Children and books

Rose dreamed she was a Lily,
Lily dreamed she was a Rose.
Robin dreamed he was a sparrow,
What Owl dreamed, no one knows
But they all woke up together
As happy as can be.
Each said, you're lovely neighbor
But I'm happy being me.


It might be a little blurry, but this is Bookworms shirt from when she was much smaller. It is now pinned up to her notice board. I want to keep it in her room while she grows. It's not a book, but a perfect example of what books can and should do.

I'm sure every child has been told about the wonderful transportive power of books, bringing us to new places and giving us new experiences, if only in thought, so that we can relate better to others. That is a wonder all it's own, but stopping there falls short of a complete explanation. A book should also transport us back home again with a new love of home or a desire to change it. Books are not merely escapism. They are reality changers.

It also reminds me of this song.

The Gates By John Connolly

There are precious few children's books that involve M theory. That is, the Steven Hawkins loved idea that there are multiple universes (shortened into multi-verse, and not to be confused with the odd, amusing and sometimes musical Buffy-verse). Hawkins has recently used this theory to conclude that there is not God, Connolly uses it with the assumption that there is or at least that there is a Great Malevolence, high demon and ruler of the Underworld, which in my book amounts to about the same thing.

While all of that is fun, it is very far off the sidelines of the book, but is an interesting thought to add to your reading enjoyment. In essence The Gates is an adventure story about a boy, and his dog, and his friends, and mostly about how no one believes you until it's too late. Also, for good measure a healthy dose of coming to terms with divorce and what to do when your a not-so-really-bad demon that just doesn't fit in. So it's a hodgepodge, but a very enjoyable one.

Connolly is particularly good with asides. The book comes alive in his little explanatory moments to the reader such as:

• Whenever someone uses the word 'glitch', which means a fault of some kind in the system, you should immediately be suspicious, because it means they don't know what it is. A technician who uses the word 'glitch' is like a doctor who tells you you're suffering from a 'thingy', except the doctor won't tell you to go home and try turning yourself on and off again.
  

Which shows how much fun can be had in footnotes, and also that I might be going to the wrong type of doctor.

Some of Connolly's books verge too close to the macabre for older children or night reading at all (I'm looking at you Nocturnes) but The Gates is a perfect older child book because it doesn't condescend to them; includes some really good tidbits of science, history and art, just enough to peak an interest if it's there; and most importantly is a great read. Perfect for the precocious preteen we all know and want to shut up for a minute or two. It might be best to carry this book with you on journeys for just such a reason. But it's also great fun for the adults, who like me, don't always want the tomes but have a strong desire to stay away from anything that ends up on a best seller list in Borders.

But, as Reading Rainbow has taught us: You don't have to take my word for it. 

no books; one Starkey trick

I am reading, I'm loving the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series, and I re-read The Giver, and The Once and Future King, Ruskins lectures on Geology to a girls school and all sort of other things. I have even had my Mac fixed so there is not excuse, but I don't want to write about them.

I am sad. Sad would seep through the words and contaminate my beautiful books. It would sit there and sulk until I opened the book up again, months or years later and the sad would burst out full strength and push its way back. And I would be sad again. We can't have that.

Instead I will play Jacks like I was taught but only when the Baby is asleep (she is too small for jacks and I'm not about to share yet anyway) and I will make lists of things, things that make me happy, simple thing, free things, and I will push my heart up again through pure strength of will. And then I will write about books again.

The first on all my lists is Sunshine and warmth. Today, if the very fickle English sun favours me, I will walk in the sun, maybe I will take my computer and if the Baby behaves I will sit with a coffee in the sun and make a longer list. Then again a list with one is still very nice.