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[CCBC-Net] childhood books
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From: Leda Schubert <bobr>
Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 10:25:52 -0400
What fun! My memory stinks, but I do remember a few books that I read over and over when very young. One, which several of you have mentioned, is The Golden Book of Poetry, with pictures by Gertrude Elliott. What I remember about reading it is the effect of the illustrations, particularly for "Moon Song," which shows a yellow moon smiling down on mermaids and moonbeams. I felt then that I could enter the spell of that picture; I remember staring at it for ages. Same with the wooden boat on the water in "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod." This visceral memory is a gift-- when I watch children respond to picture books now, I remember. I still have the book (one of the very few my parents ever bought), and when I look at it now, of course, there is only the slightest echo of that magic.
Another favorite which marks me as a trendsetter, no doubt, was BARNABY, by Crockett Johnson. I devoured those comic strips, and when they were published as a book its appearance in our house was miraculous to me. I still have it--an early graphic novel, hee hee. Someone should reissue those books--they're brilliant. Cigar-smoking fairy godfathers with pink wings, coffee rustlers, talking dogs.
One more from the pre-school years: Andersen's fairy tales. The dogs with eyes like saucers absolutely haunted my dreams, as did the little match girl and the little mermaid. I was not afraid of the Grimms.
Can't wait to hear more of your choices to jog my brain cells. leda Ballet of the Elephants, Roaring Brook, 2006
Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 10:25:52 -0400
What fun! My memory stinks, but I do remember a few books that I read over and over when very young. One, which several of you have mentioned, is The Golden Book of Poetry, with pictures by Gertrude Elliott. What I remember about reading it is the effect of the illustrations, particularly for "Moon Song," which shows a yellow moon smiling down on mermaids and moonbeams. I felt then that I could enter the spell of that picture; I remember staring at it for ages. Same with the wooden boat on the water in "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod." This visceral memory is a gift-- when I watch children respond to picture books now, I remember. I still have the book (one of the very few my parents ever bought), and when I look at it now, of course, there is only the slightest echo of that magic.
Another favorite which marks me as a trendsetter, no doubt, was BARNABY, by Crockett Johnson. I devoured those comic strips, and when they were published as a book its appearance in our house was miraculous to me. I still have it--an early graphic novel, hee hee. Someone should reissue those books--they're brilliant. Cigar-smoking fairy godfathers with pink wings, coffee rustlers, talking dogs.
One more from the pre-school years: Andersen's fairy tales. The dogs with eyes like saucers absolutely haunted my dreams, as did the little match girl and the little mermaid. I was not afraid of the Grimms.
Can't wait to hear more of your choices to jog my brain cells. leda Ballet of the Elephants, Roaring Brook, 2006
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