Long Lost Book, Found Again
Oct. 21st, 2005 06:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
semiotic_pirateThere are about four or five books left to find that I remember really loving when I was much younger than I am now. I used to haunt the children's book section of the city library. It was a haven for me, finding adventures and wonder at every turn. The books are nebulous, I remember certain details about the story, but not their titles or authors.
Some I was able to figure out over time:
Steel Magic by Andre Norton (two others in this series are called Fur Magic and Octagon Magic the latter of which made me want to live in an Octagon House for a while. Whenever I see one now I think of that book. I've currently have these three in my shopping cart at amazon.
Summer Magic (can't find it again online, or remember the author again, but I have it in a box in storage!)
The Worst Witch (actually a series of three books that I should also be able to get through amazon - I love that website.)
My most recent find was today. The book is called David and the Phoenix by Edward Ormondroyd. Every time I had searched for this in the past I came up empty. This time however, on the first page of the Google search I found at least ten references. Apparently it was rereleased recently. I was able to order a hardback signed by the author from the Purple House Press. I found that they also carry the Mad Scientist's Club series of books. Yay. I also greatly enjoyed the Encyclopedia Brown series of books. Yeah, my geekdom-bookworm status started early.
The one I haven't been able to remember and want to in the worst way:
A story about three siblings, an older brother and sister and a younger brother. There is a character (a cat, black with white underbelly and socks) whose name was John Napkin (he was my favorite character in the book, well described, and I ended up naming a beloved cat after him). The parents go away, leaving the children in the care of a strict not-so-nice older woman (not so nice as in no permissive) and the younger brother finds a book of spells. The boy casts a spell (with the help of a wax mannikin that he forms to represent the older woman) to keep the woman bedridden (but virtually unharmed) so they can do what they please. He also makes it snow - and I recall them living somewhere where snowing is highly unlikely. They make a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner with a Turkey that gets eaten by the cats...
All this remembering was brought on by the upcoming release of the new Narnia movie. Another well loved series of books from my childhood. I sometimes think I should have been a librarian or a young adult (sci-fi/fantasy, etc too) book editor. Maybe I'll just remain a bibliophile.
Some I was able to figure out over time:
Steel Magic by Andre Norton (two others in this series are called Fur Magic and Octagon Magic the latter of which made me want to live in an Octagon House for a while. Whenever I see one now I think of that book. I've currently have these three in my shopping cart at amazon.
Summer Magic (can't find it again online, or remember the author again, but I have it in a box in storage!)
The Worst Witch (actually a series of three books that I should also be able to get through amazon - I love that website.)
My most recent find was today. The book is called David and the Phoenix by Edward Ormondroyd. Every time I had searched for this in the past I came up empty. This time however, on the first page of the Google search I found at least ten references. Apparently it was rereleased recently. I was able to order a hardback signed by the author from the Purple House Press. I found that they also carry the Mad Scientist's Club series of books. Yay. I also greatly enjoyed the Encyclopedia Brown series of books. Yeah, my geekdom-bookworm status started early.
The one I haven't been able to remember and want to in the worst way:
A story about three siblings, an older brother and sister and a younger brother. There is a character (a cat, black with white underbelly and socks) whose name was John Napkin (he was my favorite character in the book, well described, and I ended up naming a beloved cat after him). The parents go away, leaving the children in the care of a strict not-so-nice older woman (not so nice as in no permissive) and the younger brother finds a book of spells. The boy casts a spell (with the help of a wax mannikin that he forms to represent the older woman) to keep the woman bedridden (but virtually unharmed) so they can do what they please. He also makes it snow - and I recall them living somewhere where snowing is highly unlikely. They make a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner with a Turkey that gets eaten by the cats...
All this remembering was brought on by the upcoming release of the new Narnia movie. Another well loved series of books from my childhood. I sometimes think I should have been a librarian or a young adult (sci-fi/fantasy, etc too) book editor. Maybe I'll just remain a bibliophile.
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no subject
Date: 2005-11-14 03:11 pm (UTC)Kriz
no subject
Date: 2005-11-14 05:14 pm (UTC)I've been reading your blog on the f-list, just haven't been responding to anyone much or posting. How's your balance between writing for pleasure and writing for school?
You want to finally meet later this week (Wed or Thurs) for coffee at the Starbucks on campus?
no subject
Date: 2005-11-15 02:39 am (UTC)(I bet you knew that about me already.)
Sure! I've got an opening between 1:00 and 2:00 on Wednesday. 8-D
I'm sorry to hear about the illness. There is *no* good time for that sort of thing to happen, but next-to-last semester? Close to the worst.
Balancing writing? It tends to swing wildly back and forth between pleasure and school. The latest splurge is founded mainly in thesis-avoidance, I think (along with an idea that's keeping me entertained). But I'm working on the proposal! I really am!!
no subject
Date: 2005-11-15 10:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-16 01:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-16 01:44 am (UTC)My office is in CLAS (the old Chem building - Glennbrook Road, across from Swan Pond), #415. If you get done before 2, you could drop by.
Or - I just realized, I actually have Thursday afternoon free after 2:00. This keeping track of my schedule thing is for the birds!