Show It Off!

Kay @ Dead Book Darling is hosting this hour's challenge to show off your favorite, most valuable or most interest books:  "The unique, signed or simply dear-to-your-heart editions that you’d grab if there were a fire."  

I have shelves of books I love, but the ones that are "dear to my heart" are the books with a connection to someone special.

1.  365 Bedtime Stories by Nan Gilbert - A great aunt (I think) gave this book to my sisters and I sometime in the late 60's.  One short story for each day of the year, but I couldn't wait and read the whole book.  My older (rule-following) sister declared that I had "ruined it" by reading ahead. :)  This is not the original - this is a 1955 copy I bought on ebay, but it looks identical.

2.  More Poem Portraits by James J. Metcalf  (Published 1951)  Inscribed with my Grandma's name.  I believe it was a gift to her from a friend.

3.  Gold of Friendship - a collection of poems and sayings about friendship.  The book itself is nothing special, but it was a gift from my BFF who was being treated for leukemia.  She purchased it in the hospital gift shop because that was the only store she got to visit.  Wanda passed away in 2004, so this book is a treasure!

4.  The Yearling Gift Library For Girls (Set 1):  

• Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer
• The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
• The Empty Schoolhouse by Natalie Savage Carlson
• Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

 This set was a Christmas gift from my parents in 1969 (I was 8).  I read them all, but Charlotte's Web and Harriet the Spy were the ones I returned to again and again.  I haven't taken them down from the shelf for years (witness the inch of dust that was on top) but I believe I'll add them to my readathon book stack.  They would be great for those late hours when concentration becomes more difficult.

Thanks, Kay, for a fun challenge that lead me down memory lane.