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| "Chronicles of Narnia" Fan-Art by TaekwondoNJ |
(There
will absolutely be a review of this book here, soon)
But
this got me thinking about my childhood and pre/early teen years, where there
was a myriad of age appropriate reading literature for children and young
adults. Books were all we had (and relished) at the time.
With
the advent of Social Media – which is supposed to be a good thing(ish) – I sometimes
worry, that what are kids these days reading?
Our
lunchtime catching-up with friend would be about those books, and how eager we
were to blackmail our parents to get us sequels.
What
do kids catch up on these days… do you know?
I
worry that it is not far from what pose Ariana Grande struck during her last show,
or the latest filter introduced on snapchat. Which are not in themselves bad
things to catch up on. I am just worried about the seeming dearth of the
reading (and deep learning) culture, hastened by the very visual world of
social media platforms.
Anyway,
I had good memories of books I read as a child/pre-teen, which I thought to
share, for ideas on building you kiddies library.
Here
goes my top ten child-books from my past (in no particular order):
1. Ralia the Sugar Girl
I
know, I know… with the benefit of adulthood, this book smacks of a lot of eye-rolling
unrealities and naivety.
But
there was something about the portrayal of the happy-go-lucky, central character
that sowed in me the “Never lose hope” seed. Despite the (scary) adventures she
passed through, she never lost faith that she would find her way home again to
her family, and never lost that spark that filled her with so much sweetness.
The
book also taught me the common-sense of not wandering away from home randomly. While I admired
her perseverance, I had no interest in getting lost as a child.
2. Famous Five/Secret Seven series
Ahhhhhh! Enid Blyton did a huge number on a lot of us with these books, and kept us coming back for more.
These
books opened my mind to the world of child-sleuthing, and I would see every
daily occurrence through the lens of a mystery waiting to be solved (Even when
it was clear that it was the cat that ate the crayfish, and not some mysterious
man living in a hidden cellar)
I
particularly loved the portrayal of George in Famous Five and I identified with
her, since I was a tomboy myself. It made me more comfortable in my
tomboy-skin.
3. The Drummer Boy
If there ever was a story I read as a child of one rising above one’s natural circumstances, it was this one.
While
not exactly a “child’s” book per se,
Cyprian Ekwensi opened my eyes to the struggles of people living with
disabilities among us and the need for the provision of better facilities for
them.
4. The Three Golliwogs
I had a love/hate relationship with these series, and the central characters. I liked the back stories, but had questions regarding where the characters came from, how they ate, and what they did for a living. For starters, WHAT THE HECK ARE GOLLIWOGS?
While
their stories made me laugh a lot at the time, I do not know that I will be
recommending the books, due to the portrayal of the “Golliwogs”. As
I typed this post, it hit me that the “Golliwogs” is a ‘soft’ portrayal of
Blackface, which is a caricature of Black Africans.
I
guess that is one of the side-effects of growing up; you suddenly realise that
some of those things that made you ‘laugh’ as a child, were not appropriate. Especially
when it caricaturizes a you. The reader.
5. Without a Silver Spoon
The
first time I saw this book in my father’s library, I asked “Daddy… what is a Silver Spoon?” He
smiled a deep, long smile.
I
would later understand from the book the various strata society deems one
naturally “born into”, and how easy it is for you to be judged based on the
boxes society has placed you in. More importantly, I would understand that you
are not defined by these lines and boxes already pre-determined for you.
You
make your own path.
6. My book of Bible Stories
I
agree with you, that the pictures used to sometimes potray the characters or a
particular event were a little over the top. Like showing the ‘evilness’ of
Delilah, through her red nails and red lipstick??
Lol…
that’s like 98% of us women in this day.
But
this book helped in making my learning of the tenets of my faith a fun thing
(rather than a draaaaaaaaagggg).
The
stories were actual stories from the Bible, and in my mind, I was often
transported to the particular happening. The stories, the visuals and the
writing all fuelled my imagination, and in my mind’s eye, I could see myself in
places like the whale’s belly; chilling with brother Jonah.
Weird,
right?
7. Chike and The River
There
is a reason Chinua Achebe remains Africa’s best writer (argue with your other
novelists). While a children’s book, this book would be enjoyed by persons of any
every age, even in this day, and Chinua (as always) seizes the opportunity to
share the beauty of the various Nigerian cultures.
The story balances the desire for a brighter future, with the un-climatic reality that the grass on the other side might just be far from green.
The story balances the desire for a brighter future, with the un-climatic reality that the grass on the other side might just be far from green.
And
while my family was not the wealthiest at the time, this book made me
appreciate things I took for granted which other people prayed to have, or
experience. Things as seemingly ‘mundane’ as going and living across the River Niger.
8. Basket of Flowers
Lol.
This book shaaaa.
Daddy
made me read this book at least twenty times. Whenever I was caught in a lie,
the Basket of Flowers was my punishment. When I wanted to “keep up with the
joneses”, he referred me to keep up with Basket of Flowers instead. And even
when it was time to have “the talk” on crossing from childhood into
young-adult, he insisted I read the Basket of Flowers yet again, to soften the
ground.
It
maddened me at the time that he WANTED me to read the book over and over again,
and fall in love with it. But I did fall in love with it eventually. I remember
this now and smile, with a mental note to tease him about it when next we sit together.
This
book is beautiful a coming of age book for young girls and boys, with lessons and principles on building
character.
9. Chronicles of Narnia
Oh
my!
The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Prince Caspian. The Horse and His Boy.
Aslan. Narnia.
Aslan. Narnia.
These Chronicles perhaps form part of the happiest/sweetest/fondest memories of my
childhood. I loved the books so much, that when I graduated from my Bachelors
in Law, my third sibling gifted me with a beautifully illustrate hardcover of
all the books in one.
(Someone
stole it from meeeee!!!) ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
When
I read the Chronicles of Narnia as a child, I had no idea that there were some
faith-based undertones (C.S. Lewis writes with Christian undertones). But there
was a beauty in the hope that the stories potrayed. The fun of the
adventures. The (pun-ish) idea that you had to be as child to experience Narnia,
and the beautiful closure the Last Battle brought.
Even
if no other book features, this is one book that would definitely be in my
children’s library.
10. One Week, One Trouble (And Double
Trouble)
Haha!
This book was all about the adventures of Tagbo (that was his name, right?) as
a boarding school student in colonial Nigeria. He always found himself in one
trouble or the other with his peers, Seniors at school or school authorities.
But he warmed your heart with the ways he wriggled himself out of each situation, and deep down, he was just a good-natured young boy, with a nack for the (slightly) dangerous.
...
But he warmed your heart with the ways he wriggled himself out of each situation, and deep down, he was just a good-natured young boy, with a nack for the (slightly) dangerous.
...
There
were other books I enjoyed, like an African
Night’s Entertainment, Koku Baboni,
Bottled Leopard, and King Solomon’s Mines.
I
look forward to building a library full with most of them… even as you are
welcome to borrow ideas for stocking your kiddies’ library.
Paz,
Meg.
Photo-Credits:
1. www.deviantart.com
2. www.audible.com.au
3. www.wikipedia.com
4. Drummer Boy (by Cyprian Ekwensi) www.goodreads.com
5. The Three Golliwogs (by Enid Blyton) www.goodreads.com
6. www.pinterest.com
7. www.zikoko.com
8. www.christianbook.com
Photo-Credits:
1. www.deviantart.com
2. www.audible.com.au
3. www.wikipedia.com
4. Drummer Boy (by Cyprian Ekwensi) www.goodreads.com
5. The Three Golliwogs (by Enid Blyton) www.goodreads.com
6. www.pinterest.com
7. www.zikoko.com
8. www.christianbook.com
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