If you asked me to sum up my childhood in a book,
Modern School Atlas would be the one I choose.
When I found it recently on the bookshelf in Mum’s dining room,
I actually exclaimed out loud, picked it up and hugged it.
Yep, I hugged a book.
The address label inside lists our last RAF home, which we left in 1974.
The spine, as you can see, has been repaired many times over the years.
It shows countries as they once were: the Soviet Union, East Germany and Rhodesia.
We followed the travels of friends.
We tried to find where Kay lived in semi-rural Australia.
We used it for Primary School Geography projects.
Sometimes, I looked through it for no other reason than I could.
Which book would you choose to sum up your childhood?
This West London Life 
You know I'd cut that up, right? 😉
Definitely the Ladybird books, especially The Elves and the Shoemaker (my love of footwear started early!). Then later The Book of A Thousand Poems. And then The Ultimate Alphabet a fabulous visual puzzle book that kept me and my sister entertained for months.
P.s thank you so very much for your lovely comment on my blog. It meant such a lot to me. Hugs to you. Xx
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Little Women. I loved that book and read it over and over again. Three friends and I would act our little play-lets from scenes in the book – not to an audience just for our own enjoyment. I always had to be Jo and still relate to her most of all. Additionally, I loved my Junior encyclopedias (set of four). I remember learning flags of different countries and my brother testing me!
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What a delightful find. Yes I can believe you hugged the book (col). I am sure there were lots of dreams of travel inspired by the atlas.
First book of my own (being part of a 12 children family, not much is your own) was a book I bought after saving up for ever; “A Horse Of Your Own” & it is a book that has served me well & still sits on my book shelf.
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I can't believe Julie said Ladybird Elves and the Shoemaker! I loved that book! This is such a great question. I'd have to say Little HOuse on the Prairie. Or Paddington. Or the chapter of Wind in the Willows my Mum used to read to us every Christmas. Or the history book my Dad ordered for me from one of his school catalogues because that was the only way I could get it. Mmm..
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I loved that Atlas. So much so that when the Teenager was born I bought the up-to-date version. It too has USSR and East Germany in it. He liked to colour in it!!
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Oh my goodness, I had that very same atlas. I used to read it like you would a novel. My children think I'm weird when I tell them this. Then they understand that there wasn't a lot to do in rural Moray in the 1970s.
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What a wonderful memory to uncover. I think mine would be “Goodnight Moon” – my mom and dad read it to me as a child and taught me to finish the sentences, then we read it to my brother, and if I ever have children, then I'd like to read it to them as well!
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