sharing is fun!

I love to stare at my bookshelf, usually trying to remember when I bought a particular book, and why I liked it so much. I thought it would be fun to share what my favorite books were as a young Junia. These are all books I still own and hope to someday pass down to my kids, if the books haven't fallen apart by then. 

Numero Uno:

The classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This is the edition I own, except the cover and pages are hanging together by librarian tape. I first read this book in the third grade when I checked it out from my school's library. You remember Library Days? They were like mini field trips. Your whole class would walk to the library and be allowed to check out three books. You'd stand at the large wooden desk getting your books checked out while the librarian's assistant would give you a free bookmark. While you waited for the rest of the class to finish picking their books, you'd run over to the bean bags to start reading your book! That was me. I even read as we walked back to our classroom. When I got home, I'd read aloud to my mom as she cooked dinner, then leave it on the table next to my plate when it was time to eat. I never let a book out of my sight, especially this one. I loved this book so much, and continued to check it out so many times that the school librarian just decided to give it to me. I felt I walked into a dream each time I read about an edible chocolate factory, and laughed when Violet turned into a huge blueberry. Then I found out about the movie (the original), and flipped! I began singing every song, and wishing I could be just as lucky as Charlie-but always wondered why the other grandparents would never get out of bed! Lazy! 

Numero Dos:

I know this is another Roald Dahl, but I was a fan, ok! I was actually given this book by the school librarian as well because I checked it out so much. I loved this book because it was like nothing I had ever read. It was disgusting, morally wrong, and hilarious! I loved Mr. and Mrs. Twit for all their conniving tricks they played on one another. I always pictured their home to be filled with mud, left over molded food in pots and pans, frogs, and hair from either Mr. Twit's beard, or Mrs. Twit's raggedy head!

Numero Tres:

I'm sure most of you are laughing at this one. That's ok, I laughed too when I decided I was going to share with the world that I read the Girl Talk series. I hope I'm not alone on this one, but these were great! While everyone else was getting into The Babysitters Club, I was sneaking around with these books. They came out at the perfect time when my little body was transforming into the tween years of my life. Boys were beginning to exist in the same world, and something in these stories was calling out my name! More than anything, I think I was fascinated by the fact that once I finished one book, I could go and get another and continue to grow with the story and its characters. I wonder where most of these books are now, or what has replaced them for girls these days???

So come out with it! What were your top three books when you were little?