Two weeks before we let out for Spring Break, the library had been closed for benchmark testing. Needless to say, many students were not happy, and one 5th grader approached me and said, “I have rights”! His class in particular, Room 34, happens to be a group of reluctant readers gone avid. I knew they would appreciate house calls so I had been taking them books during the two-week period.
The Thursday before Spring Break, I was mulling over what to take them when my eyes fell on the Beverly Cleary section. I began to wonder what would happen if I took them books I had read as a kid, so I grabbed some of my favorites and their teacher’s favorites, and we challenged them to read one of these titles during Spring Break. Their teacher, Mrs. Castaneda, and I told them that if they read one, they could leave a comment on the blog when they came back.They have no idea about copyright and little do they know how far back the books date. I can’t wait to see their faces when they do the math!
If any of these titles were your favorites as a child, please leave your comments below. The kids would love to hear from you.
Matilda by Roald Dahl, 1988
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume, 1970
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary, 1968
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, 1961
Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary, 1982
Stuart Little by E. B White, 1945
Charlotte’s Web by E. B White, 1952
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, 2000
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh 1964
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary, 1973
Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary, 1970
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell, 1973
Bunnicula by James Howe, 1979
Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary, 1965
I loved Harriet the Spy! I so wanted to live in an apartment in New York City after reading that book. My daughter loved Beverly Cleary’s books when she was in elementary school. She wrote Beverly Cleary a letter, and got a postcard back from Ramona. My daughter is 21 now, but she still has the postcard somewhere.
I work in a middle school library in southern California, and some of my students love to read Beverly Cleary, Roald Dahl and Judy Blume.
It sounds like you have some wonderful readers at your school!
I read the original Stuart Little before I left elementary school, which means I probably read it over 50 years ago! The idea of a mouse being born to human parents was delightful to me. I read Stuart Little after a teacher read my class Charlotte’s Web, and I remember thinking at the time that I felt Stuart Little was every bit as wonderful as Charlotte’s Web! The Stuart Little movie came out while I was still an elementary librarian(I am now in middle school), and I remember coaxing students to read the old version as well as the newer movie version in book form.
I read Ramona and her mother when I was in 3rd grade. 30 years later I read it with my 3rd grade son and he loved it as much as I did. Even 30 years after I read it, I remembered so much. Especially when she squeezed out all the toothpaste. That book memory has stayed with me all these years.
I read “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret” in middle school. I loved that book because I thought the author totally understood some of the crazy things I was going through. I think that is one gift I believe a good author has, the ability to connect with the reader and make them want more. I have read many books since then and found many great authors. Reading is such a treasure! Seize every opportunity you have.
The Mouse & The Motorcycle was always one of my elementary favorites! It made me laugh & I loved how silly and daring the little mouse was! It’s been over 20 years since I was in Elementary school, so it was an oldie when I read it! 🙂
Have fun!
Ralph S Mouse continues to be one of my favourite characters, ever! He was the first personified animal in a modern setting that I had found as a child. ‘Till him, all my encounters with clever beasts were in fairy tales, and they all ended the same way. I thought Ralph was funny and daring and I enjoyed his antics with the vehicles and his interactions with people. I wanted him for a friend! I loved The Littles, The Borrowers and subsequently The Indian in the Cupboard series too, for the humour and believable magic.
Oh how I love all of these titles! The girly books were among my favorites, of course, but the one that stuck with me the most was Dear Mr. Henshaw. At some point in your life, a book will come along at just the right time and let you know that you are not alone. Leigh and I made it through some tough times together! Then I met Emily – in Cleary’s Emily’s Runaway Imagination – and she helped me see that your life is what you make of it. No more moping for me. 🙂
I didn’t discover Ramona the Pest until I was in college….LOVED it!! I read Are you there God? and Bunnicula, How to eat fried worms, Harriet the Spy and so many more when I became a librarian. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have!
My fourth grade teacher read Charlotte’s Web aloud to my class. I remember being totally entranced with this book! I have read it again several times since then, and I love the book as much today as I did when I was 10.
I remember getting “Bunnicula” from Troll Books when I was in elementary school. It was the first book that I remember loving, because it made me laugh. I thought Chester and Harold were hysterical.
I loved the Beezus and Ramona books as an elementary student. It must have been 40 years ago when I first read them and they are still great today. Who doesn’t have a little brother or sister who reminds you of Ramona?
My students loved The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Ralph S. Mouse and Runaway Ralph, Bunnicula, and How to Eat Fried Worms. I can’t help but laugh when I picture a small mouse with a ping pong ball for a helmet, riding up and down the halls of an inn going vroom, vroom.
Charlotte’s Web was one of four books my students voted the most popular every year. The others were Mr. Popper’s Penguins, The Chocolate Touch, and Weasel.
Charlotte’s Web was the first chapter book I read all by myself. I loved it! I loved Charlotte and Wilbur. I credit that book as one of the reasons I’m an avid reader today, and it’s still on my top 5 list of all-time important books in my life. I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I have. What a wonderful and creative librarian you have to expose you to some fantastic classics! Happy Reading!
I loved all of Beverly Cleary’s books-as well as those of Judy Blume. I started reading them in about the third or fourth grade and read them all through jr. high. I would giggle when I would see glimpses of myself in Ramona, and wince when I would recognize myself in her older sister Beezus. In high school I used pieces of chapters to perform in theatre class. I can also remember the summers I walked to the public library and checked out The Wizard of Oz and took so long walking back home because I was trying to read it while I was walking! As a mother and librarian, I love sharing these books and their characters with those I love. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Charlotte’s Web was one of my favorite books as a child, and also a favorite of both of my sons. I felt what the characters felt, and that is very good writing.
I loved “Ramona the Pest” by Beverly Cleary, possibly because my younger sister was “Melissa the Pest” and I could totally relate because I was the older more responsible sibling!
The following titles were fun books to read when I was in elementary: Matilda by Roald Dahl, 1988
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume, 1970
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary, 1968
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, 1961
and Charlotte’s Web by E. B White, 1952. My favorite had to be Charlotte’s Web because as a reader you could identify with the character’s emotions. Reading books like these allows you to appreciate literature and the author’s creativity. These are books that never get old with time. You can read them over and over again.
I loved the book Are You There God? because it reminded me of me trying to find a religion. Trying to feel god and then people pressuring me my whole life. I kind of connected with the book. When I found out this book was 43 years old I was surprised I liked it. I also read Charlotte’s Web. I wanted a friend like Charlotte because she helped Wilburt get through winter to see te snow. To me she kinda risked her life for Wilburt.
J.M., Age 11, Room 34
Complete and utter nostalgia! Charlotte’s Web was my favorite. I read it now with my own little ones. It contains so many wonderful themes and morals.
Although I am a librarian now, when I was growing up I did not enjoy reading, especially when someone told me I HAD to. When I was in the 6th grade, one of our teachers read How to Eat Fried Worms to our class. Some people might think, “She read out loud? To SIXTH GRADERS?” Yes, she did, and we loved every minute of it. Those minutes she read to us were the best part of the day spent in the classroom. She also read The Great Brain to our class. We loved the humor. I don’t remember much else about 6th grade, but I remember those books!
I will never forget the first time I read Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web and The Trumpet of the Swan! I had the chicken pox over Christmas vacation and I was stuck in the house with no siblings, no friends, and only 3 working television channels! My wonderful mother, let me open 1 early Christmas present and it was a set of those 3 books…what a gift! I hope your students love them as much as I did!
Another book that I remember from childhood is Where the Red Fern Grows, that Ms. Rudzinski read aloud to us and cried in front of the entire class…don’t miss that on either! 🙂
Elizabeth, Middle School Librarian
I’m a student in room 34. I read the book Stuart Little. I liked it because it’s unbelieveable that a human had a mouse baby that’s just 2 inches tall! What I would’ve liked is that author, E.B.White, to have add more to the story. In my opinion, the ending was not right.I needed more to understand the story. I think that years from now I would look back to this book as one of my childhood memories.
-Norma,age 11,room 34
I like Bunnicula because it was interesting,kind of funny,and misterious.It all began when the Monroe family whent to see the movie Dracula while the movie was going on Toby felt somthing in the bottom of his seat it appered to be a bunny.After the movie the Monroe family took the bunny home.When they got home Toby and Pete wanted to name the bunny right away.But they couldint they had to wait till the next day.Later that night Toby and Pete where fighting for the responsibility to keep the bunny on their rooms for the night.The next day they named the bunny Bunnicula. But Chester the cat of the Monroes thought Bunnicula was a vampire.Chester did all he could to show that Bunnicula was a vampire. but he was wrong Bunnicula was not a vampire he was just a normal bunny.
ernest, age 11, room 34
What an exciting time to be the teacher in Rm. 34! I am elated to be having my students read the books I read and enjoyed as a child. My fav was Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. I can’t recall how many times I read that book as a girl. It is THE book I always recommend during that transitional time in a young girl’s life. I was, and still am, a Judy Blume fan. I also lovvvved the Ramona series. At the time, I thought the books were too kiddie for me. However, I would sneak them away from my little sister and read them. I couldn’t get enough of them. This has been a great project and has brought back so many wonderful reading memories.
Mrs. Castañeda
When I was 7 or so, The Mouse and the Motorcycle was my very favorite book ever! I liked it better than Charlotte’s Web, even though my name is Charlotte and I felt very attached to that book too! My daddy even started drawing pictures of Ralph on his motorcycle to match the chapters because he thought it was a good story too! Believe me, you just gotta read it!
I LOVED the book Matilda by Roald Dahl. I loved it because I love to read science fiction books, this one most of all, because instead of a boy or a man with such brain power, it’s just a 5-and-a-half year old girl!!! I thought it was funny, smart, and most of all strategic the way Matilda took her revenge on her dad. All the stuff she was trying sadly failed in making her dad change his mean way of being towards her. This book is full of funny and adventurous events. When I was not reading the book, I was thinking about it all day. I recommend this book to all kids who like to read about fun things and brain power. READ IT, IT’S A GREAT BOOK!!!!!
Prissy, age 12, Room 36
I like the book Charlotte’s web by E.B. White. I liked it because I like books with personification in animals, especially because I have a soft spot for animals. I liked it because Fern Arable, daughter of Mr. Arable saved “A little runt” from getting killed by Mr. Arable because the piglet was born small. In my opinion that was very nice and brave of Fern to have saved the little pig. I liked the book because the way Wilbur was friends with Charlotte and the way they were devoted till the end reminded me of my friends since I was 3 years old and we were just as devoted to each other. It has a surprise ending, but if you haven’t read it, I’m not saying a word about the end. READ IT!!!! Honestly it’s a good book especially if you like a good book about friendship, devotion to friends, and talking animals.
Prissy, age 12, room 36
In my Reading class we read a book called The Ghost’s Grave by Peg Kehret. The book was so mysterious I had no words in my mouth. It is an action-packed book with many twists and turns. This is one of the most outstanding books I have read so far.
J.A.T., age 10, RM 36
In my Reading class, I read a book entitled The Ghost’s Grave by Peg Kehret. It was very cool from beginning to end. I couldn’t stop reading it. It was pretty fun to read and talk about it with my friends and teacher. I recommend that the next book you read is The Ghost’s Grave.
A.M., Age 11, Rm 36
In Mrs.Gutierrez’s class my classmates and I just finished reading the book The Ghost’s Grave by Peg Kehret. This book has a lot of mystery and action. My favorite part was when Mr.Turlep was pointing the handgun at Josh. If you like action books I really recommend this book to you.
K.T, age 11, Rm 40
I liked the book Stuart Little by E.B. White. I liked it because I think it is more adventurous than the movie. I thought that it was funny when Stuart was driving in a little car and when he needed the gas tank filled but the man that fills the gas tank was confused and came back with five drops of gas for Stuart’s car. My siblings loved the book and were begging me to read on. read this awesome book!!!!!!
Prissy.G,age 12,room 36
I first read Are You There God at the age of 20. I was taking Children’s Literature in college & it was one of the required books. It was eye opening! How I wished I could of read it when I was 11 and so confused about everything. I would not of felt alone.
Ramona The Pest is still one of my favorite books. I re-read it at least once a year. I first meet Ramona in Beezes & Ramona, which I read when I was about the age of Beezes. Ask your librarian if the library has the Henry Huggins books. Ramoma makes many appearances.
Because of Winn Dixie focused on the relationship between a young girl and her dog. The theme the students felt was one of the most important was friendship.
When I began reading the first few of chapters of James and the Giant Peach to my fourth grade students, they all commented and were amazed at the abuse that James endured from the two aunts. They all agreed that the aunts deserved what they got after James escaped and rolled away in the peach.
I was very happy to see my daughter read one of my childhood favorites Charlotte’s Web and have her love it as well.
I loved Are You There God? Its Me Margaret by Judy Blume. I could relate the character of Margaret because I think every girl has gone through what she did. This is a great book, I recommend it for all girls.
I can still remember reading James and the Giant Peach when I was in fourth grade. Roald Dahl became and still is one of my favorite authors. I love that all of his books are so enjoyable to people of all ages.