Hello, my fellow bookworms! If there’s one positive thing to come out of being stuck indoors for over a year, it’s definitely reconnecting with ourselves and reawakening of our unwavering love for our childhood favorite books. Social media and nostalgia never ceases to amaze me. Whether you prefer comic books, young adult or the indisputable picture books, chances are during lockdown you dusted off your classics to escape the madness that was 2020, I know I did.
This shouldn’t really be shocking because we never really outgrow our childhood classics. Whether it’s using a Harry Potter quote as an Instagram caption (guilty), decorating your graduation cap with your favorite Marvel meme or simply reading your favorite Dr. Seuss books to your kids; our childhood past times has a unique way of following us into adulthood.
There’s a reason we’re all deeply fond of our elementary school days, besides for the incredible pizza parties of course. My favorite memories when I was younger was going to my school’s library and religiously reading every issue of Geronimo Stilton or crowding around my teacher’s ankles as she read the latest edition of The Magic School Bus. Or my personal favorite, using my weekly library period to ask my school’s librarian if the Goosebumps book I’ve been hunting for has finally been returned. (Bookworm pro-tip: always befriend the librarian).
The books we read in our youth taught us important lessons, mind-blowing facts, showed us new worlds, gave us relatable characters so we wouldn’t feel alone, they gracefully discussed difficult topics but most importantly reinforced to us the power of imagination. No matter how old you get you’re never too old for imagination. Hogwarts always feels like home to you because it’s there you learned the importance of true friendship (and of your borderline addiction to Butterbeer). Meanwhile a classic like Diary of a Wimpy Kid hilariously reminded us that our families though strange to us, aren’t the weirdest to exist. These lessons and many more are things we constantly remind ourselves throughout our lives, long after we put these books down; many of them we even pass on to our own kids.
Aside from phenomenal world building, children’s literature and YA novels are often more bold than other genres when it comes to diversity. Topics such as race, gender, LGBTQ+, bullying and mental health are always relevant and being discussed all over the world; so putting them in books for younger readers seems like a no brainer to me. Often times these books provide a foundation for parents or teachers to approach these topics with younger readers; as well as, younger readers are now provided with the correct vocabulary to articulate their thoughts on these topics. I remember when I first read Twilight in middle school I realized then and there that somehow, someway my career will revolve around books. The books from our youth have this ability to mold our minds, broaden our views and impact the rest of our lives, plus thanks to Hollywood serve as amazing material for our habitual need for screen adaptations. Thirteen years ago a girl from Forks revealed to me my calling, what will your childhood favorites reveal to you?