Do You Remember Your Favorite Book from Childhood?

When people talk about their favorite childhood book, they often light up with nostalgia. For many, it’s something they clutched tight at bedtime, read under the covers with a flashlight, or shared in a parent’s lap. But for me, the book that holds the most meaning didn’t come from my own childhood—it came from a moment of rebuilding and resilience during my daughter’s early years.

The book is The Donut Chef by Bob Staake. It’s whimsical, playful, and rhythmically delightful—the kind of story that rolls off the tongue and lights up a toddler’s imagination. It tells the tale of two rival donut shop owners on the same street, each inventing wild and creative new donuts to outdo the other. It’s charming, silly, and just plain fun.

But that’s not why it matters to me.

I first read The Donut Chef to my daughter during one of the most difficult transitions of our lives. We had just fled an abusive relationship, driven hours away, and found shelter in a family member’s home. There was a restraining order in place. Everything we knew had changed overnight.

In the middle of that chaos, The Donut Chef became our little daily ritual. I read it to her every single day. Sometimes twice. It made her laugh. It gave us something silly to look forward to. And in those few minutes, it gave me the feeling that we were going to be okay.

She loved the donuts. I loved the escape. And somehow, even now, I can still hear the sing-song rhythm of the words echoing in my memory.

My daughter was obsessed with the donut shop down the street, and I’ve always loved baking—maybe that’s another reason the book stuck with us. But what made it special wasn’t just the story. It was what the story meant at the time: stability, joy, and the beginning of something new.

So when I ask myself, Was it the book I loved or the memories tied to it?—the answer is: both.

Because books aren’t just words on a page. They become stitched into the fabric of our lives, into the moments that define us.

To this day, The Donut Chef still lives on my bookshelf. A reminder that even during the hardest chapters, there can still be joy in the simple act of reading aloud with someone you love.