July 6, 2007

Favorite Book Friday

As a child, my favorite place to ride my purple banana seat bike was to the local library. I loved the stacks of old books and the strange but friendly librarians.

Last month, while I was visiting Philadelphia, my Aunt Marcia and I visited my childhood library.

Sure things were different – computers were everywhere and the librarians had changed, but as soon as I saw that picture book room and the middle grade novels perched atop the bookshelves, I was transported back to my favorite childhood memories.

It was at that moment I saw a sign: Books for sale. A buck a bag. No kidding. A buck a bag.

Well, I couldn’t run down the stairs to get to the book sale fast enough.

It was obvious the sale had been going on for awhile because there were slim pickings. A tattered copy of Passages by Gail Sheehy and books about Windows 95.

But I discovered and grabbed a copy of my favorite childhood book – Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater, along with Betsy-Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace and The Trap by Tabitha King – hey, a girl’s gotta live.

There was nothing else I wanted, but let me emphasize this: I got Mr. Popper’s Penguins for 33.3 cents!

I loved that book so much as a kid that to this day, I adore penguins. And during a Florida SCBWI shindig this past January, I dressed up as Mr. Popper along with Janeen Mason. (Could we creative types possibly get any nerdier?!)

So, what’s your favorite childhood book? And for that matter, what’s the strangest thing you ever dressed as? (Jay, we already know you dressed as a penguin for a day. Too funny!)

By the way, thanks a million (or 33 cents worth) for all the birthday wishes. And thanks to my kids for actually being nice to each other all day yesterday. Thanks to Carilynn for the edible arrangement of fruit (including the chocolate-covered kind) made to look like a bouquet of flowers. And thanks to hubby for the roses, the dictionary with the words to our wedding song marked off and for managing to say “Happy Birthday” to me forty-two times throughout the day. Cute. Have I told you lately?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful blog Donna! I can't wait to read more/

Linda R.B.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday and Blog Beginning Day plus one!

I'm so glad you're going to share your wise and wonderful--and incredibly funny views on life.

Happy blogging, Donna! We'll all enjoy this journey with you.

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday Donna!

My favorite book as a kid? How do I choose? I loved the "Little House" series, plus Nancy Drew & Trixie Belden mysteries, Anne of Green Gables. Do you sense a theme?

Anonymous said...

Hi Donna!

Welcome to the world of blogging! Mr. Popper's Penguins was one of my favorite books, too. :-)

Cindy

Cynthia Lord

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Aunt Donna! My favorite book as a kid was about a young kid living during the Civil War. The book was a Newbery Medal Winner. I believe it was called Across Five Seasons, or something similiar.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to find it anywhere, but the book had a profound impact on me. If I remember correctly, his brothers went off to war and his father worried he would have to as well if the war kept going. Great book, I wish I could find it somewhere.

Wild About Words said...

Steve,
The book is Across Five Aprils and it's on its way to you.
Hugs,
Aunt Donna

Anonymous said...

Whew! We already got the book in the mail (they're fast!) Thank you so much on behalf of Steve. You should have seen the ear-to-ear grin on his face. He can't wait to read it again. As for myself,
The book called "Dominic" actually helped me to learn to LOVE reading; I used to be in the lowest reading group in school. The book is about an adorable dog that goes on a journey and meets a bunch of other animal friends. He plays the piccolo and wears a knapsack. It's awesome!
And Happy Belated Birthday!

Anonymous said...

Donna,

I hadn't read your response about the book until now. So I was completley surprised to receive the book yesterday...and I have to say I was a little overwhelmed. Not only was it an extremely thoughtful and loving gift, it really brought me back to such a wonderful childhood memeory of being at the Bensalem Library as a kid with my parents and picking that book out.

It really was a touching gift, thank you for thinking of me.

Love,
Steve