Last year I read the book High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. Its about a middle-aged record shop owner in the UK. Throughout the book he and his employees constantly make "top 5 lists". Top 5 break up breakup songs of all time. Top 5 albums to take to an island. Top 5 songs to make a top 5 list to. You get the idea. This idea resonated with me. I don't know, maybe its because I'm a guy and its a primal thing to do--comparing and ranking things...

I've decided to compile a list of my favorite books, split into two parts. My top 5 books as a kid and my top 5 books as an "adult".

Top 5 Kids Books

1. Count the Puppies

I'm not sure if thats the exact title but it says it all. Count the Puppies was about a little boy and 10 random puppies that he counts. I LOVED this book! It was full of pictures of dogs and was easy to read. Every now and again I see it and it takes me back.

2. Ferdinand the Bull

This book about the kind bull who wanted nothing but to sit under the corkwood tree and smell the flowers is another childhood favorite. Its a really sweet story about being yourself and not trying to be someone your not. Plus I think I laughed my five year old self silly when he sat on the bee and got stung on the butt.

3. The Bereinstain Bears

I always wanted to live in a tree house after reading the Berenstain Bears. Alas I had to settle for a normal home.I read both the short books and the longer ones for older kids. I thought it was weird how they called each other by their family names. Case in point- the father bear is named Papa Bear. Thats what everyone calls him. Even his friends. Nevertheless, soooooo good!

4. Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective

This series was my favorite series when I was in the 3rd grade. A boy detective who's dad is the chief of police and solves crimes for him? Thats everything you could ever want in a book! The setting of the story was in a small town in South Florida.

5. The Boxcar Children

I had a thing for mysteries as a kid. These siblings living on their own (and later with their rich grandfather) won me over with all the adventures they go on, the back story, and their independence. This was another series I learned about in the 3rd grade.

I still love reading books. These just laid a foundation for the ones now. Sometimes in Barnes and Noble I find myself wandering over to the kids section.