My Top 5 Favorite Picture Books from Childhood

Like many young children bitten by the reading bug at an early age, I had read quite a lot of picture books. Some I remember more than others, as the magic of those stories has stayed with me over the years. The following are my top five favorite picture books from my childhood:

1. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

I remember really loving this story as a young child. I was enchanted by the magic of Harold’s crayon, how anything he drew came to life. One minute he was walking on a road and the next he was in a forest, then at sea in a boat after that.

I also loved when Harold drew pies to eat and then drew hungry animals to help him finish the pies. Even as a child, I could see Harold had a really big heart.

When Harold finds his home by drawing his window around the moon, it felt so satisfying to see him experience that full-circle moment. Whereas home at the beginning is merely the starting point, by the end, it stands for security and safety.

2. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Who didn’t love this one? Max is an unruly kid whose bedroom magically morphs into a forest. He then sails in a boat to the land of the wild things. I remember being so impressed by Max’s bravery in taming these giant creatures with huge, sharp teeth who could eat him up in an instant. That they made him King of all the Wild Things proved to me Max had some serious mojo working for him!

But at the same time I had always felt that Max had barely gotten away with his life at towards the end when the creatures had protested, “Oh please don’t go! We’ll eat you up, we love you so!” I remember thinking, “See, that’s what you get for trusting creatures with long, sharp teeth!” But like “Harold” “Wild Things” has a happy ending; can’t beat hot food waiting for you when you return home.

3. Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

If I had to pick one Dr. Seuss book, this would be it. To me, this was the coolest cat in the world, complete with iconic tall, red and white striped hat. He could do all these fun, cool things to keep you entertained along with his little friends. And if he trashed your house? No worries! He also had a hi-tech cleaning machine to clean up the mess just in the nick of time.

4. John Henry: An American Legend by Jack Ezra Keats

I remember reading this picture book when I was a kid (the one written and illustrated by legendary author Jack Ezra Keats) and I could see how the main character was a legend in his time. Was he really born with a hammer in his hand? Maybe not, but like Superman, Henry was able to perform almost superhuman feats.

When John challenges the steam drill, I remember rooting for him all the way, man vs. machine. I remember smiling to see he’d won the contest, but immediately saddened to see him die from the incredible exertion. That had a huge impact on me, that someone could give their life for something they believed in, and in Henry’s case, he proved the drive and passion of the human heart is unstoppable and unconquerable.

The Five Chinese Brothers

I remember loving this book so much! My brother and I were big fans of the old school martial arts films that would play on Saturday afternoons, many of them taking place in Imperial China many centuries ago, and this story takes place in the same era, with the characters wearing the style of clothing that was fashionable in that time.

The story begins with the tragic, accidental drowning of a child, which leads the king to demand the life of the man he believes was responsible. The story becomes wonderous when it’s discovered that the man, has five brothers who are all biologically identical (quintuplets!), each with a specific super power.

When the man is called to his execution, one of his brothers takes his place and uses his super power to survive the ordeal. This happens each day until all the brothers have gone. The king believes the man’s incredible repeated survival proves his innocence and lets him go.

Looking back, I think my love for this story was a precursor to my love for comic book super heroes, more specifically, the X-Men, who were human mutants born with special powers.

Thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me!