Although I do most of my reading in ebook these days (because it’s so much easier than carrying around a heavy book bag), I still cherish my print book collection. Some of the books that mean the most to me are actually old and beat-up because I was gifted them by family members. Most of these I’ve had since my childhood.

There is something very special about reading a book and knowing that a family member also read it when they were growing up. A love of reading is something that I share with many people in my family. I have books from both my parents, my grandmother, and a few other family members. The wear on these volumes shows their age and how much they have been loved over the years.

Here is Black Beauty by Anna Sewell and The Black Stallion and Satan by Walter Farley, both from my dad. My dad wasn’t big on reading, but he did like books about horses when he was growing up. His mom, my Grandma Joann, held onto these books and gave them to me when I got into my horse girl phase.

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet, from my mom. I can still remember her reading this book to me when I was little.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg, from my sister, Tulsi. She read a lot of books about teen girls struggling with mental health problems like Girl, Interrupted.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting was given to be my maternal grandmother, Judy, but I discovered the signature inside actually belongs to my uncle Dave.

My Uncle Dave’s signature inside the cover.

Grandma Judy has given me many books. This one is fun because the Campfire Girls are like the Girl Scouts. Grandma Judy, my Aunt Cheri, my mom, my sister Tulsi, and I were all Girl Scouts growing up. (And so was my daughter, Lexxi.) My favorite part of Girl Scouts was summer camp. But inside the front cover is a special treasure.

My grandmother’s name! From the date, she was eight years old when she got this book.

This book originally belonged to my grandma, but then she passed it on my Aunt Cheri, and then Cheri gave it to me. Another book about horses.

Grandma Judy was an elementary school teacher for many years and had a lot of books in her classroom, some of which she passed on to me. I love these translated books about Pippi Longstocking by Swedish author, Astrid Lindgren. My mom encouraged us to read Pippi because our family is also originally from Sweden.

I hope you enjoyed looking at some older books from my collection!