I wanted to show you something.

It’s a King Penguin Classic, and it seems that this edition is from 1956.

It was purchased by my sister when she was living in France, and given to me in memory of a time when we used to read this story together every Christmas under twinkling lights and with steaming cider.

But never mind, the point is, I’ve just finished reading it for the first time in years, and it suddenly occurred to me that it was Charles Dickens (particularly this book) that kindled a love for storytelling at a very young age. It started with A Christmas Carol, and moved on to David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Nicholas Nickelby, A Tale of Two Cities and on and on. They sit on my shelves looking very worn and loved.

And sitting with them, is this edition with original illustrations by John Leech.

**Charles Dickens bi-centenary is coming up February 7th, 2012**

]]> http://strawberrysnail.com/2011/12/a-love-for-books-pictures-started-here/feed/ 2 http://strawberrysnail.com/2011/06/product-shot-motherload/ http://strawberrysnail.com/2011/06/product-shot-motherload/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 02:48:29 +0000 admin http://therese.neelands.net/?p=1611  

Sorry for the snapshot overload.

Packing up for Greenley’s Bookstore.

Today Margaret licked my easel like it was a bone full of meat.

I didn’t notice until she promptly threw up twice.

Then I panicked because I’ve been using solvent lately.

She is back to her old self now. Sulking on the couch.

Have a good week!

The Book Of Lost Things, by John Connelly

Postmodern take on Fairy Tales and Fables? Sort of. But it goes further than that. David is a boy coming of age during the war who retreats into a world of his own imagination as a way of dealing with the distress of the death of his mother, his father’s new wife, and his new half brother. Fairy Tales and Folk Tales become building blocks in the creation of his new world. The tales become slightly twisted as David composes them in his imagination. Sometimes horrific and definitely gruesome, this book isn’t really for children, although children might enjoy it for different reasons (there’s irony in there).

It’s interesting to think of Fairy Tales and Fables (as Connelly suggests) as not just life-lessons for children, but life lessons to aide the transition from childhood to adulthood. To start an awareness of the reality of a world full of pain, suffering and loss and how to overcome these challenges. Sexual awakening is also part of it, and there are stories like Sleeping Beauty which is quite literal in that aspect – in earlier versions, Sleeping Beauty is raped while she is asleep, and wakes up with the birth of her baby.

Some stories are just plain puzzling like The Three Billy Goats Gruff . I’m not sure what the lesson to be learned is here, but I remember it being a particular favourite when I was a kid. Perhaps part of the fascination was that I just didn’t get it then either.

The Book of Lost Things has got me in a Fairy Tales/Folk Tales kick, and I’ve dug out some of my most treasured books when I was little. These were my building blocks in developing a love for stories and pictures.

This one is double sided.

Stories from Hans Anderson

And the other side…

Stories from Grimm

Stories from Hans Anderson

Stories from Grimm

This next book was loved so much by all four of us girls that the cover is missing. In fact, I don’t remember this book having a cover at all, but such are the pitfalls of being the youngest. Interesting note – inside the cover is written over white-out “To Anne-Marie, from Mum & Dad. For doing well in school!”. I have the sneaking suspicion this was actually meant for Stef.

Young Years, 1971 edition, Back Cover

It’s big and heavy, containing a long list of nursery rhymes, nursery stories, fables, fairy tales, and poetry.

Beauty and The Beast, Young Years, edition 1971

Fables, Young Years, 1971

Yesterday I went to She Said Boom!, as I was dangerously close to finishing The Book of Lost Things. This is what I got:

English Fairy Tales and Legends by Rosalind Kerven

It has some illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Like The Book of Lost Things, there are notes and sources at the back.

The Princess and The Fool, Kent

The pages are as thick as cardstock, with a soft, paper jacket. Each story is from a different county.

The Devil's Bargain, Lancashire

The Wicked Witch, London

I also bought Salmon Rushdie’s The Enchantress of Florence, which I am very anxious to start.

The Enchantress of Florence, by Salmon Rushdie

This one, although not really of Fairy Tales, contains poems and short stories. It was once my mother’s when she was a kid.

Lucie Attwell's Annual

Lucie Atwell's Annual

There’s no copyright, but it looks like it may be from the 40s.

And now, I just got word, I think, that Nikolski (previous post) has just won the Canada Reads 2010 debate! I’m heading over to the CBC!

Waldo at the AGO

Part of a collaborative project. More about that later when there may be more to tell.