When my children were little, little we had four of Sandra Boynton's books - you know the kind toddlers can chew on. I can still recite Moo, Baa. La La La and the Going to Bed Book. We read to our children every night till they were 12 and 10. The book they say they remember the most is Tolkein's The Hobbit. I admit to silently cursing while reading this out loud because I never properly learned phonics and I would get stymied by some of his made up words. (Which reminds me of my son at 3 and 4, deep into his dinosaur phase, telling me I was pronouncing the names incorrectly. I'm sure I was.)
We didn't have many books in my house while I was growing up, maybe less than a dozen other than the set of World Book Encyclopedias. But fortunately for me, the library was a block from my house and I read my way through the entire library. My all-time childhood favorite is Little Women. I reread it every few years and still cry when Beth dies. And still I want Jo to marry Teddy.
Donna in Virginia