8 Childhood Stories + What They Taught Me

Kids are influenced by the smallest things sometimes. It's funny to think back to when I was little and remember all of those insignificant events that jabbed shape into my vague lumpish self. Careless phrases have stuck with me,  random songs, movies, friends, older influences...the list goes on and on. But what I find the most interesting is the role books have had in shaping me, my thoughts, my loves, my beliefs even. It can be a scary thought to think that a child can be taught so much through a story, but it can also be a comfort as there are countless wholesome books out there that encourage love, selflessness, hard work, and joy.

#1 Pollyanna

Pollyanna was one of the first "big girl" stories that I remember reading. I kept the CD in my room and was ecstatic when my mother told me that I was big enough to listen to it, though not all of my siblings would appreciate it. For those of you who don't know the story, I won't spoil it, don't worry, I just want to mention "The Glad Game". "The Glad Game" is a game that little orphaned Pollyanna used to play with her father. To play, one must take difficult, disappointing, or sad circumstances and find something to be glad about anyway. The harder it is to find something, the more fun it is! Even as young as I was that was something to think about. Being glad when you didn't get what you wanted? Being glad when life hurt? Being glad could bring light into other's lives? The Bible instructs us to play "The Glad Game", but it can be hard to relate being glad while in prison to being glad when it's raining. This book explores the possibility in everyday situations through the humor and innocence of a little girl.


#2 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

This book was especially important to me as I was also a member of a group of four siblings. Being friends with your siblings, or really anyone who is younger than you, is not really encouraged in our culture. Schools are separated strictly by age, and it is viewed as shameful to have to drag your younger sister around with you everywhere. Little Women portrays a different kind of attitude. These four sisters are the BEST of friends. Sure, they fight, they have that one sibling that you never get along with, they have shortcomings, but they work through it all, and they taught me that loving your siblings is a beautiful thing. I think they inspired all of the family clubs and activities that we do now. I know that many times I have tried to get my sisters to play Little Women with me, acting out their jolly picnics, tragic plays, and hilarious clubs.


#3 Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Oh Anne, you will forever be my best literary friend! <3 Anne taught me to push through even when I make mistakes, have beauty flaws, and do the most embarrassing things.  She gets herself into scrapes much worse than any of mine, but I saw that people still loved her. I learned to see the big picture of all of my mishaps. She knows that she isn't perfect, in fact she says it quite often. She knows she isn't as pretty, as good, or as popular as some girls, but that never takes away the enthusiasm and joy she has for life. Anne is a beautiful example of a heroine who learns to love who she is, flaws, mistakes, and all.


#4 Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

Honestly, the only reasons that I picked this book up were because I was one of eight cousins, and I loved Little Women. I'm so glad I did, because it is such a gem! This book talks about using one's influence over the people around you for good, but what it stuck with me most was the love of self-improvement. Rose taught me to work hard to make yourself better than what you used to be. She takes joy in making her body stronger and healthier, in giving up small vanities, in exercising her mind by reading, in working. She is such a sweet character, and I think it was good for me to be surrounded with wonderful role models like her, whether it was intentional or not!


#5 Narnia by C. S. Lewis

Narnia combined faith with fairy-tale, but even then I was able to pick out the allegory and the message behind all of the fantastical stories. Church taught me that God is good, and great, and powerful, and holy. Sunday school taught me that he loved me, he was a man, and that he is coming back again. But Narnia taught me to look at Him in Awe. God is powerful, and I saw that in the form of the lion. God is loving, merciful, miraculous...The awe of a child, perhaps, but what better way to describe the fantastic awesomeness of God than to put it in a fantastic story? Of course, Narnia cannot even begin to compare with the Bible for books about God, but I think it's an amazing way to give kids a taste of what God is like. He's not a tame lion.


#6 A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter

This story is a Cinderella story, the story of a girl who builds a life for herself. She earns her way through high-school and defeats mountains of obstacles to provide for herself and her mother, who is nearly mad with grief over the loss of her husband years ago. There aren't many stories today that place a high value on education. The problem is that there are very few kids that naturally love to learn, but all of them need to learn in order to get somewhere in life. This story showed me what it would be like if education wasn't served to me on a platter, what it would be like if I had to rely on only God and myself to get where I needed to be. We shouldn't take this gift for granted. We have a responsibility to work hard to be worthy of it.

#7 A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Princesses have certain expectations and requirements placed on them. They must be kind, graceful, generous, uplifting, angelic, calm, and controlled. They are pretty much the personification of the Fruit of the Spirit. Every little girl wants to be a princess, but at a depressingly young age we realize that there aren't many princesses in the world anymore. That is not a reality I will accept, however. I am a princess, and this story showed me how to be one. Sara outlines the standards of princess behavior and follows through with them even when she is stripped of her popularity, belongings, friends, respect, and father. It is easy to pretend to be a princess when you have the clothing, friends, and privileges of one, but it is quite another story to pretend to be a kind, loving, generous, considerate, humble, princess when you are a servant treated like dirt.


#8 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Like all of the others this story is full of great role models, but I think I got some of my love of the outdoors from it. Isn't is an enchanting thought? A garden, hidden away in vines and tangled roses, coming to life underneath your tender, loving care. After reading it, I always felt a sudden urge to run outside and dig up the entire yard, to get dirt under my finger nails, to see new life spring up, to breath in that fresh, earthy smell, to feel the sunshine upon my back, to appreciate creation. Dew, dirt, and flowers, those wonderful things that you can't find through a screen.

I'll keep these stories with me for the rest of my life. I'll reread them to remind myself of these timeless lessons. And, I'll read them just because they're good stories. Thank you to the authors who wrote these. You didn't think of me when writing, but they touched me just the same. Thank you for writing about goodness, faith, and love. Thank you for writing characters that I can look up too and not just sympathize with. Thank you for the small part you played in making my childhood magical.

-Kae-