Think back to your favorite childhood books. Was there one hero in particular you looked up to one that stays with you even now? Or is there a new favorite your child has introduced you to? The Guardian recently compiled a list of ten of the best heroes from children's fiction -- is your favorite included?
With so many wonderful and memorable characters out there, it's difficult to imagine how they have whittled the list down to these ten. Included on the list is: Pippi Longstocking, Anne Shirley, Matilda Wormwood and Huck Finn.
Who do you think should have made the list?
To view the complete list, visit the Guardian's Web site.
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My daughter has just about worn out her Matilda DVD .
I would like to add Jo March (Little Women) to this list. I think I read Little Women 10 times over the course of my childhood.
My fave children's fiction heroes when I was a child were Pippi Longstocking, Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew.
It's interesting to see this British list...there were a few I hadn't heard of before!
Anne Shirley was one of my favorites, so I'm glad she's included.
I would add Ramona Quimby and Laura Ingalls.
And even though it's not children's fiction, I also think of Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird as a child hero.
I'd have to add Harriet the Spy!
I'm not too impressed by the list. Only a few greats. May just be me... A few faves: Alice in Wonderlnd, Ramona Quimby, Charlotte of Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, Polyanna, Stuart Little, Charlie (and the Chicolate Factory).
i would add julie (of the wolves) and (are you there, god? it's me,) margaret. oh, and probably anastasia krupnik.
Um, wow, I don't know a lot of the names on this list! I definitely agree with Pippi, Matilda, and Anne Shirley, though. Some of my other favorites were Paul and Maureen Beebe from the Misty of Chincoteague books by Marguerite Henry, although maybe they weren't "heroes", exactly. I also like the idea of Nancy Drew, Harriet the Spy, and Encylcopedia Brown.
Anatasia--yes! How I wished I had her spunk. Harriet the Spy inspired years of skulking around the neighborhood. But my absolute favorites were Betsy and Tacy. Loved those girls!
peter and fudge hatcher, from "tales of a fourth grade nothing" and the fudge series by judy blume!
Second those who have mentioned Ramona Quimby! I loved her so much growing up. For older readers, I would add Charlotte Doyle from the Avi's The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.
Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew & the Hardy Boys
Charlie of the Chocolate Factory, Oliver Twist, Jacob Two Two. Bilbo Baggins. Such great memories!
How about any of the Babysitter's Club girls or Dorothy Gale from Oz. I also loved Anastasia -- A Girl Called Al was a favorite.
I'm really surprised Harry Potter is not on this list.
its funny, as a child I always preferred posy or pauline to petrova, but I reread as many of the shoe books as I could find last year when I was pregnant (why oh why are so many out of print...) and discovered how much I loved petrova. what was I thinking as a little girl!?
I think mary lennox (a secret garden) is a more interesting character than sara crewe--she always seemed a little too perky to me.
Harry Potter, Fudge (Judy Blume), Lucy (Narnia), and Laura Ingalls are all my favorites!
Oh, I feel like I'm talking about friends. I think I knew every character on this list and in the comment sections (save one or two), and have loved them all. I have a 3-year-old and a baby, and though they aren't old enough to read too many chapter books yet (I've read Henry Huggins to my son and he did enjoy that), I spend a LOT of time in the children's book section at the library and have been checking them out again for just ME. I felt a little silly doing it the first time, but I enjoy doing it.
Again - I agree with all comments, but would probably add:
-any of the children from A Wrinkle in Time (though I love Meg Murray, of course)
-Claudia Kincaid from From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
-kind of an obscure one, but one of my favorites - Ellie Morgan from Joan Bauer's Squashed.
Ok, I could go on and on and on and....I'll just stop.
I'm almost 30 and still regularly watch Matilda on VHS.
Harriet the Spy was my favourite as a kid, along with Ramona Quimby, Henry Higgins, Nancy Drew and many many others.
I loved the Boxcar Children when I was young. I dreamed of being one of them! When ever I come across one of my books in a box of old things I'll sit down and read it and I still love the stories as much today as I did back then.
Laura Ingalls. I'm a HUGE LIW fan, which started in the fourth grade. I very much admire her.
My other faves:
Jo March, Anne Shirley, Huck Finn, and Ramona Quimby. I also loved the Babysitters Club girls. And now, Harry Potter, although he wasn't around when I was a kid.