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[CCBC-Net] Life changing books--for me and others
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From: Tattercoat at aol.com <Tattercoat>
Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 14:26:07 EDT
Most influential book in childhood? This is fun!
I'd have to say for me, it was LITTLE WOMEN. Growing up in the 1950s, I was inspired by Alcott's vibrant, independent young girls negotiating social strictures. When I met Jo March, I knew that I was a writer, too. Reading Alcott's books, I slipped back 100 years in time and really got hooked on history and historic perspectives. It both amuses and saddens me now when younger readers find Alcott's books stuffy and think that the girls are so "proper."
Carol Kendall's THE GAMAGE CUP was another powerful book that influenced me to think outside the norms and find like-minded Minnipins of my own.
Beginning in grade school I read, and reread, A HIGH WIND IN JAMAICA by Richard Hughes; it is not a children's book, but I was attracted to the pirates and high seas adventure. Each time I read it, I saw the story differently. Now I know my response to literature and my understanding of adult/child interactions were developing and the different readings were benchmarks of my own growing awareness. Interacting with that book gave me an insatiable appetite for the satisfying challenges of reading good books.
Several years ago I did a survey of children's literature in the lives of survivors of sexual abuse. I asked what books had been most important to them in surviving difficult childhoods. Far and above, the book most cited was ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L. M. Montgomery. People wrote about Anne's optimism in the face of challenges, including an alcoholic caregiver, and the self confidence and determination to have a good life that brought her through.
One older woman wrote that throughout her life she found hope and meaning in the Cinderella story because it showed that you could get out of a bad family situation and make something totally new for yourself. She just glossed over the "change by marriage" motif and saw it as "change by determination and innate goodness in the face of oppression." Although it was the Disney version she was familiar with, it was as if she had read into it the older tales like Cap o' Rushes and Furball.
Younger correspondents, mentioned a variety of books with strong female protagonists, like Anne McCaffrey's Alana books. All of the responses were about finding role models in books.
Carolyn
~~~~ Carolyn Lehman STRONG AT THE HEART strongattheheart.com
You can follow the first year of the book at: strongattheheart.com/blog/
Received on Tue 23 May 2006 01:26:07 PM CDT
Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 14:26:07 EDT
Most influential book in childhood? This is fun!
I'd have to say for me, it was LITTLE WOMEN. Growing up in the 1950s, I was inspired by Alcott's vibrant, independent young girls negotiating social strictures. When I met Jo March, I knew that I was a writer, too. Reading Alcott's books, I slipped back 100 years in time and really got hooked on history and historic perspectives. It both amuses and saddens me now when younger readers find Alcott's books stuffy and think that the girls are so "proper."
Carol Kendall's THE GAMAGE CUP was another powerful book that influenced me to think outside the norms and find like-minded Minnipins of my own.
Beginning in grade school I read, and reread, A HIGH WIND IN JAMAICA by Richard Hughes; it is not a children's book, but I was attracted to the pirates and high seas adventure. Each time I read it, I saw the story differently. Now I know my response to literature and my understanding of adult/child interactions were developing and the different readings were benchmarks of my own growing awareness. Interacting with that book gave me an insatiable appetite for the satisfying challenges of reading good books.
Several years ago I did a survey of children's literature in the lives of survivors of sexual abuse. I asked what books had been most important to them in surviving difficult childhoods. Far and above, the book most cited was ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L. M. Montgomery. People wrote about Anne's optimism in the face of challenges, including an alcoholic caregiver, and the self confidence and determination to have a good life that brought her through.
One older woman wrote that throughout her life she found hope and meaning in the Cinderella story because it showed that you could get out of a bad family situation and make something totally new for yourself. She just glossed over the "change by marriage" motif and saw it as "change by determination and innate goodness in the face of oppression." Although it was the Disney version she was familiar with, it was as if she had read into it the older tales like Cap o' Rushes and Furball.
Younger correspondents, mentioned a variety of books with strong female protagonists, like Anne McCaffrey's Alana books. All of the responses were about finding role models in books.
Carolyn
~~~~ Carolyn Lehman STRONG AT THE HEART strongattheheart.com
You can follow the first year of the book at: strongattheheart.com/blog/
Received on Tue 23 May 2006 01:26:07 PM CDT
