Old Children's Book Poll

[rachelmanija]

Here are some old children's books I have acquired. Please vote for which I should read next (or which I should avoid.) If you've read any of them, what did you think?

Poll #26528 Old Children's Book Poll

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 129

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Which books should I read next?

View Answers

Understood Betsy, by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. A girl is sent to rural Vermont and experiences country life.
32 (24.8%)

Building Blocks, by Cynthia Voigt. A boy time-travels and meets his father as a boy.
22 (17.1%)

Juniper, by Monica Furlong. A princess studies with her wise-woman aunt.
50 (38.8%)

Mossflower, by Brian Jacques. Martin the Warrior vs en evil cat queen.
24 (18.6%)

Castaways in Lilliput, by Henry Winterfield. Three shipwrecked kids land in Lilliput.
17 (13.2%)

Midsummer, by Katherine Adams. Two New York kids are sent to Sweden & experience Swedish life.
20 (15.5%)

Orphan Island, by Laurel Snyder. Kids live alone on an island.
23 (17.8%)

Mariel of Redwall, by Brian Jacques. Finally a heroine.
25 (19.4%)

The Fairy Caravan, by Beatrix Potter. A miniature animal traveling circus.
19 (14.7%)

A Room Made of Windows, by Eleanor Cameron. Teenage Julia wants to be a writer.
18 (14.0%)

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, by Judith Kerr. Anna and her family are refugees in multiple countries.
30 (23.3%)

Hyddenworld, by William Horwood. Two kids find a civilization of tiny people and magic.
23 (17.8%)

Assignment in Alaska (Kathy Martin), by Josephine James. A stewardess has an Alaska adventure.
9 (7.0%)

Talargain, by Joyce Gard. Northumberland selkie fantasy.
45 (34.9%)

Comments

[mildred_of_midgard]

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit needs a better title, because I too was disappointed at the failure of the pink rabbit to get more than a passing mention. But as a book, it's one of my all-time favorites. It reminds me of the Little House books: the family is going through stressful times, but the book is about how everything is all right as long as the family's together, and day-to-day challenges of adapting to life as refugees have a downright cozy vibe. (Less food than the Little House books, though. What it *really* reminds me of is Letters from Rifka, which is also one of my favorites.)

I read the Pink Rabbit sequels as an adult and was disappointed. I remember them being more about the stress and family dysfunction. You can see the parents sheltering the kids from the Holocaust in the first book; in subsequent books, it's more about the kids, now grown up, having to deal with their parents' psychological issues while trying to live their own lives. Not nearly as much fun for me. YMMV.

[carbonel]

Your comments about the Pink Rabbit sequels match my thoughts. I read all of them at once (obtained them as an omnibus) and the later books where the characters weren't in as much danger nevertheless felt more grim.

[mildred_of_midgard]

First book: "Well, Hitler is after us, yes, but the real challenge faced in this book is the discovery that learning French is hard! but ultimately rewarding!"

Subsequent books: "I think Mom might be about to make another suicide attempt. God, adulthood sucks."

[carbonel]

Yes, this. And no good SSRIs to be had for love or money yet.