Ooooo, you guys. I found a really great page turner for you. Our June book for From Left to Write was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, and it was exquisitely written with twists and turns that will keep you guessing throughout. It’s one of those books where I can’t even write much of a summary since it will spoil the plot.
What I can tell you is one of the main characters is the fictional beloved children’s book character, Amazing Amy. Her parents created the character, inspired by their daughter. But Amy is now all grown up, and her life isn’t very amazing. In fact, she’s missing…
That’s it. That’s all I’m going to reveal.
{NPR might have the first chapter online, but I’m not telling.}
Amy’s characterization got me thinking about the books I devoured as a child. The characters I adored, the places I ‘lived’ through their worlds. Reading takes you to another place, and no one manipulates young minds more than authors of children’s books. Our young brains could be transported in a way no book could ever do for me now, as an adult. Sure, right now I could read all about The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and picture the setting. But as a child? I was in Narnia, I did climb through that wardrobe and come out in a fantasy world on the other side.
Which children’s book character (or any book character, for that matter) would you dream of switching places with? Who has a life you want, or would like to experience, or is living a life you’d love to grasp yourself? Were there any books you wanted to crawl into, perhaps…
Madeline, with her appendix scar and walks past the Eiffel Tower (in two straight lines)?
Laura, whose little house {on the prairie} was filled with adventure and pa’s fiddle?
Max, who led a wild rumpus or Wilbur and his BFF Charlotte the spider?
Ramona… Eloise… Pippi Longstocking? Bella from Twilight? (c’mon, I know you were thinking it. Twilight is a Young Adult book, it counts).
When I was younger, I adored Anastasia Krupnik. Of all the characters to aspire to be, mine was the preteen with a secret green notebook and dreams of seeing a psychoanalyst. Dorky, but you have to give me props for keeping it real. It would be too easy to say I wanted to be cool-kid Margaret. Trust me, I did not want to be Margaret.
My other fantasy book was The Littles. Don’t laugh. I wanted to make furniture from pencil stubs and things. Kinda sounds like my DIY passion right now, actually. ‘Oh look, a spool! It would make a cute table!’ Yes, that really went through my head when I was kid thanks to those little critters. Thankfully I now channel those urges into my own home decor. No spools in sight, though I did turn two vintage bamboo end tables into a coffee table. If only I had time to blog about it.
How about you? Which character do you admire, and where do you think he or she is now? Probably she’s not anything like Amy in Gone Girl. And that’s all you’ll get from me about this book. For now. 😉
I loved Bridge to Terabithia- minus the ending. I always wished I could jump into Terabithia 🙂
Michelle, I adored that book too! And boy did I cry at the end!
I adored The Little Princess, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was the first time I cried, reading a book. I remember running downstairs to share this new discovery with my mother–that a book could bring me to tears. I think I’m going to have to go back now and read Anastasia Krupnik. I can’t imagine how I missed that one!
i have heard this book is really good! i need to get my hands on it!
I loved Anne of Green Gables and always wished I had the spark that girl had.
OK, just added this to my “hold” list at the library now…I’m #237, so maybe I’ll read it by 2015? ha ha! I just picked up Still Missing by Chevy Stevens after I read about it on your Pinterest board….so far I’m hooked (just started though!) Will let you know how it is! (It’s a good break from my last book! ha!)
Happy reading!
You got me (way to write a hook girl!)…will be lookind for it @ the library 🙂
The two characters that I remember most are Matilda — I loved her sassiness (and of course her paranormal ability to give her principal a hard time), and the Girl of the Limberlost — I loved her passion for butterflies and nature.
RG, I forgot about Limberlost! I loved that book as well. I thought of her a lot when we went to Maine and the woods behind the house there… lots of butterflies, and a little eerie!
I was a Shel Silverstein girl!
i totally have to read this book, as i’ve read her others and really enjoyed them. as a child, i loved amelia bedelia. i always thought she was so funny, and would love to have her “help” at my house. that, and going on adventures with nancy drew!
Harriet of Harriet the Spy was the girl I wanted to be!
I really love this post! Great food for thought.
There was a book called, “From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil T. Frankwaller (sp??)” A girl and her brother ran away and lived in the library- It was absolutely my fantasy (not so much that I wanted to run away, but living in the library sounded fantastic)!! I also loved the Anastasia books- I completely forgot about them. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
Oooh gonna read it for sure! You always suggest great book. I grew up during the “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret Days.” Read them because all the other kids were but my hero from younger days was Ramona the Brave — loved her!
Oh and I priced the cabinet $875 because I figured I could always go down on the price but not go up 🙂 Of course everyone here is so behind the times in style, it will just sit there until an “out-of-towner” comes through.
I’m a Laura, of course!
There a number of books I read over and over again as a child -Little House series, Charlotte’s Web, Secret Garden.
Love to read,
Laura
Thanks for the book recommendation! I will have to try that one! I was a weird kid and read encyclopedias mostly… I loved reading but I also hid to read “Herman Hesse” books that my mom had from her youth… just weird stuff! … I also had children’s books but they are in Spanish… I am still looking for those books for my girls to have but they are not printing them any more like “El Quillet De los Niños” http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YfJq0CkJRQk/SEo7PcKXK7I/AAAAAAAAAT8/o0hkkv4YiXg/s400/QUILLET.jpg and of course I also loved “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and many others… 🙂 Oh How I loved reading! … 🙂 Thanks for taking me “to that place” in my life.