No. 58 - Anne of Green Gables

So, here we are again, in the depths of another national lockdown. I'd like to say I'd found myself turning to books for solace, for escapism and adventures with old friends, but sadly this has not been the case. I long to dally with Pooh and Piglet, and imagine I'm Miss Honey teaching the amazing Matilda, but alas.... Instead I have been very busy working, and trying my best to keep my creative juices flowing in my spare time. There really has been no time for reading! This lockdown feels very different to the last, where I lost myself in the pages of friends old and new, and sat sunning myself in the unusually warm April air listening to audiobooks. 

I suppose I'm trying to apologise to you, and to myself, for not getting on with this blog after such a good start last year. The blog is in it's 5th year now, and although I'm nearly half-way through the list, I feel like I've slowed down again. I'm going to try and change this! I will try and liven up the Instagram page more (@the.littlebookworm if you're interested), and maybe even try a few live readings, or Youtube clips if I'm feeling brave! I still have lots of ideas I want to share with you all, I just need to find the time! 

It's taken me a long time to get through it, but finally I have finished book number 58, Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery. 

How beautiful is this cover!?

Now, I know lots of people have fond memories of this book, and it appears again and again on lists of the best children's books, but I'll admit that I didn't enjoy this book. I found Anne a little annoying, and the tone of the writing somewhat patronising. But as I have said on many occasions whilst writing this blog, I never expected to like every book on the list! 

I'll start with a quick synopsis. Set in 19th century Canada, the story focuses on our heroine Anne Shirley. Orphaned Anne is sent to live with the dowdy Marilla Cuthbert and her brother Matthew. Anne is full of flights of fancy and imagination, quite a contrast to the straight talking, serious Cuthberts, in particular the matriarch Marilla. The story then follows Anne's new life in Avonlea, her schooling, her friendships, the ups and downs of growing up. It has all the hallmarks of the typical coming of age story; success through adversity, rags to riches, self-made success and determination. We see it time and time again in children's literature, though quite often the characters are boys. 

Instead, L M Montgomery follows in the footsteps of American author and children's literature VIP Louisa May Alcott. Like Alcott's March sisters, Anne is quite the character, with her very own set of opinions about life. She has her vices, much like Alcott's girls, in particular vanity! She is always wishing she was someone else, or her hair was a different colour, or her nose a different shape! Unlike Alcott's sisters however, I never really felt like Anne lost these traits, she remained just a little self-obsessed throughout the whole book! Even at the end, despite seeming selfless she gets her own way!

And it wasn't just her actions that I found hard to endure, but the way the book was written! I'm sorry, but I told you this book was a tough read! Anne talks way too much! And I mean waaaay too much! Most of the first part of the book is dialogue, just Anne chatting about everything and anything! I understand that this is meant to show her excitement about her new life, and her realisation that life will be good to her in Avonlea, but even so, sometimes you just need a break for breath! If I was a child reader I think this incessant chatter would be something I would struggle with and find a little overwhelming to read. For others, it may not bother them, after all it is part of creating Anne's character I suppose. But I personally found it a bit too much. 

The story itself bumbles along fairly predictably, with a new adventure in Anne's life in each chapter. She has some rather predictable domestic accidents, a few physical accidents, she worries about dresses, bosses people around, and is extra (as the kids say), about just about everything! 

 

When Montgomery wrote this book however, Anne was a radical character, forging her own path in a man's world. Through her own intelligence, hard work and determination, Anne becomes a teacher, one of the few accepted vocations available to women at the time. I think she would have got on with Jo March don't you? Of all Alcott's Little Women, Anne definitely reminded me most of Jo. She is feisty, fiercely intelligent, not scared to speak her mind and insanely aspirational and driven! I wonder whether this is purely coincidence, or was Montgomery inspired by Alcott's novel? 

If you like Little Women, then the chances are you will enjoy Anne of Green Gables, it is very much  part of that canon. Although I didn't personally like it, I can see how it would appeal to others, and how Anne's journey from a self-indulgent, orphaned fantasist, to a slightly less self-indulgent, successful, ambitious young lady has come to be an enduring classic. 

Thanks for reading, L x

Next up one of my absolute favourites, the wonderful Elmer, by David McKay!

No. 60 - The Little White Horse

Hello!  

Today I want to talk to you about Elizabeth Goudge's book The Little White Horse. The reason this post has taken so long for me to write, is because it has taken me since June to read this book!! The Little White Horse has both confused and delighted me!

    Not being a lover of fantasy stories as a child I think The Little White Horse had passed me by. To my shame, I had no idea what a classic it was; it won the Carnegie Medal in 1946, quite the accolade in the children's book world! Once I knew this, I set out with quite high hopes for this book, but found it a lot like Marmite! It seems you either love this book, or it's not to your taste! I'm in the latter camp I'm afraid, although it has had it's moments! 

    Now, the premise, as I understand it, (and bear with me here!) is that Maria, our heroine, has been sent to stay with her Uncle, Sir Benjamin Merryweather, because she is orphaned. She is accompanied by her stuffy governess Miss Heliotrope, and her faithful canine chum Wiggins. Although a nice change from London, there is another reason for her visit, which Maria must discover as her time as Moonacre Manor plays out. Something to do with moon maidens, a particularly nasty Frenchman, and lots of pink Geraniums! It's safe to say that I found this story really quite confusing, and if I'm totally honest, I'm still not quite sure about the finer points of the plot! What I can say though is that this book is truly bizarre, and for that reason it wasn't all bad!

    For a start it reeks of the Gothic and other classic genres! I found it channeling everything from Wuthering Heights to Dracula, with hints of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, The Secret Garden, and the Chrestomanci series, not to mention Five Children and It! It also has a time slip fiction feel to it too, which had me rather confused about what time period it was set in. It feels Victorian, yet there is an older vibe too (it took me way too long to work out that Maria's friend Robin wasn't a ghost!). Maybe the time period is undisclosed, who knows! It is fantasy after all! Or is it...

    This was something else I struggled with! I felt as though it was never fully committed to being a fantasy novel. Sometimes it was just normal, everyday life, and then there would be crazy moments, like when the cat shot great big, green beams of light out of his eyes! Yes, that really did happen! This book was full of surprising moments like that. Just when you think you're getting the hang of the story, Goudge springs another thing on you! 

You know Wrolf, the big old dog? 

Yeah..? 

Well he's actually lion, but no one ever notices!

What!? How can you not notice a lion walking about next to you, FOR MORE THAN HALF THE BOOK! 

    And then there was the unexpected, and frankly excessive use of the word cock!! The Men of the Black Cock (no laughing please!) are the Merryweather's sworn enemy, and their emblem is a big black cockerel. Whilst reading I came across cocks on people's shoulders, cock shaped swords, cocks on boxes, on boats! At NO POINT does Goudge use the word cockerel, and honestly, I think she did it on purpose! Let's just hope that her particular choice of vocab goes over the heads of the intended audience! It made me laugh though!! 

    The characters in The Little White Horse are wonderfully stereotypical. Maria is a spoilt child from a London household, used to the finer things. Miss Heliotrope the governess is the archetypal Victorian old maid and school mistress, and she's always getting Maria to practice her needlework, or read poetry. Although we do discover that Miss Heliotrope had an exotic past! Sir Benjamin is the usual big, blustery, jolly, aristocrat. He's not so keen on women, but dotes on Maria. And then there's dear old Digweed, the coachman/man servant, who scuttles around in the background like so many versions of this trope before him. The Old Parson feels like he is straight out of a Jane Austen novel! And the children of Silverydrew are always bursting into song like the chorus of children in an am-dram production! It's all very strange! The only characters that seem to break this conventional mould are Robin and his mother Loveday Minette. They are otherworldly, magical, and I'm not sure whether this is intentional or not. They almost feel like they've stepped out of another novel completely! It's safe to say that they were my favourite characters.

    But, despite the confusing plot, bizarre, if not slightly stereotypical characters, Goudge finishes the story quickly and neatly with 3 weddings. Long lost loves are reunited, Maria and Robin are married (despite Maria being, by my calculations, only 14!), and peace is restored to Moonacre Manor, the village of Silverydew, and the Merryweather estate. Goudge makes sure all loose ends are tied, and it's wonderfully predictable after the confusing chaos of the rest of the book! Everyone lives happily ever after! Hooray! 

    Overall, I found this book a confusing read! It's weirdness baffled me, but strangely this in itself was quite enchanting! If you think you have the patience then I suggest you try this book, but I think it appeals only to a certain kind of mind. I'm not a lover of fantasy and I think this may have been why I struggled with the plot so much. Even after writing this, I'm still not sure I totally understand what I've just read! 

Thanks for reading, L x

Next up, a book that I'm sure is on bookshelves everywhere, Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

The Summer Reading Challenge 2020 - The Silly Squad!

The Summer Reading Challenge starts today and I am so pleased that it's still on! 

This year join the Silly Squad, a madcap gang of animal friends, brought to life by Laura Ellen Anderson of Amelia Fang fame! The theme is humour and silliness, and so it's all about celebrating books that make us laugh! My favourite! All you have to do is sign up (as a child or a parent or carer) online at www.sillysquad.org.uk 

Like usual, the challenge encourages children to read as many books as they can in a set time period, earning badges and achieving goals along the way, except that this time it's all done online. This unfortunately means there will be no access to library books, so what will children be expected to read? Well, your local library service should have a selection of eBooks to choose from, and there are some wonderful platforms that these can be read on. For example I use a great app called Borrowbox, which I would strongly recommend. All you have to do is sign up using your library card and you can start borrowing. You can get both eBooks and audiobooks on Borrowbox, which is brilliant! Children can also re-read books that they already own, so why not get them picking out their favourites and revisiting them! Every book they read needs to be logged on their profile so that it counts towards their Silly Squad journey. 

Today, 5th June, is the start date, and if you're quick you can get in on the launch party action this afternoon on Facebook! Here's the schedule!

4.00pm - Sam & Mark (as seen on CBBC) launch the Summer Reading Challenge 2020 and introduce you to the Silly Squad - telling you how you can sign up and start your seriously silly summer

4.10pm - Comedian, author and presenter, David Baddiel, reads from his children's book The Taylor TurboChaser

4:15pm - Author Gareth P Jones reads from his book Dinosaur Detective: Catnapped! and takes us on a real adventure

4:20pm - Drawing with award-winning author and illustrator Rob Biddulph

4:30pm - Poet and author Joseph Coehlo reads Funny Fish from his book Poems Aloud

4:35pm - President of Libraries Connected, Carol Stump, reads a book from the official 2020 Summer Reading Challenge booklist - You Can't Call an Elephant in an Emergency by Patricia Cleveland-Peck & David Tazzyman

4:40pm - Crafts, colour and creativity with the original queen of colouring, Johanna Basford

4:45pm - Authors Katie and Kevin Tsang read from their book Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Zombies - including some super silly dress up!

4:50pm - Let's Get Silly with longest-serving female BBC Blue Peter presenter and author Konnie Huq

4.55pm - Presenter, author and adventurer, Ben Fogle reads an extract from his Mr Dog book series

5:05pm - The British Library shares content from their Discovering Children's Books website where you can find a whole range of creative activities. In this video, Viviane Schwarz shows you fun ways of developing silly characters

5:10pm - How to Build a Super Silly Reading Den with BBC's Katie Thistleton and Hacker T Dog

5:20pm - Children's author Philip Ardagh reads from his book Bunnies on the Bus

5:25pm - Arts Council England's Director of Libraries, Sue Williamson, reads her favourite poem

5:30pm - Silly Squad draw-along with author and illustrator, Laura Ellen Anderson, who is the Summer Reading Challenge 2020's official illustrator!

5:40pm - Award-winning comedian, actress and writer Samantha Baines reads from her novel Harriet Versus The Galaxy

5:45pm - Konnie Huq gets super silly with the Silly Squad

5:50pm - Shed School Magic with the nation's favourite teacher, Mr Bates

6pm - The nation's favourite comedian and presenter Paul O'Grady will read an excerpt from his favourite children's book, The Borrowers

6:05pm - Author Jennifer Killick reads from her book, Alex Sparrow and the Zumbie Apocalypse and shows us how to do a very silly dance - join in!

6:15pm - Children's author (and game designer!) Gabrielle Kent reads from her book, Knights and Bikes

6:25pm - Actor Owen Teale (Game of Thrones) reads from his favourite book, A Child's Christmas in Wales by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.

6:30pm - Jokes with our Ambassadors! Including Quick Reads 2020 author Milly Johnson, Samantha Baines, and Konnie Huq

6:35pm - Actor and writer Shobna Gulati (Dinner Ladies, Coronation Street) will read Tiny Ant from the Official Book Collection

6.40pm - Author and illustrator Laura Dockrill shares her favourite poems including her own poem My Mum's Growing Down as well as one by Benjamin Zephaniah from Talking Turkeys and a Carol Ann Duffy poem!

6.45pm - It's time to hear the official 'Let's Get Silly!' theme song! Written and performed by Harry Baker and Chris Read

6:50pm - Closing the Launch Party with a bedtime story, actor Charlie Condou (Holby City, Coronation Street) reads This is Gus from the official Summer Reading Challenge book collection

7pm - End

Personally, I'm loving the sound of a draw-along with Rob Biddulph! Has anyone been watching and joining in with Draw with Rob during the lockdown? And Paul O'Grady reading from The Borrowers will no doubt be magical! Plus, you can't have silly without Hacker T. Dog! 

Although it's a real pity that the Summer Reading Challenge wont be taking place in our libraries this year, the online version has a lot of great added extras! For a start it will be running for a much longer period, from June to September! So there is loads of time to get silly! There are also puzzles, games, quizzes, bonus content and an online book discussion forum too! There is even a book sorter to help children choose their next read. So, although it is a little different to what we are used to, this year's Summer Reading Challenge looks set to be a good one! 

I'm really glad they've chosen humour as the focus for this years challenge, I think it's what we all need right now! And on the theme of silliness I'd like to leave you with one of my favourite quotes from the great Roald Dahl, and something we should never forget. 

Thanks for reading, L x

No. 61 - Tom's Midnight Garden

Hi everyone! 

What a mad few weeks it's been! It would seem that a lot more things are approaching going back to some kind of normal, and the lockdown is easing up, which is super news! I personally can't wait to see my family again! 

In other news I have taken a job as an online English Lit tutor! So I have been cramming Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson for my first lessons! I forgot how complicated the plot is! There are mutinies all over the place!!

Today however, I wanted to talk to you about a book I have a love/hate relationship with, Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce. 

This book is a classic example of what is know in literature as 'time-slip fantasy'. This is a genre that uses the manipulation of time and chronology as the main feature of the plot. This usually happens through time-travel or dreaming. For me there are two definite types of 'time-slip fantasy', one that uses historical time periods, and another that uses fantasy worlds. The first category includes books such as Tom's Midnight Garden, A Traveller in Time by Allison Uttley, and The Greene Knowe books by Lucy Boston. The second kind of 'time-slips' can be found in books like Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz and of course The Phantom Tollbooth. These are much more dream-like and are much less rooted in reality. They deal in kairos, or mythical time. They also usually hide some kind of moral or didactic theme.

I think Tom's Midnight Garden fits into both of these categories. It mixes the ideas of memory and dreaming, with time-travel back to the Victorian period. Let me tell you a bit more about the story.

Now quite fittingly for our times, Tom is effectively sent away to his aunt and uncles' flat to self-isolate! His brother has measles, and until they are sure Tom doesn't have it too he must stay in their flat in quarantine! Moving into a little flat is a bit of a shock for Tom who is used to running around his garden and climbing trees. He must content himself with reading books and gazing out of the window. The flats have no garden to explore you see, much to Tom's disappointment. Then one night he hears the clock in the hall downstairs strike thirteen! This becomes the signal for Kairos, or mystical time, to begin. Tom sneaks out the flat and downstairs into the entrance hall of the big house (which has been divided up into flats), and when he opens the back door he discovers a huge, wonderful, verdant garden. A garden that existed when the house was a family home. In this kairos garden Tom can fulfill all his outdoor fantasies, and some critics have likened it to Eden or Paradise. Tom can climb all the trees, run across the lawn and paddle in the passing river. And the most brilliant thing is he can't be seen! Or can he? Enter Hatty, a little girl contemporary with the garden. She can see Tom, and together them embark on a variety of garden based adventures. Now all this sounds quite exciting doesn't it, and from an analytical point of view this book is brilliant! It has it's feet firmly in an interesting genre, there are loads of comparisions to be made with other books, and there is lots of scope for deeper reading and theorising too. Something that, as you probably all know by now, I love! But don't get your hopes up! Tom's Midnight Garden would be the perfect book if the plot wasn't so dull!

Now, I'm really sorry to have to say that! I'm not often too negative about books on here, but I find Tom's Midnight Garden a bit meh, as the kids say! Every time I read it I hope it will be more lively than it is! And I feel awful because I know it's won awards! It won the Carnegie Medal in 1958 for heavens sake! Maybe I'm missing something? I just find the whole things a little pallid. The characters are very 2D, and despite the beautiful, engaging descriptions of the garden I never really feel like I am there. There is the risk that because I am familiar with other 'time-slip' books, it all feels a bit samey. As the story progresses we begin to see the link between the garden and time, and Tom discovers that in the real world no time passes while he is in the garden! Like in Alice in Wonderland, or Peter Pan, kairos has no effect on chronos (real chronological time). In my opinion, there is nothing exceptional about the way Pearce uses the 'time-slip' genre, so you can why I've been a little reluctant to get excited about this book. 

The kairos finally reveals itself as dream and memory at the end of the book. Every night when Tom goes to bed he is sharing his dreams with the old lady upstairs. Sounds odd doesn't it! But the old lady upstairs is Hatty! It makes sense, yet no sense at all, and we only find out in the very last few chapters. It almost feels like an add on, an extra bit of information to try and keep the reader hooked that little bit longer. Yes, all the loose ends tie up, but they just don't seem strong enough to me. The critic Peter Hollindale suggests that it is bringing the story back to a more rational adult perspective, something he says is not in keeping with the childhood spirit of the story*, and I agree. 

As interesting as some of the theories about this book are, for example the garden as means for prolonging childhood, the concepts of kairos and chronos, I think these are explored just as well in other examples of the 'time-slip fantasy' genre. If you are after an example of the genre that will also capture a child's imagination, I'm afraid to say Tom's Midnight Garden would not be my first pick. Instead I would choose Boston or Uttley's books, or even Alice in Wonderland. 

Thanks for reading, L x

*Peter Hollindale in AA300 Children Literature Study Guide for the Open University.

Next up, The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goodge.

7 Ways To Keep the Children Busy and Learing During Lockdown!

Hi there!

I hope you're all doing well!

I wanted to share some resources with you that have been popping into my email inbox over the past few weeks.

1.  The Happy News - A fantastic, quirky, smiley newspaper full of handpicked positive news from around the world! You can subscribe to the paper itself, but I was also sent an activity pack for kids, full of positive news, and a blank sheet for them to create their very own Happy News! You can access this pack, and read more about subscriptions here!
2. Caboodle - This is a loyalty scheme by National Book Tokens. Just register and you can start collecting points with them straight away by entering competitions and playing games. Once you start collecting points they'll send you all kinds of exclusive content, other competitions and lots more lovely bookish stuff. There's a children's section and lots of for grown ups too! Explore Caboodle here!
3. Family Zone - I think I've mentioned this in one of my last posts, but I thought I'd pop the link in again for those who might have missed it. Family Zone is an area on the National Literacy Trust's website especially for children from 0-11. It is full of fun activities that will have your children learning and improving their literacy and reading skills without even realising! Take a look here!
4. Puffin Books - Their latest newsletter has a brilliant activity pack for children, full of fun activites based on favourites such a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. There's also a brilliant new podcast which went down well with the smaller ones in my family, and lots of must read book recommendations. Download the activities, and learn more about the other bits here!
5. Harry Potter with Audible - Queen J.K Rowling has been amazing once again and relaxed the copyright laws on the first Harry Potter Audiobook read by Stephen Fry, and allowed Audible to let everyone listen to it for free! I can't think of a better way to get through lockdown! Go on, listen!
6. Harry Potter at Home - If the free audiobook has ignited your children's imaginations, why not go and check out the new resource from The Wizarding World - Harry Potter at Home. Especially put together for the lockdown this website has all kinds of extra reading, facts about the Harry Potter books, quizzes, puzzles, crafts, and lots more to help you explore the world of Harry Potter. How amazing is that! You can find the Harry Potter at Home Hub here!
7. The World of David Walliams - David Walliams's website is full of hoards of fun activities, games, and downloadable puzzles based on his much-loved books, that will keep your kids busy for hours! There are also free audio books and live story time videos too! Check it out here!

Right, so that's my rundown of the latest activities and resources I could find to keep your families busy, keep boredom at bay, and secretly teach them things too, during lockdown!

Thanks for reading, Lx

Ps. Flour Babies by Anne Fine is up next!

No.77 - The Sheep Pig

This is my last catch up post from 2017, after this we can get on with all the books 2018 has to offer!

I am aiming to read more books from the list than last year, 15 is my 2018 target! I'm looking forward to Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield, as the TV adaptation starring Emma Watson is just lovely! And one of my all time favourite books is coming up too, The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy! Alongside those beauties are offerings from Oliver Jeffers, Michael Rosen, J.M Barrie, and Anne Fine to look forward to. For now though, here are my thoughts on one of the loveliest books i've ever read!

I'm sure everyone has seen the film 'Babe', and even it's ridiculous sequel 'Babe: Pig in the City', so you'll all familiar with the little pig, raised by a sheep dog, who has affinity with sheep. Well let me tell you this, the film is lovely, but the book is even more wonderful!

Babe, so called because that's what his mother called him, is such a cutie! Won by Farmer Hogget in a 'guess the pig's weight' competition, he is taken home and adopted by loving sheep dog mummy Fly. Fly and her pups raise Babe as one of their own and soon Babe is convinced his raison d'etre is to heard sheep just like them!

This book oozes charm. Dick King-Smith knew how to write about animals, and about the unconditional love that exists between man and beast. In The Sheep Pig the most moving character development is most certainly the bond that builds between Farmer Hogget and Babe. To start with there is talk of eating the pig, which would have been the most obvious thing to do, yet the farmer can't quite bring himself to agree with his wife. As Babe becomes more and more 'dog-like' Farmer Hogget becomes quite fond of him, until eventually they have formed a bond as strong as a man and his dog. Farmer Hogget sees that Babe is more than just a pig, he is special.

Flowing through this book there is a strong message about believing and trusting in others. Fly and Farmer Hogget believe in Babe, and encourage him to become a sheep-pig. At no point is he told that he shouldn't. This is an important message that can be transferred into so many different situations. Just because he is a pig, doesn't mean he can't do a dog's job, especially if he is good at it. Take that sentence and replace it with sexist or racist connotations and you've got a life message for children everywhere; you can be whatever you want to be, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

Reading this book was an unexpected revelation. I knew the story, but I wasn't at all prepared for the emotional impact it would have on me. By the end I was almost in tears! There are certainly ups and downs in this book, high points and low points, but in just 135 pages this book says more than you could ever imagine when looking at the cover.

Thanks for reading, L x

No.79 - The Little Prince

We've officially hit the 70s, hurrah! And what better book to start than with Antoine de Saint-Exupery's classic Le Petit Prince, or The Little Prince. 

I would certainly call reading this book an experience, and to be honest i'm not sure if it's a good one or a bad one. I've literally just put this book down, and my over-riding emotions right now are that of bafflement, confusion and possibly a little sadness! What a bizarre book! Within the first few pages it had me thinking of the twentieth century Modernist texts that I had studied during my degree, with their symbolism and philosophical approach to, and examination of, modern life. It seemed a very grown-up book, yet it seem to deride grown-ups and their outlook on the world, in a way that Peter Pan or Roald Dahl might be proud of! I was thoroughly confused. In front of me was a book that I had initially associated with adult literature, yet it spoke to me in the voice of children's fiction....

This is the way the book begins,

But look again, it is in fact not a hat, but a boa constrictor eating an elephant, from the outside. This surreal image really appealed to me, and I began warming to my narrator! Especially when I was then presented with this, 

A boa constrictor eating an elephant, from the inside! As amusing as this was, it was all making an important point; grown-ups forget how to use their imagination, and have to have all the obvious things explained to them! Very Roald Dahl don't you think! 

The story, in which a pilot stranded in the Sahara Desert meets a Little Prince from outer space, is punctuated with philosophical and moral moments such as these. On the official Little Prince website I am told that it is a story of a grown-up meeting his inner child, and this makes a lot of sense, but also no sense at all, a recurring theme in most of the book! I tried so hard to understand the deeper elements of this book, yet struggled to understand quite what the point was. It seemed to be stuffed full of comments on humanity, responsibility, vice, greed, selfishness, ignorance, the perils of growing up, the plight of the grown-up, love, grief, friendship, childhood, and happiness. These can be seen as The Little Prince journeys across space visiting various planets, each home to another personified vice of man. 

If we are to believe the idea of an adult meeting with the inner child then the ending seems to make sense. The Little Prince must leave, and like in all good children's books that deal with magic, be it Mary Poppins or Peter Pan, this way of looking at the world must be given up, isolated within childhood and never cross over into adulthood, a time of responsibility and sense. However, the narrator does ask us to keep a look out for the return of The Little Prince, just in case he can relive a glimmer of this childlike outlook on life. There is an element of sadness here, as if he, as an adult, longs for a life that is much simpler and happier. However, you could also say that the Prince was in fact a hallucination of a desperate man, stranded in the desert, slowly loosing consciousness. It's hard to tell. So many questions and things to make you think, and all squished into just around 90 pages!

I had heard of this book prior to reading it, and had been told it was a classic of children's literature loved by children and adults alike. But this was all I knew. I had no idea what is was about, or what made it so special. I'm afraid to say, i'm still a little in the dark. However, here are a few things that I do know about The Little Prince, 

• 150 million copies of the book have been sold worldwide.
• There have been 300 translations.
• 400 million people and counting have read it!
• There's a film, i've seen the trailer and it looks quite good! 
• There was a The Little Prince TV series, which was shown in 50 countries. 
• There's a The Little Prince musical.
• There was a 4D ride shown in theme parks across the world!
• There is a Le Petit Prince shop in Paris full to the brim with official merchandise!
• There is a charity foundation.
• In France you can go to The Little Prince theme park.
• In Japan you can visit The Little Prince Museum.
• In Korea you can go to The Little Prince Village.
• This year an astronaut took a figurine of The Little Prince to the International Space Station!!

So clearly, there is something rather special about this book, and it's name sake! It is quaint, and the image of The Little Prince alone on his asteroid, barely bigger than him, with his 3 volcanos, his rose and his baobab shoots, is one not easily forgotten, yet I do wonder what the rest of it is for.... Maybe there's a secret meaning that i'm yet to discover. I will probably read this book again just to make sure i'm not missing anything. 

The Little Prince was one of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's last books. In 1944, just 2 years after it's publication, he died when his plane was shot down whilst on a mission for the Free French Forces. I likened Saint-Exupery to Roald Dahl at the start of this post, and it strikes me as a fitting comparison. Here are two men, both airforce pilots during the second world war, seeing things that were no doubt truly horrific, and being asked to defend their countries and risk their lives no matter what was thrown at them. It's not surprising really that they lost their faith in the adult world is it?

Thanks for reading, L x

Next up a look at Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones, the first book in her Chrestomanci series. 

*All the information about The Little Prince phenomenon and the author's life was found here and here.

No.84 - Handa's Surprise

Number 84 is another picture book, hooray! I love a picture book! This time it's the much loved classic, Handa's Surprise, a tale about friendship and fruit! 

This vibrant and cheery book tells the story of Handa, and her journey to her friend's village to deliver a basket of fruit. Handa lovingly packs a selection of fruit in a basket as a surprise for her friend Akeyo. Whilst walking to Akeyo's village however, the fruit is pilfered by a variety of different animals, each keen on a certain piece of fruit! When Handa arrives at Akeyo's village she gets a surprise of her own.... and I can't possibly tell you what that is, or it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, and that's the whole point of the book! 

The book takes it's form from the journey Handa takes, from one village to the next, and each page shows little Handa walking purposefully towards the next page. With every page turn the journey has progressed a little further, until she finally reaches Akeyo's village. Along the way though, Handa's basket is visited by an assortment of wild characters, first a monkey, then an ostrich, a zebra, an elephant, a giraffe, an antelope, and finally a parrot. As each animal steals the fruit, in the background we see the previous animal making off with it's fruity treat from the previous page, creating a wonderful sense of continuity and reinforcing the journey structure of the book.  

Illustrations, of course, play a huge role in all modern picture books, (unless of course you're reading The Book with No Pictures by B.J Novak...). The images in Handa's Surprise present a vibrant and dynamic picture of it's African setting. They are rich with earthy golds and bright blues, allowing you to image the heat of the sun, and the bright sunshine. Handa wears a pink dress with a green pattern, which echoes the colours found in her fruit bowl, and again gives a real feeling of warmth. The pictures have little hidden signposts helping us to read the story, like the retreating animals I mentioned earlier, allowing the child and the reader to talk about the images and discuss the story. The joy of picture books is that there is often more to the image than what you can see straight away, and this leads us to a closer reading of the pictures and greater engagement for the child. 

The pictures can also tell a totally different story to that of the words, which is something we so often see in picture books written post Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, the parent of all modern picture books. Prior to Sendak's masterpiece, most picture books relied on the images supplementing the written text, rather than being read in their own right. These days we expect the images to be the main focus of the picture book, and for that we can thank Sendak!

The text and images clearly tell different stories in Handa's Surprise. The written text follows Handa's thought process, as she wonders which fruit Akeyo will like best, but the visual story shows the animals stealing the fruit. If the story was told without the pictures, the story, and in particular the surprise ending, would make no sense! The images and the text work together to create a double narrative, which allows for even more enjoyment of the story, as the listener/reader can see what Handa cannot, and is in on the surprise. 

Overall, I think Handa's Surprise certainly deserves the accolade of 'classic picture' book. The choice of setting is very successful, allowing small children to explore another culture, through it's people, it's produce and it's animals. There will no doubt be fruits in Handa's basket that some children will never have come across before! The stars of the show however, are most certainly the illustrations which are bold and zingy, using colour in a really effective way to make this book instantly attractive. And of course the double narrative depicted through text and images makes for an enjoyable and entertaining story. I think Handa's Surprise is a must-have for all children's bookshelves!

Thanks for reading, Lx

Next up, A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.

No.85 - The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken is a bizarre book. I'd describe it as a bit like Jacqueline Wilson's Hetty Feather, with hints of classic books such as The Secret Garden. Published in 1962, it also has stylistic echoes of Philippa Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden, published just five years earlier. Aiken's book is set in a completely fictional era of British history, ruled over by Good King James III, in which the Channel Tunnel has already been built, allowing huge packs of wolves to come through the tunnel into Britain and cause havoc! You can see why I said it was bizarre now can't you!? The first half of the book is rife with wolf attacks, which reminded me of both Wuthering Heights and Dracula. I felt that this book was full of little nods to other texts, whether this was intentional or not I don't know, but it made it all the more enjoyable. 

The story is a dark and mysterious tale, following the misfortunes of young cousins Bonnie and Sylvia. Bonnie is the richer of the two cousins, living in a grand house called Willoughby Chase with everything she could possibly want, and kind, loving parents. Sylvia lives in a small room in London with her elderly aunt, who is struggling to cope with looking after both of them on her meagre income. She sends Sylvia to live with her brother, Bonnie's father, and so the story begins.

Bonnie's parents leave for warmer climes, and her father leaves the two girls, and the estate, in the care of the new governess, and his distant cousin, Miss Slighcarp, who is bad news!! I won't give too much away, but she has her sights on the Willoughby Chase fortune! She instantly transforms life at Willoughby Chase, and telling Bonnie her parents have both drowned, she sends the girls to a school for orphans in a nearby industrial town. Here they are treated terribly, and it was this part of the story that reminded me of Jacqueline Wilson's book about the foundling Hetty Feather. Bonnie reminded me of Hetty in her bold and unbreakable attitude towards this cruel life, plotting escape, keeping herself well fed and looking after Sylvia too, who becomes very ill. Bonnie and Sylvia are helped to escape by Simon, a boy who breeds geese on the Willoughby Chase estate. The three of them travel up to London (with the geese) to find Bonnie's father's solicitor and put everything to rights.

The characters in this book are all really endearing, and we see them change over their adventure, particularly Sylvia who goes from being a very meek and fragile girl, to strong and confident character. Like a Dicken's novel, some of the characters names echo their personality traits, something that I think is useful in novels for children, signposting which characters to side with, and which to dislike! The governess is called Miss Slighcarp, as I've already mentioned, indicating her sneaky, and indeed sly, characteristics, and her accomplice is a Mr Grimshaw, who sounds instantly nasty! Mrs Brisket is the lady that runs the home for orphan girls, and is also in on the plot to steal the fortune. Her name suggests to me a strict and sharp lady, perfect for cruelly disciplining innocent children! In contrast to these characters, the friendly characters in the book seem to have names that echo nature, something that is portrayed as a positive force throughout the book (apart from when the wolves are around!). Bonnie's parents are Lord and Lady Green, an obvious link to nature and the earth, and on their journey the children meet Mr Wilderness the herbalist and blacksmith, and Dr Field, who are both very helpful. Lastly there is Mr Gripe the solicitor, whose name initially indicates that he might be a bad character, and we are not sure who's side he is on until the very end. However, it turns out that he had no idea about the antics of Miss Slighcarp, Mr Grimshaw and Mrs Brisket, and so the whole thing was a bit of headache for him, hence the name Gripe of course! 

Despite being a rather bizarre concept, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase was a really enjoyable adventure story, with hints of other much loved children's books and adult novels woven into the narrative, and recognisable in the characters too. I would recommend this book for adults and children alike. It's a bit scary to start with, with all the wolves and mysterious men, but it becomes much more child friendly as the story goes on, and you end up really routing for the characters. 

Thanks for reading, L x

Next up, a classic picture book, Handa's Surprise.

Children's lit is for life not just for Christmas!

The festive season has been and gone. We're all wondering why there's still Quality Street knocking about, and whether enough time has passed to warrant buying more cheese, and for it not to count as a cheeseboard anymore...? I've just about got my head around what day of the week it is again! Thursday right? Anyway, with all the confusion comes the calm and quiet, which allows you to look back over your presents and truly appreciate what you were given by the ones you love, and what fun you had gifting things to them too. I thought I'd share with you the two beautiful children's books I was given for Christmas, and the three I chose to give to the little people in my life, and what I thought of We're Going on a Bear Hunt.

First up, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, illustrated by the incredibly talented Jim Kay! 

This book is beyond beautiful! I was keenly anticipating receiving this book for Christmas, hoping that my other half would continue the tradition he set last year when he bought me the first one, and he didn't disappoint! Hooray, and thank you Martin! I came to Harry Potter late but have since found myself totally enchanted by the Wizarding World, and Jim Kay really brings it to life in these books! The Chamber of Secrets is packed with stunning illustrations, bold double page spreads, little intriguing details and fabulous mark making. Magic oozes from it's pages, it's truly spectacular! This book is a real treasure, as is the first one, and I can't wait to see what the next one will look like!

Secondly, a touching picture book about love, loyalty, pride and a piano playing bear. 

I came across David Litchfield's debut picture book The Bear and the Piano on one of my many visits to my local Waterstones's children's section not that long ago, though it was released in 2015. We stood and poured over the enchanting illustrations, and were really touched by the story, reading it aloud like we do with every story we come across (Someone should really employ us!)! So when I unwrapped this book at Christmas I was over the moon! Again, thank you Martin! Here's a little about it.

A bear cub discovers a piano in the forest, and with it a passion for music. Returning to the piano everyday he teaches himself to play, persistently playing until the sounds he makes are beautiful. He gives performances for his fellow bears, until one day some humans suggest he could be a successful concert pianist in the city and so he goes with them. The bear becomes a huge star, packing concert halls every night, but he misses his home. Returning to the forest years later he believes that his family and friends have forgotten him, but in fact they have been keeping up with his progress and have created a shrine to him around his beloved piano, full of his CDs, newspaper cuttings and programs. This book is so tenderly written that I can't help but feel a bit teary when the bear finds his friends have not forgotten him. It's quite moving! In a good way! I urge you all, young and old, to get hold of a copy of this gorgeous book, as it definitely contains a message for all of us.

Now, from one bear to another. I wanted to quickly talk to you about the Channel 4 adaptation of We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen that hit our screens on Christmas Eve. I watched it on Christmas day with my mum and my boyfriend, and while they were happily enjoying the story of a children on an adventure I was a sobbing wreck! It broke me! And here's why!
The whole thing was beautifully done, using hand drawn animation that stayed true to Helen Oxenbury's delightful illustrations in the book. However, what got me was the new additions to the story. The children had clearly lost their Grandpa fairly recently according to this new version, and it was full of sentimental moments where the children remembered him whilst they were walking, and the addition of a recently widowed Granny upped the emotion considerably!  When Rosie broke away from the others in the cave and discovered the bear, made friends with him, and gave him Grandpa's scarf to keep him warm I was holding my tears back! My lip wobbled as the other children dragged the little girl away from the bear and back home. It upset me even more when, as in the book, the children locked the bear out and hid upstairs! By the time the Rosie was telling Granny that she missed Grandpa during the Christmas festivities I was a mess! The end credits rolled and I burst into uncontrollable tears! "The bear is Grandpa", I sobbed, "and the others haven't noticed!" Whether it was the exhaustion of Christmas, or whether this adaptation really had pushed all my emotional buttons it was hard to tell! I thought about it more later on and another thing struck me. Maybe the Bear wasn't Grandpa at all, but a representation of grief. The children ran away from it because they didn't want to face the loss they felt, all accept Rosie who was openly grieving for her lost grandparent. Now, I can hear you all saying "It's just a story Lottie, I can't be that deep!" But one thing my MA has taught me is that there are often a lot more layers to things than you think! But, yes, I probably read to much into it, and besides, that's not how Michael Rosen's story goes anyway! That's just a joyous exploration by children of their terrain and imaginations, without the sentimentality we all have to suffer just because it's Christmas! All in all I was impressed with the adaptation of this classic picture book, and theres a really lovely video about how it was made that you can watch here if you're interested. I just could have done without the emotional breakdown, thats all!!!



I'd also like to share with you the children's books that I gifted this Christmas too. First up Mr Creep the Crook written by Allan Ahlberg and illustrated by Andre Amstutz.

Archie, who is 5, loves Janet and Allan Ahlberg's classic picture book Burglar Bill (a fav of mine, as you all probably know by now!!). So keeping with the spirit of 'cops and robbers' I bought him this book for Christmas. Part of Allan Ahlberg's Happy Families series, a collection of 20 books all with titles like the characters from the Happy Families card game, this book is truly charming! Mr Creep is a bit naughty, much like our friend Burglar Bill! Unlike Bill though, he's been caught! When he escapes from prison he decides to take his whole family, including their rather naughty dog, to the seaside. There he learns that being bad is not all its cracked up to be. Seeing as Archie liked the humour, the story and characters of Burglar Bill I thought this book might a hit, and I really hope it is! Also he's at the age where he's learning to read and the simple text and image layout seemed to me to be a nice beginners read, and if not his sister can always read it to him!


For her, I bought Claude on the Slopes by Alex. T. Smith.

Last year I bought her Claude in the Spotlight and she loved it! So knowing she was a fan of the debonair dog and his sock sidekick I chose her another. I love the Claude books, mainly for their humour, but also for their brilliant illustrations and retro feel. Claude is pretty cute and certainly endearing, and Sir Bobblysock is about as perfect as a slightly camp, anthropomorphised sock can get! The humour is both adult and child friendly, which I think is quite important in a children's book. In this particular book Claude and Sir Bobblysock go skiing, cause an avalanche and have to become mountain rescue!! It's brilliant! I would suggest that these books are a must read for any child between the ages of about 5 and 8, or any age to be honest! You'll love them!


 And lastly, a book for a baby.

When I set out to buy a book for my friends baby boy for his first christmas I had so many ideas! I wanted to get him a real classic, a beautiful book that he'd treasure, and then I remembered, 1- he's only very small, and 2- he might have a lot of the go-to classics already, and I didn't want to double up. I came across Peekaboo Zoo by Kate Merritt quite unexpectedly and I instantly fell in love with it's bright, bold baby friendly illustrations and fun flaps to lift (I love a 'lift the flap' book!). But the clincher for me was the little mirror on the last page, which lets the baby see their own reflection after saying peekaboo to all the animals throughout the book. This was a lovely touch, and also a nice interesting visual element for James too after the static illustrations. Reflections are fascinating things after all!


Ok, so there you go, a round up of the children's book I gave, received and enjoyed over Christmas.
I hope you liked it!

Thanks for reading! L x