In a post last year, I gave suggestions for books to check out if you’re a fan of Anne of Green Gables, and today, I’m recommending books for longtime Little Women fans. If you’re hoping for a book that has a similar feel, see if one of these fun vintage titles could be the right fit!

– If you love the realistic sibling dynamics, try What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge.

– If you’re a fan of sister stories and want another book with both child and young adult siblings, try Treasure for Debby by Amy Wentworth Stone.

– If you’re in the mood for a book that features the characters maturing from childhood to adulthood, try Pollyanna Grows Up by Eleanor Porter.

– If you’re on the hunt for another book featuring a heroine who longs to be a writer, try Jill’s Story by Jean Fiedler (hard to find, but worth looking for)! 

– If you’re looking for another cozy family story set in the 1800s, try The Belonging Place by Jean Little.

– If your favorite aspect of Little Women was the Jo & Laurie subplot but you want the characters to actually end up together, try the Betsy-Tacy high school books by Maud Hart Lovelace, beginning with Heaven to Betsy.

– If you’d like to read another feel-good novel about a New England family pulling together in hard times, try Winterbound by Margery Williams Bianco.

– If you’re still in the mood for Louisa May Alcott but want something less known, try her delightful Jack and Jill!

Bonus: if a chapter where the characters time-travel to visit the Little Women cast sounds good to you, check out The Time Garden by Edward Eager!

What books would you recommend to Little Women fans? Leave a comment below!

My friend Faith Elizabeth Hough (who blogs HERE) and I decided to create a fun reading challenge called Vintage Kidlit Summer. If you missed any of the details on how this challenge works, just go here and you can catch up! Basically, we’re doing 12 categories over 12 weeks, and each week has its own theme. All you have to do is choose a vintage/classic book that fits that week’s theme, read it, and share about it! You can write about it on your blog, or you can post your thoughts on Instagram (or Twitter) as well, by using the hashtag #vintagekidlitsummer. And if you’re in need of recommendations for each week’s theme, check out this blog post!

Our third week’s theme was Magical Adventures, and for this theme I chose to read Half Magic by Edward Eager. First published in 1954, this is the first book in the Tales of Magic series that have been a joy to several generations of readers.

I don’t typically read an entire book in one day—in fact, I’d say that’s extraordinarily rare for me, unless it’s something like a picture book—but when I first read Half Magic, that’s exactly what I did. And I also don’t typically read fantasy—it’s not my favorite genre and it’s hard for me to find books I love that also contain magical elements. But I wouldn’t really categorize Half Magic (or any of the Edward Eager books) as fantasy … they’re more just stories of ordinary children who happen to find some magical object.

Such is the case in Half Magic, when four siblings find an ancient coin that grants their wishes by halves. It takes them a while to discover the coin’s secret, but when they do—well, then the fun can begin!

Of course, in Eager’s stories, the kids never quite get what they bargain for when they’re attempting their extravagant, wild, and sometimes frivolous wishes. But in the end, they always try to do the right thing and use the magic to help someone. I wish I could tell you how this happens in Half Magic, but that would be giving spoilers!

One of my favorite chapters in Half Magic is when one of the children—Jane—loses her temper and wishes that she belonged to another family. The wish is granted, but growing up as someone else isn’t what Jane had hoped it would be. I also love the scene when the children’s mother makes a wish on the coin, not realizing that it’s magical.

The reason why I tried these books in the first place is because my copy of The Penderwicks said that it was perfect for fans of Noel Streatfeild, Elizabeth Enright, and Edward Eager. Having read (and loved!) books by the first two of those authors, I knew I had to try Edward Eager. I vividly remember my delight when I opened the book and realized that it was set in the 1920s. A historical book with gentle, humorous magic! What a delight!

And then of course, I had to go read Magic by the Lake when I was finished re-reading Half Magic. I couldn’t resist!

What did you read for the Vintage Kidlit Summer this week? Let me know in the comments!

When you hear someone talking about Noel Streatfeild books, chances are they’ll mention one of her most successful stories, usually in the Shoes series: Ballet Shoes or Theater Shoes (UK title—Curtain Up) or Skating Shoes (UK title—White Boots). And to be honest, I’m always excited when I see people talk about reading any Streatfeild book, because although some of the Shoes books achieved considerable popularity here in the USA, they just never quite attained the same status as other classic children’s novels.

Having been a Streatfeild fan since the age of nine, I’m delighted whenever I get the chance to introduce readers to some of her lesser-known stories. So without further ado, here’s a list of three books I’d love to share with you:

The Painted Garden (1949)

One of Noel Streatfeild’s favorite books was The Secret Garden, and this novel she published in 1949 is a clever retelling of that story. The Painted Garden follows ten-year-old Jane Winter, a middle child who has a tendency to get into trouble, as her family moves from rainy England to sunny California not long after World War II. Once in the picturesque town of Santa Monica, Jane (to her immense surprise) is cast as Mary Lennox in a major film production of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic story. She has to learn how to deal with a difficult co-star and manage her temper, or risk losing the role and her one chance of importance. It’s a lovely book that has memorable characters and some of Streatfeild’s best atmospheric writing. Be sure to get the UK edition with this title, though—the US version (Movie Shoes) is abridged.

Caldicott Place (1967)

This is one of Streatfeild’s most emotionally moving stories, and it completely captured my heart the first time I read it (and on many subsequent rereadings). This is the story of a family who inherits an old manor house that was once grand but is now run-down and in need of attention. But the Johnstone family is in need of a new home after their father’s car accident, and not only do they gradually fix up the house, they take in several children who also need a place to live. At first, personalities clash and there are numerous challenges and misunderstandings—the youngest child tries to run away before one of the older girls convinces her to stay—but the ending is marvelously happy and satisfying. It’s safe to say that this book has one of my all-time favorite finales. My first copy of this book was a US edition called The Family at Caldicott Place, but to my knowledge there are few differences in the two texts. The only major difference I’ve found between the two versions is that the UK publication has more chapter breaks (and, therefore, chapter titles).

The Growing Summer (1966)

I will likely be talking more about this story in the summer, when I plan to re-read it (again!), but it’s definitely worth including here too. If you haven’t yet heard me discuss this tale of four siblings and their summer adventures in a mysterious Ireland setting, you’re certainly going to want to pick it up now. This book follows the Gareth children as they are uprooted to the home of their unpredictable Great-Aunt Dymphna, where they have to learn how to cope with complex responsibilities and secrets. The reason why I recommend this book so often is because I think it will appeal those who love Elizabeth Enright’s summery books or Edward Eager’s magical tales, and I know there are tons of fans of those books. This sometimes overlooked Streatfeild story fits right in with those, and I hope you’ll give it a try! (P.S.—I recently bought my first UK copy of this story but haven’t read it yet. I don’t think there are many text changes from my US edition called The Magic Summer.)

Do you have a lesser-known Streatfeild favorite? If so, I would love to hear about it!

I recently had the delightful opportunity to interview Sarah Mackenzie, author of The Read-Aloud Family and host of the popular Read-Aloud Revival podcast. I’ve listened to Sarah’s podcast for several years now, and I love her book recommendations, author interviews, and the wonderful way that she helps homeschooling families connect and discuss great stories! In this Q&A, I asked Sarah about her new picture books in the works, favorite authors, Little Women film adaptations, and more!

First of all, I’ve really enjoyed your book The Read-Aloud Family and, of course, your podcast! What’s the most fun thing about helping families find great books to read?
Thank you so much! I think my favorite part is when I hear from either a parent or a child that one of my book recommendations turned them into a reader, or helped them fall head-over-heels in love with books. As you know, I’m a big believer in helping kids find the books that light them up … and sometimes that takes a little trial and error! But once you’ve found a book to capture your heart and your mind, everything changes. Sometimes the biggest change isn’t in falling in love with books (because maybe they already did love books), but reading aloud has helped their family relationships grow stronger and more delightful. I love being a small part of that process.

I’ve heard that you have a couple of picture books in the works! Can you tell us a bit about them?
Yes! I have a couple picture books coming out each year over the next several years, and I couldn’t possibly be more excited about it.

The first is called Lou Alice and the Girl Who Noticed, about an old woman who makes life a little more beautiful for everyone around her, but whom no one really sees. Well, no one except our little heroine. She not only helps the woman, but also finds something beautiful only she can offer the world. It’s a book about carrying on the important work of those who’ve gone before us, about noticing the invisible women in our lives who make the world more beautiful, and about finding a small way to add beauty, wherever we find ourselves. It’s being illustrated by Breezy Brookshire, and if all goes according to plan, it will be out in the world Summer of 2022.

The second is a bedtime story called Moonflower Song, about a small shrew who follows her curiosity out into the night to find a flower that blooms by the light of the moon. My hope for this one is that it just begs to be read aloud. That’s what I was going for, anyway! It’s being illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard, and will be released Fall of 2022. The sample illustration I’ve seen is just gorgeous. I can’t wait.

There are a couple more slated to come out in 2023, including a picture book biography about Barbara Cooney, but I’ll save telling you about those for later.

What are some read-alouds you’ve enjoyed with your children recently?
We recently listened to the entire Zoey and Sassafras collection on audio (written by Asia Citro) and my kids just loved them. I was surprised by how many of the scientific nuggets have stuck with them, as well! We’ve also just loved A Place to Hang the Moon, Kate Albus’s debut novel set during WWII, and Sweet Home Alaska by Carole Etsby Dagg, about a family settling in Palmer, Alaska, during the Great Depression.

What are your favorite historical time periods to read about in MG fiction? What time periods do you feel are underrepresented?
I love reading WWII stories and Great Depression stories. And then some of my favorite historical fiction pieces have been set in times I haven’t learned much about, like Inside Out and Back Again, which is set during the Vietnam War.

I’m not sure which time periods are particularly underrepresented in historical fiction, but I will say that I love reading books set in times and places I know very little about. For example, I recently read When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed (it’s a graphic novel, but I listened to the audio version) and learned so much about the lives of Somali refugees. I love it when a book does that— gives me a window to peek through, and opens my heart up in a surprising new way.

I’ve heard that you like the Little Women series! Little Women is one of my top three favorite novels, and I love both the 1994 and 2019 films for different reasons. Do you have a favorite film adaptation?
Oh, I love them both, but I think I like the newest version, directed by Greta Gerwig, best. My teens and I just re-watched it a few weeks ago, in fact! I was surprised by how many new layers Gerwig was able to uncover in this story. Those of us who love books like Little Women are fanatic re-readers, right? And then a new adaptation like Gerwig’s comes along and shows us that there is even more to be seen and loved than we had realized. While watching this newest movie, I felt like I was visiting my familiar friends, the March sisters, but seeing them for the first time, as well. I loved it.

Who are your very favorite authors?
Oh my, what a question! There are so many ways to answer this. I’ve got favorite authors for reading aloud (E.B White, Maria Parr, Gary Schmidt), favorite picture book authors (Tomie dePaola, Mary Ann Hoberman, Robert McCloskey, Barbara Cooney, Barb Rosenstock, Chris Van Dusen, and at least a dozen more), favorite authors to read on my own (Susan Meissner and Julie Berry), and then there are authors who make me want to write. Those are some of my favorites of all, because a book that makes you want to write is MAGIC. Karina Yan Glaser and Jeanne Birdsall come to mind right away. Classic favorites like L.M. Montgomery, E. Nesbit, and Edward Eager make me want to write. And every time I read the picture book, Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, I want to write a new picture book. That book feels perfect to me.

I’m a huge proponent of re-reading books—in fact, I spent most of my childhood reading a handful of favorites, rather than discovering new books. Can you tell us why re-reading is an important factor for children in their reading life?
I couldn’t agree more—re-reading gets a bit of a short shrift, because we tend to prioritize reading new stories over re-reading those we’ve read before. But it’s helpful to remember that when we read a story for the first time, our brains want to know what happens next. We’re reading for plot, so we miss a lot of what’s going on— the nuanced language, the beautiful turns of phrase, those deeper levels in the storytelling. When we re-read, we already know what happens next, so now we get so much more of the language and so much more of the story. I also firmly believe that if we want books to become our children’s companions, we’ve got to give them the time and space to reread those they love best. That’s how a book becomes part of us.

There’s some interesting research that shows that kids retain more knowledge and vocabulary from a book when they’re reading it for the second or third time (not the first!), which is a strong case for re-reading favorites, rather than always reaching for something new.

Are there any particular stories you’d love to see told by current authors? What would be your dream children’s book to read aloud to your family?
I want to see homeschooling families show up in middle grade fiction! I also think the world needs more stories where siblings band together to get their family out of a pickle—where sibling relationships aren’t perfect or saccharine, but they’re healthy and uplifting. Where the family members are all better for banding together and supporting each other, even when it’s hard, as opposed to a main character who needs to ditch the family in order to reach his/her potential, which is happening a lot in modern fiction these days.

Many thanks to Sarah for participating in this interview!
Photo of Sarah Mackenzie by Audrey Menck 

Related posts:
On Revisiting Little Women and Parallels to the Penderwicks
My interview with Karina Yan Glaser, author of The Vanderbeekers of 141^st Street

As the title of this blog post explains, I’ve put together a summer reading list that includes some of my favorite vintage middle grade picks for this wonderful season. If you or your kids are in the mood for something fun, breezy, summery, and refreshingly old-fashioned – these books are for you! I’m re-reading some of these myself this summer. 🙂 Be forewarned that some of these can be hard to find, but the reward will be well worth the effort!

Gone-Away Lake (Elizabeth Enright, 1957), which features cousins exploring an old summer resort where two elderly residents still live. The sequel, Return to Gone-Away, is just as deliciously good. Check out my blog post on all of Enright’s lovely novels for even more delightful summer choices, especially Thimble Summer.

Jill’s Story (Jean Fiedler, 1965); one of my VERY favorites at age nine or so, about a 10-year-old aspiring writer whose family travels to Cape Cod for the summer. The climax – a birthday and a writing contest – is immensely satisfying.

Canadian Summer (Hilda van Stockum, 1948) is about a family who uproots to the Canadian wilderness in the post-World War II era – full of marvelous Montgomery-ish descriptions and exquisite characterization. For more info, you can read my posts here and here.

The Magic Summer (Noel Streatfeild, 1966), in which four siblings are sent to live with their eccentric great-aunt for the summer, and encounter a world of poetry, hard work, and mystery.

Jane of Lantern Hill (L.M. Montgomery, 1937). I’ve discussed this one many times on this blog before, because it’s possibly my favorite novel of all time. The story centers around Jane Stuart, who visits her father for the first time in her life one unforgettable summer. They subsequently buy a charming cottage on Prince Edward Island and all the whimsy begins.

Look Alive, Libby! (Catherine Woolley, 1962) is the charming story of a girl who has to overcome her many fears (like wild animals!) when she and her aunt go to spend the summer at a seaside cottage.

Cobblers’ Knob (Eleanore M. Jewett, 1958) was one of my favorite novels of 2019. The story centers on a brave girl who explores a supposedly haunted summer residence and makes friends with the foster child living there. The many unexpected twists kept me turning the pages!

Maggie Rose: Her Birthday Christmas (Ruth Sawyer, 1952). This one is just adorable. And incredibly well-crafted, and sweet, and poignant. Over one long summer, Maggie Rose picks all kinds of berries to sell in hopes of having a special celebration at the end of the year. Will she succeed against numerous obstacles that threaten to thwart her joyous plans?

Katie John (Mary Calhoun, 1960). Another absolute favorite from age nine or ten; an impulsive yet idealistic girl has a bunch of exciting (and humorous!) adventures in a nineteenth-century house alongside her new best friend. I think this book sparked my love of hunting down family history, because my favorite chapter was the one where Katie discovers the story of her great-aunt. The sequel, Depend on Katie John, is also terrific (I just re-read it)!

Half Magic (Edward Eager, 1954) focuses on the magical adventures that touch the lives of four children in what they thought would be a dull summer. A coin that grants them only half a wish proves more difficult than they originally suppose!

Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill (Maud Hart Lovelace, 1942) is another one of my very favorites from a young age – I think I was seven when I first read this one. It’s such a sweet story, and also perfect for young girls who will identify with Betsy and Julia’s quarrel. 🙂 The next book in the Betsy-Tacy series, Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown, is also awesome for summer (even though it’s more of a fall/winter book, LOL!) and I think I’ll re-read that one very soon!

No Children, No Pets (Marion Holland, 1957) is a book I discovered just last year, and I enjoyed it so much. The story opens when three children and their mother receive a letter informing them that they’ve inherited an old apartment house in Florida, so of course they head off to live there, with many escapades to follow!

Important note: If you like the sound of these books and know of any others in a similar vein, please leave a comment because I would LOVE to check them out! 🙂

Discovering a Classic

I recently reread Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. When I first read this book two years ago, in February 2018, I immediately added it to my list of treasured favorite novels. I couldn’t put the book down once I started it, and I found the same to be true even in rereading. There’s something so compelling about this age-old classic, something that has clearly transcended the decades and continues to delight generations of readers.

When I first read the book, it was like flinging open a newly-discovered door of possibilities. After I picked it up and devoured it whole (reading the entire 180k+ word book in a week), I rushed to read its sequels (Little Men and Jo’s Boys) and found them entertaining (but not nearly as incredible as their predecessor). I hurried to watch the 1994 film, a modern classic in its own right, directed by Gillian Armstrong and full of lush sets, gorgeous costumes, and a beautiful soundtrack. I hastened to read Invincible Louisa, the 1934 Newbery medal-winning biography of Louisa May Alcott. Since then I’ve also listened to a BBC radio adaptation (which I highly recommend)!

Going back to the beginning, I tried to read Little Women when I was nearly eleven years old, and bogged down somewhere around the time that Meg goes to “Vanity Fair.” The lengthy descriptions were too long for me to get through. I wanted to love Little Women—it was such a thick, substantial volume with lovely illustrations—but it was a bit too difficult.

Fast forward to 2018, and I decided to give it another chance.  I was curious to read the book because I had just read Edward Eager’s The Time Garden, a witty story in which the contemporary characters time-travel to the world of Alcott’s characters in 1860s Concord. (I appreciated the allusions in fuller context after I’d read Little Women.)

I also had just finished reading Jack and Jill, which I also enjoyed immensely. (Little Women was not my first introduction to Alcott’s work—a heartwarming collection of Christmas short stories, gifted to me by my grandmother in 2016, was the first book of hers I ever read, followed by An Old-Fashioned Girl.)

Books like Little Women don’t come along every day, and I am endlessly glad now that I didn’t read it until I was old enough to truly appreciate the story.

Connections to Jeanne Birdsall’s Penderwicks series

The main reason that I gave the book another try is because the finale of the five-volume Penderwicks series was releasing in May 2018. “The idea of the original four Penderwick sisters came from Little Women,” Jeanne Birdsall, the author of the series, wrote on her website[1]. I was tremendously curious to find out if Jeffrey was going to marry Skye (the Jo character) or Batty (the [possibly] Amy character—more on this later). Hoping to find clues in Little Women to the outcome of my beloved series, I began reading.

I was already fairly convinced that Jeffrey would fall in love with Batty. The careful foreshadowing in the first books in the series strongly indicated this conclusion, and seemed to echo the wrap-up of Little Women. But although I liked Jeffrey and Batty as a couple, I braced myself to dislike the Laurie/Amy pairing, since everybody did. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I didn’t mind that ending. Of course I would have preferred Jo to “relent and marry Laurie,” as author Maud Hart Lovelace put it so aptly[2], but because I knew the ending beforehand, I was able to appreciate the subtleties of Laurie and Amy’s relationship and their whirlwind European romance. I was less impressed by Jo’s marriage to Professor Bhaer, but I also wondered if that outcome—the Jo character marrying an older man—meant that her Penderwicks counterpart Skye would eventually marry the “older man” character of Nick Geiger. The fact that Nick showed up all of a sudden in the fourth book and staked his claim as a major character made me wonder if he would play a significant role in the series finale.

Well, I was correct about Jeffrey and Batty, but wrong about Skye and Nick. (Nick hardly appeared in The Penderwicks At Last). I recently read someone else’s theory online, suggesting that Skye’s marriage to a student from the Czech Republic was actually an even more pointed parallel to Professor Bhaer. I loved this theory, and wish that this had been explored and expanded so that we could come to know Skye’s husband as well as we know the professor. I also wish that he could have had more lines (and at least one in English).

But is it true that Skye equals Jo, and Batty equals Amy? Obviously Jeffrey is Laurie, having been cast in the role of the next door neighbor boy who is accepted into the family. Skye resembles Jo because of her status as the second-oldest sister in the family, her feisty temper, and the fact that she has the one tomboyish name in the quartet (Skye being a much different name than Rosalind, Jane, or Elizabeth [which is Batty’s full name]). Readers have pointed out that Jane is the writer in the family, the aspiring authoress with all the wild ideas and imagination, while Skye is prosaic to a fault. But it is Skye, not Jane, who rejects Jeffrey’s attentions and has issues with her youngest sister Batty—which mirror Jo’s rebuff of Laurie’s proposal and arguments with Amy.

So does this mean that Batty is Amy? I’m more inclined to link Batty to Beth—both are sweet, quiet pianists who love animals. Batty has little common with Amy, save being the youngest of four sisters and eventually winding up with the Jeffrey/Laurie character. (Also notice the fact that Batty and Beth share an initial.)

More credence can be given to the Batty/Beth theory if you consider the section in Little Women when Jo mistakenly thinks that Beth has fallen in love with Laurie. I was surprised by this scene when I read the book, because it’s such an interesting addition to the story. It is partly because Jo is hoping that Laurie will forget about her and focus on Beth that she leaves for New York, where she meets Professor Bhaer. Fascinatingly, you can compare this sequence of events directly to the Penderwicks series: Skye leaves her family (and Jeffrey) behind when she heads off to her California college, where she meets the intellectual foreign man whom she ends up marrying. Skye also harbors hopes that Jeffrey will end up caring for Batty instead of her.

Additional Observations

I had a major revelation during my reread of the book. A highly important order of events in Little Women were shifted for the ’94 film, influencing my own reaction to the story. In the book, Jo goes to New York, meets Professor Bhaer, and—upon her return—rejects Laurie’s proposal of marriage. In the film, the order is reversed (to the story’s detriment, in my opinion). I think the Jo’s coming-of-age character arc is much stronger in the book, leaving you with a better opinion of her marriage choice.

As much as I love the film, it still doesn’t quite capture the nuances of the story and characters that I love best. The March sisters are extraordinarily multidimensional, a fact that tends to get lost in adaptations that have to compress the story to adhere to a shorter length.

Here’s a Twitter thread that I created during my reread, with more notes that I took:

1 – There’s an interesting subplot in which Jo thinks Beth is in love with Laurie. What might have happened if this was true, and if Beth had lived and told Laurie about her feelings?

2 – In the second half of the book, the chapters about Meg feel disconnected from the rest of plot. Jo’s, Beth’s, and Amy’s stories weave seamlessly together, but Meg’s do not. I wish Meg’s subplots had been more vital to the overall plot.

3 – As soon as Professor Bhaer is introduced, it’s immediately clear that Jo will end up marrying him. What if there had been a third possible love interest thrown into the mix? Perhaps one of her editors? That might have been fascinating.

4 – Although Jo and Amy have a difficult time getting along throughout the novel, they are the sisters who are most alike. Both are highly independent and determined, and even Amy has some tomboyish aspects to her character. In personality, Beth and Meg are similar as well.

Not long ago, I read a review of Little Women in which the reviewer felt that the characters didn’t seem real to her…I was a little shocked. The Alcott sisters seem like some of the most realistic and relatable girls I’ve ever read about (and not surprisingly, since they were closely based on the author’s own family). The humor of their family life and foibles, particularly in the first half of the book, is so spot-on. For me, rereading the book was like reuniting with old friends—and I think many other readers feel the same way.

There is a new film version of the book out now—it premiered last Christmas. I have yet to see it, but I am looking forward to comparing it to the 1994 movie and to the novel itself. I have read about director Greta Gerwig’s careful attention to detail, her array of inspirations, and the unusual story structure that she chose for telling the story in a new way. I am curious to see how the new cast interprets the characters.

In my mind, films and radio dramas and audiobooks and illustrations—and yes, even sequels—are complementary aspects to the books themselves. They enhance and allow you to look at the story in a new way. But they can never take the place of the story itself. This story is one of the finest, and therefore, one of the hardest to improve upon.

[1] Jeanne Birdsall’s Frequently Asked Questions, www.jeannebirdsall.com/faqs

[2] The Betsy-Tacy Companion by Sharla Scannell Whalen, Portalington Press 1995, pg. 97

I’m excited to begin week twelve of my #SummerofVintageKidLit! If you haven’t yet heard about my summer reading challenge, you can take a look at my recent blog post that has all the details.

Last week we read Baby Island, and you can read my quick recap in the comments of this post 🙂

This week, we’re reading Edward Eager’s “The Time Garden.” I am such a fan of Edward Eager’s wildly witty stories. He wrote a seven-book series beginning with “Half Magic,” and this is the fourth volume of that series. I’ve been looking forward to revisiting this one – the chapter featuring the Little Women characters is particularly hilarious!

Here’s a summary about this book from Goodreads:

From the moment Roger, Ann, Eliza, and Jack discover the fragrant bank of wild thyme in old Mrs. Whiton’s garden, magic begins. The thyme garden opens the way to olden time, future time, and common time. Though Eliza says time doesn’t grow – it flies – the Nutterjack, the odd creature who presides over the garden, says anything can happen when you have all the time in the world. The four children are plunged into exhilarating, always unpredictable adventures – meeting the Revolutionary Minutemen, Queen Elizabeth I, and even their own parents when they were children.

Happy Reading! Feel free to discuss this book by leaving a comment below, or tweet about it using the hashtag #SummerofVintageKidLit! Or join my Facebook group to be alerted of all the latest posts.

I hope you will join me for a fun reading challenge! For twelve weeks this summer, I’m reading one vintage children’s book a week from this list. For this list, I’ve chosen classic kid lit published in the 1930s-50s that evokes a fun summery feel! I’ve also selected a mixture of books that I’ve read before and that are new to me; the books on this list are also relatively easy to find. If you’d like to read along, I’ll be commenting regularly on this post with updates on my reading challenge and thoughts on the books, so feel free to read and comment as well! I’d love to start an engaging conversation about all the books 🙂

So, my summer of vintage kid lit kicks off on the twenty-first of June! On that day, I will begin reading (actually, re-reading!) Elizabeth Enright’s The Four-Story Mistake. This one is so much fun, and I think it’s a great start to the challenge.

I’ll also be posting updates on Twitter with my #SummerofVintageKidLit hashtag, so if you’re on Twitter, feel free to use the hashtag so we can talk more about these books!

For the past two weeks, I’ve been deep in the throes of revisions for my novel, and I’m happy to report that I am delighted with the outcome of this draft! In addition to editing, revising, and writing new scenes, I also created a Pinterest board for my book–because what’s more fun than gathering book inspiration? Besides, it was absolutely imperative for additional research. 😉

Another day of edits! (And a handful of lovely books, just for fun!) #amediting It is most delightful to spend more time my characters in this particular story. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rSLx1xgegp

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) January 29, 2019

Speaking of inspiration, I’ve started working on visualization scrapbooks for my novels. It’s basically the same as Pinterest–collecting images that act as springboards for ideas in your projects. I’ve always loved scrapbooking, and this weekend I created two pages that embody the creative feel of my latest novel:

In case you missed it, here’s a little description of my latest work-in-progress!

Such a fun writing session today; drafting a new novel! This one’s set in Wisconsin in 1920, and of course, I’m drawing inspiration from L.M. Montgomery 😊Currently re-reading LMM’s “Rainbow Valley.” ❤️#workinprogress #middlegrade #amwriting #writingcommunity #MG @LMMontgomeryLS

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) February 10, 2019

In other social media news, a Twitter poll selected the surname of a new character in my third Norvia novel! His name will be Philip Dorne, and I cannot wait to introduce him to you. As a matter of fact, I’m looking forward to introducing him to myself, as I haven’t even written a word of his character yet! 🙂

I’m trying to choose the surname of an upcoming character! (His first name, by the way, is Philip. I have already determined the spelling of his name via a previous poll.) 😉 What should I choose?

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) February 5, 2019

I also recently enjoyed the opportunity to interview Grace and Anna Glenn, twin sisters at UCLA who I first interviewed in 2014! In this new series of “fun fact” Q&As I’m conducting for Inside Gymnastics, I’m asking NCAA gymnasts all about their favorite colors, foods, movies, books, etc… It’s a fantastic way to get to know more about the athletes and their likes and interests outside the gym!

UCLA juniors @GraceGraceglenn & @Annag2016 tell us fun facts about themselves, what they love about competing for @uclagymnastics, and their favorite advice from @OfficialMissVal! by @GymnasticsRosie: https://t.co/bzTNu31zQh

— Inside Gymnastics (@InsideGym) February 8, 2019

And of course, I’ve been reading some marvelous books lately!

Seven-Day Magic
I finished the final story in Edward Eager’s hilarious series from the 1950s and it didn’t disappoint. These books are packed with witty lines, amusing subplots, and sweet characters.

Emily of New Moon
This one is a reread, and it was just as enjoyable as the first time I read it. Perhaps more so in the Emily series than in any other books, L.M. Montgomery excelled in bringing her environment vividly to life.

Bel Lamington
My sister recently read this D.E. Stevenson novel and suggested (well, insisted) that I read it as well! 🙂 It’s a lovely story about a shy young woman struggling to find her place in the world. Stevenson’s characters are so warm and realistic!

Patty Fairfield series
More rereads! The Patty books are some of my go-to comfort reads, about stylish New York debutantes in the 1900-1920 era and all their dances, beaux, and “adventures.”

Next up on my reading list? I’m re-reading Betsy’s Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace, Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery, and I’m reading Eleanor Estes’ adorable Pinky Pye for the first time. All three are immensely enjoyable!