by Zach Miller
Quick Summary
In honor of Mother's Day, I asked colleagues (all former children) from Minitex, the library community, and beyond, to tell me about the books their moms read to them.
Ann Walker Smalley, Metronet
"Make Way for Ducklings," by Robert McCloskey
My mother read "Make Way for Ducklings" to us many times. At one point, we lived in Hingham, Massachusetts, close to Boston, so even when we were older, she kept the book available. She also helped us memorize the ducklings! Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack. I still remember the names and count and name any line of ducklings I see. When we visited Boston with my young daughter, we visited the duck statues and had fun patting their shiny heads while we named them.
Bob Francis, Minitex
While I don't have any memories of my mom reading to me, she is absolutely responsible for my love of books and libraries. In that, she worked full time and went to college full time in the evenings, for years, to give me a better life, and I couldn't be more proud of her.
Cynthia Jorstad, Northland Community & Technical College
"Home for a Bunny," by Margaret Wise Brown
I can actually still hear my mom reading this book. She used a funny voice when she read it, sort of a silly, inquisitive voice. The book was illustrated by Garth Williams, who also illustrated the "Little House on the Prairie" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, which I read sometime later. Garth Williams illustrated so many books! And Margaret Wise Brown was the author of "Goodnight Moon," too.
Jesus Maldonado Sanchez, Minitex
Disney's "Dinosaur"
Growing up, we were not able to watch many movies, but my mom always made an effort to get book versions she could read to us. One of my favorites was the book version of Disney's "Dinosaur," and I can honestly say the book versions were always better!
Kay Kirscht, Minitex
"Chicken Soup with Rice," by Maurice Sendak
It was one of five tiny, kid-size books in a set: The Nutshell Library! Whenever we found one at the Brooklyn Center Library, we'd check it out. Kept us going for a long time! All featuring little Max; all by Maurice Sendak.
Maggie Snow, Minitex
"Eletelephony," by Laura Elizabeth Richards
We read a lot of poetry from the Childcraft Encyclopedia (a set she shared with her brothers).
Melanie Hazelip, Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State
"The Monster at the End of This Book," by Jon Stone
I remember reading "The Monster at the End of This Book" with her. I never tired of the delight of turning the pages, to Grover’s dismay. And the big reveal at the end (spoiler: the monster was Grover all along) always made me laugh. I read it with her so many times, I could recite it myself and did endlessly when she was unavailable to read with me. Now I read the book to my three kids so I can experience it the way my mom did when I was little.
Nicole Masika, Minitex
"The Little Engine that Could," by Watty Piper
"Black Beauty," by Anna Sewell
We read quite a few Little Golden Books. I think "The Little Engine That Could" was one my sister and I requested often. On the other hand, she only read "Black Beauty" to us once, but that kicked off my horse-books reading habit.
Zach Miller, Minitex
"Mog the Forgetful Cat," by Judith Kerr
My mom loves cats! Each of our cats was surrounded by a kind of folklore they accumulated over the course of their lives. The whole family knew all the details. We all knew Mog, too. She's a figure of fun but also of depth, just like a real cat. Now my kids know Mog, too.
