Weekly Geeks #3 – Childhood Memories

Well, I made it back to Canada. I had a good flight the only issue I had was the horribly long wait I had in Vancouver before getting me back to Ontario. But that’s all said and done now I just have to get over this jet leg that I have. I was out like a light before 4:30pm yesterday and up twelve hours later. It shouldn’t take too long, I just hope I’m set for my phone interview on Wednesday.

With that said and done on to Weekly Geeks.

This week we are to talk about the books that we enjoyed or remember from our childhood. Now, I’m excited about this one because I enjoy many of the books I read or had read to me as a child. I’ve even talked about a number of these in previous posts, now I can talk about them all in one post.

There are several books I remember as a little child that I’m sure we all recall reading or having read to us growing up. The books I’m talking about are of course those gems by Dr. Seuss. The great doctor has many books in his name such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, and my all time favorite The Lorax. I have yet to encounter a Dr. Seuss book that I don’t love from beginning to end. I’m sure you all have on his books that you can remember fondly, which of his books are your favorite?

As a Canadian child there are two books that I think ever Canadian child has heard. The first is of a little boy growing up in Quebec and is in need of a new hockey sweater. His mother sends a letter to Mr. Eaton to get a new Canadiens sweater and Mr. Eaton sends, of all things, a Maple Leaves sweater to the devistation of the boy. This is Roch Carrier’s The Hockey Sweater. Now I’m a Canadian that isn’t a huge hockey fan but I loved this book and understand what the boy feels, the dissapointment of not getting what you want.

The other book that I think all Canadians had read to them growing up is Robert Service’s The Cremation of Sam McGee. I talked in great length about this book when I reviewed Tales of the Yukon by Robert Service. The only thing that I loved even more than the story are the illustrations that accompany the book. The story of a promise made while travelling in Canada’s vast north to cremate Sam McGee and how he is compelled to follow through with this promise.

The last book that comes to mind is The Innkeeper’s Daughter by Jill Briscoe. This is the story of a cripled little girl who’s father happens to the owner of the manger where Jesus was born. The story is told from her perspective and tells of the very first miracle that Jesus performs. It’s a very touching story that I owned and had to bring to my elementary school every year during the Christmas season because our librarian read it to every class.

Finally, the one novel that really recall reading growing up was The Hobbit. I think that’s only because it was the first novel that I read, I don’t remember exactly the age I was when I read it. I adored this story and still do, and I credit it for making me fall in love with reading. Even thought I loved this book it took quite some time before I attempted to read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. J.R.R. Tolkien was a genious and couldn’t have possibly compsed a greater novel if he wanted to.

These are just a few of the books I loved growing up. I could go on and on with books I recall growing up because I didn’t touch on Shel Silverstein or Dennis Lee’s Alligator Pie. Rather than going on and on I’ll end it here and I look forward to seeing what everyone else has had to say about this.

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