Gollum

Even though I've read "The Hobbit" before, it was never for a class setting. Especially reading it so closely after reading "The Princess and the Goblin," something new dawned upon me. I've always been familiar with the fact that Tolkien was religious and there are many metaphors of faith and spirituality in his works. For example, in "The Lord of the Rings," there is a character who controls parts of nature through song and claims he has been there since the beginning of Middle Earth. I believe aspects of him represent the Christian God. Likewise, it occured to me that Gollum may represent devolution, much like the goblins in "The Princess and the Goblin." Much like them, he lives in a dark, cold place, alone with his sin-greed. Tolkien may have been trying to represent the result of sin through Gollum. He is somewhat pscyzophrenic, with a slightly good side, which may represent how there is still a little bit of good in all of us.

Ring a Ring o' Roses

Just for fun I did a little research on the nursery rhyme Ring a Ring o' Roses. There are literally a dozen versions to this song, from around the world. It seems as though it has spread, a lot like fairy tales such as Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. However, it is sung to the same tune in most places. It is also believed that today it is sung to the same tune as when it originated, probably in 1790. Around the world the song is also associated with the plagues of Europe, particularly Britain, in the late 1600's. The Opies have given reason to believe that it could possibly be related to the Great Plague, stating, "The invariable sneezing and falling down in modern English versions have given would-be origin finders the opportunity to say that the rhyme dates back to the Great Plague. A rosy rash, they allege, was a symptom of the plague, poises of herbs were carried as protection,sneezing was a final symptom, and “all fall down” was exactly what happened."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_a_Ring_o'_Roses

Charlie Brown's All-Stars

Charlie Brown's All-Stars, by Charles M Schulz is one of the cutest books I've read in a really long time (it is a book, not a cartoon).
It is the story of a bad team who gives their manager (Charlie Brown) a hard time and end up quitting. When the prospect of having real uniforms and real equipment fades, Charlie is more upset than the team but they don't realize how sad he is because of their own frustration towards him. After hearing the full story though, they band together and make him a uniform to show their loyalty and support.
With the moral at the end of loyalty towards friends, it becomes a didactic piece of literature. However, there are somethings in the book that can't possibly be understood by little children. For example, when Charlie is upset about the whole ordeal Linus (a character that walks around with a security blanket) notices that he's down. Charlie responds with, "You are a shrewd judge of human nature, Linus." This line is so ironic, because children typically aren't developed enough to judge human nature, nevermind comment on it,
This book might also be considered a tale about growing up. Linus, the boy that carries the security blanket, has to give it up to be used as fabric for the jersey for Charlie. He "suffered terribly as he saw his security blanket rapidly turned into a manager's uniform." However, the story finishes with Charlie and Linus together standing in the rain-Charlie wearing the blanket-turned-jersey while Linus is holding the corner of it with one hand and sucking on his thumb on the other. I loved the irony in this picture.

Kate Greenaway

I just love Kate Greenaway's work. Especially this picture to left. I just get a certain sense of relaxation from her pictures. I almost feel like I'm the in the yellow dress, or at least, I want to be. I can mentally picture a sunny day (which is why she's using her umbrella) spending it out in some field (the fence) with a precious little child. Perhaps it's because it's an ideal life that I would like to have that I can relate so well. I feel like Kate Greenaway's pictures place me there, for just one moment. Her pictures are very original and creative. She has a lot of talent and I think she uses that to capture the moment that the viewer wants to be in.

Fields of Youth

What a sunny day!
How I so wish
that I could play
in the grass that goes "swish."

The laughter echoes
of children oh so young
skipping in the meadows
where the daises bloom has begun.

The flowing field of tulips
bright yellow, orange, and red
smells like a nectar drip-
if only I had some bread!

Birds in the nearby trees
sing songs of serenity
Their color of radiant blue
matches the sunset hue

David Shannon

David Shannon is the author of many children's picture books that came about from his childhood. When he was a child, the only thing he knew how to write was his name, David, and the word "no." At that age, he wrote books with illustrations of things a little boy shouldn't do and then added the words "David, no!" Reflecting back as an , David Shannon had the idea to essentially recreate these books but with more elaborate pictures and a slightly bigger vocabulary. Creating different scenarios, such as David as a child, David at school, and David getting in trouble, he expanded the series and has been able to write the same books in Spanish as well. A list of his books in the "David" series is printed below with the Spanish equivalent listed in parenthesis:

-No, David (No, David)- A Caldecott Honor Book
-Oh, David (Oh, David)
-David Smells (David Huele)
-Oops! (Huy!)
-David Goes to School (David Va al Colegio)
-David Gets in Trouble (David Se Mete en Lios)

Source:
http://www.scholastic.com/titles/nodavid/davidshannon.htm
http://www.amazon.com

Newbery Award Winners

Just out of curiosity, I visited the American Library Association website to compare the Newbery Medal winners in my lifetime, the past 19 years (since 1989). What I found interesting was that of the eighteen books listed so far, I've only heard of five of them and only read four of those five:

Familiar With: (Books I've read are astericked)
- 1999: Holes by Louis Sachar (Frances Foster) *
-1995: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (HarperCollins)
-1994: The Giver by Lois Lowry(Houghton)*
-1992: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Atheneum)*
-1990: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Houghton)*

Noticing the dates they were awarded the Newbery Medal (and probably pouplar during that year) I think it's mostly to do with my age that I've read these books and not some of the recent recipients of the award. I find this disappointing. I wish there was more time to leisurly read in life. I feel like I'm missing out on a whole bunch of fun literature. But then I reflect that there's no way anyone could read every book in the world. So I guess we just have to pick and choose, which is unfortunate because there's so much great stuff published.

Sally Mae and the Flooding River

Installment #6:
“Oh! Where are my manners! I’ve completely forgotten myself. My name is Sally Mae. Thank you for rescuing me. I don’t know what I would have done,” she said.
“It was my pleasure, Miss Mae. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Michael. I came as quickly as I could and I am thrilled to have saved you.”
His chivalry and prestige made Sally Mae blush. After gathering her bag, she rode with Michael back to her house of gemstone. Her father rushed out to hold her upon her triumphant return.
“Victoria has left, my dear. She grew tired of waiting for you to come home and said she would return in a year,” her father explained.
“Oh, how I don’t want to go with her! I just want to stay and spend the rest of my days here, with you and Michael,” she cried.
Upon hearing her gloomy future, Michael took her hand and knelt down on one knee. “If you truly care to stay here in this humble town, marry me now and we’ll spend the rest of our days happy and content knowing that no harm can come to us. I will love you and your beauty for all the days of my life.”
Overjoyed at the prospect of spending the rest of her life with her knight in shining armor, as it were, she gladly accepted his proposal and they were wed before the end of the month. Upon receiving an invitation, Sally Mae’s mother fired Victoria for not succeeding in educating Sally Mae. However, her mother attended the wedding and took part in all the festivities, content, at least, to not have to worry about her daughter’s future. Sally Mae and Michael lived happily ever after for the rest of their days.

Previously on Sally Mae:
Once upon a time there lived a named Sally Mae. She grew up in a house made out of gemstones all folded together. Her favorite stone was sapphire because of its deep color and the way it sometimes formed a star. She also loved it because her daddy always told her it matched the color of her eyes.
Sally Mae was a very beautiful . She had flowing hair, which she always wore in braided plaits as was the fashion. She wore a dress every day, all different colors of the rainbow: pink, purple, light blue, and pale green, always with a white ribbon tied around her waist in an overflowing bow. Sally Mae enjoyed spending time outdoors, talking with the birds and chipmunks about where they had traveled to and what they had seen. She also loved smelling the flowers, especially orchids- those were her favorite.
Around the house Sally Mae was a help to her father. She knew how to tend to a garden and fix supper for her father. She commonly took charge of her mother’s duties; her mother was a business woman who traveled around the world selling jewelry and gems much like the ones her house was formed out of. Sally Mae hardly ever saw her mother and relished the few days she had with her.
One fine July morning Sally Mae leaped out of the door with joy at the sight of her mother’s deep purple limousine. When the chauffeur opened the door, her smile faded and her enchantment disappeared. Her mother’s aide, Victoria, stepped out. Victoria had never liked Sally Mae and only put up with her for her jobs sake.
“I’m here to take Sally Mae into the real world and teach her real skills,” she hollered at Daddy. “She needs to learn how to hold her own in real life, not just twiddle her around her house, picking daisies and stirring soup.”
“No,” protested father, “you can’t take her!” But there was no hope; Daddy had no power over threatening Victoria, as hard as he may fight.
“We will leave in the morning, tell her to pack her bags,” Victoria scowled.
“I don’t want to go. NO! I will not leave!” Sally Mae screamed. Resisting with all her strength, she realized it was useless. Sally Mae was going to have to fix this problem herself.
Pack her bags she did, but not for Victoria. She was going to leave that night and escape out her doomed future. She wanted to be with nature and the birds, not in the world of merchants and business. When the moon was high she crawled out of her window. Chirping to the birds, she explained she needed a new home, one without Victoria. She was going to miss her house made out of beautiful stones, and pulled some off of the window sill to take with her.
When the sun began to rise on the third morning, full and radiant, she grew weary and tired. She had been walking straight for three days and three nights and the company of the birds hadn’t been enough to keep her going. She placed her bag under a tree and laid down on the bank of low river. She was so tired and exhausted she slept through the day and night.
When Sally Mae woke up the next morning, all she could hear was what sounded like rushing water. She looked around terrified and she screamed at the top of her lungs. There had been a thunderstorm at night and the river had risen all around her. She was isolated on an island that was in the middle of the river. With regret at her loss, she undid her bow and cautiously threw it into the water. The current was so strong that it was carried away and disappeared in an instant. Never having learned to swim, she was frightened and panicky. “How will I ever get off this island?” Sally Mae wondered.
One of her bird friends, Nick, flew over to land on her shoulder. “What’s wrong Sally Mae? Can’t you swim across to the bank?” he asked.
“I can’t swim,” she sobbed, “I can only cook and clean. Please help me Nick. I don’t know what I will do!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll find help. You just stay put and try to relax.” And off he went. Sally Mae couldn’t do anything else so she sat down on a rock on her little island and began to sing to soothe herself. She sang songs her Daddy had taught her when she was little and pulled out the gemstones in her pocket. Looking at the pretty rocks made her wish to be home again.
Several hours later, she looked up and saw that Nick was flying back to her. “I’ve found someone! I found someone!” he exclaimed. “After Victoria noticed you were missing, she sent out a search team to find you and bring you home. I found one of the policemen and he is on his way,”
Elated, Sally Mae tried to make herself appear presentable. She retied the ribbons in her hair and pinched her cheeks for a hint of color. Flattening out her dress as best she could, she sat and waited for the policeman to arrive. Not too long after, a man appeared at the edge of the river. He rode a horse of white and had on a suit of handsome, pale blue.
“Just a moment, little lady. I’ll cross the river on my horse to you,” he yelled over the noisy current.
When he crossed the high tide, Sally Mae noticed he was very attractive. His dark hair sat perfectly on his head and his eyes of dark green reminded Sally Mae of another gemstone that was imbedded into her home. After climbing on the horse and crossing the river, she sat down with ease, knowing she was safe at last.

A Child's Anthology of Poetry

I have absolutely LOVED going through and reading all the various poems in this collection. A few of my particular favorites have been Experiment Degustatory, The Spaghetti Nut, Homework! Oh, Homework, and Sick. I think the reason I like this particular selection is because of the humor.
In Nash's Experiment Degustatory, I find the irony of "tastes like chicken" to be hysterical. Just yesterday I was talking to a friend about Rocky Mountain Oysters and he said that they taste just like fried chicken. Being unknowledgable, I assumed he was referring to seafood. It only took a few seconds for him to see my confusion and explain that Rocky Mountain Oysters are in fact, bull testicles. I just about threw up. And he said they tasted like chicken! GROSS!
I really enjoyed the tongue-twister challenge of The Spaghetti Nut and have actually shared it with several friends seeing who can recite it the fastest. I think the reason I like Homework! Oh, Homework and Sick so much is because I destest homework and school. I don't mind learning, but I just don't enjoy the process. I can sympathize with the character.

Friend's Favorites

Just for fun, I asked around to a couple of my friends which books were their favorites as litte kids. Only two of the five I had ever heard of, which makes me wonder if some of these books are regional. They also gave me their reasons why and I've listed them below.

Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells: This book was liked because it was simply funny. She was getting in trouble for making noise.

The Indoor Noisy Book by Margaret W Brown: Again, a book I've never heard of, my friend liked this book because Muffin the puppy was cute. My friend that liked this also liked the Noisy Nora book, which makes me question if she had a liking for noise.

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina: My friend that liked this book said it was fun because you got to count all the caps on every page. She enjoyed the interactive part of the story.

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff: This was one of my well-liked children's books and I never could figure out why. It was repetitive so you knew what was coming-it wasn't as though it was a surprise or anything. But perhaps that was the point of it, it was repetitive and so it became familiar in a world of growing up and learning new, unfamiliar things as a child.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown: This, again, was one of my favorites. I loved it as a bedtime story, as most children do. I cherished the time I had with my father as he put me to bed. One of my friends said it was special to her becase she got to find the white mouse on every page-it became a game.

Sally Mae and the Flooding River

Installment #5:

“Don’t worry, I’ll find help. You just stay put and try to relax.” And off he went. Sally Mae couldn’t do anything else so she sat down on a rock on her little island and began to sing to soothe herself. She sang songs her Daddy had taught her when she was little and pulled out the gemstones in her pocket. Looking at the pretty rocks made her wish to be home again.
Several hours later, she looked up and saw that Nick was flying back to her. “I’ve found someone! I found someone!” he exclaimed. “After Victoria noticed you were missing, she sent out a search team to find you and bring you home. I found one of the policemen and he is on his way,”
Elated, Sally Mae tried to make herself appear presentable. She retied the ribbons in her hair and pinched her cheeks for a hint of color. Flattening out her dress as best she could, she sat and waited for the policeman to arrive. Not too long after, a man appeared at the edge of the river. He rode a horse of white and had on a suit of handsome, pale blue.
“Just a moment, little lady. I’ll cross the river on my horse to you,” he yelled over the noisy current.
When he crossed the high tide, Sally Mae noticed he was very attractive. His dark hair sat perfectly on his head and his eyes of dark green reminded Sally Mae of another gemstone that was imbedded into her home. After climbing on the horse and crossing the river, she sat down with ease, knowing she was safe at last.

Previously on Sally Mae:

Once upon a time there lived a named Sally Mae. She grew up in a house made out of gemstones all folded together. Her favorite stone was sapphire because of its deep color and the way it sometimes formed a star. She also loved it because her daddy always told her it matched the color of her eyes.
Sally Mae was a very beautiful . She had flowing hair, which she always wore in braided plaits as was the fashion. She wore a dress every day, all different colors of the rainbow: pink, purple, light blue, and pale green, always with a white ribbon tied around her waist in an overflowing bow. Sally Mae enjoyed spending time outdoors, talking with the birds and chipmunks about where they had traveled to and what they had seen. She also loved smelling the flowers, especially orchids- those were her favorite.
Around the house Sally Mae was a help to her father. She knew how to tend to a garden and fix supper for her father. She commonly took charge of her mother’s duties; her mother was a business woman who traveled around the world selling jewelry and gems much like the ones her house was formed out of. Sally Mae hardly ever saw her mother and relished the few days she had with her.
One fine July morning Sally Mae leaped out of the door with joy at the sight of her mother’s deep purple Rolls Royce. When the chauffeur opened the door, her smile faded and her enchantment disappeared. Her mother’s aide, Victoria, stepped out. Victoria had never liked Sally Mae and only put up with her for her jobs sake. She strode right past Sally Mae and didn’t even recognize her existence.
“I’m here to take Sally Mae into the real world and teach her real skills,” she hollered at Daddy. “She needs to learn how to hold her own in real life, not just twiddle her around her own house, picking daisies and stirring soup.”
“She’s my only ray of sunshine,” protested father, “you can’t take her.” But there was no hope; Daddy had no power over Victoria, as hard as he may fight. She was powerful and threatening.
“We will leave in the morning, tell her to pack her bags,” Victoria scowled.
“I don’t want to go. NO! I will not leave!” Sally Mae screamed. Yelling with all her might, she realized it was useless. Sally Mae was going to have to fix this problem on her own.
Pack her bags she did, but not for Victoria. She was going to leave that night and escape out her doomed future. She wanted to be with nature and the birds, not in the world of merchants and business. When the moon was high she crawled out of her window. Chirping to the birds, she explained she needed a new home, one without Victoria. She was going to miss her house made out of beautiful stones, and pulled some off of the window sill to take with her.
When the sun began to rise on the third morning, full and radiant, she grew weary and tired. She had been walking straight for three days and three nights and the company of the birds hadn’t been enough to keep her going. She placed her bag under a tree and laid down on the bank of low river. She was so tired and exhausted she slept through the day and night.
When Sally Mae woke up the next morning, all she could hear was what sounded like rushing water. She looked around terrified and she screamed at the top of her lungs. There had been a thunderstorm at night and the river had risen all around her. She was isolated on an island that was in the middle of the river. With regret at her loss, she undid her bow and cautiously threw it into the water. The current was so strong that it was carried away and disappeared in an instant. Never having learned to swim, she was frightened and panicky. “How will I ever get off this island?” Sally Mae wondered.
One of her bird friends, Nick, flew over to land on her shoulder. “What’s wrong Sally Mae? Can’t you swim across to the bank?” he asked.
“I can’t swim,” she sobbed, “I can only cook and clean. Please help me Nick. I don’t know what I will do!”

The Princess and the Goblin

I have never heard of this book until this english class. Maybe I was out of the loop as a child or my parents sheltered me from it as a child but this is the first of this story that I've ever seen. I really enjoy the read though. It's a slow beginning but it picks up and becomes intriguing.

The grandmother- Very easily noticed for those of the Christian faith, the grandmother symbolizes a God-like figure. I thought she was rather creepy at the beginning and didn't know whether to trust her or not, especially when she told Irene not to tell Lootie about her. However, her gently patience, guiding light, and infinite wisdom reveal her God-like character.

Irene- I believe Irene symbolizes the unbelieving child in all of us, before we're born into our spiritual bodies as believers in Christ. When she finally trusts grandmother and truly believes that she's up in the attic, she begins to represent the believing Christian.

I love the relationship that plays out between Irene and the grandmother. I think that it's so representative of the Christian walk. It shows how we're supposed to trust God even though at times He may not show Himself. Being a believer in Christ the Son, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit myself, I appreciated the hyperbole of the Christian faith.

Charlotte's Web

I LOVED reading Charlotte's Web. I was extremely inspired to go out and buy a baby pig after the first few chapters because of the relationship of Fern and Wilbur. I thought it was interesting how at the beginning of the story, Fern is what saved Wilbur from . Because of her refusal to allow him to be killed, instead of Wilbur her dad gives him to her. However, later in the story Fern knows what is going to happen to Wilbur- he'll be slain for winter meat. However, it never once occurs to her to try to save him. Instead, the duty falls to Charlotte. The role of Wilbur's saviour changes from Fern to Charlotte. Along side with less of a role in Wilbur's rescue, Fern becomes increasingly more interested in boys and things other than animals. She spent a majority of her time in the barn during the beginning of the book but by the time the fair rolls into town, her attention has shifted away from animals.

Wilbur's helplessness also struck me. The phrase "ignorance is bliss" seems to fit perfectly for Wilbur. He doesn't know how to spell, stick up for himself, or do any task that's particularly challenging; but he's content with that and just living his life. After finding out that he's going to be butchered, he becomes fearful and frightened. He worries more often and tries hard at tasks that really weren't meant for pigs.

I love the character of Charlotte. Wise, caring, watchful, smart, problem solver- a very motherly figure for the whole barn. She looks out for everyone and knows how to take care of everyone. Ultimately, her was unavoidable but the arrival of her children create a good ending.

Mr. Tickle

Mr. Tickle, by Roger Hargreaves, is one of a collection of 43 "Mr. Men." When I was a child I read these books for fun, as well as the Little Miss collection. What I found interesting upon rereading it was the fact that everything Mr. Tickle did caused trouble and danger. For example, when he tickled the teacher, it was rebellious and disrespectful. I was surprised that this book, which will teach children, included disrespectful acts like that. Mr. Tickle also tickled a policeman, causing a traffic jam, a postman, causing him to drop his mail, a grocer, causing all the fruit to roll away, and others. It was interesting how such a harmless joke became a rebellious prank. What I also thought was interesting were the pictures. Specifically the picture with the teacher. He was wearing a graduation cap. I can't figure out why but am assuming that it is to characterise him as educated and in the education system. I also want to comment on the language. Most of the diction was appropriate for the age level however, the occassional word such as "pandemonium" caused me to think twice. I hardly knew what that word meant and can't think of how I would describe it to a child. It's interesting that Hargreaves would use this term.