Sabtu, 08 September 2012

Children's Literature - Forgotten Gems

Review and Thoughts on Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson

I usually like to read fantasy adventures that include magic and mysteries. This book has its own kind of magic and mystery...

Flora Thompson gives many details of what it was like to live in a small, (very small) hamlet. She tells about her family and the way families did things back in this time.

In the late 1800's life was so much different than it is now and life in England was extraordinarily different than it was in America at that time. Flora Thompson paints a vivid picture of the time and place with her words. She doesn't really tell a story she simply tells how things were and some things that happened to her as a young girl.

You can't read this book thinking you will get a story because it really has no plot just lovely information.

It's absolutely worth reading...

Review and Thoughts on The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

I love this story! I have asked several people lately if they have read it and have received the same answer, no... I don't understand? They had never even heard of it!

It's a great adventure story with intrigue and mystery. A family inherits an old house that has a ghost. Once they sort out that the ghost is real they have to sort out how to get rid of it. It's not really a scary story even though it has a ghost.

The ghost made a terrible mistake and has lived (or whatever you call it) with that terrible mistake for many years. I'm not going to give the whole story away but it has a great mystery and lots of excitement in it.

There have been several movies made with the story one of them even has Sir Patrick Stewart in it. I would recommend it if you want to watch the story instead of reading it.

Both these books give me much inspiration for some stories I want to write in the future. I love to find old stories that have the energy these two books have. They can transport you to a different place and time and show you things you never thought of. They can also give you a new perspective on what you thought you knew or believed. There is so much hype these days about how books have to be best sellers or by a certain author or whatever... back in the time both these books were written it was different, it just had to be good writing or a good story. These books may not have been published if they had been written today and what a loss that would have been!

I think sometimes stories can become forgotten gems... these two have.

Julie L. Worthington is a writer of fantasy adventure and science-fiction middle-grade and young adult books along with short stories. She is passionate about children's literature both old and new. To find out more or to read some of her work go to http://www.julieworthington.com

Tidak ada komentar:

Posting Komentar