Monday Memories is a feature jointly hosted by The Book Bandit and Miss Print. It's a way for me to share books that are special to me, and tell you a little bit about why they've earned a place in my heart.
There is no better book to feature for my first Monday Memories post than The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Imagine a 3-year-old Sophia being read to by her father before bedtime.
Actually, here's a picture, so you don't have to imagine. All you have to do is pretend that magazine is Winnie-the-Pooh:
 |
| (Look! Pooh's reading with us!) |
My father was tired. He had had a long day at work, and the ho-de-dum of a Pooh bedtime story was just enough to weigh down his eyelids. He misread a word or two.
"You read that wrong," I corrected him.
"Huh?" he muttered.
I explained which word he had read incorrectly, and what the correct word was.
He woke up after that. :-)
And thus began my life as a bibliophile.
I don't actually remember this happening, of course, but throughout my childhood, I've heard my parents tell various people the story of how their Sophia learned to read. And The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh has always had an honored place on our bookshelf.
Look, it was given to my father by his sister in law on his first father's day!
...so I suppose it's technically not mine. But I don't think my father will care if I claim it. I've definitely read it more times than he has!
I believe that everyone should read Winnie-the-Pooh. EVERYONE.
It has such genius and sweetness that even adults - especially adults - will get something out of it.
There are such precious, precious quotes to use in everyday life.
Winnie-the-Pooh is an example of a well-written children's book: which is one that can be appreciated and enjoyed by any age. A children's book is only mediocre if it only appeals to children. There should be a kind of childish wisdom in children's books that transcends age.
What is your favorite children's book? What do you remember as being your "first book"?
~Sophia
