1. What were your favorite childhood stories? I had plenty of books when I was young. My favorite as a child had to be a book in the "Ramona" series.
2. What books from your childhood would you like to share with [your] children? The "Ramona" series of books by Beverly Cleary and the "Fudge" series by Judy Blume. I loved those stories.
3. Have you re-read any of those childhood stories and been surprised by anything? I think I was more suprised by "Somebody get a negligee" in "Somebody's Getting Married" in Muppets Take Manhattan than in any of those books I read as a child.
4. How old were you when you first learned to read? I was 3-years-old. I was reading a TV Guide, so my mother says. I just know I've been reading ever since I can remember.
5. Do you remember the first 'grown-up' book you read? How old were you? Oh, well what determines what is a "grown-up" book? I've read plent of book all through school. I read Across Five Aprils in 8th grade. Does that count? Well, for sure, Animal Farm in 9th grade.
Posted by Shawn at July 4, 2003 10:45 AM in Friday Five.
"Grown-up" books is too much of an ambiguous term. Some people may think grown-up books are the ones that tackle serious issues. I think of them as books found in the regular fiction section of a library (and not in the young adult section). I don't feel that required reading is grown-up material because we're supposed to read it in school when we're still kids.
Posted by: sya at July 4, 2003 12:15 PMI'm glad you like my site. I'm working hard on it and I'm sure I'll keep changing it for awhile until I get tired of it. I might even be asking you for different logos if you have the time.
By the way, Tim says you're cute. 
1. Do you remember the baseball series by children's sports author Matt Christopher? "Stranger in Right Field", "Shadow over Second", "Doubl Play at Short" and so on? I loved those. I also loved The Chronicles of Narnia and The Truth Trap books by Frances Miller. My favorite childhood story is and always was The Velveteen Rabbit
2. The Truth Trap(and subsequent books) by Frances Miller. The Chronicles of Narnia, too. The Ramona books are classic. Hey Shawn, do you remember the adapted tv show on PBS? I loved that!
3. I'd like to reread The Truth Trap. It was a really well written series. But every library I've been to no longer has it.
4. 2 and a half. I was reading at the 6th grade level when I entered kindergarten and at the high school level in first grade. One of those books was The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. 
5. I read Watership Down when I was 4. That was a huge book...for a four year old.
Posted by: misbah kyrene at July 4, 2003 2:14 PMSya, that's how I perceive "grown-up" books - books that aren't in the children's or young adult section.
It wasn't until I was in high school that I started reading those books that can be bought in the "grown-up" section.
One book I forgot to list as a child that I loved was "Wait Till Helen Comes." I first read it in 7th grade. Both Nicki and I love it. I'll still read it now and then since I enjoy the story.
And Laura, sure, I don't mind making you a logo now and then. And tell Tim, thanks.
I never watched the series based on "Ramona" but I do remember watching the animated The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. quite a bit. 
