In the first of an ongoing series of guest posts from librarians around the country, blogger and librarian Courtney Mandarino shares a list of 5 recommended books for children that helped shape her younger years.
As a child, it was always easy for me to find refuge in books. I think the books we read as children truly help shape us, and the characters we love provide templates for the way we think, act and see the world around us. I’m lucky to come from a long line of readers, and some of my favorite books were handed down to me by my grandmother. My grandmother bought me copies of Anne of Green Gables and The Secret Garden because they were favorites of hers when she was a girl, and they likewise became favorites of mine. I’ve always been amazed by the way books can unify generations of people, as with my grandmother and I, through a mutual admiration of a particularly lovable story. I encourage you to pass your old favorites on to younger generations, and to occasionally revisit those old favorites yourself. That said, here are five children’s books very near and dear to me.
The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden is a beautiful book about an orphaned girl named Mary who is taken to a strange new place to live with an uncle she’s never known. While there, Mary’s obstinate, selfish manner slowly melts away as she grows accustomed to her new life. As a child, I loved reading the maid’s lines aloud (as they were written in the Yorkshire vernacular), and following along with the many discoveries Mary makes while exploring her new surroundings. From the secret garden, to a sick cousin, to learning why the garden was locked up in the first place, I’ve enjoyed this book many times over.
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