Calvin and Hobbes and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare have a lot in common.
When I was seven, the fact that they are from drastically different genres didn’t matter to me.
I consumed both voraciously. During car rides to children’s Shakespeare drama classes, I hopped
into Calvin’s cardboard box time machine and ran from dinosaurs and sadistic babysitters.
Once we arrived at class, I enthusiastically plunged into scenes from Hamlet and The Tempest
with my friends, becoming a king or a beggar or an expert swordsman. Both Shakespeare and
Watterson granted me entrance into a reality where I could freely explore anything I wanted to.
As a child, that was the best thing I could ask for. These two authors sparked my passion for
collecting any kind of book that gave me fodder for my imagination, and from the age of seven,
I brought home as many books as I could get my hands on.
The companions that lived on my childhood bookshelf ranged from A Series of Unfortunate
Events to Treasure Island and Romeo and Juliet. It never occurred to me that this was something
of an odd combination. Children overflow with endless questions about the workings of the
world, and in a reality that is controlled by adults who have already settled into their chosen
worldviews, anything that stimulates the imagination is welcome relief. It didn’t matter to me
what the source of that inspiration was; I couldn’t get enough of it. No one had yet told me how
I could and couldn’t be creative, and so I embraced literary classics and comic books alike. I
spent many long, sweet, solitary afternoons reading in my purple beanbag chair, while yellow
sunlight oozed from one end of my carpet to the other.
Events to Treasure Island and Romeo and Juliet. It never occurred to me that this was something
of an odd combination. Children overflow with endless questions about the workings of the
world, and in a reality that is controlled by adults who have already settled into their chosen
worldviews, anything that stimulates the imagination is welcome relief. It didn’t matter to me
what the source of that inspiration was; I couldn’t get enough of it. No one had yet told me how
I could and couldn’t be creative, and so I embraced literary classics and comic books alike. I
spent many long, sweet, solitary afternoons reading in my purple beanbag chair, while yellow
sunlight oozed from one end of my carpet to the other.
On those days, I joined Biruté Galdikas on her expeditions into the Indonesian jungle as I inhaled
her biography about orangutans and isolated indigenous tribes who lived deep in the heart of the
rainforest. I jumped into the antics of Junie B. Jones and her kindergarten classmates, although
I doubt my parents appreciated the practical jokes that they taught me. Jim Hawkins was my
imaginary friend. He accompanied me on trips to the dentist or to the grocery store and helped
me make them more interesting. When I was nine, I spent about six months in a semi-constant
haze because I was daydreaming almost nonstop about what it would be like to go to Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (During the year I turned eleven, I was more than a little bit
crushed and rather offended when September rolled around and I didn’t get my letter from
Professor Dumbledore).
her biography about orangutans and isolated indigenous tribes who lived deep in the heart of the
rainforest. I jumped into the antics of Junie B. Jones and her kindergarten classmates, although
I doubt my parents appreciated the practical jokes that they taught me. Jim Hawkins was my
imaginary friend. He accompanied me on trips to the dentist or to the grocery store and helped
me make them more interesting. When I was nine, I spent about six months in a semi-constant
haze because I was daydreaming almost nonstop about what it would be like to go to Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (During the year I turned eleven, I was more than a little bit
crushed and rather offended when September rolled around and I didn’t get my letter from
Professor Dumbledore).
Once I started high school, those golden afternoons became more and more scarce. If I had time to
read for pleasure, I read “mature” books that I thought my peers would approve of. Gone were the
days of jungle adventures and magic. Why did I start discriminating against books based on their
supposed literary merit? Why do I feel like I have to apologize for reading stories that aren’t
considered Literature with a capital L? Paradoxically, I also feel silly and pretentious for genuinely
enjoying “serious” literary classics that everyone has heard of and reading them for pleasure. When
I was a kid, all that mattered was that a book gave me a glimpse of something out of the ordinary and
made me think. Why did that change?
read for pleasure, I read “mature” books that I thought my peers would approve of. Gone were the
days of jungle adventures and magic. Why did I start discriminating against books based on their
supposed literary merit? Why do I feel like I have to apologize for reading stories that aren’t
considered Literature with a capital L? Paradoxically, I also feel silly and pretentious for genuinely
enjoying “serious” literary classics that everyone has heard of and reading them for pleasure. When
I was a kid, all that mattered was that a book gave me a glimpse of something out of the ordinary and
made me think. Why did that change?
Shakespeare wrote about things that everyone can relate to and made them more potent by highlighting
the humor, drama, tragedy, and intensity of those universal experiences. Bill Watterson did exactly the
same thing with Calvin and Hobbes. Both writers make their audiences think, smile, tear up, or laugh. It’s
that sense of belonging, of being a part of a greater human experience, that makes both Calvin and Hobbes
and Shakespeare equally worth reading. No one should let themselves miss out on that feeling because of
some preconceived notion about what is and isn’t intellectually valid. Calvin and Hobbes taught me the words
“anthropomorphize” and “psychokinetic.” Henry IV taught me three fun new ways to refer to male genitalia.
Life isn’t black and white, and neither is literature. I hope that I never stop reading the books that shaped
my childhood.
the humor, drama, tragedy, and intensity of those universal experiences. Bill Watterson did exactly the
same thing with Calvin and Hobbes. Both writers make their audiences think, smile, tear up, or laugh. It’s
that sense of belonging, of being a part of a greater human experience, that makes both Calvin and Hobbes
and Shakespeare equally worth reading. No one should let themselves miss out on that feeling because of
some preconceived notion about what is and isn’t intellectually valid. Calvin and Hobbes taught me the words
“anthropomorphize” and “psychokinetic.” Henry IV taught me three fun new ways to refer to male genitalia.
Life isn’t black and white, and neither is literature. I hope that I never stop reading the books that shaped
my childhood.
I’m still holding out hope for that Hogwarts letter, by the way.
Book list
These are a few books from my collection that are particularly meaningful to me.
Rowling, J.K. (2001). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. London: Bloomsburg Children's.
For some reason, even though I had never read the books or watched the movies, I resented Harry Potter
greatly when I was little. (Probably because I resented most things that I perceived as popular. I could be
a very snooty child when I wanted to be.) I actually hid this book under my dresser because I didn’t want
to look at it. One day, my dad talked me into letting him read me a little bit of it at bedtime, and I’ve been
hooked ever since.
greatly when I was little. (Probably because I resented most things that I perceived as popular. I could be
a very snooty child when I wanted to be.) I actually hid this book under my dresser because I didn’t want
to look at it. One day, my dad talked me into letting him read me a little bit of it at bedtime, and I’ve been
hooked ever since.
Watterson, B. (1988). The Essential Calvin and Hobbes. Kansas City, MO: Andrews and McMeel.
I started reading Calvin and Hobbes because I thought I wasn’t supposed to. I found it in my father’s
bookcase downstairs when I was about seven or eight. Growing up with Calvin and Hobbes taught me a
lot: vocabulary, ethics, history, drawing, and some really great pranks.
bookcase downstairs when I was about seven or eight. Growing up with Calvin and Hobbes taught me a
lot: vocabulary, ethics, history, drawing, and some really great pranks.
Juster, N. (1961) The Phantom Tollbooth. New York, NY: Random House.
My dad and I both adored this book as children. My best friend and I traced and drew the map from the
first few pages when we were eleven. We added our own province to the world of the book, inspired by
a formal logic class that she was taking at the time (and hated): “logicopolis.” That map that we drew is
still one of my most treasured possessions.
first few pages when we were eleven. We added our own province to the world of the book, inspired by
a formal logic class that she was taking at the time (and hated): “logicopolis.” That map that we drew is
still one of my most treasured possessions.
L’Engle, M. (1962) A Wrinkle in Time. New York, NY: Yearling, an imprint of Random House.
I read this book for the first time when I was about nine years old, and have read it many times since. I
was instantly fascinated by an approach to the universe that was both philosophical and scientific. That
book helped me answer a lot of moral and religious questions, and it’s still so precious to me that I
almost never go on trips without it.
was instantly fascinated by an approach to the universe that was both philosophical and scientific. That
book helped me answer a lot of moral and religious questions, and it’s still so precious to me that I
almost never go on trips without it.
Duane, D. (1983) So You Want to be a Wizard. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Books.
My mom bought me this book when I was ten, because we were going to Germany for a month and she
thought it would be nice to surprise me with something to read on the plane. I have always loved stories
about magic, and I adore this one more than most. I remember loving it when I was a kid because it was
magical but it wasn’t cutesy.
thought it would be nice to surprise me with something to read on the plane. I have always loved stories
about magic, and I adore this one more than most. I remember loving it when I was a kid because it was
magical but it wasn’t cutesy.
Lorenz, K. (1983) King Solomon’s Ring. New York, NY: Routledge Classics.
The number of pets I had at any given time was exceeded only by the number of books on my shelf. I fell
in love with many naturalists, including Lorenz. Honestly, I envied him. I certainly would have kept a crow
or a wild snake as a pet if I thought I could have gotten away with it.
in love with many naturalists, including Lorenz. Honestly, I envied him. I certainly would have kept a crow
or a wild snake as a pet if I thought I could have gotten away with it.
Gallardo, E. (1993) Among the Orangutans: The Birute Galdikas Story. San Fransisco, CA:
Chronicle Books
Chronicle Books
From the age of six or seven, I wanted to be a field primatologist when I grew up. Orangutans were my
favorite of the great apes, largely because of this book (another one that I found during one the many
raids of my parent’s book collection). Birute Galdikas was one of my childhood heroes. I must have read
this book at least a dozen times before I was twelve.
favorite of the great apes, largely because of this book (another one that I found during one the many
raids of my parent’s book collection). Birute Galdikas was one of my childhood heroes. I must have read
this book at least a dozen times before I was twelve.
Ibbostson, E. (2001) Journey to the River Sea. New York, NY: Puffin Books.
In accordance with my career goal as a child, I loved rainforests. This story about a ten-year-old girl who
moved to the Amazon to live with distant relatives was my favorite book for about five years. If I could
take only five books to a deserted rainforest island, this would be on the list.
moved to the Amazon to live with distant relatives was my favorite book for about five years. If I could
take only five books to a deserted rainforest island, this would be on the list.
Shakespeare, W. (2010) The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. New York, NY: Barnes and
Noble Publishers
Noble Publishers
No one ever told me that Shakespeare was too hard for me to read or perform when I was young, and
I am so incredibly grateful for that. My mother would read to me from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
or Much Ado About Nothing at bedtime, and she enrolled me in children’s Shakespeare classes (which
launched a lifelong love of theatre and the bard). Shakespeare’s language became second nature to me
at a young age, which has been a huge blessing as an actor.
I am so incredibly grateful for that. My mother would read to me from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
or Much Ado About Nothing at bedtime, and she enrolled me in children’s Shakespeare classes (which
launched a lifelong love of theatre and the bard). Shakespeare’s language became second nature to me
at a young age, which has been a huge blessing as an actor.
Prattchet, T. (2003) The Wee Free Men. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers
This is another one of those books that my entire family loves and bonds over. The predominant
characters are Scottish, and so it also tied into our heritage. We would listen to the book on tape
during road trips. The dry, witty jokes in this story became our own inside jokes. This book had a lot to
do with shaping the way that I think.
characters are Scottish, and so it also tied into our heritage. We would listen to the book on tape
during road trips. The dry, witty jokes in this story became our own inside jokes. This book had a lot to
do with shaping the way that I think.
