The Harry Potter mania has got me all nostalgic about my own childhood book obsessions.

My parents bemoaningly recalled my favorite book as a youngster. "The Poky Little Puppy," while we were eating dinner and discussing the HP phenomenon (getting millions of kids to sit and read 700 pages of a BOOK!?! is pretty impressive)…

"Oh, I LOVED that book!" I squealed with delight.

"My God did I hate that book," my dad grumbled. "I used to hide it under your dresser so I wouldn't have to read it to you."

"Dad, you are horrible."

I don't know what it was, the illustrations or the plot line involving strawberry shortcake, that resulted in my parents reading this Golden oldie about 1000 times to their favorite (only) daughter from ages 4-6. Who knows? I did recover the book from its hiding places and still own it. Maybe my dad's next birthday gift?