Top 5 books from my childhood
Hello bookworms!! Happy Tuesday!! This week’s Top 5 Tuesday is top 5 books from my childhood.
Yes, today we’re talking about our favourite stories from when we were children. For some of us that was not so long ago. For others… well… I just rated a book that was set in the decade I was born as “historical fiction”. And no, I am not a vampire. I don’t even have grey hair!!
If you missed the March topics post, please click here!! Top 5 Tuesday was created by Shanah @ Bionic Book Worm, and is now being hosted here @ Meeghan reads.
Top 5 books from my childhood
Winnie-the-Pooh ā A. A. Milne
I can’t remember if I’ve ever talked about these books before, but Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne are some of my absolute favourite stories. I rank them far higher than Narnia. (Is that blasphemous? I don’t think so.)
Of course Disney has since adapted it and monetised it about 80,000 times, but I still have my copies of the original stories. The copies I have are illustrated by E. H. Shepherd and I remember reading them over and over again as a smol child. This is one story that, while I like the adaptation, the original will hold a very special place in my heart.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit ā Beatrix Potter
Honestly, as a grown up, I can’t get over how Beatrix Potter missed such an obvious pun opportunity in the title. The Tail of Peter Rabbit, while inaccurate in terms of English, would have been far more appealing. However, I guess we’ll let it go this time.
Not just Peter, but his cousins, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail, plus Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Jeremy Fisher, Jemima Puddle Duck, Squirrel Nutkin and the rest of the crew all had my undivided attention as a child. If I had to pick an absolute favourite story I would say The Tailor of Gloucester. And if I had to pick on that equally terrified me AND fascinated me, I would say The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding. Don’t look it up ā just trust me.
Grug ā Ted Prior
And here is where we get to the *very* Australian books of my childhood. Please bear with me, because I promise that they will at least amuse you.
To be honest, I can’t really describe what Grug is, except a construct of my childhood. However, when I went to find out (because I had to give you some explanation), I found this:
Grug began his life as the top of a Burrawong tree. Resembling a small, striped haystack with feet and a nose, he is fascinated by the world around him and solves everyday problems creatively and without fuss. When dancing instructions are too difficult to understand, Grug invents his own dance and calls it ‘The Grug’. When snails eat his cabbages, Grug plants more cabbages so there will be enough for both him and the snails.
While we also had children’s classics like Dr Seuss and Spot, the Grug series was like our own little Aussie icon. There are over 30 books in this series and it’s just super cute. Grug and the Rainbow was always my favourite one, but this is a link to watch Storytime Love’s Grace read Grug and the Big Red Apple.
Possum Magic ā Mem Fox
Mem Fox is an Australian treasure. I have loved every single one of her books, even as an adult. However, Possum Magic will always be my favourite of hers without a doubt.
Possum Magic is the story of a child possum, Hush, who is invisible (for safety reasons). However, Hush wants to be visible so she and her grandmother, Grandma Poss, go on this huge adventure around Australia to try and find foods that will turn Hush visible again. There are a few Aussie classic foods in this, which honestly, just makes me hungry. And, you can watch Play School’s Benita read it out loud here if you’re interested in the story!
Wombat Stew ā Marcia K. Vaughan
Now, I would like to make it abundantly clear that we do not eat wombats. Not even remotely. BUT, if you were a dingo in the bush and you were hungry, a big fat wombat might be pretty tempting.
Of course, all of the other native animals decide to get in on the cooking, providing Dingo much advice and ingredients to add. It all ends with disastrous hilarity, depending on whose side you are on.
One of the things I loved most about this book as a child was that it comes with sheet music for the song that Dingo sings. It’s one of the first things that I taught myself on the piano. Now, there are a lot of readings of Wombat Stew online ā my favourite is the one by Jessica Rudd, but unless you have a subscription to Story Box Library, you can’t access it. However, this one by Good Night Sleep Tight is pretty decent (although I don’t know anyone who rolls their R’s that much in person).
Please donāt forget to link to one of my posts (not my home page), or comment your link below, and I will link back to all of your posts as soon as I can!!
PARTICIPANTS
HappymessHappiness
The Punk Theory
Sleepy Sam Reads
A Fictional Bookworm
Wings and Fables
Jillian the Bookish Butterfly
Hanna Reads
Elysa Reads It All
Gemini Book Nook
Stories and Sidequests
DB’s Guide to the Galaxy
Lady Book Dragon
Books for Becca
Who are your top 5 books from your childhood?
23 Comments
evelynreads1
Great list! I recently reread Winni the Pooh, it was so lovely haha!
(www.evelynreads.com)
meeghan
Awww!! Thatās so sweet!! One glad you enjoyed it!! ???
Jan @ thedoodlecrafter
Wow I haven’t read any of these actually – those Australian books look so cute!!ā¤
meeghan
I can highly recommend them!! ??
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Hanna
Winnie the Pooh! Love that little bear and all their friends. That’s what I read for my kids from time to time
meeghan
Oh Hanna, that’s so sweet!! I’m glad he’s still bringing joy to new generations!! ?
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storiesandsidequests
This is such a fun list ā¤ļø I’m going to have to look up Wombat Stew and Possum Magic!
Here’s my top 5 post
meeghan
Thank you!! Coming to visit and I’ll add you to the list ?
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dbsguidetothegalaxy
Yes, Winnie the Pooh!! Tigger is my favourite! We loved Beatrix Potter as kids! Have you heard of the new book they recently published (of Beatrix Potter?) It’s called The Tale of Kitty-In-Boots and it’s fantastic.
I’m catching up on the February T5T posts! One down, 3 to go!
meeghan
THERE ARE NEW BOOKS?! Iām definitely finding it to read!! Thanks DB!! ???
dbsguidetothegalaxy
Yeah! I think they found the manuscript somewhere and published it. I’ll take some pics of the book and send it to you tomorrow because it’s so cute!
meeghan
OMG!! Yes please!! ???
wren @ wingsandfables
I feel ashamed I didn’t think of Winnie the Pooh!
meeghan
Haha, I always feel bad when I read other people’s lists, so don’t feel ashamed!! This is the joy of Top 5 lists!! ?
tasya @ the literary huntress
I love the Tale of Peter Rabbit too, they’re just so comforting!
meeghan
All the Beatrix Potter books are so lovely ??
thepunktheory
I wish I had read Winnie when I was a kid!
meeghan
I hope it made you lost this week then!! ???
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