A Childhood in Books: Part 2

Brambly Hedge books by Jill Barklem

In addition to being some of my favorite books, they were also ones my mother was fond of and we were both breathtaken by the wonderful tales and images. The beautiful illustrations are the main attraction, indeed, I remember looking at the pictures and feeling transported to the magical world of those little field mice. I was sad to see that some of these books are out of print because they really are special. My imagination would go into overdrive when I was reading these books and there aren't a lot of stories I can say that about.

Ant and Bee by Angela Banner and Bryan Ward.

These were some my favorite books and also some of the earliest I remember. I practically learned to read with this books which actually got me into a little trouble. Because the books are British I would often try and stick a u in words, like "colour." There were so many gems in the series that I have a hard time picking a favorite. I also remember them so vividly, due in large part to the charming illustrations I think. Ant and Bee Go Shopping, Ant and Bee and the Secret and Ant and Bee and the ABC are the three that come to mind first and I would probably say those are tied as my favorites. I actually reread them not too long ago and was as charmed by them now as I was when I was little.

Busy, Busy Town by Richard Scarry

I wasn't a big Dr. Seuss kid but I was obsessed with Richard Scarry when I was little. I watched the TV show, I had the merchandise, I ate up the books. Will and Pig Won't and Busy, Busy Town were two of my favorites. Again, I think it is the illustrations that drew me to them but the cast of characters were also great. Unlike a lot of books, these really held my interest and I can remember spending hours reading and rereading them. And yes, Lowly Worm was my favorite character. The show intro can be found here, I can't believe I still remember the theme song!