Throwback Thursday - The Mouse and His Child

Have you ever read a book that, at the time, you thought was captivating and fascinating only to reread it years later and think that it was pretty, well, odd to say the least? Yes, I'm talking about "The Mouse and His Child" by Russell Hoban. This book is a throwback to my childhood and one of the books I remember very vividly and fondly. I don't remember if my parents first read it to me - they must have - but I do remember sneaking a flashlight under the covers when it was past bedtime to keep reading about the little wind-up mouse who had been lost in the dark, gritty underworld of toydom.

A few years ago, I purchased a really lovely hardcover edition of this book because I had such great memories of the story. I re-read it and thought . . . woah, this book is a little messed up. What on earth was I doing reading this as a child? I quickly confronted my parents who begged off any responsibility, saying that they had told me it was bedtime and I chose to stay up reading. (A likely excuse, if you ask me!) Still, it's a story that I'll always remember - and the perfect book to kick off the Throwback Thursday blog.

So, what book from your childhood - or ever from your adolescence - made an equally vivid impression upon you?