Mythic Scribes
Acolyte
Were you ever given a book as a kid that you treasured? What was it, and why did you love it?
To my 5 year old eyes they were great and colorful, but to the adult illustrator in me they were too simple. It made me realize that illustrations don't need to be anatomically perfect, detailed to the last hair on a character's head, they just have to capture a little bit of magic.
To my big surprise you may view the illustrations here: kidpix: Josef Palecek. "Makovy muzicek"
Thank you for sharing the link. I like those illustrations, as they remind me of the Slavic folk art that I've seen from Carpatho-Rusyn region of Slovakia. They are simple yet touching.
The Hobbit. That started my true love of reading and fantasy. I'd read some fantasy before that, but the Narnia books and Redwall books didn't have nearly the same effect on me.
My first "adult level" book was "My Favorite Summer: 1956" by Mickey Mantle. It is an autobiographical book by one of my baseball idols at the time. I remember reading a lot of the "Fear Street" series by R.L. Stine in middle school (everyone in my school was reading them).
I would have to say that my favorite and most treasured books from childhood where the Star Wars books. I read dozens of them. That is where I developed my love for Sci Fi. As far as Fantasy I remember reading a series and I cannot recall the name of book or author. They were books that you had to make a decision at the end of the chapter. It went something like this:
If you choose to follow the old hag turn to page 125
If you choose to leave her in the street turn to page 76
I have heard people say this about The Giver time and time again (as well as many other glowing reviews). I did read it, but I was unimpressed. Meg, if you wouldn't mind, please why did you like this books so much? Especially the ending. Not good.But I think the book that I was given that I loved the most (and still read to this day) is The Giver by Lois Lowry. It's a book that I am constantly recommending - even to adults. It shows what it means to be in a "uptopian-like" society, what happens when you feel like you have no choice, what you are willing to sacrifice, and if the sacrifice is worth it.