When you're young, everything is an influence on you. Nature vs. nurture really takes effect when you think about all the pop culture, the current events, and literature that had an impact on your childhood. The books we read both in school and on our own influenced us more than we know. We probably took a piece of each character we met and called upon them when we were desperate to escape. Literature was always there for us. Here are 13 book series we'll never forget from the swirling whirlwind that was our childhood, all those years ago.
1. Tomie DePaola's memoirs.
Beginning with the famous '26 Fairmount Avenue', Tomie DePaola led us through his childhood and taught us how to maneuver change in our own lives. We start with the building of his family's house and continue to learn about many different dynamics of a family. I'll never forget gathering on the circle rug to listen to my elementary school teachers reading DePaola's works.
2. Harry Potter
I'm not sure there will ever be a generation that won't get to experience the magical world of Hogwarts and "Harry Potter". For those of us born in the nineties or just over the brink of the 2000's, "Harry Potter" literally lasted the length of (most of) our childhoods. We began and ended the adventure together.
3. Frances the Badger
The tales we read of the silly and fickle Frances always made us laugh when we read them. I especially remember "Bread and Jam for Frances" where she decides to eat bread and jam for every meal. Frances made us all realize how important it is to listen to your family.
4. Dr. Seuss
Though there was never a consistent format for his series of writings, the inconsistency tickled our fancy in more ways than one. Dr. Seuss is so iconic that he will continue to live on and influence children for generations to come. We will never forget his oddly honest rhymes and vibrant illustrations.
5. The Magic School Bus
Between the books and the educations videos we all longed for in classes, Miss Frizzle definitely hooked us up when we were younger. "The Magic School Bus" was the pre-Bill Nye phase, where we were still learning about science through cartoons instead of hands-on lessons. The human body was definitely a memorable tale.
6. Rainbow Fish
Sharing has always been caring, especially when it comes to the enchanting world of "Rainbow Fish". From the beautiful underwater adventures brought to us by author Marcus Pfister, we learned the meaning of friendship in the most down-to-earth ways.
7. Amelia Bedelia
Luckily, we didn't take Amelia Bedelia's lessons on how to complete chores too seriously, but we did get a good laugh out of it! From this unorganized maid, we learned the importance of wearing our listening ears and making sure we understand what we hear.
8. Frog and Toad
"Frog and Toad" not only taught us lessons about friendship, perseverance and responsibility, but the award-winning series also taught us more personal lessons, like how to cope with loneliness, and learning how to express the many emotions that can infiltrate a child's well-being. Together, those amphibians taught children how to love and be loved, all within a few short stories.
9. Magic Tree House
At one point in our lives, each and every one of us wished we were either Jack or Annie at one time. They were living the life! How many times did we sit daydreaming in class wishing that the magic tree house was in our backyard so that we could experience the adventures those two did?
10. Roald Dahl Books
Where would we be today without the amazing works of Roald Dahl? Our childhood would have been bereft of the adventures from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Matilda" and "James and the Giant Peach". Undoubtedly, we also would have missed "The BFG" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox". The good times never stopped rolling in a Roald Dahl book.
11. Real Kids, Real Places
Though we may not remember them being specifically titled like so, many of us found solace in the mysteries of "The Biltmore House", "Disney World" and "Mount Rushmore". More than anything, these books were a fantastic way to escape and learn about a location without actually having to travel anywhere. These books never stayed on the shelf in my school library.
12. I Spy
Besides having a day filled with fun seek-and-finds, the "I Spy" series taught us to keep careful watch over our surroundings. We found that the smallest of things could be found in a large mess pile. I remember spending hours on the floor searching for the bobby pin or the bottle cap in these books.
13. My Weird School
Just as we were all beginning to read books by ourselves, our teachers jumped on Dan Gutman's "My Weird School" series as if it were the only book we'd ever pay attention to. Many a time, we sat apples in our lap, listening to the crazy, kooky tales that Gutman wrote about in this awesomely titled school. Often times I wondered what I would do if I ever had a teacher like Mr. Klutz, Miss Daisy or Ms. Hannah. Luckily for me, however, I never found out.