International Children’s Book Day is celebrated annually on or around Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday (April 2). The day was established in 1967 to encourage and nurture the love of reading among children. Reading develops strong language and communication skills, aids in critical thinking, helps children acclimate to new experiences, and benefits children in a number of other ways.

I read voraciously as a child, especially in the summer. I would read whatever I could get my hands, but a few books I read every summer from elementary through high school. They included (and, yes, some of these are most definitely NOT categorized as children’s books but my reading skills developed early):

• The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner,
• White Fang and The Call of the Wild by Jack London,
• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell,
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee,
• And probably my all-time favorite — The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

What were some of your favorite books as a child? Feel free to let me know in the comments.

Debra