Summer Bucket List: Reading
I love to read. I love books. Year round I am almost constantly reading, But there is something particularly about summer that makes me want to spend even more time than usual lost in the pages of a book. I remember as a child how much I loved going to the library in the summer because it would be so, so hot outside and then as soon as you stepped through the doors it was so nice and cool.... between the coolness and the books I was in heaven.I like to always have a new book to read, this summer however I really want to re-read a lot of books that I've read in the past. I'm finding myself especially drawn to ones that are considered children's literature. Some that I read years ago, some that I've read multiple times, and a few that I've not read before (or at least not read all of). A good number of these books are fantasy books, and although I love fantasy stories at any time, for me, summer seems an especially perfect time for Fairies, Unicorns, Princesses, Knights , and Magic.
A good number of the books on this list fall under the category of "movies you may not have known were books" - or at least that I didn't until a while (some of them years) after I'd seen the films. And of course probably the majority of the rest of them have also been made into movies as well (it's just that we all know they were books first haha).
So here's my list of summer reading. These books are enjoyable for children, or adults, or for families to read together. While you may not intend to spend quite as much time reading this summer as I am, pick a book or two (or more) from this list and revisit a childhood favorite, or introduce it to your own children, or perhaps discover a new favorite, or pick your own favorite books from childhood and soak up some sun, or relax in the cool house, and get lost in the book. :)
So here's my list................
{movies that you may not have known were books first}
{The Never Ending Story}by Michael Ende - I loved the movie the Never Ending Story when I was young, it used to come on TV all the time and I would have to watch it every time. After many years of loving the first movie I found out that there was a second movie and had to watch it as well (there's also a Never Ending Story 3, but it's not quite in the same category as the original two, at least in my opinion, although I do have a copy of it on tape - yep tape, $.69 at Goodwill haha). It wasn't until sometime well into my teens that I found out that it was actually a book. Now I have to admit that I did get the book and start reading it and got a little more then halfway through and for some reason stopped and I'm just now getting back to it (I know bad me), but I can tell you that the first movie is based on about the first half of the book and the second half seemed to be the second movie (at least as far as I got), so if you liked the movies definitely read the book!
{The Princess and The Goblin}by George MacDonald - George MacDonald was actually a Minister and wrote many books besides this one and it's companions (there's a sequel called The Princess and Curdie - which I am literally having sent to my kindle app on my phone as I type this), and this is one of those cases that I absolutely love the book sooooo much more then the movie. I enjoyed the movie (does anyone even remember the movie, actually, on this one? It was an animated film that came out sometime in the 90's I think, I don't remember when exactly), but the book itself is so much better - especially from an adult point of view. I also went for years after seeing the movie before I stumbled upon the fact that this was a book long before a movie. (I found a copy of it in a used bookstore). Along with being an exciting story, it is also filled with some really beautiful allegories and metaphors about our relationships as humans with God.
{The Last Unicorn}by Peter S. Beagle - I can't really tell you much about this book because this is one of the books on my list that I've not read before. My sister and I watched this movie so many times as kids that our tape wore out. I actually just found out a couple weeks ago that it was a book and am currently waiting for the copy I ordered off of Amazon.com to get here :)
{The Black Cauldron}by Lloyd Alexander - One of Disney's lesser known movies, although I've been seeing references to it a little more lately. The book is actually I believe part of a series, but I haven't gotten into reading the others yet, but love this one.
{The Once and Future King}by T.H. White - Another Disney animated film is based on the first section of this book about King Arthur (it is divided into 4 sections). The Sword In The Stone (the movie is also one of my favorites) I read this book as summer reading for my 10th Grade English Honors class the summer between freshman and sophomore years and had no idea before then that the movie was based on any piece of literature. ( I will say though that I don't remember the other sections of the book terribly well, and haven't re-read it yet this summer so if you are looking for books for your kids you may want to read it first just to be on the safe side to make sure there's nothing inappropriate for younger children.... I don't remember anything, but I was also 15 at the time I read it so I don't know that I was really thinking about that sort of thing at the time)
{The Tale of Despereaux)by Kate DiCamillo - now this one you might have known was a book first (even though I didn't...). The Book is a Newbery Honor Book. I loved both the movie and the book (and I first read it as an adult). (and if you read it with your children it is not only a great story, but a great jumping off point for discussions of human behavior and motivations)
{other books on my list this summer - many of which are also movies}
{The Farthest Away Mountain}by Lynne Reid Banks - One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE books. I was in Elementary school the first time I read it and have read it many, many times since (it's a quick read for an adult). It is about a girl who hears the mountain call her (I've never quite decided whether part of the reason I love this book so much is that I love the mountains so much or if part of the reason I love the mountains so much is this book............). She sneaks away from home to follow the mountain's call and has an adventure filled with magic, and danger, and witches, and gargoyles, and all sorts of wonders which leads to a surprise twist at the end. Love it.
{Tuck Everlasting}by Natalie Babbitt - We read this in school (as I think many people did) in elementary school, and I simply fell in love with it. Even those who didn't read it in school are probably familiar with it now since it was made into a movie a few years back. To me it is a perfect summer read, something about the romance of the whole story (about a sheltered little girl and a family with a big secret), just grabs you and won't let go.
{The Wind in The Willows}by Kenneth Grahame - Who doesn't love stories about animals who act like people? And who could resist Mr. Toad's antics?
{The Redwall Series}by Brian Jacques - Speaking of animals who act like people, if you have never read any of the Redwall books, then you are seriously missing out. The series is about the life and adventures of the animals who live in Redwall Abbey and the other creatures they meet along the way. Think medieval adventures where all the Characters are animals. (and the way he writes the dialogue with each type of creature having their own accents and dialects - fabulous!)
{The Hobbit}by J.R.R. Tolkien - Of course, the classic prequel to the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
{Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass}by Lewis Carroll - Both classics, although the second installment of Alice's Adventures - Through The Looking Glass is probably a little less known, and less often read (and probably the installment I will re-read this summer)
I will also be re-reading (or have re-read) some adult books this summer. I just finished re-reading Holy Fools by Joanne Harris yesterday. I highly recommend it. It lost absolutely none of it's excitement even reading it a second time. I must have some Shakespeare in my summer as well (I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Shakespeare - although mostly love - but I'd best not get started on that or this post will never end). I saw an outdoor 17th/18th century style performance of Henry IV part I this past weekend, which was quite well done (and one of the plays that I don't think I've ever seen or read before). I do prefer Shakespeare acted out as the Bard himself intended them to be, but I do plan on re-reading my two favorites this summer - A Midsummer Night's Dream and
Enjoy your summer reading, whatever it may be that you choose to read!
{oh and P.S. the making if the denim quilt picnic blanket that is in the pictures for this post will be my next post - hopefully tomorrow}
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