Monday, April 28, 2008

The ones I read over and over and over and over

...and over and over and over again.

When I was a kid/teenager/young adult/semi-young adult...the books that always felt like coming home were:

1. The Secret Garden- Frances Hodgson Burnett

2. A Little Princess- Frances Hodgson Burnett

3. A Wrinkle in Time- Madeline L'Engle

4. Little House on the Prairie - Laura Ingalls Wilder

5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6. Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew- C.S. Lewis

7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- Roald Dahl

8. The Phantom Tollbooth - Norton Juster

9. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg

10. Bridge to Terebithia- Katherine Paterson

(and that's just the top ten that I can think of right now, here at 12:34 am. I haven't even mentioned my secret obsession I fostered for V.C. Andrews...)

But here it is Picture Book Tuesday already! And I think my son has a jump on his "WILL READ REPETITIVELY" throughout life list.

Recently I brought home the newest edition of Puff the Magic Dragon (Yarrow, Lipton, and illustrated by Eric Puybaret)...and yes, it's simply the song put to emerald illustrations of Puff and his boy Jackie Paper. And yes, he's loving that rascal puff still. (Forgive the corniness. Did I mention it is 12:38 am yet?)...I wasn't sure the reaction the book would get from Xander, he's a picky lad (and here I am starting to sound a bit like the song...)...but he immediately looked at the book by himself and asked me to read it to him. Since the story/song is so natural, so lilting, he took to it right away. The illustrations are sheer and rich at the same time; finally casting into light the way I as a child envisioned Puff to look as opposed to the weird conglomerate of Pete's Dragon and the Hannah-Barbera-Burgess-Meredith-of-a-film-adaptation-that has been stuck in my brain for over 20 years... Thank you Eric Puybaret. It's simply lovely...and very green. And of course sad.

11 comments:

BOSSY said...

Bossy used to read her favorites over and over, and now she just watches TV reruns.

Chrissy Johnson said...

I know what Bossy means. I've seen the episode of Good Times where John Amos dies like, 12 times.

Natalie said...

oh my gosh! i love children's literature! i am currently trying to read all the newbery honor and award winners from 1922 to the present. there will be some i won't be able to read because they are either out of print and i can't find them anywhere...or they are out of print but available for a mere $3000 somewhere online. there have been many favorite on that list, but i think my most favorite is the thief by megan whalen. oh well. glad to be here!

Chrissy Johnson said...

Hey Natalie!

I am working on the same goal!!!! Currently reading The Midwives Apprentice (Cushman - Winner 1996)...I think my favorite (so far?) is either Bridge to Terebithia or Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh...am also trying to do all the Caldecotts (an easier goal) and the Coretta Scott King winners. So glad you stopped by!

Anonymous said...

I so miss reading. It seems all I read now are textbooks for my grad classes on court cases involving ESL students. I so want to just read a novel! I like your list...esp. To Kill a Mockingbird...that's one I want to read again soon. Have you read this book that is all of the rage called Eat, Sleep, Pray...or something like that? Some ladies in my yoga class were saying that is why our class was so full..because of that book. Do you think I would like it?'
I miss you!!!
Speaking of angsty teenage poetry..remember my nom de plume..Brontelynn??? Gag.

Chrissy Johnson said...

I totally forgot about Brontelynn! She ruled!

Natalie said...

oh...and i forgot to mention that i had an obsession with vc andrews too! my sweet audrina was thrilling to me. so unpredictably amazing. and the dollanganger series...wow. it has been years since i read those books, and i wonder if i would love them as much today as i did then. hm...

Chrissy Johnson said...

...I totally KNOW that I would love them! Remember the Heaven series? Talk about some messed up people! As much melodrama as a Douglas Sirk film!

Anonymous said...

What about "The Dark is Rising Series" by Susan Cooper? I read those in 6th grade and they gave me crazy dreams...and led me to attend Rennaissance Fairs as a teenager. And for the list 10-20 may I suggest, "The Girl With The Silver Eyes"?

Anonymous said...

..AND...did you know that Peter Yarrow and daugter (who are now on tour together) regularly auction themselves off? As part of the local PBS pledge drive, he offers 40 people to come to a dinner held at his Upper West Side apartment for pledges worth, like, some obscene amount of money. I am horrified and at the same time, tempted.

Chrissy Johnson said...

The Girl with the Silver Eyes CHANGED MY LIFE!!!!!!