Childhood Memories: My Favorite Elemetary School Library Books

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

While I was growing up I loved reading books. The Scholastic Book Fair that annually occurred at my elementary school was an epic part of my life as a kid. I would always get involved with read-a-thons and always had my book reports in on time. My teachers would reward readers with small trinkets like stickers or candy pieces, and the library was always my haunt before and after school. When my elementary school was set to be demolished several years ago, I knew that I had to visit one last time while it was open before the fences went up and the cranes got to work with the wrecking ball.

Upon my arrival, I decided to visit the library that was so special to me one last time. I even saw books with old check-out cards still in them on a book cart outside the library with dates stamped onto the from the mid-eighties. The nostalgia of it all was surreal. How could such an important part of my life be demolished? Where do the memories go if you can no longer visit them in real life? From this experience I will always have the following to give me solace and fond memories: my top five favorite childhood reads.

The Anastasia Krupnik series by Lois Lowry- this series of nine books followed Anastasia Krupnik on her journey through not only being a girl but dealing with a mischievous sibling and being the awkward one. I always loved the crazy stories, funny supporting cast, and often whimsical approach to childhood and adolescence.
The Anthony Monday series by John Bellairs- in the late 1970s and early 1980s John Bellairs release several series of books based on the horror and mystery genres. Like R.L. Stine many years later, John Bellairs introduced horror to young readers and it was amazing. But the Anthony Monday series was the one I remember the most. As a kid, I enjoyed Anthony's adventures with librarian Ms. Myra Eellls. And as I continued to read Bellairs' other series I felt that I needed to write him. Several weeks later a hand-typed postcard arrived from John Bellairs to me. As a kid, it was the most exciting moment of my life up until that day.
The Three Investigators series by Robert Arthur and various- In the late 1960s a juvenile detective agency called The Three Investigators was introduced to audiences. Consisting of three boys named Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw, and Bob Andrews, the forty-three-book series became a worldwide hit. It even added director Alfred Hitchcock to add to the mix of ancient curses and paranormal phenomena. As a kid, I was a die-hard fan of the series and still remember their adventures. It is easy to find in second-hand shops and can be hard to find in other venues.
Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys by Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon- This trio of daring investigators was made famous to me in the 1970s when the television version ran from 1977- 1979 on Sunday nights on ABC. Pamela Sue Martin, Shaun Cassidy, and Parker Stevenson delivered an hour of mystery and adventure that often focused on either the Hardy brothers or Nancy Drew. I began reading the series soon after and would often lose hours delving into their worlds. And when the three crossed over I was a very happy kid.
The Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins series by Beverly Cleary- Take some neighbor kids, a stray dog, and an often strange little sister and you have a recipe for a beloved series. Starting on Klickitat Street in the 1950s, Henry Huggins met his dog, Ribsy, and the rest was literary history. I remember having posters based on the characters from the series in my local library. I must have read every book in both series, along with Socks, Ellen Tebbits, and Otis Spotfford all in a year. I loved Beverly Cleary as a kid.

There you have it, my favorite library books I checked out in elementary school. What books did you enjoy as a kid? Let me know in the comments below.

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