Do you ever get legitimately depressed because you know you will never have enough time to do all the things you want to do before you die? I do. Maybe I'm weird (okay, it is a fact that I'm weird), maybe it isn't something other people really think about constantly.
For me, it's books. I get seriously depressed when I realize that I will never be able to read every single book in the world before I die. Wouldn't that be amazing to have read everything? Thinking about it gives me chills.
Anyway the point I'm trying to make here is that I have had to do some major cut backs. I no longer subject myself to terrible books (like I did with the Twilight series) just "for the lulz". I don't have time for that anymore. Not that I'm getting super old, or dying (I hope), I just feel like there is something better out there. If I start a book now and it sucks, I just stop reading it. Before this revelation I had only put down one book in my life because it 'sucked and I couldn't get through it', it was one of the Sex and the City books...pure effing garbage.
When Maurice Sendak died I wanted to write a blog about "books everyone should read". Then I started compiling a list and I realized that most people that I know would have no interest in most of the things I consider "must reads". Childhood books are a horse of a different color though, I feel like those are easier to pinpoint. Children's books are something that helps shape us whether it's something that we think about or not. I can't think of a single person who wouldn't recommend getting a child a book that they, themselves loved in their childhood.
And so instead of telling you what books you should read I'm going to tell you the children's books that shaped me, because I am only an authority on myself and I have no place telling anyone what to do (except my kid*).
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Where the Wild Things Are
Pippi Longstocking
Peter Pan
Matilda
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The Little Prince
Ramona Quimby (series)
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
All of those books were staples of my childhood. I can't imagine life without each of the characters. I actually have plans for a tattoo of several of them. Let me know if you can think of any that I'm missing or that you think all kids should read.
* sometimes I am hilarious.
For me, it's books. I get seriously depressed when I realize that I will never be able to read every single book in the world before I die. Wouldn't that be amazing to have read everything? Thinking about it gives me chills.
Anyway the point I'm trying to make here is that I have had to do some major cut backs. I no longer subject myself to terrible books (like I did with the Twilight series) just "for the lulz". I don't have time for that anymore. Not that I'm getting super old, or dying (I hope), I just feel like there is something better out there. If I start a book now and it sucks, I just stop reading it. Before this revelation I had only put down one book in my life because it 'sucked and I couldn't get through it', it was one of the Sex and the City books...pure effing garbage.
When Maurice Sendak died I wanted to write a blog about "books everyone should read". Then I started compiling a list and I realized that most people that I know would have no interest in most of the things I consider "must reads". Childhood books are a horse of a different color though, I feel like those are easier to pinpoint. Children's books are something that helps shape us whether it's something that we think about or not. I can't think of a single person who wouldn't recommend getting a child a book that they, themselves loved in their childhood.
And so instead of telling you what books you should read I'm going to tell you the children's books that shaped me, because I am only an authority on myself and I have no place telling anyone what to do (except my kid*).
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Where the Wild Things Are
Pippi Longstocking
Peter Pan
Matilda
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The Little Prince
Ramona Quimby (series)
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
All of those books were staples of my childhood. I can't imagine life without each of the characters. I actually have plans for a tattoo of several of them. Let me know if you can think of any that I'm missing or that you think all kids should read.
* sometimes I am hilarious.
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