Once a reader, always a reader,
Martha
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Homework
I asked my mom what my favorite books were when I was little, and apparently I lovedCurious George. She said she got so tired of constantly reading it to me that she hid it for two weeks just so she could get a break. When I was a little older and ready for chapter books, she thought the Little House on the Prairie series would be a good place to start. She said I threw a fit because I didn’t want to read books about girls in dresses, so we compromised and started withFarmer Boy, and I was hooked after that.
Because of your advice, I reread a couple of the books in the series. I have to say, they hit a lot differently as an adult than I rememberwhen I read them as a child. Pa doing blackface in the minstrel show? Ma’s racism to the natives? Fourteen-year-old Laura getting walked home by nineteen-year-old Almanzo? I had to remind myself about the historical context of the time in which they were written, but it kind of made me a little uncomfortable. I hope that’s okay to admit.
Not all’s pure on the prairie,
Julien
From: [email protected]
Subject: I’m going to need therapy
Why would you do this to me? Why would an author do this to a child? I seriously think I might need therapy after readingIsland of the Blue Dolphins. I bawled my eyes out when Rontu died. Karana had already lost her father and brother and was left alone on an island. She was only a child! But then she finally had a companion in Rontu and then he dies too! Are all Newbery Medal books this tragic? I’m not sure I’m going to recover from this.
Heartbroken,
Julien
From [email protected]
Subject: Re: I’m going to need therapy
Sorry! I probably should have warned you about that one. It might be a good rule of thumb to be wary of any books with dogs in them. You especially should skipWhere the Red Fern Growsif you don’t want your heart to be ripped out of your chest. Although it’s the mark of a great author to be able to evoke such emotion from the reader.
It’s okay to cry,
Martha
1:17pm
Unknown number
I decided to go on a field trip for research today.
A selfie of Julien in the children’s section of a bookstore loads on my phone. I save his contact information, then type back:
Have fun!
Julien
Tell me why there’s a book titledI Need a New Butt!and another one calledThe Long Journey of Mister Poop. Is this a thing with kids’ books? See who can come up with the most shocking title?
I bite back my laugh.
Martha
