No Flying in the House by Betty Brock

 ★★★★

This charming little book was written in 1970 by Betty Brock.  It tells the story of Annabel Tippens - who seems like an ordinary girl, except for her tiny talking dog Gloria who has looked after her since she was a baby.  But then Annabel meets a cat named Belinda and she learns that she may not be as ordinary as she thought.  In fact, she may be a fairy whose parents were vanished years ago to mysterious island.  And she may be able to fly!

Filled with love, adventure, and all the wonderful things that magical stories are made of this is a cute story of a six-year-old girl whose life changes in a mere instant when she learns who she is.  I loved the characters (especially Gloria) and the beautiful illustrations through out the book.  I wish I would have read this story as a child, but it was just as charming reading it as an adult.  I also read it to my one-year-old daughter before bedtime.  We tried to read a chapter a night - which was fun for both of us - and makes going to bed a little easier for her.  I found this book through a group on goodreads called Kindred Spirits - a group devoted to discovering and rediscovering middle-grade and young adult classics.  I have the complete list on my blog here or it can be found on the Kindred Spirits home page.  Looking forward to reading more classic books in the future!!

Goodnight June by Sarah Jio

★★★ 1/2

"We didn't have much, but we always had books, thanks to Aunt Ruby, who brought over boxes of them.  and because of her, we learned of entire worlds that existed beyond the walls of our drab apartment.  We followed Madeline through the streets of Paris and made pumpkin pie with Laura and Ma in Little House in the Big Woods.  And every night, I read Amy her favorite book, Goodnight Moon."

This heartfelt take on the history behind the writing of the famous children's book, Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, collides with the contemporary tale of June Andersen - a successful, but mostly unhappy young women who finds unexpected adventures when she aims to sell a bookstore after her aunt passes away.

The author had a perfect story set up, but for some reason I left like there was something missing.  This book had the potential to be amazing - but instead it was just ok.  Maybe it was too much like a Hallmark movie (just add in a Christmas tree and some snow and you're pretty much there) or it could have been the twists that kept being thrown in there towards the end like one bad acting classes where you're suppose to act out ridiculous plot lines that don't have anything to do with one another.   I felt like the author was just pulling for things out of thin air.  But, I think that big problem I had with the book was the lack of feeling I had for the characters.  For whatever reason, I didn't find myself as interested in them as I should have and that left the book feeling a little meaningless for me.

I did, however, like reading the book - I just couldn't give it a very high rating due to it's flaws.  It was fun read (despite the tragedy near the end) and I like how the author used letters to give the readers a glimpse into the past.  Plus I have a huge thing for Goodnight Moon and it was the first book that I read to my daughter when she was born:

The Roald Dahl Treasury by Roald Dahl

★★★★★

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely place.  Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

"As I grow old and just a triffle frayed

It's nice to know that sometimes I have made

You children and occasionally the staff

Stop work and have instead a little laugh."

These stories are so much fun!  The treasury includes excerpts from novels as well as short stories, poems, recipes, and letters.  And the illustrations are wonderful as well.  I read a few of Roald Dahl's books when I was younger - Matilda and The Witches were my favorites.  I remember seeing this book when I was worked as a page at the Germantown Community Library, but I haven't had a chance to read the whole thing until now.  

We also read:

Revolting Rhymes (1982)

Dirty Beasts (1983)

Rhyme Stew (1989)

Vile Verses (2005)

The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter

★★★★★

"I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening.  His mother put him to bed, and made him some camomile tea; and she gave a dose of it to Peter!  'One table-spoonful to be taken at bedtime.'  But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper."

"I remember I use to half believe and wholly play with fairies when I was a child.  What heaven can be more real than to retain the spirit-world of childhood, tempered and balanced by knowledge and common-sense."

These stories are wonderful and quirky and a bit gruesome at times as well!  I very much enjoyed reading them as a child and as a parent to my daughter.  This complete collection contains twenty-three of Ms. Potter's original stories as well as beautiful illustrations.

The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

★★★★★

"Wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted forest, a little boy and his Bear will always be playing."

I've always been fond of Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, and the rest. I don't remember if I actually read these when I was younger, but I very much enjoyed them when I read them to my 2-month old daughter.  This was our first story collection that we read after we had read all of our picture books several times and needed something to get us through late-night feedings.  These stories of the Hundred Acre Wood will stay in my mind for years to come. I loved the charming characters and humor that A.A. Milne brings to each story.  The illustrations by  E.H. Shephard were wonderful as well!

We also read:
Now We are Six
When We Were Very Young