Great Books Week - Day 2

Today's question is "When I was a child, my favorite book was… because…." and I have four answers.

1. You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye by Patricia Hermes. I'm not sure exactly when I read this book for the first time, but it has become one of my all-time favorites. It is very sad and always makes me cry when I read it. The story is about a young girl whose mother is diagnosed with incurable cancer. She struggles to feel normal and resists acknowledging that her mother is sick even though her mother writes her a journal (or letters) detailing things she wants her to know and remember. There are very humorous sections and other parts that just make me weep.
2. Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I remember devouring this series of books and being so excited about them that I asked my mom & dad to read them too so we could talk about them. I have a much beloved collection of the books and want to reread them soon to see what I can learn from them now as opposed to what I remember. My particular favorites were the stories about cooking, toys, and Almanzo's childhood. And though Laura's life was very different from mine, I felt like her family was very similar to mine and that was comforting.
3. Izzy Willy Nilly by Cynthia Voigt. I'm not sure why I've always felt so strongly about this book as it is not a situation I've ever gone through personally, but it has always resonated with me. It is a book about a young girl who is in a car accident and one of her legs must be amputated. It details the struggles she faces with accepting herself, getting stronger, making new friends and moving on. I often reread this one and really enjoy it.
4. There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom by Louis Sachar. I have always loved this book...it's a short read, but meaningful. It is from a boy's perspective which is different for me since I usually feel more empathy for female main characters, but I just love Bradley Chalkers. However, my favorite character is his school counselor Carla and the relationship she builds with him. I also love his imagination regarding his animal figurines. It makes me laugh and it makes me sad sometimes too, but it has stuck with me over the years and I love it.

There really are so many other books I could write about since I have loved reading from the moment I could finally do it on my own and probably even sooner. :) I'm really enjoying this great books week and would love to know what book you loved as a child and why?