Bedtime stories

Bedtime stories

This week’s prompt for Sunday Scribblings is “Bedtime stories”. I can’t say that I really, definitely remember having stories read to me when I was a child. Then again, I can’t say with any amount of certainty that I WASN’T either. I DO know that I am an avid reader and have loved to read for about as long as I can remember. Some of my early favorites included the wacky adventures of Fudge in “Tales of a 4th grade nothing”, “Super fudge” and others by Judy Blume. This series follows the exploits of its main character Fudge who gets himself into all kinds of funny situations and more or less drives his older brother(s?) crazy. Having 4 older brothers and 2 older sisters myself, perhaps that alone was what I enjoyed the most about it lol. It is a series that I think most people can relate to since many of us have had to deal with a little brother or sister at some point in our lives.

Another one that I recall making quite an impression on me at a pretty young age was the adventures of Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol. It has been years since I read either one of these but if I recall correctly Encyclopedia Brown is the son of a detective and always manages to find himself solving different kinds of mysteries. It allows the reader to follow along with the clues and try to solve the case as well. I have little doubt that this series sparked my interest in mysteries and thrillers that I still love to read today.

Over the years, I have since given these books to various nephews and nieces of mine. While I can’t say they ALL have liked them(certainly not as much as I did), at least one of them REALLY seemed to enjoy them and began embracing reading instead of dreading it as he always had. If any of you have children that you are trying to encourage to read, I STRONGLY recommend any of these books especially for those between the ages of 7-10 or so. I may even look for them at my used bookstore next time I am in there just to re-read them myself.

I would have thought that by now I would be reading these among others to my OWN children as bedtime stories. At 37 and single, the “2 boys and a girl (or vice versa)” plan doesn’t seem to be my fate or ‘in the cards’ but if I ever do have kids you can bet these will be on their reading lists. Until then, I guess I will have to settle for recommending them to others and sending them to my nephews and nieces. Then again, since many of them are old enough to drink at this point they may look at me a bit funny when I do so.
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tags:Seinfeld,bedtime stories,Sunday Scribblings,Judy Blume,smartass,
tags:good,waitress,Encyclopedia Brown,humor