"Charlotte's Web" and other good books

I just heard that it's been 60 years since E. B. White published Charlotte's Web.

Hard to believe that children's classic, which my 3rd grade teacher, Miss Rudolph, read aloud to us during our daily "rest period" is that old.

I just may have to get the book at my local library and read it again.

It, and a mystery series by Gertrude Chandler Warner called "The Boxcar Children" were among my favorite reads at this time. I think I liked them better than The Bobbsey Twins or Nancy Drew.

There was another series also initially published at least 60 years ago that I also enjoyed back then, though none of my friends seemed to know if them - so they we sort of a "secret" or "guilty pleasure" for me back then.

These were stories about a "poor little rich girl" named Maida Westabrook. All these books were titled "Maida's Little (Something)." I know for sure there was "Maida's Little Shop," "Maida's Little House," etc.

I only knew of them because the books I read had been my mother's - probably published in the late 30s or early 40s. In the 60s I found the musty old books stacked in a corner of my grandmother's basement - and started devouring them.

In addition to enjoying the stories, I learned a lot of new words this way. Words that were used frequently in the books, but are no longer used that much today. Like "financier," which is what Maida's father was said to be, "valise," and "roadster." Maybe even "lap robe."

The main character of these stories, Maida Westabrook, was the only child of "Buffalo" Westabrook a millionaire in the style of Little Orphan Annie's famous Daddy Warbucks. "Buffalo" was extremely benevolent and generous, but not too often present as I recall. Seems he was off doing business, but found people to "appear" in Maida's life in order to help her.

And she needed help. As I recall, Maida was lame as a result of an unnamed illness, (polio?) and she needed to find something to occupy her time, since she couldn't play or go to school.

So "Buffalo" buys her a cute little shop (in Boston?) that catches her interest. He sets her up there to run it, and hires someone to cook and look after her. Soon she meets other young people from the neighborhood, with whom she makes friends.

By the end of the book, she realizes that she HAS learned math skills and other things she would have learned in school, as a result of running the shop. And she has a tight group of friends who have kept her entertained and occupied.

Eventually she and the friends go on to have other amazing adventures in a number of other books on the same theme.

I wish I still had these original books. I believe they were written by an author named Inez Haynes Irwin, and according to Amazon, it looks like they have recently been re-released. I wonder if the new versions of the books have been upgraded to reflect current times, as was done with the Bobbsey Twins books. (I mean, back then, there were no TVs, no Internet, no cell phones. Kids reading the books today would think they
are a reflection of ancient history.)

Does anyone else remember reading these books?

Guess no else one wants to admit to reading Nancy Drew mysteries, etc., as a girl.

From 4th grade on, I was such a voracious reader my dad used to kid me that I had read every book in my well-stocked grade school library. Not true, but I did probably read at least a third of the books in their supply!

I'm sure I should have spent more time on physical activity...

I remember reading all of those books...I too was a voracious reader and my parents couldn't keep up with my insatiable passion for reading. I remember the Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys as well as anything else we could bring home from the library. Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, all the fairy tales, etc, etc. I was in my twenties when I discovered The Narnia Chronicles and Anne of Green Gables - I would have enjoyed those as a child as well, but STILL never tire of reading Narnia. I still have a lot of my childhood books, though did pass along all the series books to nieces.

Does anyone remember the Rupert books? I still have two of those from my early childhood years. And anything and everything by Madeleine L'Engle (though didn't discover her until my twenties either).

Fun memories. I used to love getting lost in those books.

Wow, Eagle Heart, you bring back some fond memories.

I didn't discover Madeline L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" until I was probably in my 40's. But I loved the book, and checking her website, I see THAT book is celebrating an anniversary, too: 50 years since she wrote it.

Since my discovery of her books, I have also read "A Swiftly Titling Planet," and "A Wind at the Door," but there are so many others she wrote that I have yet to devour.

I'm also a huge fan of C.S. Lewis's Narnia books.

Thanks for reminding us of the works of these great authors.

It's funny that I've been a fan of Madeleine L'Engle for over 30 years, and have gone so far as to special-order some of her hard-to-find books...I even received a letter from her once, though can't remember where it is now...and yet there are still books listed on that website that I'd never heard of before. Now I'll have to make a trip to Amazon to see if they're still in print. Thanks for that link, Anne!

I do remember reading a series of books about Cherry (or was it Cheryl) Ames starting when she was a student nurse. I also read every Reader's Digest Condensed Books volume that came into the house - my Dad had a subscription. I then went on to read many of the classics like War and Peace and Quo Vadis before I was in High School. I really don't remember reading children's books. I read Tolkien and C.S.Lewis in my early 20s along with some of the 'existential' type books like Thus Spake Zarathustra and a few others. Some of those classics I now have on my Kindle, and I'm in the middle of re-reading Little Women for the umpteenth time. I read the Lord of the Rings again every year and the Narnia books. I now have Tolkien on my Kindle, too, but not the Narnia books. When I'm broke, I look for the classics on Amazon as they're free, so now I have quite a collection. I was pleasantly surprised to find Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass for Kindle, and free.

Speaking of the joy of reading a free book, of course there is always the public library. But if I haven't mentioned it before, there is now a website that sends me a weekly list of free Kindle ebooks.

Check it out. They send me a weekly update of what is free, and I think that is really cool.

By the way, I remember reading about Cherry Ames, too. She made me want to be a nurse. Changed my mind later on, but I did enjoy those books when I was growing up. Thanks for reminding me about them!

I have a problem with borrowing books from the library because I can't remember when they are due back! And besides, I like to keep my books - can't bear to part with them once I have them! That's why I love my Kindle; I can access my 'library' any time, anywhere I have Internet. I can read my books on my phone - didn't think I would like that, but it's surprisingly easy-to-read on my Android phone - and pick up where I left off from the Kindle (or on the Kindle from my phone). And I don't have to carry books with me wherever I go.

And sorry to hear about your Mom - that thread won't let me reply.

I understand about the books, Yonuh. I have quite a collection, too. Have been meaning to donate some to the local public library, but they told me I need to list them, so I can take a tax donation. And listing them is something I just can't seem to get around to. (Hmmm: maybe I can just scan the covers with my phone...)

And thanks for the condolences on my Mom. I know the thread is messed up. I tried to edit different threads together and the whole thing just became all tangled up.

I now have a kindle (a birthday gift) and will welcome any advice from anyone who knows how to find free sites.

I will keep visiting the library but see situations where the kindle will be my friend...
thanks

Mountain Ash, here's a good place to keep up with the availability of free Kindle ebooks.

This list changes weekly. (Sorry If I've already posted about this site earlier. I thought I had, but can't find it.)

Here's a list I found on Amazon.com of dozens of classics that are now available free as Amazon Kindle downloads.

Mountain Ash, if you go to Amazon.com and look for ebooks, there's a list under best sellers of free books - I think it's the top 100. Also, if you do a Google search for "Free ebooks" there are lots of sites where you can get free Kindle books. Most of them are old and no longer protected by copyright, though. The amazon list has books by authors who are publishing a new book and want to get readers hooked by making their previously published books available for free. And the site Ann posted will send you a weekly email listing free books available for that week.

Thanks to both...I will follow what you advise..

Hubby recently found a Chapters (book store) gift certificate he'd forgotten about, and gave it to me. So I ordered two of Madeleine L'Engle's books that I'd never seen before (The Small Rain and The Severed Wasp) and they just arrived today. Whoo hooo! It's been awhile since I've had new books to read (as much as I enjoy having the e-books, it's still a thrill to hold a new book in my hands!).

I like holding books, too, Eagle Heart. Though I have now read a couple on my iPad, I'm not totally converted to ebooks. In fact, I was amazed the other day, when watching Jeopardy.

If I properly understood the answer to one of the questions, it led me to understand that in 2011, Amazon.com actually sold MORE ebooks than traditional books! If that's true, it must mean that Amazon's Kindle products are a huge success.

I hope you enjoy your two new L'Engle books. They are two I haven't read.