Ramona the Pest. I loved the Ramona books. Ramona was so clumsy and silly and delightful! I remember Ramona’s own special version of the Star Spangled Banner and I remember the word zwieback a lot – the baby would eat zwieback cookies are crackers or something. I still don’t know what that is. But it’s a cool word.

Ramona was the Junie B. Jones of the 80s. I’ve tried to get my daughter Madeleine to read a couple of the Ramona books. She’s tried. I just don’t think they translate that well into the 2010s, you know? So she reads Junie B. Jones. She’s outgrowing them, though, and trying out new things. She just bought her first big chapter book. It’s called The Tale of Emily Windsnap, and it’s about a girl who discovers she’s a mermaid. Madeleine is all about mermaids right now. She even bought the book with her own money!

(Maybe this post should be titled: First Chapter Book You and Your Daughter Read as a Child)

There are other chapter books I loved: Charlotte’s Web, The Trumpet of the Swan, The Babysitters Club, Nancy Drew, The Boxcar Children, Anne of Green Gables, Bridge to Terabithia. Even back then, I was such a reader, a book lover. Sometimes I think my love affair with books is too strong. Is that possible?

What’s the first chapter book you remember reading as a child?

And click here to read Karla’s pick.