childhood books

Went to the Pickle Barrel with Allison and Jodi last night. We're all hooked on the same smoothie: Marathon Mambo. Amazing what an effect a name can have on one's desire for a food item. I'm really noticing this as I work on the Web site for my mom-in-law's restaurant. Just formatting the catering menu makes my mouth water: "grilled skewers of scallops & jumbo tiger shrimps with Persian rice pilaf & spicy lime dip", "proscuitto, sundried tomato & asiago stuffed breast of chicken with wild rice pancake", "walnut daquoise with milk chocolate buttercream icing"...I have no idea what a "daquoise" is, but I -know- I want one! :-)


I'm having fun playing around with cascading style sheets right now.


Current topic over in Blatherchat are kids' books. For the record, my favourites are/were (in no particular order):

• The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
• A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle
• Half Magic series by Edward Eager
• Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper
• The Blue Sword and The Hero And The Crown by Robin McKinley
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• Harriet The Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
• Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
• Bridge To Terebithia by Katherine Paterson
• Tuck Everlasting
• Little House In The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
• My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
• Ramona The Pest by Beverly Cleary
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• Stuart Little by E.B. White
• Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
• Any other of Ray Bradbury's earlier books

Eeek, maybe I'd better stop there. I could easily do a full Blather on any of the above books.


I still read kids' books. I'm write kids' books. I pity those who think that kids' books are just for kids, or sneer at adults who read them for pleasure. It always sets up warning bells in my head when I find out someone doesn't really have any favourite childhood books, or can only vaguely recall some classics like "Wind In The Willows" and "Alice In Wonderland". Doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with the person, of course, just that it's a sure sign that they aren't a kindred spirit.


Why do I enjoy kids' books so much? Because I find they often have better stories and a more benevolent outlook on life than some adult books. Because they're more likely to have happy endings, or at least an element of hope at the end. There's enough angst and depression in real life, and I'm a naive optimist. Well...maybe not as naive as before I sold Inkspot, but still a stubborn optimist. :-)




Today's Blatherpic:

Self-portrait by Sara.