Childhood Stories

Remeber when you were little and you had a favorite story or poem and you would have your parents read it over and over again? My roommate Maddie had an assignment for the class Interpretation of Literature and she was to find a children's poem that influenced her life.  It made me think about my favorite children's story and poem that have influenced me.  When I was little my mom used to read the book Froggy Gets Dressed. 

I would have her reread the story about 5 times before I eventually went to bed.  I can recite the story almost to its entirety today.  It was memorable to me because my mom used to read the book in a dramatic and memorable way.  It always made me laugh when she would emphasize the way Froggy's mother called for him. That memory will remain with me forever and one day when I have kids I wish to read them the same book and the same way as my mom. If you haven't read this story I would highly recommend it for a lighter read.

When I was young (before we actually got a dog) I would always beg my parents to get a dog.  A poem that I remember from my childhood that my sister and I would read over and over again was the poem Mother Doesn't Want a Dog by Judith Viorst. Every time we read the poem it was always as funny as the first time we read it.

Mother doesn't want a dog.
Mother says they smell,
And never sit when you say sit,
Or even when you yell.
And when you come home late at night
And there is ice and snow,
You have to go back out because
The dumb dog has to go.

Mother doesn't want a dog.
Mother says they shed,
And always let the strangers in
And bark at friends instead,
And do disgraceful things on rugs,
And track mud on the floor,
And flop upon your bed at night
And snore their doggy snore.

Mother doesn't want a dog.
She's making a mistake.
Because, more than a dog, I think
She will not want this snake.

Do you remember your favorite childhood stories or poems? Its nice to take the time and think back to how happy a simple story made you feel, and how those fond memories have stuck with you all of these years.