Book review: The Books of Childhood
In the middle of a dreary February, surrender to nostalgia and lighten your mood with these utterly charming old-school children’s books.
Betsy and the Great World
by Maud Hart Lovelace
Rejoice! Some of Betsy’s adventures have recently been rereleased in beautiful new editions. If you’re new to the Betsy-Tacy series, you may want to start with Heaven to Betsy/Betsy in Spite of Herself.
The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories
by Joan Aiken
Many of these stories were originally collected in Armitage, Armitage, Fly Away Home (1968). The title story remains one of my favorite short stories to this day.
Half Magic
by Edward Eager
I know these are fighting words, but Edward Eager’s books about magic trump Harry Potter any day, in my opinion. If you like this one, try Seven Day Magic or The Time Garden.
Cheaper By the Dozen
by Frank B. Gilbreth
Read the book, then watch the 1950 movie featuring Myrna Loy.
The Westing Game
by Ellen Raskin
This 1979 Newbery Medal winner is a clue-filled masterpiece.
Themocracy
I prefer Frog and Toad. Looking back now it was probably the gay subtext that got me.