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Weekly Geeks: Childhood Favourites

Posted by Lahni in Children | Weekly Geeks | Young Adult - (5 Comments)

wg-sticky-url_thumb4April 2nd was International Children’s Book Day. And April is National Poetry Month. In celebration, I have two lovely options for you this week:

Option A: Be a kid!

You could read a picture book (or two or three) and share what you read.
Write up a post sharing your favorite books from childhood
Write up a post about reading together with your child(ren)

Option B: Be a poet!

Write your own poem and share with us!
Write bookish ABC poems–ABC’s of favorite authors, favorite books, favorite characters, favorite book blogs, or any combination of the above. Maybe even an ABC’s of a bibliophile or book addict. (A is for…B is for…etc.)(For example, ABC’s of Dr. Seuss)
Review a book you’ve read recently in haiku. (It doesn’t need to be a poetry book you’re reviewing, any book will do.) See Emilyreads for an idea of what I mean.
Read a poetry book and review it
Participate in Poetry Friday (This week’s host will be Carol’s Corner.)

I’m not much for poetry so I’ve chosen option A.  I have quite a huge list, so here it goes:

  • Below the Root, And All Between and Until the Celebration by Zilpha Keatley Snyder – I remember loving this trilogy when I was about 12 (?).  It was so magical and I could just see this fantasy world in my mind.  I haven’t read them in forever, but I am definitely going to try and pick them up again.
  • The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell – I remember reading this one for school in grade 5 and then rereading it over and over.  I loved Karana and I thought she was so smart and brave to create a home and existence for herself all on her own.
  • Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien – The was another one we had to read for school.  I think this one was grade 3.  I loved it because I loved the thought of the rats creating this whole little world for themselves underground.  I recently read it to my 5 year-old and I think he liked it a lot too.
  • The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks – I’m starting to see a pattern here!  I seemed to really like books with a little bit of magic in them.  I loved the thought of a little toy coming to life.  I used to wish that some of my toys would come to life too! I hope my son will enjoy this one as much as I did.
  • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle – This is another fantasical classic.  I remember liking this one because it was kind of science-y (not a real word, I know) and that was right up my alley.  I also read the sequels to this one and I liked them just as much.  I plan on reading all of these to my son as well.

I could go on and on, but I think I’ll revisit this topic another time!

Favourite Books III

Posted by Lahni in Favourites | General Fiction | Young Adult - (0 Comments)

This book was originally intended for adults but was marketed in the US for young adults.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief takes place during WWII and one of the most interesting things about it, is that it is told from the point of view of death.  I know that makes it sound like kind of a morbid story, but it’s really not.  Death is not the stereotypical grim reaper type character.  In fact, death isn’t really even a character in the story.  The story is really about a young girl named Liesel, who due to circumstances caused by the war is going to be left with a foster family in a town near Munich.  Her father has been imprisoned for his communist sympathies, her brother has died from an illness and her mother can no longer care for her.  It is as her brother is being buried that Liesel becomes the book thief, grabbing a book she spots at the graveyard.  It is this act that causes Death to take an interest in Liesel.

As Liesel goes to live with the couple that have agreed to take her in Death continues to keep an eye on her.  She quickly adjusts to her new life and develops strong relationships with her new family and some of the people who live on her street.  Liesel continues to steal books with the help of her foster father, she begins to learn to read.  She uses her stolen books for other purposes as well, including comforting neighbours during an air raid.

This story contains all the regular types of occurrences you expect to find in a WWII story – loved ones dying and disappearing , Jews being persecuted and forced into hiding, and fear and hardship, but they take such a unique twist that the story isn’t boring or predictable.  I especially love the use of colour in the narrative.  Zusak uses colour as a noun rather than an adjective and colour is a very important part of this novel.  One of the reasons I’ve chosen this as on of my favourites is that the story is touching and real, but never overly depressing.  It’s an easy read with lovable characters and an uplifting message.

I have read another book by Zusak (I am the Messanger) but it wasn’t nearly as good as The Book Thief so I won’t recommend it.

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