Childhood Favorites

July 15, 2010

Not too long ago, a staff discussion brought up the question "What was your favorite book when you were 12?" Our answers show our different personalities and how they were starting to emerge even at a young age.

Two of the staff choose A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. They both liked the overall "weirdness" of the story and the young characters who, in the end, overcame evil. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell was another staff member's favorite. She liked the setting and the daily comings and goings of plantation life, as well as the story of recovering things that were once lost. One of my co-workers is a fan of mysteries and she said that at 12, she was transitioning between Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie, but that she loved both of them!

A few others favorites included:

The Luckiest Girl by Beverly Cleary

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM by Robert C. O'Brien

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

For me, at 12, I had my heart set on becoming a nurse and I read any book I could find on famous nurses or novels about young nurses. I read biographies on Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton and I think my favorite series was Cherry Ames. Cherry and her adventures aren't exactly realistic but they were fun to read.

I hope our favorites help the 12 year old in your life choose his or her next book. These books helped shape us into the adults we became and I hope the do the same for your family. Let us know how you liked them!

Until next time,

Angie M.