What I Was Reading in 1989
The other day on Facebook, my friend Kristen mentioned the book "A Ring of Endless Light" by Madeline L'Engle and I was instantly thrown back to fourth grade and my obsession with Madelin L'Engle. I loved that book as well as The Arm of the Starfish, The Wind in the Door, A Wrinkle In Time, A Swiftly Tilting Planet. You would not know this about me know but as a chile, I was a pretty quiet and kind of anxious kid. And I wanted to BE Meg Murray (right around when she hooks up with Calvin). I'm also pretty sure, if I recall correctly, that my friend L and I acted out a scene from A Wrinkle in Time for our 4th grade class for extra credit (nerds).
Now I feel like I want to re read all those books again.
It also makes me think of other books I loved in elementary school.
I distinctly remember reading and re-reading (and later making a kickass diorama of) Island of the Blue Dolphins
I would have loved to have lived with Karana on Ghalas-at. So what about the no human contact for years on end?
Then there was also the heart-breaking Bridge To Terabithia which I think was the first book I ever cried at!
Now here's where we get REAL nerdy. My parents took us on a trip to Amish country one year and while my brother was less than enthused...I LOVED IT. Seriously. I wanted to be Amish and use a horse and buggy every day and quilt and raise chickens and I didn't care if it meant a life without zippers and straws. Since absconding for the Amish life was out of the question, I intend took some books ABOUT being Amish. Namesly these two.
The story of Ellie, a traditional Amish girl living life, riding the buggies, eventually marying a nice Amish man.
Reecca, Elli's daughter, who falls in love with a MENNONITE MAN and leaves the Amish church. Look at him in his suit tempting her away! Scandal!
And last but not least
The Giver. This is a pretty f'd up book for a kid to read, if you ask me. It instilled this subtle sense of paranoia in me that I still have today. Truth be told I think it would be kind of f'd up even for an adult to read. So feel free to read it now if you haven't already and then share it with your child. It's about a utopian society in the future and how insane and terrible it really is underneath. Not a new story by any means but an f'd up one to be sure.
And while these are standouts I was also heavily into Bevery Cleary, The Baby Sitters Cluba and probably a million others I can't remember. What about you? What are your favorite/memorable books from back in the day?
Oh and don't forget SUPERFUDGE!
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15 comments:
The Giver is SUPER f'd up. But my favorite? WHAT'S UP Sweet Valley High?
We actually just reread The Giver for my bookclub. Even more f'ed up as an adult. Love all the ones you listed but no Misty of Chiconteague? Also the Anne of Green Gables books, and of course Babysitters Club. And E - not only did I read all the SVH books, but I also read some sort of 'history' of them which was their family (all twin girls of course) through historical events (civil war, san francisco earthquake, etc . . .). Yeah, huge nerd. Oh and also the Lurlene McDaniel books which were all about kids/teenagers dying of cancer. Really not sure why my parents let me continue reading them as I continually diagnosed myself with Leukemia several times a year as a kid. So weird.
Ahhh How could I have forgotten Misty!! Of course I read those and loved them! See this is why I want people to chime in because I know there are lots I am forgetting. :-)
I dont think I read any of McDaniel's books but I DEFINIETLY saw the Lifetime movie based on one of them -
http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/shattered-hearts-moment-truth-movie
The Baby Sitters Club was AWESOME! Read SO many! Island of the Blue Dolphins was great...did you have to watch the movie in school?
And I ADORE Ramona Quimby!
Clearly I'm going to have to get all over the movie version. That sounds like a good Sunday afternoon.
where the red fern grows!! and I also loved the secret garden. And roll of thunder, hear my cry. and really anything by roald dahl.
oh, and 'are you there god it's me margaret' was passed around by all the fourth grade girls in my school.
I loved Sweet Valley High!
A House Like A Lotus is my favorite of Madeleine L'Engle's books - deals with Meg and Calvin's oldest daughter.
I also love Two Moons in August by Martha Brooks - it contains the first slightly-sexual scene I ever read, and I remember reading it in a hotel room I was sharing with my parents and being terribly embarrassed even though they had no idea what I was reading.
I just remembered two more i Loved - The Jane Langton books "The Fledgling" and "The Diamond In the Window". <3
Oh, I LOVED A Wrinkle in Time, The Giver, and Bridge to Terabithia! Also, the Ramona books, Superfudge (!), The Westing Game, and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (which I just re-read and still absolutely adore).
I laughed out loud when I saw Ellie in her purple dress!! Did the same trip with my rents - LOVED IT - became obsessed with it and had to read anything Amish for a bit. Too funny! Never knew that Ellie had a daughter....might have to pick that one up!
My friend is an elementary school teacher and she lets me buy books from her Scholastic Book Orders. One of the titles I just purchased to reread was A Wrinkle in Time. I remember reading it originally in 4th grade too! Did you ever see the made for TV movie they created of it a few years ago? It's...interesting.
Bridge to Terebithia is, to this day, the saddest book I have ever read!! I can't even think about it without tearing up.
I think this is hilarious that you wanted to be Amish.
I actually cried when Madeline L'engle dies a few years ago. I have read all of her fiction so very many times. I still read a Wrinkle in Time every few years. I always wanted to be Charles Wallace. That's because I am a total dork.
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