I have often thought it interesting that my two favorite authors, L.M. Montgomery and Noel Streatfeild, should have such different writing styles. I wrote to friends in a reading group: “My two favorite authors are stylistically dissimilar…I’ve read 20+ books by each of them and one author is very flowery, elegant, and artistic [Montgomery], while the other is matter-of-fact and concise [Streatfeild].”

I was so focused on the differences between these authors that I was surprised to find a possible connection between their books. It happened while I was recently rereading Montgomery’s Pat of Silver Bush (1933). One of my favorite scenes is when Jingle’s mother, Doreen Garrison, comes for a visit, and Pat is an onlooker to the uncomfortable reunion. For the first time, I realized that this scene was reminding me of another fascinating scene: the moment when Noel Streatfeild’s heroine Gemma Bow in Gemma Alone (1969) sees her mother Rowena Alston again after a gap of several years.

The two passages, while markedly different in style, share definite similarities:

Pat saw her more clearly than Jingle did. Tall, slender, graceful as a flower, in a soft fluttering chiffon dress like blue mist; pale, silvery-golden hair sleeked down all over her head like a cap under a little tilted hat of smooth blue feathers: bluish-green eyes that never seemed to see you, even when they looked at you, under eyebrows as thin as a line drawn in soot; a mouth that spoiled everything, so vividly red and arched was it. She might have stepped off a magazine cover. Beautiful…oh, yes, very beautiful! But not…somehow…like a mother!

“I like a mother who looks like a mother,” was the thought that whisked through Pat’s head. This woman looked…at first…like a girl.[1]

Whereas in Gemma Alone:

For one thing, Rowena’s appearance had hardly changed. Her hair was rather a brighter gold, and she wore artificial eyelashes all the time instead of only when working, which she had not done before she went to Hollywood. Surprisingly she looked, Gemma thought, younger than when she had last seen her. Perhaps it was the clothes, which were short-skirted and little-girlish that year, but certainly she looked less like somebody’s mother even than she had done before.[2]

In these descriptions, we get not only the same general feel, but we end up with readily identifiable connections between Montgomery’s Doreen and Streatfeild’s Rowena. Both are self-focused, feel awkward around their children (whom they have not seen for prolonged absences); both have “gold” hair, are viewed as girlish instead of motherly…

Do we have any basis for the supposition that Streatfeild was inspired by Montgomery? Aside from the parallels in these scenes, we do know that Streatfeild sought other works for inspiration in her own writings—in fact, her novel The Painted Garden (1949) is a remarkable retelling of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden (1911).

Certainly it would seem that Streatfeild tended to read fellow British authors: Arthur Ransome is mentioned in her 1944 work Curtain Up (also titled in the U.S. as Theater Shoes); Burnett was clearly an influence; a Beatrix Potter story is referenced in Ballet Shoes (1936). I also believe that Streatfeild was influenced by popular author Enid Blyton (1897-1968), and she was very firmly a fan of Victorian author E. Nesbit, of whom she wrote a biography in 1958. Curtain Up contains a description of a bookshelf that includes Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield as well as works of Shakespeare. But in this section we also find a reference to an American story: Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

We also know that Streatfeild read the novels of American author Elizabeth Enright, since her 1966 work The Growing Summer is dedicated to her, “because I so greatly admire her books.”[3] Not only did Streatfeild admire Enright, but my surmise is that she attempted to imitate her: The Growing Summer (published in the U.S in 1967 as The Magic Summer) is a foray into a more environmental, descriptive style than was Streatfeild’s norm. Her earlier novels tend to focus heavily on dialogue or long paragraphs detailing summaries of her characters’ activities. The Growing Summer is much more firmly in the Enright style of writing, in which the characters’ adventures are shown rather than told, and in which the setting plays a vigorous role rather than being relegated to a couple of brief sketches.

Needless to say, it isn’t as far-fetched as I originally thought to consider that Streatfeild might have read a popular Canadian author of her era, and possibly stored away an idea here or there for future books. The Gemma series was published in 1968-69, thirty-five years after Pat of Silver Bush—so even if it was inspired by a scene in the book, Streatfeild’s emulation of it may have been unconscious rather than a deliberate artistic choice. However, Streatfeild did have a robust library of personal books (her flat had “one wall [that] was almost covered with a floor-to-ceiling bookcase”[4]), and perhaps Montgomery’s works were among the works she revisited more than once.

As I neared the end of Pat of Silver Bush, I came across another line that struck me:

“There’s that unfinished house, Hilary…it always makes my heart ache.”[5]

I had just reread The Unfinished House (1938), the eleventh volume in the Judy Bolton mystery series written by Margaret Sutton. Unfinished houses are not only in Pat, either—it’s a bit of a motif in Montgomery’s writings, appearing in the Emily series (1923-27) in a much more major role (“the Disappointed House”):

Off to the right, on the crest of a steep little hill, covered with young birches and firs, was a house that puzzled and intrigued Emily. It was grey and weather-worn, but it didn’t look old. It had never been finished; the roof was shingled but the sides were not, and the windows were boarded over. Why had it never been finished?[6]

I have wondered before if Sutton was influenced by L.M. Montgomery. While it’s true that Sutton wrote fast-paced mysteries—a far cry from Montgomery’s slow, romantic novels at first glance—the mirroring elements in these books are worth noting. I feel that some of the less formulaic aspects of the Judy Bolton mysteries have a Montgomery-esque tinge: early in the series, Judy wavers between marrying longtime chum Peter Dobbs or wealthy architect Arthur Farringdon-Pett: a delightful trope which is reminiscent of love triangles found in Montgomery’s Anne and Emily books. It’s this kind of element that sets it apart from other girls’ mystery books of the era: Nancy Drew, for example, is a perennial 18-year-old within a limited sphere, while Judy is free to graduate high school, go to business college, get a job, marry, start a home of her own, etc… Also, characters in early Judy books often return in later volumes, another note of realism that makes it more unique than standard mysteries of its time—and I think this is because Sutton approached her novels with a background of reading older series books, and she brought what she had learned from those.

Consider this paragraph from the twenty-first book in the Judy Bolton series, The Clue of the Stone Lantern (1951):

The lawn sloped gently toward a grove of gnarled old trees that now cast weird shadows in the moonlight. At the foot of the slope was a crystal lake where moonbeams shimmered and danced like ghosts across the water.[7]

To me, this is very much a Montgomery kind of paragraph: strong on poetic imagery, creating plenty of atmosphere with deftly-chosen words. In a similar vein, Sutton’s book The Haunted Fountain was retitled; I believe I read that she had wanted to call it The Enchanted Fountain (which fits the story much better), but her publisher requested a more standard mystery title. But doesn’t The Enchanted Fountain sound just like something Montgomery might have invented?

Do we have any firm evidence that Sutton read Montgomery? Actually…I think we do! When Margaret Sutton was interviewed at the University of Wisconsin in 1984, long after the Judy Bolton series was cancelled, she told the interviewer that she had wanted to write a book in which Judy became a mother—“but the publishers wouldn’t let her,” she explained. When the interviewer pointed out that “other series characters had children,” Sutton responded: “Oh, yes, Pollyanna has children, and Anne of Green Gables has children. Ruth Fielding had children.”[8] This is practically confirmation that Sutton at least read the Anne series, and might have read the Pat books as well. (Pat of Silver Bush was released just one year after the first four books in the Judy Bolton series hit shelves.) When it came time to write the eleventh Judy book, is there a possibility that Sutton recalled the memorable phrase ‘unfinished house’ and it sparked her imagination?

Either way, I like to contemplate the idea that L.M. Montgomery might have influenced two other favorite authors of mine, just as she was inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (which is among my top 5 favorite novels). This is an endless circle of inspiration and influence, one that I hope to continue with my own writing!

[1] L.M. Montgomery, Pat of Silver Bush (1933), pg. 231

[2] Noel Streatfeild, Gemma Alone (1969), pg. 61

[3] Noel Streatfeild, The Magic Summer (1967), dedication page

[4] Noel Streatfeild, Ballet Shoes for Anna (1972), postscript by William Streatfeild (1998), pg. 251

[5] L.M. Montgomery, Pat of Silver Bush (1933), pg. 316

[6] L.M. Montgomery, Emily of New Moon (1923), pg. 65

[7] Margaret Sutton, The Clue of the Stone Lantern (1950), pg. 3

[8] Q&A with Margaret Sutton, JudyBolton.com [http://www.judybolton.com/jbwisc.html]

I’m always intrigued when the topic of re-reading comes up. Sarah Mackenzie at Read-Aloud Revival recently did a blog post/podcast about the importance of childhood re-reading, and I wholeheartedly agree with her assessment of its benefits and virtues. Sarah says:

A first read is a wonderful experience, indeed. But a second, third, or tenth time through offers riches that cannot be found any other way.

It surprises me when people say that they don’t often return to books they’ve read before, because I love revisiting old favorites… and not-so-old favorites! If I read a book and thoroughly enjoy it, I typically re-read it a few years later (or even sooner).

In fact, most of my childhood reading involved paging through my favorites for the thousandth time instead of (gasp) trying a new book. I’m a fairly choosy reader and I was even choosier back then, rarely venturing farther than my Noel Streatfeilds and American Girls and Saddle Clubs. (Speaking of American Girl, I’m in the mood to re-read a few of those mysteries; I have Secrets at Camp Nokomis on my desk. I don’t believe they’re publishing any new AG mysteries anymore, which is too bad – they were fun.)

There’s a select group of stories that I revisit constantly. These are the books that rarely sit for long before they get hauled out and re-read start to finish.

The list of “perfect re-reads” will be different for everyone, but this is my list of all-time favorite re-reads (which means they’re just my favorites in general) that I will continue to revisit industriously for … well, forever. 🙂

Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series, Emily of Deep Valley and Carney’s House Party

L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series, Pat of Silver Bush series (can’t I re-read these yet? I read them in autumn 2018… that was a long time ago!), Jane of Lantern Hill (pretty much every year), and the Emily of New Moon series

Anything Noel Streatfeild but particularly The Bell Family, Caldicott Place, Ballet Shoes, the Gemma series, Dancing Shoes, Theater Shoes, and The Magic Summer

Pollyanna and Pollyanna Grows Up by Eleanor H. Porter (These are the sort of books you have to re-read because you pick up different subtleties each time)

The Judy Bolton series by Margaret Sutton

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen (I’ve technically never RE-READ this but I read some of it and didn’t finish it [2016], tried it again and loved it [2017], was in the mood to re-read it but instead listened to the whole thing on audio [2019] and I know I will revisit it again!)

From Anna and Listen for the Singing by Jean Little

Anything by Elizabeth Enright (I’ve read every single one of her novels and cherished each one. Time to re-read the Melendys again, right? No, not quite enough time has passed since I last went through the series…perhaps the Gone-Away Lake series! The last time I read the first book in the series was March 2018, that ought to have been long enough…)

What Katy Did and What Katy Did at School by Susan Coolidge

The Secret School by Avi

The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall (Let’s see, I read the first book in 2012 and re-read it in dribs and drabs for years and then read the whole thing again 2018 and listened to it on audio in 2019 and can’t I read it again yet??)

The Meg mysteries by Holly Beth Walker (I think it’s time to re-read The Treasure That Nobody Saw)

The Katie John series by Mary Calhoun

Hilda van Stockum’s Mitchells series, which are quite possibly the coziest re-reads you can imagine. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve re-read Friendly Gables, the third book in this unforgettably sweet trilogy. I think it’s time I finally tried her Bantry Bay series…I have never been able to convince myself that it will measure up. But maybe I will be proven wrong!

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

The Patty Fairfield series by Carolyn Wells (oh, these are such fun! And so…unbelievable! The first time I read the series, I tried to count how many marriage proposals Patty received, but it was a lost cause. The answer: far too many to count.)

Beverly Cleary’s Ramona series, but especially Ramona Forever

What books do you love to re-read? Which books are you always returning to? Leave a comment!

This week, I thought I might give an update on some of my current writing projects and reading lists!

An aesthetic I created for my middle grade novel

In September, I finished drafting a delicious middle grade novel set in 1949 England. I wrote the beginning of the book two years ago, added a little more one year ago, and then couldn’t think of where to take the story. But finally this summer I had the perfect inspiration for the book–I simply withdrew a plotline from one of my unfinished projects, paired it with the characters and setting that I’d dreamed up for this novel, and everything fell into place!

I’m currently brainstorming and outlining a lovely Christmas-themed novel that’s been simmering in my mind since last winter. I’ve promised myself not to start writing it until mid-October, but I almost don’t think I can wait that long. 😉 (This novel will be my NaNoWriMo project, too!) In the meantime, though, I might be working on a fun novelette, but I’ll have plenty to keep me busy until I can start my Christmas novel. The World Championships of gymnastics will be held in Stuttgart for the next two weeks, and I’m *so* looking forward to seeing how the competition unfolds. (Fingers crossed that the Japanese women qualify a full team to Tokyo 2020!)

So far this year I have read 91 books.This far surpasses my goal of 75 books for 2019, which I set last December. (True, I don’t think I’ve yet read any of the long classics I had planned to add to my list this year, although I’m rectifying this right now by reading a very long and revered classic with a reading group. See my current reads below!)

More fun from the past few weeks: 

– I’m entering two stories in a very exciting writing contest this fall. I can’t wait to see what happens!

– Last year I planted snapdragons that were a perfect “sunset” shade, a mix of pink and orange. (My absolute favorites!) Then last month this same color of snapdragon popped up amidst my strawberries. I didn’t plant it there – they weren’t even in that flower bed last year! – but it was such a fun surprise.

– Over the past two months, I’ve been digitizing a box of amazing family photos, which has kept me happily busy. 🙂

– I’m re-reading some of my favorite Judy Bolton mysteries,and it’s delightful to return to these books at this time of year. Autumn is perfect for Judys!

– I also recently put together the picture on the left, a mix of cut silhouettes and paint on watercolor paper…a future book character, perhaps? 😉

Recently Read: The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue by Karina Yan Glaser, Grace Coolidge: An Autobiography, The Invisible Chimes by Margaret Sutton

Currently Reading: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Strange Likeness by Kate Duvall and Beverly Hatfield, At Home in North Branch by Arleta Richardson

I read some lovely books this month! I totaled nine books read in May (seven new books and two rereads). One of my favorites from this month was Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes, which just released at the end of April. I found it incredibly hard to put the book down; it was set in Maine (one of my favorite literary locales!), and the story was spellbinding with a beautifully uplifting message and memorable characters. Another favorite was When Patty Went to College by Jean Webster, first published in 1901. This author is better-known for one of her later books, Daddy-Long-Legs, but I found this book even more humorous and entertaining. It’s more like a string of short stories than a novel, and while this format can be dull in some volumes, this one kept up a good pace.

L.M. Montgomery’s The Golden Road was another delightful book from May, full of the delicious descriptions and characterizations that I love about Montgomery’s novels. While the first half of this one is funny and episodic, the second half is heartwarming and compelling. Another book I enjoyed immensely was Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson, which is set in 1919 San Francisco and features a 17-year-old girl who longs to be a reporter. I also re-read The Midnight Visitor by Margaret Sutton, one of my favorite Judy Bolton mysteries, and Katie John by Mary Calhoun, a favorite from age 10 or so that I still love reading. I also read some fun vintage mysteries!

I’ve started another reread of Jane of Lantern Hill, my all-time favorite novel. It’s always a treat to slip back into this wonderful world, and summer seems like the perfect time to revisit Jane and her father and their marvelous summer home on Prince Edward Island. Last December I reread Anne of Windy Poplars and was struck by the similarities of one of its subplots to the incidents of Jane. The subplot of Little Elizabeth seemed remarkably akin to Jane’s story, and since Windy Poplars was published in 1936, just year prior to Jane, I wondered if L.M. Montgomery was inspired to expand it into a full-length novel. Then I read one of Montgomery’s short stories from 1934, entitled Tomorrow Comes, and realized that it is actually the original story—Windy Poplars and Jane are both derivative versions! In fact, verbatim passages from both books appear in the original short story. All three tales are simply enchanting, so if you haven’t read them yet, do so right away! (But Jane is the best, so if you’re only going to read one, choose this one!)

This month I finished writing two major projects from this spring, a novella called The Joy Cottage and the third novel in my historical series, Every Beautiful Gift. Having finished these two, I’m hoping to work on some short stories—I have so many ideas floating through my head, I can’t wait to explore some of them!

I just finished the first draft of my latest #workinprogress! It’s a romance comedy/drama novella set at a lake cottage in 1946, and it’s been an absolute breeze to write ❤️📖😍 pic.twitter.com/uaKHvyTddL

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) May 15, 2019

The garden is so beautiful right now! Everything is just beginning—all the young blooms are here or getting ready to arrive. I am so excited about my creamy-white marigolds, and they are going to be *so many* strawberries soon! The forget-me-nots are always a lovely treat as well this time of year. I’m especially pleased that my blue-grape hyacinths have come up for the second year in a row—I initially planted the bulbs in the fall of 2017. (As you might recall, these flowers appear the Pat books by L.M. Montgomery; they grow at Silver Bush!)

But at last they were throwing open the windows to let in the spring and Pat learned all over again how lovely young cherry trees were, waving whitely in green twilights, and the scent of apple blossoms in moonlight, and the colonies of blue grape-hyacinths under the dining-room windows. – Mistress Pat

Springtime is such a glorious time of year—the first chirps of returning birds, the sprouting of long-dormant flowers, the happiness in the air. For the final installment of my seasonal blog series, I’ve compiled some books that I feel complement the splendor of spring!

Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace
One of my all-time favorite novels is this marvelous coming-of-age story. Set in 1912 and starring an introverted but whimsical heroine, this book focuses on an orphaned girl who longs to go to college but cannot leave her beloved grandfather. But Emily eventually finds the courage and inspiration to make a special life for herself right where she is—and essentially blooms where she is planted.

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
This is another great favorite of mine, and a highly underappreciated classic novel. Although the essence of the Pollyanna story is well-known—a cheerful girl who teaches others how to be glad—the real book features so much more; it’s a layered tale with beautiful life lessons and fascinating characters.

What Katy Did at School by Susan Coolidge
I first read this novel the spring I turned nine years old, and I’ve always loved its delicious account of life at a nineteenth-century boarding school. Katy Carr and her sister Clover leave their small town to attend school in a bustling city, where they must contend with a feisty new friend, snobbish classmates, and a teacher who seems determined to make trouble for the Carr sisters.

The Sea is All Around by Elizabeth Enright
Elizabeth Enright is one of my favorite authors—she’s well-known for her Melendy Quartet series and Gone-Away Lake—but sadly, this marvelous story is out of print and is hard to find. However, it’s well worth the effort to obtain a copy, as The Sea is All Around is flavored with truly remarkable prose, an endearing young heroine, and all the beauty and majesty of life by the sea.

The Clue of the Stone Lantern by Margaret Sutton
The twenty-first volume of the Judy Bolton mysteries, Stone Lantern was published in 1950 and is one of the best books of this series. As Judy begins her preparing her flower garden for the spring, an uncanny coincidence leads her on a thrilling search to establish the unknown identity of a mysterious little girl.

Magic for Marigold by L.M. Montgomery
I just finished re-reading this lesser-known novel by Montgomery, and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the hilarious escapades of Marigold Lesley, whose imagination and flights of fancy continually get her into mischief. While the book has very little plot—it was originally a set of short stories—it’s a lovely read, and the opening of the story (in which the sprawling Lesley clan gathers to decide on a name for baby Marigold) is simply delightful.

Kilmeny of the Orchard by L.M. Montgomery
Another special book by Montgomery that has never received the recognition of the Anne or Emily novels is Kilmeny of the Orchard. It’s the tale of a schoolteacher named Eric who comes to Prince Edward Island intending to remain a short while—only to fall in love with an isolated girl named Kilmeny. One of Montgomery’s earliest works, this novella has a sweet fairy-tale tinge and a very happy ending!

Spring Begins in March by Jean Little
This is actually the second book in the Copeland family series by Jean Little—so I might recommend reading the first book, Mine for Keeps, before diving into this one! Of course, I read them out of order, so it can be done. 😉 This is the heartwarming story of Meg, a girl determined not to get along with her grandmother, who has recently come to stay. (My favorite scene in this book is when Meg’s grandmother reads aloud from Anne of Ingleside!)

Don’t forget to check out the previous posts in my seasonal series!

The Best Books of Summer
The Best Books of Autumn
The Best Books of Winter

November is here, in all of its drizzly, cloudy glory. I have bulbs to plant soon—beautiful multicolored tulips that will (hopefully) sprout up the in the warm spring months ahead. In book-writing news, I’m currently drafting the second book in my “Norvia” middle grade series, thanks to National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I originally drafted the first Norvia book for NaNo in November 2014, so working on the sequel feels like a wonderful flashback for me.

Some of my research for the sequel:

I’m also still working on my Christmas novella, which I hope to share with you all in mid-December—very exciting! 🙂 Stay tuned for more details!

For me, the last two weeks have been all about the 2018 World Gymnastics Championships. I provided tons of fun coverage for Inside Gymnastics Magazine, including an interview with Great Britain’s Becky Downie. It was so exciting to watch all of these incredible athletes at the highest level of the sport. My all-time favorite routine of Worlds? Probably Nina Derwael’s breathtaking, gold medal-winning uneven bars routine. Derwael, whom I interviewed about a year ago, is currently Belgium’s top gymnast and the world’s best bars worker. I can’t wait to watch her compete in 2019!

In reading news, I hit my 2018 Goodreads Challenge last week! I’ve read 100 books so far this year, and I’m hoping to read several more before the year is out. I recently reread some of the books in the Patty Fairfield series by Carolyn Wells (published from 1902-1919), and that was simply delightful. They’re such light, humorous reads!

I was recently given these three gorgeous vintage copies:

Interestingly, all three volumes were previously owned by the same young lady, whose name was written in beautiful cursive in the front of each book. Being a genealogist (and insatiably curious!), I did a little searching on family history sites and uncovered some fascinating info about this fellow booklover, whose life seemed to mirror Patty’s remarkably! Not only was she also an only child and a fashionable debutante in a bustling city, but she looked almost exactly like the illustrations of Patty on these covers! 🙂 I wonder if someone gave her these books because of her amazing similarity to Patty. In any event, I love knowing a bit more about the former owner of my books!

I just finished reading The Mystery on Judy Lane, the brand-new book in the Judy Bolton series. The author, Beverly Hatfield, has gifted Judy fans with a wonderful companion volume to this awesome series. I loved reading this sweet Christmassy mystery, set between books #13 and #14.

I also recently found these vintage copies of two other books in the Judy series. The Mark on the Mirror is one of my very favorites!

Now I’m rereading Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery, and even though I’ve read it before, I’m having a hard time putting it down! 🙂 Also—stay tuned for my upcoming blog post on the Pat of Silver Bush series, which I consider to be perhaps Montgomery’s sweetest and coziest series of books.

Happy Reading!

Today, I’m doing a quick “news roundup” of some fun tidbits from the past couple of weeks!

First and foremost, I recently signed with Molly Shaffer, a literary agent at Golden Wheat Literary! I’m so thrilled to be taking this step in my writing journey! The past month has definitely been a whirlwind of excitement, and I can’t wait to keep working toward my goal of publication. 🙂

I also received the latest issue of Inside Gymnastics, which includes my feature on the 2008 U.S. Olympic women’s team. It was so much fun chatting on the phone with Nastia, Chellsie, and Samantha for this piece! Quotes from Bridget Sloan and Shawn Johnson also appear in the article. If you haven’t already subscribed to the magazine, be sure to buy a copy!

The latest issue of @InsideGym has arrived! Be sure to check out my “Back to Beijing” article, featuring quotes from @samanthapeszek, @CMemmel, @NastiaLiukin, @ShawnJohnson, and @bridgetsloan! 😍 pic.twitter.com/P1CqBJMMXo

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) October 1, 2018

October has been a blustery, rainy, and snowy month so far! But we’re enjoying some truly beautiful fall colors here in Wisconsin. Here’s a few photos I snapped a few days ago!

Feisty waves on a misty lake:

A seagull flying overhead:

Beautiful colors on a rural road:

A gorgeous orange maple:

I’ve decorated a new bookshelf to showcase my vintage hardbacks of favorite classics, such as my beloved Pollyanna and Carolyn Wells books, some 1930s and ’40s mysteries, and a handful of lovely Louisa May Alcott novels:

Speaking of reading, I recently read The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden (2018) by Karina Yan Glaser, and I loved its sweet storyline. As a writer of children’s books, I also enjoyed Sarah Clarkson’s inspiring Caught Up in a Story (2014). In other reading news, I’m currently rereading L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, and I’m halfway through Jean Craig: Nurse by Kay Lyttleton (1949), which I discovered in a charming antique store. It’s a little like the Cherry Ames books, which are some of my favorite vintage mysteries.

It finally arrived! Cannot wait to read the second Vanderbeekers book by @KarinaYanGlaser! As a fan of classic middle grade (Enright, Streatfeild, Estes, etc…) it’s refreshing to find a new series that reminds me of my favorites! ❤️😍 pic.twitter.com/W0zMhkMBeR

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) September 26, 2018

Following up in my post last summer called The Best Books of Summer, I’ve compiled a list of eight children’s/YA books that feel perfect for autumn, with the crisp days, drizzly rain, and apples galore. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!

Depend on Katie John by Mary Calhoun
All of the marvelous Katie John books take place at least partially in the autumn, but this one feels the most like fall to me! Chronicling Katie’s experiences living in a crowded and chaotic boarding house, this sweet novel focuses on the importance of friendship and community. Definitely one of my childhood favorites!

Heaven to Betsy by Maud Hart Lovelace
I’ve already sung the praises of the Betsy-Tacy series on my blog, but today I’m highlighting the first high school book—probably my favorite in the whole series, and an ideal back-to-school story. Maud’s evocative descriptions of Midwestern Septembers and Octobers are such a treat to read! Betsy’s attempts to capture the attention of a certain Tall Dark Stranger only lead to heartache—but it’s a delightfully warm and funny story.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
A Newbery Honor winner in 2006, Shannon Hale’s Princess Academy is the first of a three-book series—but the original is definitely the best! This gorgeous fairy-tale has some of the most brilliant metaphors I’ve ever read.

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall
The second in the beloved Penderwicks series, this novel is masterfully crafted; full of witty characterization and well-woven subplots. Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty Penderwick are four sisters who are perfectly content with life—until their widowed father decides to begin dating again! The ensuing hilarity always makes me smile.

Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
Written partially as an epistolary novel, the fourth book in LMM’s immortal Anne series was actually one of the last of the series to be written (it was published in 1936). This lighthearted story depicts Anne’s three years as principal of Summerside High School, written in a pleasant episodic style and brimming with lovable characters.

Beany Malone by Lenora Mattingly Weber
I recently read this book for the first time—it’s a charming family story set at the end of World War II, and absolutely perfect for fall reading! I’ve read three books in the Beany Malone series now, and I’m eager to read more!

Spiderweb for Two: A Melendy Maze by Elizabeth Enright
I just reread this one—it’s divine. Sprinkled with riddles and treasure hunts and humor, the fourth and final book in the Melendy Quartet is a splendid fall read, as much of the book takes place as the leaves change color and languid sunny days transition to cozy, rainy ones. Being a genealogist, I also love this book for its descriptions of lovely old rural cemeteries. J

The Haunted Attic by Margaret Sutton
The second volume of the Judy Bolton mystery series, The Haunted Attic (1932) is one of my favorites of the mysteries. Judy’s fascinating investigation into the strange noises she hears from the attic make for a gripping story with a heartwarming ending.

I couldn’t quite decide what to write about this week, so I decided that I’d touch on everything I’m excited about in today’s post! 🙂

First of all—after a long, long wait—my sunflowers and zinnias have arrived! I planted them from seed on May 27th, and after several months of anticipation, they finally blossomed this week. The sunflowers (at the top of this post), which I photographed today, are from the ProCut series.

My darling salmon-colored zinnias are from the Benary’s Giant series:

A sure sign that fall is coming—my white hydrangeas are turning a delightful rosy pink!

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing the one-and-only Eythora Thorsdottir, an immensely talented gymnast from the Netherlands. I’ve been a huge fan of Eythora since 2013, when I first saw her compete at the European Youth Olympic Festival—she has some of the most elegant routines in the world right now. 🙂 I’m hopeful that she recovers from a recent injury in time to compete at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar this October!

I also recently interviewed members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team for the next issue of Inside Gymnastics, in honor of the 10-year anniversary of their silver medal. I grew up watching and re-watching their amazing performances in Beijing, so it was definitely a thrill to speak with them for this piece! 🙂 The next issue will appear on newsstands later in September.

This summer, my grandma introduced me to watercolor pencils—they are absolutely splendid to work with! Here’s a quick drawing I did the other day—perhaps a future book character! 🙂

In bookish news, I just finished reading Beany Malone by Lenora Mattingly Weber—such a fun novel! Published in 1948, this book is the second in the Malone family series (I read the first earlier this year). A lovely story about a warmhearted family living in Denver right after World War II!

Beany Malone (Beany Malone Series Book 2) Reading Beany for the hundredth time… hooked in the first few pages – yet again. Gusty October, hullabaloo in the Malone house, Beany whipping up 7 minute frosting…. Lenora Mattingly Weber https://t.co/zjKWeOdroY via @amazon #books pic.twitter.com/Tdks7pdgxx

— Image Cascade Books (@ImageCascade) August 29, 2018

I also heard yesterday that there will be a new book in the Judy Bolton series! The original author of the series, Margaret Sutton, passed away in 2001, but Beverly Hatfield coauthored the official 39th volume in the series in 2012. Now, Beverly has written a mystery that is supposed to take place between books #13 and #14. It will reportedly be available later this fall! <3

I’ve written almost 8,000 words of my work-in-progress novella, “The Mistress of Half Moon Hall.” Very eager to keep working on it!

And just for fun, here’s a snapshot of one of my recently-rearranged bookshelves:

Such wonderful books here! 🙂 What have you been reading lately?