The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Mark Twain

"Tom Sawyer is Mark Twain's hymn to the secure and fantastic world of boyhood and adventure. From the famous episodes of the whitewashed fence and the ordeal in the cave to the trial of Injun Joe, the story is redolent of life in the Mississippi River towns which Twain spent his own youth. A somber undercurrent flows through the high humor and unabashed nostalgia of the novel, however, for beneath the innocence of childhood lie the inequities of adult reality--base emotions and superstitions, murder and revenge, starvation and slavery."

I read Huckleberry Finn back in my Junior year of high school and Mark Twain's writing is just as I remember it. His satire can be interesting, but his novels (at least to me, personally) are like pulling teeth to read. I genuinely didn't care for this book. There's just so much unnecessary information in it that it became not fun to read at all. One prime example of this was the scene where the students are making their end of the year presentations. What person--let alone a child--wants to read word-for-word what the students recited? It drove me crazy! I really do want to like Twain. His writings are classics. However, I just cannot seem to get into any of it. To be brutally honest, he--along with several other choice authors--is the reason that I decided not to teach American literature. Sure there are a couple eloquent lines, but Twain's novels are really not my cup of tea. Sorry to all of the Twain fanatics out there.

James and the Giant Peach: Roald Dahl

"A little magic can take you a long way...

"When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start happening. The peach at the very top of the tree starts growing, and growing, and growing...until it's as big as a house! When James crawls inside, he meets a houseful of oversized friends--Grasshopper, Centipede, Earthworm, and more. With a snip of the stem, the peach starts rolling away, and the adventure begins!"

This was another film adaptation that I loved when I was growing up. There was just something about the whimsy and wonder that comes with a giant peach and enormous friendly bugs that made for an awesome movie. Around the same time, I read my favorite Dahl book--The BFG (which I fully plan on re-reading now). So, Dahl made a huge impact on the kids in my class because he was so out there and fun. You just weren't considered "well read" in my elementary school until you'd read some of his books.

It took me a while, but I finally got to read this book! It was very good: short but it made an impact. I'm actually reading it with my younger cousin and she adores it. Like I said, there's just something about Dahl that transcends the decades and connects with children of all ages :)

The Secret Garden: Frances Hodgson Burnett

"Unlock the Magic of the Secret Garden

"When orphaned Mary Lennox, lonely and sad, comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire moors, she finds it full of secrets. At night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors. Outside, she meets Dickon, a magical boy who can charm and talk to animals. Then, one day, with the help of a friendly robin, Mary discovers the most mysterious wonder of all--a secret garden, walled and locked, which had been completely forgotten for years and years. Is everything in the garden dead, or can Mary bring it back to life?"

Growing up, the film adaptation of this classic book was one of my absolute favorites. I had tried picking the original book up over the years, but it didn't grab me immediately and I never got more than a few chapters into it. Now, however, I am enrolled in a Children's Literature class and this book was on our extensive reading list. It was the first one I finished and I must say that I enjoyed it.

Though it was not as good as I remember the movie being (which is usually the case when you go back to read things that were wonderful and mystifying back in childhood), it was decent nonetheless. The characters were still fascinating--especially Dickon--and I believe it was worth the read.

I've heard pretty mixed reviews from other readers about this book. Some were completely repelled by it, while others enjoyed it. I'm a little bit on the fence, but leaning a little more toward enjoying it. It was a bit long-winded at points and I can't imagine a child picking up this book and finishing it on her own; but the film adaptation will always remain near and dear to my heart.