Friday Wish-List

I know, from sad experience, that not every book I try to get my kids to read is going to be a hit with them. In fact, they are even going to go so far as to enjoy books that I hate. Can you imagine?! My daughter had the nerve to come home from school two weeks in a row with Judy Blume books - Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Double Fudge. (Judy Blume was one of the writers that teachers kept trying to get me to read when I was a teenager. "She understands your age group!" they'd cry, trying to shove Blubber or Deenie into my hand. I spent my time working my way through the Oz books and re-reading Lord of the Rings, instead.)

I'm striking back though! They can hand her Judy Blume at the school library, but I've been quietly indoctrinating her into Narnia here at home, reading a chapter each night for the kids' bedtime story. We're three books in so far, and are taking a break with a copy of The Littles that I picked up at a yard sale before going on to Prince Caspian.

Once we're through with Narnia I'm planning to introduce them to Lucy M. Boston's Green Knowe books. I've been desperately wanting my own copies, and this is the perfect excuse to get the complete set. My junior high school library had them all (Mrs. Braithwaite, are you out there? Thank you, thank you, a million times thank you!) and I couldn't read them fast enough.

And then, when the girls are a little older, we'll start on Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Oh yes. Disney princesses have ruled long enough in this house. It's time for a palace revolution! *rubs hands together* *evil chuckle*

"[The dragon] has not enchanted me, and I do not want to be rescued by anybody," Cimorene said, alarmed by the knight's sudden enthusiasm. "This place suits me very well. I like polishing swords and cooking cherries jubilee and reading Latin scrolls. If you don't believe me, ask anyone in Linderwall. They've been complaining about my un-princesslike behavior for years."

"I did hear something about fencing lessons," the knight said doubtfully, "but knights aren't supposed to pay attention to that kind of thing. We're supposed to be above rumors and gossip."

"The fencing lessons were just the beginning," Cimorene assured him."

That's my kind of princess.

Books: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Judy Blume
            Double Fudge, Judy Blume
            Blubber, Judy Blume
            Deenie, Judy Blume
            Oz series, L. Frank Baum
            The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien  
            Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis
            The Littles, John Peterson
            Green Knowe, Lucy M. Boston
            Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Patricia Wrede