Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Lewis Carroll

"Weary of her storybook, one "without pictures or conversations," the young and imaginative Alice follows a hasty hare underground--to come face-to-face with some of the strangest adventures and most fantastic characters in all of literature. The Ugly Duchess, the Mad Hatter, the weeping Mock Turtle, the diabolical Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat--each more eccentric than the last--could only have come from the master of sublime nonsense, Lewis Carroll. In penning this brilliant burlesque of children's literature, this farcical satire of rigid Victorian society, this arresting parody of the fears, anxieties, and complexities of growing up, Carroll was one of the few adult writers to enter successfully the children's world of make-believe, where the impossible becomes possible, the unreal, real, and where the heights of adventure are limited only by the depths of imagination."

Again, this was a book I had to read for my Children's Literature class. I used to LOVE the Disney adaptation of this book...but the actual writing may have ruined that for me. Had I read this book as a child, I think I would have thought differently, but this was the first time I read the real Alice. It was actually pretty disturbing. It was all over the place and strange and odd and...just...weird. I think that's the real reason I didn't enjoy this--because I read it as a 20-year-old and not a ten-year-old. My mind felt slightly scrambled and then nuked before I was finished. Though I think the real problem happened when I was able to begin to grasp what the Hare and Hatter were saying... Now THAT'S a problem...

Anyway, this was an...interesting book... I didn't love it, but it was a part of my childhood. You have to give a little bit of admiration to the author for writing such a work.

The Hollow Hills (Book Two, The Arthurian Saga): Mary Stewart

"Keeping watch over the young Arthur Pendragon, the prince and prophet Merlin Ambrosius is haunted by dreams of the magical sword Caliburn, which has been hidden for centuries. When Uther Pendragon is killed in battle, the time of destiny is at hand, and Arthur must claim the fabled sword to become the true High King of Britain."

To put it plain and simple: I LOVE this series! I am a huge King Arthur fanatic and this book really makes me feel connected to the tale. I love the history that Stewart incorporated into her eloquent storytelling and the descriptions--oh the descriptions!--are absolutely beautiful. This truly is a one-of-a-kind series that drags you in with the claws of the Pendragon emblem and holds you there as if in one of Merlin's trances. It's as if Stewart has channelled the real Merlin and told his story.

The story rings true of the real tale with a dash of actual history and an underlying of truly beautiful writing. Mary Stewart has solidified herself in my list of favorite authors because of this. Her characters are so real I can hear their voices and feel as if I'm in the chamber or forest with them; listening to the foretelling of a great king or speaking with the ancient people of the woods. I can smell, taste, hear, and feel everything with them. There is a quality to Stewart's writing where you can't help but become enthralled. Maybe she's cast a spell of her own on her writing to make it as addictive as your favorite sweet.

Unfortunately, school is in full-swing and I've had to really cut down on my reading--which is why there has been such a gap between books lately. Hopefully, I'll find a better rhythm when this semester is over and I'm not forced to read children's books each week! I really wish I could read the next in this series, but--alas!--Arthur must wait...

Harriet the Spy: Louise Fitzhugh

Yet again...a book I had to read for my Children's Literature class. I knew there would be books that I liked and others...not so much...but I'm about ready to beg for one that I'll like!

This book wasn't one that was poorly written (there were aspects that you can appreciate more the older you are), but the problem for me was the fact that I didn't really care. I didn't like reading about Harriet. She actually annoyed me. The writing was too monotonous and there was a way about it that it was too complex for the reading age it was aimed for (with the subtleties of mental illness and regression) and--when you surpass this age group, it isn't even interesting any longer. It's like a catch 22. If you enjoy the story, more power to you; but I personally could not stand this book and barely finished it in time for my quiz.

The Crystal Cave (The Arthurian Saga, Book One): Mary Stewart

"Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myridden Emrys--or as he would later be known, Merlin--leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon...and the conception of Arthur--king for once and always."

This was my aunt's favorite series when she was a teenager--so much so that she reread it in college and has gotten the entire series for her eleven-year-old daughter. Naturally (being the Arthurian freak that I am) I stole the books before my cousin could even get her hands on them and decided that I would read them :) (Don't feel too bad for her...she was reading another book and had to finish that one first anyway.) I ended up falling in LOVE with this book!!! It was beautiful! The writing captured me and held me fast.

As for Merlin...there are hardly words to describe how much I love his character. There is this hunting mystery about him. The author was wise enough to reveal enough about him, but not too much so you're kept absolutely fascinated. I just wanted more, more, more! The ending was so enthralling that I was relieved I had the second book sitting right next to me. I don't know what I would have done had I been forced to wait to read it!

Each character--no matter how small--was complex. I'm truly so impressed that Stewart was able to do so without becoming long-winded. It was brilliant to take this story from Merlin's point of view. It added twists and complexity that I believe only a few authors would have been able to handle. Keeping true to history was a marvelous decision on Stewart's part. It made everything come alive rather than simply relying on fantasy and magic. Everything seemed more real.

Overall, I adore Stewart's work. Her writing is as timeless and magical as the black hills of Wales and the story of a wizard who would make an orphan into the greatest king of all.

The Great Gilly Hopkins: Katherine Paterson

Unfortunately, because I've been reading so much for school (between my reading-intensive Children's Literature and Russian History classes...among other things) I haven't had much time to read anything else. I really miss reading for pleasure and hope to get back to it as soon as possible (not to mention I promised to read some books and review them...haven't had enough time to finish those either. That's what you get when you move halfway across the country for school and have to get several jobs in order to pay for everything--including a car!!!)

Anyway, as you probably guessed, this was another of the books that was forced upon me for my children's literature class. It certainly wasn't one of my favorites, but it was a quick read. The characters were well-written, but the story didn't capture me as much as I would have liked. It was actually pretty sad. I know I'm looking into the book more deeply than an elementary student would, but I think it would still be confusing and a little depressing for anyone. I've not read any of this author's other works, but I've heard they're all similar in this manner. Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it to a child? Probably not. Did I like this book? No...and yes. Parts of this book were decent, but I didn't end up being a fan. It just wasn't my cup of tea.