Thursday, 17 November 2011
That One Book
For me, that book was Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan. It’s this amazing middle grade book I read back in seventh grade, and even though I’m still only in high school, I forgot the name of the book. But did it haunt me for all these years. It’s not exactly, you know, a scary book or anything- it’s a book that deeply affected me back when I was young and impressionable.
(In fact, after reading it, I wanted to be a doctor in Africa. But we’re not going to talk about that.)
So, well, the other day I was throwing out stuff from my old school years, and I found a list of books I’d read in seventh grade. And I thought, hey, I might just find that book about the girl who grew up to become a doctor in Africa in this list! And guess what? I found the book. I can’t describe the happiness I felt. It was this amazing eureka moment, only I hadn’t had an idea… I’d found a book that I’d loved immensely in my childhood.
Books are our friends. And rediscovering someone- or some book- you haven’t seen for so long but often think about- is truly a gift.
Do you have that one book that you just can’t forget? That book which haunts you with its ideas? Have you ever rediscovered a beloved book? Tell me how it felt!
Oh my goodness. I know exactly what you're talking about. And while I haven't met that book yet, I totally remember that feeling when you can't stop thinking about a book — and you can't even remember that title. 😛 Sometimes the emotions are so affecting I walk around in a daze for a week. That happened to me when I finished the Piratica trilogy by Tanith Lee. I just couldn't believe the ending.
Now I must check out Listening For Lions!
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I know. I'm going to check out the Piratica trilogy, then =)
You must! It's beautiful.
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Ah, this reminds me of a book I adored as a little girl. I can't remember the name for the life of me, but some years down the line I came across it once or twice and have always held a fondness for it. Unfortunately, I have no idea where it is now. I love the cover of this one!
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Ahhhh… when I say "I couldn't believe the ending", it was kinda in a negative way. But if you do read it, then at least I'll have someone to go "0_o" with. 😛
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I'm rediscovering THE BOXCAR CHILDREN with my daughter now! We've read through the third book in the series and we're both loving it. Such simple, charming books, and I love the way they show my girlie how to treat the people she loves.
I've not heard of LISTENING FOR LIONS, but it sounds lovely and the cover is beautiful. I'll have to be on the lookout for it. 🙂
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I was lucky enough to find the book I loved as a kid- I hope you find your book one day, too.
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Oh, I've read a couple of those books as a little kid- they're awesome. And I do hope your daughter enjoys them just as much, too!
Yes, the cover really is lovely.
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Like how you think I'm going to hate Mockingjay? 😛 But we'll see, we'll see if I don't like that ending 🙂
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As a young child, my one book was "Hope for the Flowers"–I still read it to my kids:)
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I'm going to try to find it now 🙂
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There are books that touch you every time you read it. For me that would be Nicole Krauss's The History of Love. It's just so beautiful every single time. 😀
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It's a trilogy? :O I must get it! I read the first one and then forgot about it.
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I hadn't heard of that. I think I'm going to go find it 🙂
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Aww..this is such a sweet post. I haven't heard of this, but the title totally makes me want to heart it 🙂
That beloved book for me was Johanna Spyri's Heidi. I was madly, irrevocably in love with it. Still am, in a way.
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I hope you do read it 🙂 And aren't we all in love with one childhood book or the other? 🙂
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