17 - Favorite Childhood Book

Day 17 - favorite childhood book

I did not really have to think about this. By far, as a child, The Honey Bunch books were my favorite. They were written by Helen Louise Thorndyke from 1923-1954. If I were at home, I would check to see which three I have. They were given to me by a friend of my mom's. The first one was entitled Honey Bunch; Just a Little Girl. All the rest were Honey Bunch; Her Very First (fill in the blank).

I am fairly certain that I had a copy of the first one. I loved the charming Honey Bunch and everything about the stories. I was not aware of the generational difference between Honey Bunch and me, I just know I loved the way reading the books about her made me feel.

She had a neighbor, a boy, to whom she was very close; I did as well. My brother by another mother was named Carl and we were as close as two friends could be when we were children. We checked every morning to see if the other one was up, and if so, our day of play (outside - in any tolerable weather, we were outside) would begin. Honey Bunch and her neighbor were the same.

There was one specific episode that I most remember. It was Honey Bunch's birthday, and instead of being given her gifts outright, her mom hid them around the house, and then she would say, "Honey Bunch, will you check in the desk drawer and get me an envelope, please?"  When Honey Bunch would do as her mother asked, she would find a little gift hidden there. I thought that the most magical way to receive gifts, and vowed that if I ever had children I would do something similar for them. For many years I wrote poems with clues that sent Marshall and MP on a treasure hunt of sorts until they found their gift. As they got older, the hints became more and more obscure. I hope they remember that as fondly as I do.

It is my plan as Violet, our granddaughter that is expected in February, grows, I will track down Honey Bunch books for her. I will also, as Simeon and Max learn to read, send them on rhyming treasure hunts for their birthday gifts.

While driving together for some 13 hours in the past two days, Nancy and I have talked about a lot of things. We have known each other for 57 years. That's a lot of history. We pondered why some memories are so vivid, and why some snippets are remembered and some are forgotten. I do not know, but I hope I get to know Honey Bunch all over again through Violet's eyes.

Day 17 - favorite childhood book - check.