Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Vintage Children's Books!


Oh how I love a good book, it's a passion that seemed to hit me when I was a child and has continued throughout my life.

I would sit for hours, just reading, and then re-reading my favorite books.  I would also take blank sheets of paper and trace the images I liked the most, then color them in.

 Suffice it to say that it kept me occupied for long periods of time.

I remember one such time, I was about 11 years old and I was in the living room.  I had taken about a dozen of my loved books and spread them out on the carpet.  I can still see their covers, the bright vivid colors, the innocent looking children going about their days.......I was so engrossed in the tracing of a particular picture that I didn't even notice that a bee was circling around me.

Don't ask me how that bee got in the house, I have no idea.  But there I was, on my knees with my little butt up in the air, coloring away and next thing I know the bee stung me right on the butt cheek.  Yowza!  LOL

I never forgot that moment.  And soon after my grandmother dealt with the stinger, I was right back in the same spot, as if nothing happened.


But what I loved the most about these books, aside from the cutesy stories, were the illustrations.

So very different from today's children's books.  I much prefer the antique drawings, the families, the flowers, and even the text.  Everything about those books screamed cozy and joy to me.


 These were the images that etched into my mind.  I always wanted to be the girls in the pictures with the cute flowing dresses, they seemed to have the best of times and go on the greatest adventures.

I probably won't shock you when I tell you that some of my most beloved stories involved little girls doing housework, helping their moms in the kitchen, or in the garden, always with a big smile on their faces.


 Sometimes I sit and think about the books I read and I get such a strong yearning to re-read them, but unfortunately I no longer have any of those, they were given away over the years as my brothers and I grew up.  But if only I could go back in time, grab those and safely stash them, keep them forever.

Oh I wish!


For now I'll just be content in reminiscing about those days, looking online and finding hidden gems that I had forgotten about.

I think I'll start keeping an eye out for these when I'm at Goodwill and used books stores, you just never know what you may come across :)

So tell me, is there a specific book from your childhood that you remember fondly?




15 comments:

Anna said...

The Animal's Train Ride. I think I still have it tucked away somewhere.

Sweet Tea said...

"Little Women".
Our first child is named "Amy" after the character in Little Women.

Judy said...

I love the Flicka, Ricka and Dicka series. The book I had growing up was "Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and the New Spotted Dresses". I have it now and loved reading it to my kids and now my grand kids.

Sandrocas said...

I love vintage children's books, the art is so endearing. Something I sometimes think is lacking in today's glitter filled world!

Sandrocas said...

I love vintage children's books, the art is so endearing, something that is sadly lacking tin today's glitter filled world...some of my favourites were the Grosset and Dunlap children's puppet series, so cute...and Litlle Golden Books, the Bernstein Bears(more modern, but great stories), and of course, from my early childhood the Anita books, remember those? They had such beautiful art! There is one specifically you might like "Anita dona de casa", I recommend it :)

gillyflower said...

Thanks for sharing your memories and the beautiful illustrations here.
I too love old childrens books and loved reading from an early age, and have similar fond memories (not the bee sting on the backside though luckily - poor you!) of the cosiness, security and safe order that the books always seem to make you feel.
For me the books that stay with were the Janet and John books that were used for learning to read in the UK in the 60s, and good old Enid Blyton!
Thanks for such a lovely post!
Gill xx

TheFishie said...

I can't think of a favorite children's book off the top of my head as there were so many. My son's just 9 months old, but I'm already having a blast building his library. My mother-in-law gave us one of the best gifts at our baby shower: my husband's childhood copies of AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh books.

Debby said...

Your a lady after my own heart!! Check out estate sales they sometimes have the oldies but goodies

Amber said...

Oh my gosh. I was the same as you, Sandra. An avid reader! Thankfully, my son seems to have inherited that same gene! I love all of those old-time illustrations as well. So charming. And in response to your question on my blog: We currently own 2 acres of land. However, we live on my grandparents' farm land that my parents actually own. We are in the process of acquiring 9 more acres, all of which are pasture. My parents are splitting some of the acreage among my two sisters and me. We've been waiting for my youngest sister and her hubby to decide where they were going to build. Now that they know, we will be able proceed in acquiring the additional acreage. I'm so excited because more land means more opportunities. Alpacas? Sheep? And orchard? An even bigger blueberry plot? Haha. Our minds are turning!

Primitive Stars said...

Morning Sandra, wonderful collection of vintage books, love them too.....I always enjoyed The Adventures Of Peter Rabbit....great series....Francine.

Renee said...

I loved the Bobbsey Twins, An Old Fashioned Girl, Little Women and Little Men. What wonderful memories!:)

Anonymous said...

I used to love Cherry Ames, nurse,
and Nancy Drew. My parents didn't have much money so I only had two books of my own. Luckily our small town started a little one-room library when I was 12, so I had more books to read! Such as Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Being in a small rural town, life was boring (once I felt I was too old to run around in the woods) so I would read constantly and was always in a different "world"! ha.
I hope you can find some of your books...you never know...you just might find some to buy!

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh! I have been reading since I was 4! My beloved Mama taught me to read because my brothers were already in school and I wanted to be just like them! I still read a lot! I collect antique books as well, beloved children's books and classics. I collect the Donna Parker books from the 1950's, along with Tarzan, Lone Ranger, and other books from that era!

Heather said...

I don't think I could list all the books I loved as a child... but I instantly thought of one when I read your post that you would love... it was a Little Golden Book, called Little Mommy. Here is a link to it:
http://www.amazon.com/Little-Mommy-Golden-Book/dp/0375848207

Linds said...

I still have some of my old books. Very old now. I loved Enid Blyton books, the Chalet School books, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, The Bobbsey Twins, Cherry Ames, ballet books - in fact I have never stopped reading since I first learned how to read as a small child. Books are my friends. I even have my grandmother's Girl's Own Annual from 1904, and my Mum's childhood books too. I must take some photos for you!