THE NEWFOUNDLAND QUARTERLY :: ONLINE EXCLUSIVES
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Online Exclusive for #434 (b) Basically I'd like to hear from each of you regarding your favorite books and stories from your childhood. Are there certain books you just couldn't picture growing up without? What books and/or stories will survive the test of time? Which ones will be passed down in your families? As always please use the preceding paragraph as a guideline in your response, feel free to let your thoughts roam around literature for kids. - Jay McGrath "I grew up on the Dr. Seuss books. I don't have any one particular favorite, they were all special to me. I think it was a mixture of the rhymes, odd as they were sometimes, and the illustrations. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen up until that point. But for as long as I can remember back, I can remember being read and later reading for myself the Dr. Seuss books." - 33, Federal Government Employee "I enjoyed the Dr. Seuss books. In fact I still have them and read them to my children. Some of my favorites were Hop on Pop and Green Eggs and Ham. They really like Green Eggs and Ham as well but outside of that one they enjoy How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Lorax. The plan right now is to keep the books and divide them up when they get older in hopes they'll read them to their children as well." - 36, Mother "Time spent with Dr. Seuss was treasured moments." - 21, CONA student "I was a bit against the grain when it came to children's books. The Dr Seuss books were readily available on the book shelf but I was more interested in the Bernstein Bears. I think Dr. Seuss kinda creeped me out. This one Bernstein Bears book in particular where he was learning to ride his bike was golden to me. It made me want to learn to ride a bike, my dad to this day remembers how when he read it to me for the first time, how excited I was to get on a bike and just go." - 33, Teacher "My generation grew up with Harry Potter. On some level it kinda felt like he was one of us. As the books came out and Harry was a little bit older and more mature, so too were we, and it was easy to relate to Harry and the other younger characters. One thing I have done is try and spread the stories to others. I'll always encourage someone who hasn't read the books to pick them up, even offering my own copies for them to read. It has become part of our culture." - 20, MUN student "Harry Potter was my favorite. It started out as an easy read but then it got a little darker and heavier with each edition. But I think the book has not only had a profound impact on a generation of people but on our society as well. It kinda ushered in an era where reading kids books (even if you were an adult) was cool and trendy." - 22, Client Service Representative "Huckleberry Finn had already been around long before I was even born but I took to this book tremendously. It must have started when my grandfather read it to me when I was younger. I was old enough to read it by myself but he read it aloud to me anyways. I associate the smell of the wood stove and some homemade toast with that book. I've gone back and read the book several times since then; even now when life becomes stressful and uncertain I'll take some time and sit down with the Huckleberry Finn crowd. It even took me a while to catch on to the fact that many consider it the sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. I hadn't read the Tom Sawyer book at that point but even after reading [it] I don't fancy it as much." - 26, Master's Student "Everyone in my family took turns reading me the book Good Night Little Bear. I could not (or would not, whichever) be put to bed without having it read to me. Maybe it was a comfort thing as a child, you know, consistency. I didn't want any other story in case I might not like the characters or how it ends and I wouldn't be able to go to sleep and then my sleeping patterns would have been all thrown off. And it's not even a popular book I don't think, I've never seen it in stores since. But that Little Bear helped put me to sleep for a good year at least. No wonder my family took turns reading it every night, who could bear to read it every single night." - 27, Provincial Government Employee "One story that I remember in particular is the story of Jack and the Bean Stalk. I just remember as a kid being so fascinated as to what it was going to be like when he went up the bean stalk. And when the giant gave chase I was on the edge of my seat." - 36, Engineer "I was a sucker for any Disney story really. I really liked Snow White and Cinderella. Although when I think about it now the whole relationship between her and the dwarfs was a bit creepy. And Cinderella is really only a story about a girl being used and abused by her step-family who through some magic escapes that life. But as a child I was hooked. I think its all about creating the fantasy, the 'Happily ever after' ending. I don't know if Disney stories have changed much since then, but I can tell you that I waited in line for a big chunk of time to get my picture taken with Cinderella and Snow White when I went to Disney World. It was just like in the books." - 27, Event Planner "The Alice in Wonderland tale was one of my favorites and the story still continues on to this day as an influence on pop culture. Jefferson Airplane did a song centered around it, there's an episode of Lost called White Rabbit, and its even being remade to another movie. This one will be in 3D and has a lot of A-list talent signed on. Whether or not you choose to interpret as a story laced with sex and drug references, sure she eats mushrooms that make her small, yet we have to give credit where it is due and we should consider it a riveting adventure story (even if it is nonsensical at times). This will always be a great story no matter how many generations are yet to come along and enjoy." - 25, Manager "I loved the story of Winnie the Pooh. Actually any story with Winnie or any of the Winnie characters is great, Tigger and Piglet being favorites of mine though. To this day I wear Pooh pajamas." - 27, Avid Reader "Although recently popularized by the movies, I adored The Chronicles of Narnia when I was a child. I don't think the movies have done them justice and that Harry Potter kid doesn't hold a candle to Peter Pevensie. Funny how I make that comparison but I think that is what has happened with those books. Despite the number of years apart they were written one set of fans have a tendency to be very critical towards the other. As if we're in some kind of competition. I guess having the movies come out in the same era has stirred the pot there. But I'll take the White Witch over Voldemort anyday." - 23, Financial Advisor "Little Red Riding Hood is a classic for me. We had this illustrated version where it was more picture than words really. But looking back now after doing some of the education that I have in literature, I've made all these observations about it. The symbolism that exists within that story, especially within the red hood or cape that she wears…if you don't know what I'm talking about maybe it's time to give this story another read." - 34, Former English Major "The very first time I can remember being taken by a storybook was with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. When the story tells us the true nature of the man behind the curtain, it was the first time I can remember being duped by a story. I did not see it coming at all. It was like one of those M. Night Shyamalan level twists we'd see today. Of course I was probably eight so I may have been easier to fool back then. But it's a prime example of a story throwing you a curve ball. I've seen the movies, I've been to adapted plays of the story and I own it on audio tape. It has unquestionably survived the test of time!" - 29, Medical Student Back to Online Exclusives main page. |
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