Favorite childhood stories leave an impression that can last a lifetime. My all-time favorite story was The Story about Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese. The story is about a duck that learned a valuable life lesson while living with his family on the Yangtze River in China. Forty plus years later, I had an opportunity to walk along the shore of the Yangtze River. It was a monumental moment for me, fulfilling a lifelong dream to visit China; sparked by this story.
My children have their own favorites. My son, Philip, adored stories rich in imagination. Virginia loved stories with rhyme and humor, and my youngest, Victoria, was drawn to children’s books that were beautifully illustrated. (Interestingly, Victoria grew into an artistic adult with a keen sense of esthetic.)
Early childhood literature can help create imagination and wonder. It can be the foundation for a lifelong love of reading. There are lessons to be learned from these stories too. Some of my favorites today offer lessons about behavior such as: llama llama misses mama by Anna Dewdney, The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn and The Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Peister
Since she was a toddler, my granddaughter, five-year-old Cecilia, has loved stories about space, the sky and the moon. One of her favorites is Winkum, Blinkum and Nod by American writer and poet, Eugene Field. She loves to observe the sky at night and is eager to learn about stars and planets----A future astronaut, perhaps?
What is your favorite childhood story?
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