Re: reading preferences

Before I tell you the first two on my list I want to make something
clear, I am a fan of children's literature. I have always been so,
and I imagine that I will continue to do so in the coming years. The
fact that I am starting with two of the biggest damned kiddie litter
explosions of the last decade should not lead you to believe that I
came to them because of the trendiness that each experienced, rather
that I enjoy them because they compliment well the children's lit that
I already felt was in the Cannon.

First, I love Harry Potter. I was HP for Halloween at least once in
college, I have gone to the midnight book releases, I am first in line
at the movies when they come out. I think that Joanne Rowling has
created something that makes a fantasy world with a richness and
complexity that rivals Tolkien feel more contemporary and immediate
than a local news broadcast. She has created a world that is huge and
detailed, while creating characters that, unlike those in Lord of the
Rings talk and act like people, and not biblical figures. I would go
so far as to say that she has eclipsed Judy Blume or Kathleen
Patterson in the field of creating an accurate picture of what it
feels like to be a kid, then an adolescent, all within this vast
fantasy context.

Other frighteningly apt portrayals of childhood are to be seen in
Sendak's work. His acknowledgement and celebration of how terrifying
it is to be a child are what have made his work classic. While others
gloss over childhood as happy and carefree, Sendak uses the sinister
world surrounding every child in a way that isn't condesending to his
readers.

But I digress. My second book series is Lemony Snicket's Series of
Unfortunate Events. The children live in an equally fantastic, though
less clearly structured world to HP. They don't seem to be "real"
children, as the HP cast are, but the noble characters of Jewish
storytelling, doing noble things and trudging forward through misery
just because it is the right thing to do. I like the books for the
language and the humor, much of which was sadly lost in the movie.
They are written in much the same way as I think. Note the following
passage discussing finding the moral of stories:

"In some stories, it's easy. The moral of 'the three bears,' for
instance, is 'never break into someone else's house.' The moral of
'Snow White' is "never eat apples." The moral of World War One is
"Never assassinate Archduke Ferdinand."

And I guess I must just like reading about terrible things happening
to well mannered, pleasent children. Which leads me to Edward Gorey.

As a much too young child I read "The Gashleycrumb Tinies," a book
about pleasent children dying in horrible ways. "The Insect God" told
the story of giant insects sacraficing a small child in gruesome
detail and perfect meter.

Speaking of perfect meter, to this day, I think that AA Milne is some
of the most important literature kids can read. First of all it
teaches children to HATE DISNEY for destroying Winnie the Pooh, and
second of all, his poetry is some of the best, most child empowering
poetry written by anyone ever.

James James
Morrison Morrison
Weatherby George Dupree
Took great
Care of his Mother,
Though he was only three.
James James Said to his Mother,
"Mother," he said, said he;
"You must never go down
to the end of the town,
if you don't go down with me."

James James
Morrison's Mother
Put on a golden gown.
James James Morrison's Mother
Drove to the end of the town.
James James Morrison's Mother
Said to herself, said she:
"I can get right down
to the end of the town
and be back in time for tea."

King John
Put up a notice,
"LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED!
JAMES JAMES MORRISON'S MOTHER
SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID.
LAST SEEN
WANDERING VAGUELY:
QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD,
SHE TRIED TO GET DOWN
TO THE END OF THE TOWN -
FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD!"
James James
Morrison Morrison
(Commonly known as Jim)
Told his
Other relations
Not to go blaming him.
James James
Said to his Mother,
"Mother," he said, said he:
"You must never go down to the end of the town
without consulting me."

James James
Morrison's mother
Hasn't been heard of since.
King John said he was sorry,
So did the Queen and Prince.
King John
(Somebody told me)
Said to a man he knew:
If people go down to the end of the town, well,
what can anyone do?"

(Now then, very softly)
J.J.
M.M.
W.G.Du P.
Took great
C/0 his M*****
Though he was only 3.
J.J. said to his M*****
"M*****," he said, said he:
"You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town-
if-you-don't-go-down-with-ME!"

Ummm, this email is already too long.

See you soon!