Couch 248: Curiouser and Curiouser

LonesomeTonight · May 30, 2024 at 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unaluna

I loved Cherry Ames and Sue Barton. Also all the Beverly Cleary teen books like Fifteen and The Luckiest Girl. Man i wanted that pink rubber raincoat with the black velvet collar. All i ever had as a kid were the fold up clear plastic adult in-a-pinch "raincoats."

My girlfriend down the block who was the same age as me had a little bookshelf in her bedroom with all the Nancy Drew books. I think she let me borrow them. The only books we owned were a big book of fairytales, which i had done reading by age 5, and Little Men, which i found in our attic, and which i was told not to read as it was just for boys. But i eventually did anyway. I dont think my brother ever did.

I was into Beverly Cleary, too, though more the books for younger readers, like the Ramona Quimby ones. However, due to my emetophobia that started at a young age, I hid "Ramona Quimby, Age 8" under my bed because she gets sick in it.

Now I'm curious about her books for teens--trying to recall whether I read any of them.

LonesomeTonight · May 30, 2024 at 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NP_Complete

Wasn't there a Bobsey Twins series of books also? I can't remember if they were mystery solvers too or not. Did somebody already mention those?

Yes, I remember those, too, though only read a few.

ArtieTheSequal · May 30, 2024 at 06:21 PM

I forgot all about them!

ArtieTheSequal · May 30, 2024 at 06:24 PM

A book that really touched me that I remember was called "Mister God, This is Anna" by Fynn. I think it came out in the 1970's. I need to find that again, I have it somewhere in this house.

Lemoncake · May 30, 2024 at 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unaluna

Werent they babies?

My favorite book for a while was The Latch Key Club kids, but ive never been able to refind it.

Also of course Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy-Tib books. They restored the actual house in Minnesota.

There’s a listing for the The Latch Key Club by Eleanor Clymer on Amazon. $65 though. I tried finding it on an online archive, but it hasn’t been added.

Lemoncake · May 30, 2024 at 07:45 PM

I had Disney Grolier books that came in the post each month and my father would pay £14 for them. Also lots of Enid Blyton and an illustrated Grimme’s fairy tales.

ArtieTheSequal · May 30, 2024 at 08:43 PM

My two most favorite books of all from when I was little-little (and I still have both of them today, raggedy bindings and all!) are Becky Ann Visits Storybook Land (by Alene Dalton), and I Had Trouble in getting to Solla Sollew (Dr Seuss). Both given to me in 1965!

WarmFuzzySocks · May 31, 2024 at 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unaluna

Werent they babies?

My favorite book for a while was The Latch Key Club kids, but ive never been able to refind it.

Also of course Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy-Tib books. They restored the actual house in Minnesota.

Oh, I read through Betsy-Tacy-Tib a few times. I loved them.

I also loved the original Mary Poppins books. Mary P is nothing like the sugary Disney Mary Poppins. (Who I also enjoyed- but completely different character.)

Another favorite series- The Boxcar Children. I was fascinated by them living on their own.

stopdog · May 31, 2024 at 02:07 PM

My favorite book as a young child was Harriet The Spy-I thought it was so funny.

atisketatasket · May 31, 2024 at 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NP_Complete

Wasn't there a Bobsey Twins series of books also? I can't remember if they were mystery solvers too or not. Did somebody already mention those?

Yes—Flossie and Freddie, the six year old twins, and Nan and Bert, who were (I think) twelve. And definitely mysteries.

Then the Happy Hollisters were five non-twin kids. My mother pointed out to me the similarities of the two series, especially the relegation of Mrs. Bobbsey and Mrs. Hollister to housewife roles while their husbands won the bread.

Carolyn Keene was a series of ghostwriters, some of whom also wrote in the Bobbsey Twins, Hardy Boys, and Dana Girl series.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmFuzzySocks

I also loved the original Mary Poppins books. Mary P is nothing like the sugary Disney Mary Poppins. (Who I also enjoyed- but completely different character.)

I remember there’s one where Mary Poppins goes to the moon.

stopdog · Jun 01, 2024 at 07:54 AM

What I mostly remember about the creepy mary poppins books was there was something about either mary poppins or some baker who snapped off their fingers and handed them to the children to eat - that was a bit out there for my preschool pedestrian sensibilities. I know the range of my age because of where we lived. We moved to a different state when I was 6 and it was before that.

ArtieTheSequal · Jun 01, 2024 at 01:23 PM

I must not have ever read the Mary Poppins books. Now I am interested.

atisketatasket · Jun 01, 2024 at 03:03 PM

The Mary Poppins books are like Roald Dahl—really creepy if you bother to look hard enough.

Art, maybe you already know about this, but it has “Art” written all over it. Should be a free gift link.

How a Self-Published Book, ‘The Shadow Work Journal,’ Became a Best Seller - The New York Times

stopdog · Jun 01, 2024 at 05:25 PM

I thought the mp creepiness was right on the surface. I could handle the Roald Dahl creepiness a lot better - or maybe because I found RD a lot funnier than Travers was - I had no problem with them.

atisketatasket · Jun 01, 2024 at 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stopdog

I thought the mp creepiness was right on the surface. I could handle the Roald Dahl creepiness a lot better - or maybe because I found RD a lot funnier than Travers was - I had no problem with them.

Maybe? They seem the same to me. Like the punishments in Dahl are like some of MP’s punishments—she puts a kid in a china picture once. And then they both got whitewashed by a movie—the Julie Andrew’s Mary Poppins and the Gene Wilder Charlie.

Someone should do a Mary Poppins movie that’s the equivalent of the Johnny Depp Charlie.

stopdog · Jun 01, 2024 at 05:41 PM

I like the Depp version better than the Wilder version. I found Dahl so funny as a child that the creepiness was not the same to me. I laugh out loud at Dahl. I didn't really find Mary Poppins funny at all. I liked the disney version because I have always had a crush on Julie Andrews - even in 10 I was for her and not Bo Derek (and why anyone wants Dudley Moore is beyond me -but he is also funny).

stopdog · Jun 01, 2024 at 05:45 PM

The opposite happened with Gregory Maguire and Wicked - that book made Frank Baum's version look completely sane (and it wasn't)

WarmFuzzySocks · Jun 01, 2024 at 08:01 PM

I read this thread shortly before I went to sleep last night. I dreamt I was in a story similar to The Westing Game.

Another favorite- I think I read it around the same time as Harriet the Spy, which may be why it came up in my dream.

Jersey 4 · Jun 01, 2024 at 08:02 PM

I honestly didn’t know about the Mary Poppins books but based off comments here-I’d rather just not explore them and keep the feel good Disney movie with Julie Andrews in my head.

I need something to watch either on Hulu or Netflix tonight. I’m bored. If anyone has any recommendations let me know. Preferably something light hearted.

LonesomeTonight · Jun 01, 2024 at 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmFuzzySocks

I read this thread shortly before I went to sleep last night. I dreamt I was in a story similar to The Westing Game.

Another favorite- I think I read it around the same time as Harriet the Spy, which may be why it came up in my dream.

Oh, I loved the Westing Game!

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Couch 248: Curiouser and Curiouser

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ArtieTheSequal Writing my way through... Member Since Feb 2020 Location: In the desert of my soul Posts: 7,593 (SuperPoster!) 4 6,006 hugs given	May 30, 2024 at 06:21 PM #583 I forgot all about them!

ArtieTheSequal Writing my way through... Member Since Feb 2020 Location: In the desert of my soul Posts: 7,593 (SuperPoster!) 4 6,006 hugs given	May 30, 2024 at 06:24 PM #584 A book that really touched me that I remember was called "Mister God, This is Anna" by Fynn. I think it came out in the 1970's. I need to find that again, I have it somewhere in this house.

Lemoncake Roses are falling. Member Since May 2017 Location: Seattle. Posts: 9,948 (SuperPoster!) 7 10.5k hugs given	May 30, 2024 at 07:45 PM #586 I had Disney Grolier books that came in the post each month and my father would pay £14 for them. Also lots of Enid Blyton and an illustrated Grimme’s fairy tales. __________________

ArtieTheSequal Writing my way through... Member Since Feb 2020 Location: In the desert of my soul Posts: 7,593 (SuperPoster!) 4 6,006 hugs given	May 30, 2024 at 08:43 PM #587 My two most favorite books of all from when I was little-little (and I still have both of them today, raggedy bindings and all!) are Becky Ann Visits Storybook Land (by Alene Dalton), and I Had Trouble in getting to Solla Sollew (Dr Seuss). Both given to me in 1965!

stopdog underdog is here Member Since Sep 2011 Location: blank Posts: 35,049 (SuperPoster!) 13 1 hugs given	May 31, 2024 at 02:07 PM #589 My favorite book as a young child was Harriet The Spy-I thought it was so funny. __________________ Please NO @ Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live. Oscar Wilde Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

ArtieTheSequal Writing my way through... Member Since Feb 2020 Location: In the desert of my soul Posts: 7,593 (SuperPoster!) 4 6,006 hugs given	Jun 01, 2024 at 01:23 PM #592 I must not have ever read the Mary Poppins books. Now I am interested.

atisketatasket Child of a lesser god Member Since Jun 2015 Location: Tartarus Posts: 19,302 (SuperPoster!) 9 12.4k hugs given	Jun 01, 2024 at 03:03 PM #593 The Mary Poppins books are like Roald Dahl—really creepy if you bother to look hard enough. Art, maybe you already know about this, but it has “Art” written all over it. Should be a free gift link. How a Self-Published Book, ‘The Shadow Work Journal,’ Became a Best Seller - The New York Times

Jersey 4 Poohbah Member Since Feb 2019 Location: NJ Posts: 1,354 5 1,296 hugs given	Jun 01, 2024 at 08:02 PM #599 I honestly didn’t know about the Mary Poppins books but based off comments here-I’d rather just not explore them and keep the feel good Disney movie with Julie Andrews in my head. I need something to watch either on Hulu or Netflix tonight. I’m bored. If anyone has any recommendations let me know. Preferably something light hearted.