Today is Hans Christian Anderson’s birthday which is a great reason to celebrate what he was known best for — amazing stories for children. We now call today Children’s Book Day, and to observe it, the team at KidZui decided to dig deep into our memories to write a few words about our favorite books as children. Enjoy our trek down memory lane!
The Giving Tree - written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein
RyanZui’s favorite is a classic in many homes
“Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree was a regular at bedtime when I was a youngster. My brother and I loved the story of friendship, the simple and fun pictures, and seeing the young boy grow up. It was also a long book so it meant we could push off going to sleep longer than with nearly any other book on the bookshelf. :)” – RyanZui
A Fish Out of Water - written by Helen Palmer, illustrated by P.D. Eastman
This story is based on a short story written by Helen Palmer’s husband, Dr. Seuss
“In the story, a little boy feeds his new pet fish “Otto” too much food and the fish just keeps on growing and growing to the point where it ends up in his bath tub and beyond…well, you get the picture. Here’s a video I found about the book. I’m not sure why I loved it so much. I think it was because my older brother had this really big fresh water fish tank in his room. I would sneak in and feed his fish tons of food hoping the same thing would happen. But, no such luck. All it did was make his fish tank dirty. He would then make me clean his fish tank by using my mouth as a suction to get the dirty water up and out into the sink. Water from the tank would get in my mouth, and he got a big kick out of seeing me get grossed out. Big brothers are just AWESOME!” - BarbieZui
It’s Halloween – written by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Marylin Hafner
A great read all year-round
“For me, Jack Prelutsky’s It’s Halloween is my all time favorite anytime of year. Filled with Marylin Hafner’s amazingly rendered spooks, monsters and trick-or-treaters, It’s Halloween is the ultimate Halloween adventure.” – DannyZui
The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree – written and illustrated by Stan & Jan Berenstain
For NealZui, this book was spooky even after countless reads!
“I remember this book being really scary, but suspenseful enough that you had to just be brave and keep going. Even on the millionth reading, I felt that way when they climbed over that gigantic bear towards the end. And they all got the shivers and had to bolt out of the tree.” – NealZui
Sideways Stories from Wayside School – written by Louis Sachar
We all probably wished we were enrolled at Wayside School
“It was one of the first chapter books I learned to read & the author came to my school in 2nd grade. I liked the wacky stories and the funny descriptions. ” – AdrienneZui
I Just Forgot – written and illustrated by Mercer Mayer
Why doesn’t this excuse work as an adult in real life?
“All of the Little Critter books spent the most time out of the bookcase at my house. I remember even having a few animated versions of some of the stories on VHS. I Just Forgot was always a favorite because it made me feel better about picking up after myself without being told. That’s right, I was a perfect angel for my parents. But, looking back at this story as an adult, I can’t deny the truth in the very first sentence: ‘Sometimes I remember, and sometimes I just forget.’ I think we can all relate to this simple sentiment.” – VanessaZui
The Tale of Peter Rabbit – written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter
The classic book that taught JohnZui how to read
“The Tale of Peter Rabbit was my favorite because my mom was always a big Beatrix Potter fan. This was the series of books that taught us how to read to the point when we could read them to my little sister.” – JohnZui
Falling Up and Where the Sidewalk Ends – written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein
“The poems and artwork were so simple, yet captivating, funny and weird! I used to love reading the poems because they were always funny, and they were related to kid themes. I remember the different poems dealt with gross things, dreams/imagination, seeing the world through a kid’s eyes, not wanting to eat your vegetables, loving ice cream, etc.” – JessicaZui
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
An exciting sci-fi novel for older kids
“When I was 13, I loved Ender’s Game. It’s just awesome! I’m also excited for the upcoming movie.” – VincentZui
Where the Wild Things Are – written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak
Imagination goes a long way!
“I remember reading this book everyday to my brother who was in kindergarten. I think the reason it was my favorite book was because it showed how amazing kids’ imaginations are and how much fun kids can have. My mom still has the book in my memory box too.” – NancyZui
Frog and Toad Are Friends – written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel
Who knew a frog and a toad could be best friends?
“I love Frog and Toad.” – WillZui
And there you have it! What were your favorite books as a child? Do your children like reading any of the books we’ve listed above? Let us know in the comments below. Happy Children’s Book Day!
The KidZui Team
