green Gables, Narnia, Little Women, the and Magic by the Lake books by E. Eager. I like to read the books my son (age 12) is reading for school.

Now I must read Secret Garden and Charlotte's web again. I just heard about a wonderful new biography of E.B. White on Fresh Air (NPR).

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B.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Absolutely!!! My oldest & I will read the same book and then talk about it - like our own little book club!!

She loves anything from the Little House series (we've even discovered some new ones about Carolyn & her mother!) Choose Your Own Adventure - I LOVED those as a kid and now American Girl has come out with some, so my daughter is really excited. And, of course Nancy Drew, Wrinkle in Time, Secret Garden, Cricket in Times Square, so many more - I love having readers in my house!

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L.M.

answers from St. Louis on

Hi R.,

My kids are one and three, so I am not up to the novels with them yet, but I can definitely see me doing that - I do it now with the picture books, Dr. Seuss, etc.

That librarian obviously does not have kids! Don't worry about her reaction!

Next time you are there, check out a book on customer service, or manners, and turn it towards her so she can clearly read the title on the front...lol Okay, sorry, just acting a little passive aggressive...but seriously, if anyone should understand re-reading books, it is a librarian!

Doesn't matter what books you read, you are being an excellent role model for your girls!!

L.

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A.P.

answers from Norfolk on

Okay, I was (is) an information specialist in our library system for 17 years. I decided to be at a SAHM (who never stays home) after finally having my daughter, because I knew I wouldn't be able to do both jobs to my high standard on no sleep. I would love to work in a school library so that I can have my summers off along with my daughter, but no luck so far. I have to say that my experience in the library has really helped a lot when my daughter asks the tough questions about plate tectonics or how fast the earth revolves (1040 mph).

I don't know how your library system works, but a professional librarian with a Masters of Library Science rarely checks out books. And they certainly wouldn't give you a look for checking out children's books. You could be reading them to your children or for a children's lit class. We don't care who's reading what, just as long as you are reading. Often, the person who checks out books is a clerk, who doesn't have an advanced degree, though that is not a judgement or an excuse. He or she may be not have been annoyed with you, they could have been perturbed with a colleague who was late in relieving them for a break or lunch or something else having nothing to do with you (the computer may have been acting up, AGAIN).

One of the best things about being a mom is getting the chance to read all of the children's books to my daughter that I didn't read as a child. I had never read the Raold Dahl books, all of the E.B. White books, and believe it or not, I had never read the Beatrix Potter books! There are just too many wonderful books out there. As your children get older, you can read them the books by Gordan Korman, Patricia Wrede, the Anastasia books by Lois Lowry. the Anne of Green Gables series by Montgomery, the books by Cressida Cowell (How to Train Your Dragon) and the A. series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. I don't know how you feel about Harry Potter, but I would recommend the audio-books for this series; the reader is marvelous.

Here is my deep, dark secret. I have a collection of chidren's books that my eight year old daughter hasn't touched let. The prizes in the collection: a story collection by Garth Williams sort of signed by him, Church Mice at Bay by Graham Oakley, a pre-Caldecott award copy of Tuesday by Wiesner, The Whispering Rabbit by Margaret Wise Brown and the Reader's Digest Collection of the World's Best Fairy Tales. The last two I received from my parents when I was seven. I wouldn't give up these books even if Clean House offered me a whole new house.

When you read children's books as an adult, you get so much more out of them than the superficial story.

Also, there is a new book written by a young woman named A. Ozma titled The Reading Promise. Her dad read at least a chapter of a book to her every night (before midnight) from when she was nine until she went to college.

By the way, I really didn't like the A. in Wonderland books. I could get past the part where the baby turns into a pig. I find most 19th century books make better movies (and it's another chance to watch Johnny Depp.)

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C.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

Well I occasionally read the books my kids are reading so I know what they are reading. Your librarian should of been more gracious. It doesnt take much to be polite.

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N.H.

answers from Peoria on

I wouldn't care what anyone thought....I do it too! :o)

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M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

I read children's literature all the time for fun. There are LOTS of good books. I don't "bodice rippers" or murders well so I am picky about my adult books but I just read The Healing Spell - a children's book and really enjoyed it.

I guess I should admit, I'm an elementary school reading specialist. I like to know what the kids are reading so I read it as well. But I like reading . Phantom Tollbooth is so rich, you can read it 10x and still find something new. It's one of my very favorite books!

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D.J.

answers from Detroit on

Yes. Love it. Children's books are one of the best things about childhood in my opinion.

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R.C.

answers from Boston on

Oh, great memories. Anyone remember Cherry Ames (similar to Nancy Drew, but about pre-nursing)?

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M.L.

answers from Philadelphia on

Have re-read all the "Little House on the Prairie Books" and loved every minute of it!!

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