The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

by Joan Aiken
copyright 1962

It was summertime. As usual, the big box fan was blowing into the living room. I sat in a very tight space between a big, soft armchair and a hutch. I was very small, and could always squeeze into cozy hiding spaces. There may have been a lot of activity around me. The console television was probably on, playing The Brady Bunch or Gilligan’s Island (and not the reruns).  Various conversations may have been taking place among my many family members. But I was in my own little world; close to the action but not actually taking part. Instead, I was wandering around the world of the latest book I picked up. There is a good chance it was this book since it was one of my very favorites – and it still is!

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase has a bit of everything for the child’s imagination.  You’ll find an incredibly wealthy family, a kind but very poor old aunt, a beautiful estate, a cruel governess, a secret passage, a horrible orphanage, an exciting escape, and most importantly - a perfectly happy ending.  

Reading this book, hiding in my safe little corner of the house, I could experience the thrill of Sylvia’s and Bonnie’s adventures, the misery of their suffering, and the strength of their companionship, all without any true danger.  

Books were often an escape from the real world, but that’s not all.  By escaping into an imaginary world, I could gain wisdom and strength from vicariously experiencing a fictional character’s trials and triumphs.  I did not run away from the horrid adults in The Wolves of Willoughby Chase or experience a grueling two-month journey to find help, but I was able to learn that while many people are kind and trustworthy, all are not.  I did not have my opulent wardrobe and dazzling toy room ripped away from me, but I learned that wealth is nowhere near as important as friendly companionship and kindness.

Yes, stories can be an escape from reality, but they can also teach us lessons that we can take back with us into the real world.

Where the Wild Things Are

By Maurice Sendak

Copyright 1963 

Winner of 1964 Caldecott Medal

My childhood copy of Where the Wild Things Are

Max is a little boy with boundless energy.  One afternoon, Max’s mother gets a little fed up with his rambunctious behavior and calls him “Wild Thing”.  His temper gets the best of him, and after talking back to his mother, he is sent to bed without his supper.  

Besides his boundless energy, he also possesses a very active imagination.  Max imagines adventures on an island far away where he becomes King of all the Wild Things.  After a “wild rumpus” in the forest Max becomes sleepy and loneliness sets in.  

“The wild things roared their terrible roars 

and gnashed their terrible teeth and

 rolled their terrible eyes 

and showed their terrible claws but

 Max stepped into his private boat 

and waved good-bye.”

Happily, when he sails back home from his adventure, he is welcomed by his familiar, comfortable bedroom and his still warm supper.

Like Max, it’s easy to let an angry attitude get the best of us.  Take a lesson from Max, and next time that happens, go off by yourself for a little while and let your imagination take you somewhere fanciful.  Maybe someplace where you have more control over your life.  Or maybe just a place where you can hear the lapping waves.  Then, step back in your boat and head home.  The cause of your anger will still be there, but you should have a little more patience to deal with it.

A non-technical Kindle Fire review from someone who loves vintage books.

My Kindle and really old books

I truly love the feel of an old book in my hands.  It’s like I’m holding a small piece of each person who has previously read and loved that book.  That an author can put words to paper that have the ability to change lives or the ability to transport the reader to another world is something that will always amaze me.  That I can hold the same volume that an ancestor, long gone from this world, also held with their own hands is equally amazing.  If I feel the need for a little peace in my life, just walking up to my dusty book shelves and reading the well-loved titles has a calming effect.  

 

But guess what?  I’m now the owner of a Kindle Fire!  Now that I’ve used my new little device for several weeks now, I thought I’d share some thoughts on it.  (Yes, it was supposed to be my Christmas gift, but I just couldn’t wait to open it!)  

This review has absolutely nothing to do with the Kindle’s features, how well it works, or the many apps available.  I only wish to share some positive feelings about an e-reader from a person who will always love the beaten and battered paper copy of books.  

• ·         I can carry around many, many books in a thin, 5.5 inch by 8 inch device.  If I’m headed out the door, I don’t need to think about which book I’m in the mood for.  I can grab dozens at once.

• ·         When I can’t sleep in the middle of the night and need to read for a while, all I have to do is turn on my Kindle and the whole page is brilliantly lit up without having to turn on a lamp.

• ·         If I’m not sure of the meaning of a word or want to know more about a geographical location in a story, I can just lightly touch a word and immediately get the information I’m looking for.

• ·         If I’m in the kitchen preparing a meal or eating by myself at the table, there is no need to figure out how to prop a book open.  The Kindle just sits there on an open page and a quick swipe of a finger will take me to the next page.

• ·         Sometimes while reading I’ll think of an idea – perhaps something I may want to write about for a blog post or a book review.  All I have to do is hold my finger on a word, give a swipe, then type in a note to myself.  It will be saved for when I need it.

• ·         I can still check out books for free from my Public Library and access them on my Kindle!

Again, I don’t want e-readers to replace books, nor do I believe they will, at least not in my lifetime.  I could come up with a list of the cons of my Kindle too.  For instance, one joy of reading involves longing to share a great book with someone else.    A digital copy is much more difficult to pass around to family and friends!  Still, as an avid reader, the Kindle has proven to be a convenient tool.  It may look out of place on my dusty shelf, but so far it hasn’t been away from my hands long enough to get there!

Parsifal Rides the Time Wave

By Nell Chenault

Pictures by Vee Guthrie

Copyright 1962

Parsifal is a Poddley.  At the start of this book, he is seen rushing to an emergency job he has been entrusted with. 

“A Poddley’s job is a very interesting one indeed.  It is being a friend to a lonely or unhappy child until that child’s problem is solved.  Then the Poddley moves on to a new case.”

Poddleys are magical little green creatures, about a foot high, able to appear and disappear at will, with the ability to travel on the time waves that travel around the world.

Parsifal is rushing to be at Colin’s bedside in the hospital.  Poor Colin is recovering from an accident, but his injuries are much more that physical.  Colin’s dear dog, Lad, died in that accident.  Colin is showing no interest in eating or getting better and is not looking forward to going home, knowing Lad will not be waiting for him.

A Poddley takes his job very seriously, and so Parsifal gets to work helping to heal Colin’s pain.  He uses his magical powers to take Colin on a time wave, six hundred years in the past, to see Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, in action.  The excitement of the adventure, along with learning about Robert’s own beloved dog, comforts Colin and gives him renewed interest in life.

Parsifal has done his job well, and is even awarded Poddley of the Year!

So many children right now are in need of their very own Poddley.  While I don’t believe that little green foot-tall magical creatures will appear at their sides, I do see countless loving, selfless people surrounding those hurting children, some even giving their very lives.  That type of love has a magic all its own, and I can only hope and pray that those children still with us will find comfort and healing in those who care so much about them.