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Food and Books
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I’ve read quite a few books recently that have included food, mealtimes or cooking as part of significant scenes of themes of the book.
In Christopher Morgan’s Currawalli Street, the women living in Currawalli Street in 1914 gather together to bake a Coronation Cake with the sharing of ingredients and the baking of the cake becoming a weekly event. In the overall scheme of things, the cake is a very small part of the action of the novel, but it plays a significant role in the way the friendships develop between the women and is a foundation stone for the sense of community that gradually evolves amongst households that have seemingly very little in common.
In Joanne Fedler’s The Reunion, a group of friends meet for a weekend away. The food each member of the group contributes reflects their own personality – their hangups, preoccupations, attention to details. There are self-esteem issues revealed by the foods that are eaten or seen as a temptation to resist and there is a realisation that sometimes sharing food is not necessarily about the food itself, but about those that are gathered together and the way sharing a meal can stir memories and connect people.
Charlotte Wood’s Love & Hunger: Thoughts on the gift of food is, not surprisingly, a book that focuses on the meaning and memories behind the foods that mean the most to us and the dishes that we share with others. The book is a warm and generous serving of Charlotte’s own food memories and for me it has been a wonderful reminder that baking or cooking for others is about more than simply offering them a meal. The book includes Charlotte’s favourite recipes for foods to share and I am planning to try her Pomegranate Honey recipe this week because I simply couldn’t resist once I read about it.
Then, of course, there are cookbooks. Over the weekend I was looking through one of The Australian Women’s Weekly latest offerings, Baking Day, which is a wonderfully nostalgic collection of traditional baking recipes that stirred memories for me of both of my grandmothers. There are a few modern favourites thrown into the mix, but I love all the old-style recipes and can’t wait to try some of them out. Mushrooms (cream tarts) and finger buns are at the top of my list.
Do you notice food and meals when they are mentioned in books as part of a scene or do you skip over those sections without giving them too much attention? Do you have a favourite food or meal scene in a novel? The types of food and the way it is shared often gives a lot of insight into the characters and how they relate to each other.
I love the breakfast scene from Pride and Prejudice as Mrs Bennet is manoeuvring for Jane to get caught in the rain when she goes to visit Bingley’s sisters. There are so many of the family relationship dynamics demonstrated in this simple scene. In the Harry Potter series, the mealtimes at Hogwarts always seemed so incredibly fun and inviting to me and Peeta sharing of a loaf of bread with Katniss to help her provide for her struggling family in The Hunger Games demonstrates just how powerful a symbol food can be within a story.
I also love the way that Vianne in Joanne Harris’ Chocolat offers different types of chocolate to different people in the small French village where she sets up her chocolaterie. The idea that our different personalities and experiences influence the tastes and food sensations that appeal to us is a fascinating one.
Do you have a favourite food-related scene in a novel or a favourite book about food and meals? Have you ever read a novel and then sought out a food that was mentioned because it was described in such a way that it sounded so appealing you started craving it? Do you maybe read cookbooks for pleasure and if so, what types catch you attention?
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Dear Anita…
1Dear Anita,
This past week I’ve seen some pretty awful things written about you as people exercised their freedom of speech to write hateful, hate-filled remarks in a forum intended for informative book reviews and product feedback.
I want to write something about you too. But I’m not going to do it anonymously on a public forum. I’m going to write it here, on my blog, with my name attached. Here we go.
Thank you.
Thank you for being a woman of integrity, depth and courage in a society that has little value for such things when they lead someone to question the status quo. Thank you for remaining true to what you hold dear in a society that tells us it values honesty and strength of character until that same honesty and character questions society’s priorities and makes a stand against injustice and inequality.
Thank you for following up your words with actions. I’m amazed that so many are questioning your claim to your indigenous heritage. Five minutes on your blog or Google would demonstrate that your desire to be associated with Indigenous Australian culture is not mere lip service for some personal gain. You are constantly promoting Indigenous artists, writers and cultural events. You visit community groups and speak at public events that promote indigenous culture. You are an enthusiastic, passionate and involved ambassador for Australian Indigenous people.
Thank you for your generosity of spirit. Your ‘grateful’ blog posts are a wonderful reminder that we have so much to be thankful for, both big and small. I love that you use so many of your posts to be thankful for the influence and example of others. Your posts remind me that we are part of a community and our contribution has value and purpose. It is easy to lose sight of the simple pleasures in the midst of our busy lives, but you constantly return to the basics and remember that in the midst of it all we have so much to be thankful for.
Thank you for being an inspiration. Your success despite what society would perceive as your limitations (you are indigenous AND female – a double ‘handicap’) is impressive, but it is your warmth, intelligence, humour, passion and willingness to stand up and speak out for what you believe in that is inspirational.
I’m sure if we met in person, we would find points on which we disagree. I’m not writing this letter because I agree with everything you do and say. I’m writing it because I respect your willingness to stand up for what you believe in, to form opinions and then voice them.
We know each other. I interviewed you over the phone some time ago regarding one of your novels and you have guest posted here on my blog. We have chatted online through Facebook and Twitter. I guess I would call us acquaintances, although I would be proud to call you friend.
I hope that we get to meet in person one day and, because I am always willing to bring people into their world who will inspire them to think deeply and live a life of passion and purpose, I hope that my children get to meet you.
Thank you Anita.
Yours with gratitude and respect,
Susan
NOTE
This post is in response to the racist and personal attacks on Anita Heiss through various sites in response to her recently published memoir Am I Black Enough For You? and her interview with ABC radio journalist Carol Duncan.
I respect the right of anyone to disagree with Anita’s priorities and/or to simply not enjoy her books. The world is a diverse and complex place and, as the saying goes, you can’t please all the people, all the time. What I have found offensive in the recent comments is that they have been so personal. They have not been feedback about Anita’s book or her writing in general and they seem to have been written without any attempt to research the work that Anita does with Indigenous cultural groups or her other professional qualifications and activities.
If Anita and I were to meet in person, I am absolutely positive we would find ourselves disagreeing on various issues. That’s okay with me. I love a good debate. I don’t respect Anita because I agree with everything she says and does. I respect her because she stands up for what she believes in.
If you want to know more about Anita, you might find the following links useful:
Anita Heiss website (includes a link to her blog and a list of books she has written)
Carol Duncan interview with Anita Heiss on 4th April 2012.
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Book Review: Beijing Tai Tai by Tania McCartney
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Summary
Intensely personal, at times a little controversial, Beijing Tai Tai is a rollercoaster ride of honesty and openness as a wife (tai tai) and mother juggles suburban family life in urban Beijing. Presented in a series of love/hate column-like snippets – on topics ranging from the consumption of bull testicles to the life-altering experience of walking the Great Wall – it exposes expatriate life in a country on the brink of great change.
From tragic hair moments and bustling silk markets to China’s quest to stay true to its ancient origins, Beijing Tai Tai is a book for anyone interested in this diverse and culturally rich country. It’s for anyone from anywhere who knows what it’s like to fall in love, explore new worlds and live with challenges. It’s about life in a city full of soaring highs and disconsolate lows – but never anything less than remarkable.
Comments
I’m not in general a big fan of autobiographies, biographies and memoirs. My hesitation comes, perhaps, from a fear that I will find that I have nothing in common with the person in question – no point of contact or common interest that will enable me to relate their experiences to my own in some way. Reading about the life and experiences of a complete stranger holds little fascination.
I have followed author Tania McCartney’s blog for some time and have reviewed her Riley the Little Aviator travelogue picture books. I also write for Kids Book Review, a children and YA book review website started by Tania. We’ve emailed, talked on the phone and even met in person twice, so I wasn’t concerned about not having a point of connection when I started reading Beijing Tai Tai. I did wonder, however, whether I would be able to relate to Tania’s experience of living in Beijing for four years with her husband and two young children and whether I could relate to the challenges she faced an Australian parent in China compared with my own experiences as a suburban Australian mother who has never had any significant exposure to Asian culture.
My fears were unfounded, as the experiences Tania shares are fundamentally those common to most mothers – a desire for her children to live secure yet challenging and enriched lives, an enjoyment of simple family rituals and celebrations, a fondness for good food and great shopping and the desire to be more than simply a mother and wife.
Tania’s style is warm and inclusive, reading in a manner reminiscent of blog entries rather than a personal journal or diary. There is great humour and an appreciation of the absurd in some entries while others offer insight into some of the deeper, more personal struggles of balancing between two cultures.
With intelligence and humour, Tania invites readers to share her experiences in China – forays into the Silk Markets and shopping districts, dinner and dancing on the Great Wall of China, dealing with her troublesome ayi (housekeeper) and the everyday joys and frustrations of Beijing life. Some days she vents her frustrations, other days she bubbles over with enthusiasm.
At the conclusion of Beijing Tai Tai I was left with the impression that Tania McCartney is someone I would like to know better. Her fascination with the world around her, her intelligent observations, her passion for her family and new experiences – all these things combine to create an image of a talented, interesting, intelligent and thoughtful woman with a fascinating story to share.
Book Details
- Title: Beijing Tai Tai
- Author: Tania McCartney
- Publisher: Exisle Publishing, 2012
- ISBN: 978-1-92196-615-6
- Genre: Memoir; Travel – China
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The Measure of a Good Book
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How do you know when you’re reading a really good book?
Is it when you decide to read ‘just one more chapter’ before bed and find yourself still turning pages at 3am?
Maybe it’s when you borrow a book, read it and then buy yourself a copy because you know that you’ll want to read it again.
Perhaps it’s when you buy a second copy of a book because you want to loan it to friends and family, but you also want to keep it on hand for yourself.
For me all those things and more are evidence that a book is something special. An amazing book could also leave me feeling a little sad when I finish the final page, sometimes the characters come to mind days, weeks or months later, and knowing that I’ll get just as much pleasure the second time around is a definite sign of a well crafted novel.
On a more book nerdish/writerly level, I also know I’m reading something awesome when the thought ‘I could write an essay about this’ goes through my mind. I love books with detailed themes and complex characters that invite me to think more deeply.
Case in point, I went to see The Hunger Games movie on the weekend with my son. While I enjoyed the movie (more on that another time), the biggest impact was to remind me just how much I loved the books. All three books of the trilogy are most definitely essay-worthy – the characters, the relationships (mother-daughter, sisters, Katniss-Peeta-Gale, districts-capital, the tributes, Haymitch-Peeta-Katness – the list goes on). Then there’s the whole dystopian future thing, centralised power, propaganda, the use of hope/fear to control a community. There you go. Not just an essay, a whole thesis.
From picture books to adult fiction, non-fiction to YA novels, I can almost guarantee that a well written book that encourages me to think will get my big reading tick of approval.
How do you measure the difference between a book that is good and one that is exceptional?
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Book Review: One Long Thread by Belinda Jeffrey
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Summary (UQP website)
To produce one long thread of silk, a weaver must never allow the silkworm to fully transform or ever emerge from the cocoon into the light.
Ruby and Sally Moon are twins, cut from the same cloth but as different as night and day. While Sally is bold and adventurous, Ruby is quiet and creative. When divorce splits their family in two, and Sally moves with their mother to the Northern Territory, Ruby holds onto the thought that one day her family will be complete again.
But when tragedy strikes, wrapping Sally in a cocoon from which she might never escape, Ruby learns that love is never simple but one of the many tangled branches in her family tree.
Comments
I thoroughly enjoyed this thoughtful, character-driven YA novel. I enjoyed reading Ruby’s perspective on her life, from her childish perceptions of her parents’ relationship and break-up to her reflections on her relationship with her twin sister and her grandmother.
One Long Thread is a story that explores how families are connected in a way that extends beyond the actual relationship between individuals. Family relationships are complex, evolving things and I thought the story reflected that very well. I found Ruby’s uncertainty about her future also rang very true for me. Despite her obvious dressmaking and fashion design skills, Ruby remains uncertain about what path she should choose, doubting her abilities and distracted by the changing dynamics of her family relationships.
I did find myself waiting for Ruby’s father’s character to develop further, but the relationships between the three generations of women were the focus of the story and I understand that placed him and other characters firmly in a secondary role. There were misunderstandings and tragic disconnections between characters, but there was also a wonderful thread of hope woven through the story that balanced some of the more challenging relationship issues.
Beyond the relationship themes of the book, I found the information about the silk worms (and the associated themes) and the fashion discussions quite interesting and I liked the way this all came together at the end of the story.
One Long Thread is certainly a more thoughtful and slow-moving story than many of the YA books that I have read recently, but I enjoyed the change of pace and the more reflective tone of this novel. This was my first Belinda Jeffrey novel and I am already looking for further books by this Australian author.
Book Details
Title: One Long Thread
Author: Belinda Jeffrey
Publisher: UQP, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7022-3892-5 (241 pages)
Genre: Young adult fiction
Recommended ages: 12+
Additional Links
- My review of One Long Thread at Kids Book Review
- Downloadable teachers’ notes from UQP
List: Authors and Novelists on Twitter
Looking for some authors to follow, chat with or send fan tweets to on Twitter? Of course you are.
Below are the names of authors/writers that I have come across so far on Twitter. The list below is comprised predominantly of authors of fiction, although some non-fiction writers have been included. Some are chatty, some not so much and you’ll find authors below for picture books, early readers, YA and a variety of fiction genres.
I’ll update the list as I come across new names and I’d love you to leave a comment with details for any authors I’ve missed.
A
- @RandaAFAuthor – Randa Abdel-Fattah
- @MaggieA – MaggieAlderson
- @KatApel – Kathryn Apel
- @MiscMum – Karen Andrews
- @Fleech – Felice Arena
- @MargaretAtwood – Margaret Atwood
B
- @TristanBancks – Tristan Bancks
- @GregoryBarron – Gregory Barron
- @JohnBirminghan – John Birmingham
- @DianneBlacklock – Dianne Blacklock
- @JudyBlume – Judy Blume
- @StephBowe – Steph Bowe
- @DavidBrin1 – David Brin
- @GabrielleBryden – GabrielleBryden
C
- @MegCabot – Meg Cabot
- @HelenCareyBooks – Helen Carey
- @LeeChildAuthor – Lee Child
- @PauloCoelho – Paula Coelho
- @EoinColfer – Eoin Colfer
- @JackieJCollins – Jackie Collins
- @KarenCollum – Karen Collum
- @ClaireCorbett – Claire Corbett
- @Lexxie_Couper – Lexxie Couper
- @CathCrowley – Cath Crowley
- @SophieC – Sophie Cunningham
D
- @AlaindeBotton – Alain de Botton
- @SarahDessen – Sarah Dessen
E
- @NickEarls – Nick Earls
- @MichelleDEvans – Michelle Dennis Evans
F
- @LizFielding – Liz Fielding
- @GayleForman – GayleForman
- @KateForsyth – Kate Forsyth
- @SaraJFoster – Sara Foster
- @MiaFreedman – Mia Freedman
- @StephenFry – Stephen Fry
- @Sandy Fussell – Sandy Fussell
G
- @Writer_DG – Diana Gabaldon
- @NeilHimself – Neil Gaiman
- @KatrinaGermein – Katrina Germein
- JulieGAuthor – Julie Griffin
- @AndyGBooks – Andy Griffiths
H
- @Wendy_Harmer – Wendy Harmer
- @PipHaz – Pip Harry
- @JacquelineHarve – Jacqueline Harvey
- @LisaHeidke – Lisa Heidke
- @AnitaHeiss – Anita Heiss
- @Monstroso – Charlie Higson
- @EllenHopkinsYA – Ellen Hopkins
- @JudyHoracek – Judy Horacek
- @KateLHunter – Kate Hunter
I
- @StephenMIrwin – Stephen M Irwin
J
- @Rebecca_James_ – Rebecca James
- @BelindaCJeffrey – Belinda Jeffrey
- @RachaelJohns – Rachael Johns
K
- @SueMonkKidd – Sue Monk Kidd
- @Eugenia_Kim – Eugenia Kim
- @HonMichaelKirby – Michael Kirby
- @WilliamKostakis – William Kostakis
L
- @Kylie_Ladd – Kylie Ladd
- @MargoLanagan – Margo Lanagan
- @JuliaLawrinson – Julia Lawrinson
- @Gayle Lemmon – Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
- @PeterLerangis – Peter Lerangis
- @KathyLette – Kathy Lette
M
- @NicolaMarsh – Nicola Marsh
- @Toddric – Todd McCaffrey
- @TaniaMcCartney – Tania McCartney
- @AndrewMcDonald – Andrew McDonald
- @FleurMcDonald – Fleur McDonald
- @VondaNMcIntyre – Vonda N McIntyre
- @EbonyMcKenna – Ebony McKenna
- @RealPeterMoore – Peter Moore
- @ChrisMorphew – Chris Morphew
- @Tara_Moss – Tara Moss
- @SallyMurphy – Sally Murphy
N
- @MaggieNash – Maggie Nash
- @RichardNewsome – Richard Newsome
O
- @OliverBooks – Lauren Oliver
- @BenisonAnne – Benison O’Reilly
- @WendyOrr – Wendy Orr
- @OveringtonC – Caroline Overington
P
- @LindaSuePark – Linda Sue Park
- @TimPegler – Tim Pegler
- @RealJamesPhelan – James Phelan
- @JodiPicoult – Jodi Picoult
- @MichaelJPryor – Michael Pryor
R
- @PeterHReynolds – Peter Reynolds
- @LakeLady2282 – Debbie Robson
- @jk_rowling – J K Rowling
- @JamesRoy68 – James Roy
- @Jess_Rudd – Jessica Rudd
- @Allison_Rushby – Allison Rushby
- @SalmanRushdie – Salman Rushdie
S
- @KerriSackville – Kerri Sackville
- @SparksNicholas – Nicholas Sparks
- @RebeccaSparrow – Rebecca Sparrow
- @RL_Stine – R L Stine
- @SummersAnne – Anne Summers
T
- @AlTait – Allison Tait
- @MarloThomas – Marlo Thomas
W
- @GabrielleWang – Gabrielle Wang
- @DeeWhiteAuthor – Dee White
- @WhitfieldSophia – Sophia Whitfield
- @Charlotteshucks – Charlotte Wood
Y
- @SueYeap – Sue Yeap
Z
- @Markus_Zusak – Markus Zusak
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Book Review: The Hunger Games Official Illustrated Movie Companion
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Summary (back cover)
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Hunger Games movie with this official companion. This fascinating book features gorgeous full-colour photos, designers’ sketches, and exclusive interviews with all the lead actors, director Gary Ross, and the crew.
You’ll learn about the extremes the actors went to in their auditions and the training they had to undergo in order to embody their characters. You’ll discover details like how the food stylists created just the right breads for each district, or how the special effects team created fireballs in the arena. And you’ll get a sneak-peeks of District 12, the Training Centre, the fashions of the Capitol – and much, much more.
Comments
I admit I don’t tend to get too excited about movies based on books I’ve read, even when I loved the books as much as I loved The Hunger Games trilogy. I still haven’t seen the Harry Potter movies (I can hear your gasps of shock from here) and although I knew that The Hunger Games movie was to be released soon, I confess I wasn’t particularly thinking about going to see it. I was hesitant to go to a movie that might fall far short of the brilliant story contrived by author Suzanne Collins.
After reading The Hunger Games Official Illustrated Movie Companion, I’m far more interested in seeing the movie. I’m not racing out to book my tickets for the midnight session on the day it is released, but I will definitely be heading to the cinema within the first week or two.
While I appreciated the images of The Hunger Games cast, locations and costumes, I think that it was the earnest desire to remain true to the story that came through the many cast and crew interviews that has tempted me most. There is a respect for the work that Collins created and a real desire on the part of the director and crew to capture the elements that make the books so incredibly engaging.
If you are a Hunger Games fan, the Movie Companion is sure to whet your appetite for the movie and remind you of why you love these books so much. The glossy pictures are a great sample of what’s to come with the film and the comments from cast and crew, including director Gary Ross, production designer Philip Messina and costume designer Judianna Makovsky, provide thoughtful and interesting insights into both the making of the movie and The Hunger Games story itself.
And if you haven’t read The Hunger Games yet… What are you waiting for? There is still time before the movie comes out on 22nd March.
Book Details
Title: The Hunger Games: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion
Publisher: Scholastic, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-42290-1
Genre: Non-fiction
Related Links
- My review of The Hunger Games at Reading Upside Down
- My review of The Hunger Games trilogy at Suite101
- The Hunger Games website
- Suzanne Collins website
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Book Review: Australian Story
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Summary (NLA website)
Once there was nothing. Then there was something …Take a trip into the past – from the explosive beginnings of our planet through the formation of the Australian landscape, the deeply entrenched history of our Indigenous people and past the white-sailed ships of the First Fleet to modern day Australia, in this fascinating journey through time.
Beginning with the creation of our country’s land, climate and modern-day shape, Australian Story: An Illustrated Timeline presents the key moments in our country’s geographical, faunal and floral formation, its first indigenous inhabitants, and modern day settlement. Featuring succinct entries on historical moments over the past 47 billion years, Australian Story covers such topics as ecological change, social upheaval, politics, invention, the industrial age, war, immigration, celebration, culture and modern technologyand presents it in a way that is visual, fun and thoroughly entertaining.
Comments
I attended a performance by John Cleese this evening before sitting down to write this review (stick with me, this will all make sense soon). During the performance, Cleese took the audience on a journey through his childhood and career, refering to several significant relationships and the impact they had on him personally and professionally. He also referred to luck and the opportunities he had simply because he was in the right place at the right time. Who he is now at this point in his life is a result of the relationships and significant moments – good, bad, unusual and unexpected – that he has experienced along the way.
I think that is what appeals to me most about this wonderful overview of Australian history for children. It is a collection of moments that together, gathered into a timeline, give young readers a pathway that leads to where we are now as a nation. From the forming of the land and the original inhabitants to convicts, colonial years, exploration, farming and wars to sports, food, clothing and a myriad of other details. Australian Story i: An Illustrated Timeline is a journey through the development of our nation from empty land mass to a country with incredible diversity and depth.
I enjoyed reading about so many Australian firsts – first Nobel Prize for Literature (Patrick White 1973), first Australian to enter space (Andy Thomas, 1998), first indigenous model on the cover of Vogue Australia (Samantha Harris, 2010) to name a few. I especially like the ending, the sense of possibility and the reminder that this journey isn’t over yet and that the children reading this book are going to be shaping how our country will develop in the coming years.
The images used in the book are from the digital archives of the National Library of Australia and they are a wonderfully eclectic collection of photographs, drawings, paintings and images of specific items. Scattered across the pages they add to the sense of journey and discovery.
Australian Story is a wonderful overview of Australian history, a collection of moments large and small that have shaped the country we are today. It is a great introduction to the diversity of Australian culture and history for children and will hopefully be a springboard for them to then seek out further information about specific events, people and items that particularly interest them.
For links to more reviews of Australian Story, teaching notes and a variety of other resources and articles associated with the book, visit Tania McCartney’s Australian Story book launch blog post. There are links to blogs involved in her book launch blog tour at the end of to the post or simply browse Tania’s blog.
Book Details
Title: Australian Story: An Illustrated Timeline
Author: Tania McCartney
Illustrations: Digital Archives of the National Library of Australia
Publisher: NLA Publishing, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-642-27745-9
Genre: Australian History, Junior Non-Fiction
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Write on Wednesday: The Monsters Under the Bed
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Prompt
Think back to when you were very young. Try to recall one of your first fears. A shadow on the wall, a ghost in the closet, a person, a scene from a movie or book. Write about that fear. Try to remember the feeling it gave you, what that fear would make you do and how you were comforted. Write a real life story or a piece of fiction. Wherever the prompt takes you. Keep your post on the short side: up to 500 words OR a 5 minute stream of consciousness exercise. Link your finished piece to the list and begin popping by the other links. Oh, and enjoy!
When I was Young…
I’ve always loved books. I still have some favourite books from my childhood, such as the little known but utterly adored by me Why Grooleys Wear Earmuffs by Torr Makuch and Richard Scarry’s extremely awesome Storybook Dictionary.
I never really been someone who jumps at shadows, even as a child, but I do remember one book that always gave me chills. It was a Little Golden Book edition of Little Red Riding Hood.
It wasn’t so much the story as the illustrations that frightened me. They all seemed so dark and sinister – deep rich reds, dark browns and blacks – even now the memories of the illustrations still carry a kind of threatening sense of something emerging from the shadows.
I remember as a child that part of the fear came from the unexpectedness of it all. Golden Books were generally a source of delight. The Color Kittens, Tootle, Scruffy the Tug Boat, The Poky Little Puppy, The Tawny Scrawny Lion and, of course, The Monster at the End of the Book were all favourites, read over and over until the words could be recited. It seemed a betrayal, somehow, that Little Red Riding Hood was found amidst these books that I read and re-read with such pleasure.
I can’t remember if I ever told my mother that I disliked the story, which seems odd when I think about the strong impression that the book made on me. Perhaps I was embarrassed to admit that a Little Golden Book left me feeling like I should hide under the covers.
What monsters lurked under your bed as a child?
If you would like to join in the Write on Wednesday’s writing prompt meme, you can find all the details here.
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Serendipitous Book Finds
1Have you ever accidently come across a book that was exactly what you were looking for even though you didn’t realise you were looking?
Late last year Meredith (Oh, the Thinks you can Think) and I were browsing online while we chatted on the phone, as we often do. We were both looking at online bookstores, discussing the merits of various books we were considering buying for our kids for Christmas. Meredith stumbled across a book called Peter’s Railway by Christopher Vine and, knowing that I have a train obsessed 7-year-old, she sent me the link.
Not only was the book aimed at the right reading level and one we hadn’t seen before, it was perfect for my son. No, not perfect, PERFECT!
Peter’s Railway is about a young boy and his grandfather who build a 1/8 scale model train line to connect their two homes in the English countryside. The books combine story and information, sharing both the adventures of building and using the train line and the technical side of things – how a locomotive engine works, how carriages and wagons buffer together, wheel flanges, track construction, pistons and cylinders – all that in book one alone.
I bought the first two books in the series for my son for Christmas and he has already read and re-read them. Reading the first book together before he went to bed, he turned to me and wistfully commented ‘I wish that this story could be real in my life.’ He gave a quiet sigh and snuggled in as we returned to the story.
I have a review of Peter’s Railway scheduled at Kids Book Review later this month. I purchased book 1 and 2 from Fishpond, but will buy additional books from the series from the author/publisher website, Peter’s Railway, where I can have a personalised dedication written in the books from the author. If you have children who love trains, I highly recommend these books.
Over the years, I’ve come across several books that seem to resonate with me somehow. Books where the appreciation goes beyond a well written story or well expressed idea, but somehow strikes a more personal chord. Dr Seuss’ Hooray for Diffendoofer Day is one. There have been a few novels and a couple of non-fiction books that were eerily relevant.
Have you ever come across a book that was just perfect for you or someone in your family? A book that seemed like it was written just for you?
