Friday, June 26, 2009

Book of the Week

The quest for a good summer read continues! With it so warm out I spend a lot of time outside supervising while Ben and Brigham play. Just sitting there gets kinda boring after a few days so I like to keep a bit of knitting and a good book in my purse to help stave off boredom on our outings to the park.

A School Favourite
As a general rule I detested all the things crammed down my throat in L.A during high school. They were all so depressing, morbid or just downright dull. To this day I will not touch anything by Tennesee Williams (ugh!). Yet there is one book that I happily revisit often. My best teacher and mentor Mr.Murdock read Haper Lee's classic "To Kill a Mockingbird" aloud to us in grade eight, and I've loved it ever since. The story weaves an unforgettable story. I love that it is seen from the viewpoint of the children in the book-at first I just loved it for all their escapades. Scout and Jem with their friend Dill. Their highjinks and tricks to get the reclusive neighbour Boo Radley to leave his house. As things unfold you start to catch a hint of the drama that will soon strike and change their lives forever. Here's another book that makes you laugh and cry. Every time I read this one I want to pack my bags and visit the sleepy town of Maycomb, Alabama. This book is exceptional, and the movie is a rare exception too. It actually is a credit to the novel that inspired it.

A Quest for Berries
Reading Robert Mccloskey's book "Blueberries for Sal" always reminds me of going berrypicking with Granny and Grandpa. While Sal and her mother are on one side of Blueberry Hill picking berries to preserve for the winter, Little Bear and his mother are on the other side fattening up for the winter. It's a simple story, but one that makes you smile and reminsce. My boys love this one. Meanwhile, it always leaves their Mommy wondering if we shall have a similar adventure this summer when we go picking blueberries ourselves. They don't call the trails littered with berry brambles through town the Bear trail for nothin'.

Happy reading everybody!

1 comment:

reddy said...

I have never understood why To Kill a Mockingbird is such a phenomenon. I read it in school, and I guess it was interesting, but I don't understand what is so amazing about it. Plus hearing what Harper Lee said about writing more after her book has always really annoyed me. I've never really liked her.

But I love Blueberries for Sal! The illustrations in that book are awesome.