The end of the Secret Garden

I finished the Secret Garden early last week and never told you, did I?

Well, I did and feel the need to tell you that I loved it!  What a great book.....  If you haven't read it, by all means pick it up and start reading, please.  If you are not much of a reader, that is A-Okay too.  The book is nothing like the movie, but a movie I saw was just as good in its' own way. 

From this book I learned several things ( new beginnings, positive attitudes, English slang...) but I've mostly learned to be obsessed with walled gardens.

The book brought to mind several gardens we saw in Ireland and even some right in our own town.

I want one.  I need one.

Gimme.

I also decided that if I ever had a child and that child decided to be a girl, the Secret Garden is a book that I would A) read to her or B) buy for her personal library because she would of course read....she would really have no choice.

(Can you tell no children are in our story?)

As soon as I finished that book I moved right on to Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie.



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So far I'm liking it even more than the Secret Garden.

It's funnier and a little more endearing than I expected it to be.

When all else fails (and it will)...read.

I kinda' feel like this should be a quote for a literacy poster.

Kind of.

But I really do feel this way.  Sometimes nothing else sounds better than sitting inside on a cold and blustery day with a good book and something hot to drink (tea, hot cocoa, hot buttered rum...you get the little idea, right?)

So today, in honor of my goal to push my literacy awareness poster that will never be, we visited the one and only book store left in our sad and depressed town.  Oh and we actually bought some books too.

There is a reason I'm telling you this.  I had an AHA! moment at said bookstore.  Since I'm currently in the process of reading 'The Secret Garden' and enjoying the simplicity of a well written and wholesome book, I decided right then and there that once I'm finished with it, I would move on to some other classic "children's literature."  

No this does not mean I will be brushing up on the Berenstain Bears (although classic AND not a bad idea) but instead titles that I remember from having seen the movie based on the book or simply ones that catch my eye as an adult.

So I decided to stock up on a few.  Case in point and on my "to read" shelf: Peter Pan, Anne of Green Gables, Alice In Wonderland, and Caddie Woodlawn to name a few.

 I've also decided if any of these books really strike a chord with me and I'll want to read them again, then I just may have to find some with beautiful illustrations so I may have them as keepsakes that I will always enjoy holding. (Anne of Green Gables is one of those books, however it is not mine and I will have to return it to my sister when I'm done.  Or will I?)

 P.S. I already read 'The Little Prince' and have to say that I did not love it.  Didn't really even like it.  However it was a quick read and I can now say I read it.  Done.

A little secret

I woke up early this morning to the sound of rain and cars driving loudly through the puddles. It was still dark, the house was still chilly and just like that, I wanted to stay home, in my jammies and read as I sipped my coffee and snuggled in a big, warm blanket.

 What can I say? The inner book loving agoraphobic was dying to do just that!

You see, I'm currently  reading 'The Secret Garden' by Mrs Frances Hodgson Burnett.  That lady really knew how to write a story because I'm loving it.



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 Apparently, I thought I already read it but I was wrong.  It was the movie I've seen and one I remember liking. 

Anyway, it's the reason I contemplated calling in sick ( I honestly didn't feel well this morning) and really. REALLY wanted to stay home.  But I didn't.  I did the adult thing.  I went to work like a good girl.

I'll let you know what I think of it after I finish it -after I do the adult thing and go to work, come home and pick up the book as soon as I can.

"Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet" by Jamie Ford

     I've always been very curious about internment camps, as one was set up not too far from where I grew up. However, I've never made time to research the history and stories of these camps, specifically the Japanese internment camps during WWII. This book has both helped me and made me want to do so. Without giving too much away (I hate when I read reviews that tell you literally the WHOLE story) it's a story of learning (both for the character and the reader), love, loss and having your eyes opened. It's a simple story but not a mindless read. It makes you think and moves you to want to know more, not only about the historical portion of the story but also about the characters in the book. I was sad to have it come to and end and even more sad to put it down. I hope you might pick it up!

Day 4

{a favorite book}
It seems that I devour books these days.  The ones I've read lately have been very un-noteworthy indeed.  However, one of the books I have fallen for, albeit months and months ago, is 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,'  by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.  I felt it was a well written, thoughtful story that made me laugh, cry AND think (but only a little.)  And that is the recipe for an awesome read!