I love to read and started reading at a very early age. My mother used to require us to read a book, any book for at least 30 minutes a day. I was one of those “weird” kids who looked forward to library day at school and checking out new books every week. I never ran out of new material to read. Never.
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My love for reading has continued all through life…even now at the age of 51 you can find me reading a good book. While some women enjoy a good romance, I’m drawn to the mysteries, medical and legal thrillers, history and military genres.
Here’s my personal list of 15 children’s books worth passing down to my grandchildren. These are books that I’ve personally read as a child and loved! These titles are appropriate for elementary school aged children.
1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Raold Dahl
2. James and the Giant Peach by Raold Dahl
3. Matilda by Raold Dahl
4. Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
5. Stuart Little by E. B. White
6. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
7. Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene
8. The Hardy Boys Series by Franklin W. Dixon
9. Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary
10. Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary
11. The Bobbsey Twins Series by Laura Lee Hope
12. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
13. Little House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
14. The Boxcar Children Series by Gertrude Chandler Warner
15. Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
I loved these books as a child. I purchased these books for my daughter when she was growing up and now that I’m a grandmother, I’m passing down those same books (yes we saved them) to my grandchildren.
Here’s a few book storage tips for those of you who want to save books to pass down to your children/grandchildren.
1. Never store books in a damp basement or in an outside storage area. They need to be kept dry to prevent mold and mildew. If they get wet…toss them out! Keep them out of direct sunlight.
2. If you’re not going to display them on a shelf or in a bookcase, I recommend that you go out and purchase a large storage container with lid. Stack them inside laying flat. Remove bookmarks and slips of paper before storing them. Don’t store any other items in your container besides the books.
3. If you want to write messages inside the covers of your books (which I don’t recommend doing) make sure you use an acid-free ink pen. In addition, I don’t recommend adding those stick-on ID bookplates either. Just avoid all of that if you can.
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I also love to read. I do like your list of books, but I would include some for younger children, such as Dr. Seuss and Corduroy.
My younger daughter had a learning disability growing up. She had trouble reading at her age level. I attended a lecture that advised parents to read to their children even if they were older. I would read to my daughter at bedtime as she followed along. I remember reading a number of the books on your list. Note that her older sister later told me she loved listening from her room.
Shelly, I also love to read! Your list of books is a good one. I really like the idea of leaving a message inside of the books; a very sweet touch.