15 Books all Children Should Read

I thought I would challenge myself to come up with my top 15 children's books.  It's no mean feat deciding the order of these books since I love them all so much, but I'll give it a go.  This list could easily be pushed to a top 50 in the future, but I think this is a good start for now.  

15.  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

This book is a riotous adventure, and one of the great American novels.  It features many misadventures, all of which are extremely memorable and tinged with humour.  

14.  Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Told by Black Beauty himself, this story is sad but very sweet.  

13.  Watership Down by Richard Adams

Richard Adams once said that he wanted to write a "proper adult book" for children.  This book is an adrenaline-filled adventure, full of gut-wrenching ups and downs.  The maturity of its storytelling would be best appreciated by older readers.  

12.  A Series of Unfortunate Events  by Lemony Snicket

These books are famous for featuring the very unfortunate lives of the Baudelaire orphans.  However, they are not entirely grim and gloomy.  The Baudelaires themselves are endearing heroes that you will cheer for through every misfortune that they encounter in the series.  Also, this adventure is made even more memorable by the cunningly creative narrative voice of Snicket.  

11.  The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

This is my favourite book by E.B. White.  Although it hasn't received the level of fame of Charlotte's Web or Stuart Little, it is equally heartwarming.  Louis has the virtues to make him a truly memorable hero.  

10.  James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

This is my favourite Roald Dahl book.  It's short enough to read in a couple of days, and yet the adventure it offers is big enough to enjoy for a lifetime.  Like all books by Roald Dahl, you will love it for its quirkiness and endless creativity.  

9.  Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Aside from its remarkably imaginative storyline and characters, this book is also beautifully written.  It's descriptions and moving reflections make it so much more than the familiar Disney rendition.  This book is much, much more magical.  

8.  National Velvet by Enid Bagnold

This book has a delightfully eccentric feel.  The home of the dysfunctional Brown family is a great place to escape as each character is quirky and full of life.  I adore it for it's many memorable misadventures.   

7.  The Animals of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann

For many years, this was my favourite book.  It has always inspired me with its show of the strength of friendship and courage in the face of huge difficulty.  

6.  The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

From page 1, this book is immediately captivating.  There are moments for crying in mourning and moments for shouting in triumph.  It is an exhaustingly epic tale that you mustn't miss!  Obviously this one is for older readers.  

5.  The Voyages of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting

I never want this adventure to end.  With unbeatable heroes from the minuscule Jabizri beetle to the marvellous Doctor himself, it is easy to feel like the characters are family.  It's many plot twists and escapades make it a riveting read.  

4.  The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit

This magical adventure is so fresh and original, I never cease to be surprised and amazed by the plot.  E. Nesbit's imagination is boundless.  If you like this, you'll also love her Psammead Trilogy.  

3.  Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

I received this book on my first birthday and so my battered copy contains many memories for me.  Anne is one of my best friends and role models.  Her story is timeless and wonderful.  

2.  The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Even though I'm new to the world of Harry Potter, it's already affected me so deeply in the short amount of time that it's been a part of my life.  It is the ultimate adventure and every person deserves to be enriched by taking a part in it.  

1.  The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis

My favourite series of all times.  I read and re-read these books every year without fail and the characters continue to be some of my closest friends and fellow adventurers.  

So there you have it.  My top 15 children's books.  This may change slightly over the years, but I'm confident that my love for these books will never fade.  

As I look back over this list, I realise how much these books have affected my life, and most importantly, the sort of person that I am today.  The amount of times I've turned to these books for solace, courage, friendship, and a home-away-from-home astounds me.  I believe it wholeheartedly when I say that the reading you do as a child is the most important reading you do in your whole life.  

The Magic of "What If?"

What if...?

I never considered myself to be very good at coming up with story ideas.  I could brainstorm for days on end but it always seemed that the really clever plot-twists that I so admired in other stories were out of my reach.  

That is until now.  

There is a technique that people in the creative arts know as the Magic 'If'.  The Magic 'If' is simply asking yourself "what if?"  

This technique may seem waaaay too eaaaasy to possibly make a difference, but I swear, it has opened up a new world of fantastic opportunities!  I never realised how much I was locking myself into a box before.  

Asking "what if?" leads to new questions, which in turn lead to other questions.  Nothing is concreted or locked down in this brainstorming stage, so that all of your ideas are allowed the freedom to develop and soar in your creative mind.  

As opposed to the usual boring dot points that I was normally etch down, I have pages and pages of notes, all asking "what if?"  I am passionate and excited about my ideas, because it feels as though each new question is giving me new opportunities to explore the depths of my imagination.  I am in love with my creativity and extremely positive.  Why?  Because anything if possible when I ask "if"!  

For some, it may help to brainstorm your Magic 'If' ideas in a mind-map or matrix format.  Use it for any and everything.  I'm confident that you'll be pleasantly surprised by the power of your imagination, once you give it this chance for a little more freedom.  Just let it run with you!  It really is magical.  

Start of Second Semester

I apologise for not blogging for a few weeks, but it does mean that I've built up a little inventory of things to tell you about!

Holidays

I spent my semester holidays sewing a Ms Frizzle dress for my Magic School Bus cosplay, as well as stitching by hand a life-sized plush Liz.  I promise there will be photos once all the little bits and pieces are finished.

Uni

I'm now back at uni for my second semester.  I have two creative writing units, Scriptwriting and Short Story, one literature unit, Pop Fiction in Pop Culture, and one drama unit, Performance Innovation. 

Looking at all the assessment information and the list of required readings has made me very excited to get started.  I have plays to go watch, novels to read, stories to write and even submit for publication to  an Australian literary journal.  Even my book list has plenty of pizazz:  Tarzan, The Hobbit, Sin City, Twilight, and Eat, Pray, Love.  

My hope for this semester is that I will be able to stay un-stressed enough so that I can really learn a lot from and enjoy these units.  I'm just looking forward to having these new skills under my belt.  I can feel myself becoming a more refined, yet more adventurous writer as we speak!  

Oh, by the way, a fellow student and friend in my course has also started a blog on Blogger.  Bettiee Tee is a diary and soap box for life issues and self-reflection.  It's inspirational, motivational, and thoroughly thought-provoking.  I definitely encourage you to have a look.  

Bettie Tee Blogspot 

Bettie Tee Official Facebook Page

Well that's it for now, but so much is happening around me that I'm sure I'll have plenty to tell you about in the coming weeks.  Take care for now. 

André Kertész - On Reading

I have stumbled across a gem - André Kertész' sumptuous collection of photographs, titled simply On Reading.  It was published in New York in 1971, by Grossman Publishers.    

Have a browse below, and try to just enjoy the whimsical beauty of these photographs.  Looking through them makes me feel infinitely happy.  

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

André Kertész - On Reading

My Enduring Love for Ian McEwan

This week, I finished reading Ian McEwan's 1997 novel, Enduring Love.  It tells the story of Joe Rose, whose life is turned upside down after a freak ballooning accident.  One of the witnesses to the tragedy is Jed Parry.  Unbeknownst to Rose, Parry believes a powerful connection to have been forged between them during the aftermath of the accident, birthing a dangerous obsession that threatens to destroy Rose's world.  

CRITICAL RECEPTION

My excitement to read it was heightened by the enthusiastic reviews printed on the back cover:

'A page-turner, with a plot so engrossing that it seems reckless to pick the book up in the evening if you plan to get any sleep that night'

A.S. BYATT, LITERARY REVIEW 

'He is the maestro at creating suspense: the particular, sickening, see-sawing kind that demands a kind of physical courage from the reader to continue reading'

NEW STATESMAN

'I cannot remember the last time I read a novel so beautifully written or utterly compelling from the very first page'

BILL BRYSON, SUNDAY TIMES

And I agreed wholeheartedly with all of these statements.  

MY EXPERIENCE

As you know, it was his famous masterpiece, Atonement, that first led me to fall in love with McEwan's work.  Enduring Love has two major things in common with Atonement.  

One:  Quite simply, beautiful writing.  The critic from the NEW STATESMAN was right on the money when he stated that McEwan was the "maestro" of suspense.  The book is a thriller, that's for sure.  I stayed up late every night for a week, rapt in the words that he wove around me.  

The characters are so human, and I found myself emphasising with Joe to such a degree that I sometimes felt sick with exasperation when Clarissa and the police didn't appreciate the danger he predicted.  

Two:  The story.  Just like in Atonement, the story of Enduring Love is ingeniously original and riveting.  It is such an exceptional treat to be able to enjoy beautiful writing and an amazing story.  It is so unexpected, so real, so thought-provoking and mind-boggling, putting together characters and scenarios in imaginative ways for results that are shocking and memorable.  

Reading McEwan, I have begun to feel like a collector of experiences.  His books give readers a chance to live astounding stories.  

THE MOVIE

The film adaptation, staring Daniel Craig and Rhys Ifans, is also excellent.  Even if you don't feel like reading the book, a trip to the video library will ensure you appreciate the story-telling genius of McEwan.  I was pleasantly surprised by the way it was handled, and it's beautifully shot as well.  I popped the trailer down below for your viewing pleasure.  

The Aftermath of 'Atonement'

Here is my promised review of Ian McEwan's masterpiece, Atonement.  And I hardly know where to start.  

THE WRITING

Cecilia Tallis as played
by Keira Knightly

The thing that drew me so irresistibly to Atonement was the writing.  From page one, my appetite for his words could not be sated.  

In her interview with McEwan, ABC's Jennifer Byrne described his style as almost "crystalline", and I completely understand what she meant by that.  The people, places, and images that McEwan constructs are amazingly specific and clear.  I feel that this made each person, place, and image so much more wondrous, as I was presented with the intimate intricacies and difficulties of them.  

While some authors prefer to give the reader plenty of space to colour in the story with their own imagination, the glory of Atonement is being able to step into a world that is already perfectly articulated.  

Perhaps it's better described as falling forwards into McEwan's world, as though down the rabbit hole.  Indeed, I felt as though each page was like tunnelling deeper in a version of Wonderland.  

THE EXPERIENCE

Instead of feeling cheated of the chance to let my imagination run wild, I felt honoured by the opportunity to live a reincarnation in an alternate reality.  I emerged from the end having lived another lifetime, and it was exhausting, but endlessly enriching.  

It definitely boils down to being able to make mistakes and decisions through the characters instead of in my own life, watch the consequences and outcomes, and not have to make those errors myself.  This is undoubtedly one of the greatest privileges of reading.  

THE AFTERMATH

Walking away from this book was incredibly hard for me.  The intimacy of the narrative and the specificity of the descriptions made it feel as though I was uprooting myself from a lifetime of experience.  

It was painful.  I needed to have a good sob.  But now, after the tears are dry, I'm left with the tendency to reminisce sadly but sweetly on the memories it has allowed me to add to my own.  

CONCLUSION

Upon finishing Atonement, I knew immediately that I would have to get my own copy, because this is a book that must read again and again.  (I think I may just add to to out 100 Books to Read Before You Die.)

The experience of it was incredible, and thank goodness it's possible to relive the memories. 

If you would like to read more about Atonement, follow the link to the Goodreads.com page.  

If you would like to watch the Ian McEwan's interview on Jennifer Byrne Presents, follow the link to my blog post, A Sweet Tooth for Ian McEwan.  It goes for 30 minutes, and gives a very eye-opening insight to his writing style and backstory.  I think I might need to re-watch it myself!

The Mastery of McEwan

I have just finished reading Ian McEwan's Atonement.  I am so blown away and shell-shocked by the experience that I don't feel quite ready to talk about it yet.  I just need a little more time to think and let the experience sink in.  

In the meantime, I wanted to share some samples of his writing that I hungrily hoarded up as I was reading.  He is a truly beautiful writer.  His words are gorgeous and hand-picked with such delicacy for crystal clarity of meaning.  Please feast on these sumptuous extracts.  I have bolded the lines that made me swoon.  

How guilt refined the methods of self-torture, threading the beads of detail into an eternal loop, a rosary to be fingered for a lifetime.  

Atonement by Ian McEwan (2001), p 173. 

During her stay in Primrose Hill she borrowed her uncle's typewriter, took over the dining room and typed out her final draft with her forefingers.  She was at it all week for more than eight hours a day, until her back and neck ached, and ragged curls of unfurling ampersands swam across her vision.  But she could hardly remember a greater pleasure than at the end, when she squared off the completed pile of pages - one hundred and three! - and felt at the tips of her raw fingers the weight of her creation.  All her own.  

Atonement by Ian McEwan (2001), p 281.   

Cecilia moved round behind Betty to see what everyone else could see - a huge blackened tray recently pulled from the ocean bearing a quantity of roast potatoes that still sizzled mildly.  There were perhaps a hundred in all, in ragged rows of pale gold down which betty's metal spatula dug and scraped and turned.  The undersides held a stickier yellow glow, and here and there a gleaming edge was picked out in nacreous brown, and the occasional filigree lacework that blossomed around a ruptured skin.  they were, or would be, perfect.  

Atonement by Ian McEwan (2001), p 104.


Expect a full-fledged review sometime this week.  I really just need a few days to recover from it!