The first pages start it all

“When you read a book as a child, it becomes part of your identity in

a way that no other reading in your whole life does.”

I love that line from the movie “You’ve Got Mail,” uttered Meg

Ryan, as the owner of a bookstore, as she muses over the profundity

of children’s literature.

At UCLA, I took a class in children’s literature, “Kiddie Lit” as

it was nicknamed. I took the class as a “Mick” (Mickey Mouse class,

with the reputation of being an easy “A”) but got far more out of the

class than I expected.

First, it reinforced the influence of the classics such as

“Aesop’s Fables” and “Grimm’s Fairy Tales.” Second, it reminded me of

the pure joy of reading -- not the mandatory list of books to slog

through for a class, but books you choose to read that do indeed

become part of the way you interpret life.

I’ve always thought of books as portable friends. While growing

up, I rarely took a long car ride without one. They helped me beat

the boredom and endure the siblings and made the frequent drives to

Dodger Stadium more palatable.

The Dodgers and L. Frank Baum (of the “Oz” series) will forever be

intertwined: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, the Peanut Man and Dorothy.

“Gone With the Wind” will always be a spring break in Mexico, and

“Harry Potter” is the essence of my children’s childhoods.

When my kids were little, I couldn’t wait until they (maybe we?)

could go to the Children’s Book Shoppe in Westcliff Court for story

hour. I always walked out with more under my arm than just a child.

How can anyone resist buying a new baby his or her own copy of

“Goodnight Moon?”

As I built the collection of books for my own children, I insisted

on the hardback edition, I always wrote the date and I tried to write

an inspired note to the recipient on an inside page. I’m sure my

efforts were lost on the kids at the time, but I’m hoping that when

they have children of their own they will find these hidden messages

and smile.

Time marches on. Gone are the story hours at the Children’s Book

Shoppe, my father’s pilgrimages to Dodger Stadium and the childhood

of one of my children, but the love of books continues.

“A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever.”

-- MARTIN TUPPER, 1810-1889

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs

Thursdays.