I just finished reading
Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden.
Not only was it a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful book,
it made me never want to come back to my reality.
I was transfixed.
Every page was exquisite. I found this image to represent the novel quite well.
Everything about this book appealed to me...the antique dealer who was trying to unlock the mystery of her past, a grand estate with a scandalous history, a hedge maze which led to a cottage on a cliff, a vivacious Authoress shrouded in secrecy, a brooding American artist, and a budding love story.
At times it reminded me of the best parts of Titanic and Downton Abbey with hints of Sherlock Holmes and A Secret Garden.
Then there was a Victorian book of whimsical fairy tales which weaved its way through the lifelines of several characters. I wanted to own a copy of Eliza Makepeace's Book of Fairy Tales so badly. The stories were so ornately described that I longed to see the accompanying illustrations of a book that didn't even exist! My wish is that Kate Morton releases a collection of these stories - complete with illustrations. Please, I beg of you, Ms. Morton. Photos from Kate Morton.com
I wondered what it it would be like to hold this actual book- What fonts would have been used? What parts of the story would have been illustrated? What were the other stories? I was delighted when I found this charming book club party. You MUST see for yourself this post from Delicious Reads. Someone so lovely created their very own version of the Authoress' book.
Reading this made me thumb through my memories of children's books and stories.
What books would have been in my white suitcase. Which ones do I hold dear?
What books would have been in my white suitcase. Which ones do I hold dear?
The Runaway Bunny
Animalia
The Eleventh Hour
Curious George
The Lion, Witch, & the Wardrobe
Dr. Seuss' The Sleep Book
Cinderella
Sleeping Beauty
One Eyes, Two Eyes , & Three Eyes (A favourite amongst every LaPine girl, if I'm not mistaken.
Our grandma could retell this Grimm's Fairy Tale word for word.)
And then countless Bible stories. I loved when the flannel board would be used to illustrate. They helped to cement the facts in my mind. There must be so many others...
So Reader, what were your favourite books of the past?
I read it this summer and I LOVED it! I didn't want it to end, actually.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to read this! Thanks to you, that is possible very soon now! :) I know just what you mean about not wanting to come back from reality. I suffer the same pains often! Let's see, what books stayed with me since childhood...?
ReplyDeleteThe Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Mitten by Jan Brett-I loved the illustration
I loved Matilda and The Big Freindly Giant by Roald Dahl
Any books in the Serendipity books-Morgan and Yew, Misty Morgan...all of them made me cry.
Well, that's off the top of my head!
Makayla
Sarah- I didn't want it to end, either!
ReplyDeleteMakayla- What a great list of children's books! I have only heard of The Giving Tree & Matilda. I must check out all these other ones too. The Serendipity books especially sound intriguing.
The Serendipity books were all about unicorns and animals...that's why I as hooked. I cried all the time reading them! Even though they turned out happy! Morgan and Yew especially. Yew was a little lamb that wanted to be like Morgan the unicorn so bad that he made a mud horn to be like his friend. And when Morgan laughs at him he cries! And Morgan says that he loves Yew just the way he is! And so it ends happy because Yew is happy. Man, I'm going to cry all over again...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.etsy.com/listing/85498240/morgan-and-yew-serendipity-children-book
Makayla