Here at Vearsa we know the life-changing power of childhood reading; we can see it in the positive impact of our eShelf program.  We're still inspired by the books we loved as children. Those stories inspired us and gave us a love of reading that underpins what we do today. Here are some of our favorite childhood books, the ones we loved best of all.

Matilda, Roald Dahl         Pam Murphy, Account Manager

My favorite book was Roald Dahl's Matilda.  I was always a book nerd and the fact that Matilda was too meant she was my first fictional best friend. She was also magic, which is something I still want to be even though I'm 33!  I loved how Matilda and Miss Honey found each after each had suffered such terrible childhoods.  They were two gentle souls who had been treated terribly but triumphed in the end and (in my head) went to have a fabulous, happy and peaceful life together!

“The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.”

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole series, Sue Townsend         Charlie Bigger, Customer Service Manager

I was a big fan of "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole" series of books. They were mostly hilarious but they dealt with some pretty heavy subject matter very well for that age group.

"I fear I am losing the battle to mould William's character to my own satisfaction. He's only six, but at his age Mozart was selling out concerts all over Europe."

The Enchanted Wood (The Faraway Tree series), Enid Blyton         Joe Lennon, Chief Technical Officer

I loved how this book would bring you away to an imaginary world full of amazing characters - with some of the best names of any book ever written!

Dune, Frank Herbert         Gerard Morris, Software Engineer

I read this when I was about nine or ten and loved it. To this day it is one of my favorite books and this quote has pretty much found its way into every Dune book, game, etc.

"He who controls the spice controls the universe."

Esio Trot, Roald Dahl        Helen Burnett, Retailer Manager

I loved this book because it's supposed to be a romance story, but it's actually really wicked - Mr Hoppy goes to great lengths to keep Mrs Silver happy - she's the woman who lives downstairs. It's simple and short and extremely understated.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone       Aoife Dowling, Content Distribution Executive

I loved this book from the very first page. It's hard not to be swept up in the magic of Harry's world and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  I felt as though I really knew Harry and his friends, and I cared about their adventures.

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that."

Starship Traveller, Steve Jackson       Stuart Royce, Developer

I liked this, because it had choice. This and the other books in this area felt like real adventures, like games. I was probably eight when I read it.

The BFG, Roald Dahl       Mark Watkins, Head of IT

I have very fond memories of devouring any Roald Dahl books I could lay my hands on. If I had to pick one it would be The BFG; its mix of wordplay, danger, adventure and mystery is something I still enjoy to this day and was absolutely captivating to me in primary school.

All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot         Emilia Pisani, US Account Manager

I was a bit of an old soul and a huge animal lover as a kid, so I devoured James Herriot's "All Creatures Great and Small." I couldn't get enough of his tales of Yorkshire country living. From my house in the suburbs I was transported to the dramatic scene of a cow in labor,  a dying dog, or a salty farmer's hardscrabble workday--all brought to life by Herriot's knack for storytelling, his sense of humor, and his no-nonsense approach to people and animals alike.