The Big 400

400th Blog Post- who would have thought? I thought to commemorate this epic event, I'd take a look back at some of the books that made the biggest impact on me as a child.

I don't even remember the first time that I read My Father's Dragon. There are actually two more that come after this but MFD is my favorite. It follows the story of Elmer Elevator's daring rescue of the baby dragon that is trapped on an island full of cruel animals. Elmer is able to free the dragon through use of clever ideas- he keeps tigers occupied by giving them chewing gum that "magically turns green so they can bury it and grow a gum tree". He gets across the river by tying lollipops to the tail of each crocodile. He helps a lion out by showing him how to braid his mane and tie it off with pretty boys. The story is incredibly clever and unique and each time a new animal shows up, you get excited to figure out what Elmer is going to do. You do wonder though why he packs a backpack full of lollipops, rubber bands, a mirror, hairbrush, ribbons, magnifying glasses and other bizarre things. It's like he knew....

I wanted to be Maniac Magee's best friend. What an incredible kid. Orphaned at a young age and hating his life with his aunt and uncle, he takes off running and doesn't stop. Age, race, class, none of that bothers him- all he wants to do is play baseball, get along, run and read. If you haven't read this, you must right away. His example is one that every child should know and follow.

Sometimes books that are written from the point of view of animals aren't done to well but the ones that are from the point of view of mice are always great (I include the book Pearl's Promise and Pearl's Pirates in this category). Mrs. Frisby is a brave, strong little mouse who is going to do everything that she can to help her son. She ends up getting involved with a colony of mice who are all escaped from a laboratory and who were friends with her husband. Imagining this little mouse being so incredibly brave, flying on the back of a crow, sneaking past the farmer's cat, she's a rock star! Plus Justin.... oh, my little romantic heart just loves him so much....

I wanted my own Little Bear and Boone. Although they didn't have to be an Indian and a Cowboy. I did for awhile have a little set up for one of my Playmobile characters and pretended that she was real. Sadly she wasn't. But at least I had an imagination. I loved this series so much, and probably would appreciate a lot of it a little more now that I'm older and have a better idea of England and all of their slang (I remember not knowing what "quid" was for a long time....) I for some reason really liked the fourth book "Mystery of the Cupboard", maybe because I really liked the journal that Jessica Charlotte wrote and her connection to Omri and finding out how deep this cupboard business really went. I didn't like the last one- I don't even remember the name of that one but I didn't like it at all. It was better before Omri's dad found out about everything. I loved when it was just Omri, Patrick and the plastic figures.

I feel that this is like Jasper Fforde books for kids- Norton Juster is so clever with his puns, play of words, "rescuing Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason", the Tallest Short Man, the Shortest Tall Man, being stuck in the Doldrums. Oh my goodness, it's so clever! It's such a fun story when you're younger but when you grow up, you understand a lot more of what is being said. I'm pretty sure half of what happened to Milo I didn't understand when I was younger. But I love that I can still enjoy this book years later.

My favorite kids books in the whole wide world. Honestly, these are amazing. I loved Laura, I still do. My favorite, favorite, favorite by far is These Happy Golden Years. The sweet relationship between Laura and Almanzo just warms the cockles of my hopeless romantic heart. I LOVE when he comes back to surprise her at Christmas. Ugh, just perfection right there. These books can do absolutely no wrong in my eyes and I will read them over and over and over again.

It has always been a dream of mine to live in an museum and it started with this book. FTMUFOMBEF (whoa, try pronouncing that....) combined so many of my favorite things- museums, living alone, artwork, research, etc., that I couldn't help love it and read it over and over again. E.L. Konigsburg, by the way, is an incredible author and many of her other books are favorites as well (View from Saturday and Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley and me, Elizabeth are two great ones). This one is extra special though, you will want to visit the Met after reading it (and wish you could sleep in Marie Antoinette's bed...)

This one was for the budding historian in me.... It followed tomboy Caddie and her two brothers (and sisters) living out in the wilds of Wisconsin. It brought in a lot of the strife with the Native Americans, what a traveling circuit preacher does, 1800s education and how to best raise children during that time. Caddie was an incredible spirit and even though I was nothing like her, definitely wished that I was.

Oh Anne spelled with an E. If you don't know the meaning of "depths of despair", "Cordelia", "a Jonah day" and "Kindred spirit", then you are missing out on the wonderful world that is Anne Shirley Bylthe, Marilla and Matthew, Mrs. Rachel Lynde, Diana Barry, Phil, Stella and Priscilla, Leslie Moore, Captain Jim and Miss. Cordelia and of course, Gilbert, Jem, Walter, Nan, Di, Shirley and Rilla. There is no greater, flawed, special, inspiration character as Anne and I love everything about her. And Gilbert.... ugh, Gilbert Blythe. Why can't he be real!?

E.B. White is another incredible author and although most people will point to Charlotte's Web as he best and most heartfelt story, I would have to disagree and say the Trumpet of the Swan is the best. There is something incredibly poignant of a mute trumpeter swan who not only gets a trumpet to communicate but is dedicated in returning the money that was owed for the trumpet. His adventures are remarkable- some of my favorites are when he learns to spell, when he spent the night at the Ritz in Boston and his time spent with Sam Beaver who is in himself an incredible character. I always think of Louis when I think of Boston.

If you haven't read any of these books then run, RUN! to your library and pick them up immediately.