November's RandomCat: Childhood Memories

The Swing

How do you like to go up in a swing
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!
By Robert Louis Stevenson

November’s challenge is inspired by a conversation in January’s RandomCat about the names of some of our favorite childhood toys. So my challenge is to read a book that is connected to one of your beloved items from childhood– be it a teddy bear, a doll, a baseball bat or pair of ice skates. You can also read books that remind you of the role playing that you did when young – did you imagine yourself as a pirate, a fireman, a space explorer, a teacher or a princess. If none of the previous bring to mind a book there are also activities that you engaged in when young, swimming, playing house, sports, reading etc. to guide you.

Have fun with this and be creative. I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone interprets this challenge! Don't forget to post your books to the RandomCat Wiki which is found here: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2019_RandomCAT#2019_Random_CAT



Teddy Bear

A bear, however hard he tries
Grows tubby without exercise.
Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,
Which is not to be wondered at;
By A. A. Milne

I was crazy about my dolls. I had baby dolls, teenage dolls, walking dolls, crying dolls and a beautiful doll house (that I had to share with my sister) so the books that I am hoping to read for this challenge are:

China Dolls by Lisa See
The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
Poppet by Mo Hayder

A wonderful idea!

My brother and I spent summer days at our grandparents' place and I would often sit in the basement, sideways in a big overstuffed armchair, obsessively re-reading Agatha Christies (I had my favourites -- I was Team Poirot). To this day I have an almost Proustian reaction to certain paperback covers, such as that on my copy of The ABC Murders.

I have been re-visiting a favourite series from my childhood, and the next one is Swallowdale by Arthur Ransome. I often fantasised living like the children in these books but only discovered later in life that this would be impossible for me - boats and I do NOT mix well.

Need to think about this one a little bit...

Excellent choice! I have a lot to choose from here. I was a rather bookish kid, so I read a lot and had tons of books. I also was partial to playing school in our basement, where we set up the little chalkboard and made up worksheets and lessons! That lead to my career as a teacher.

Love the theme but am having problems finding books on my shelf to fit. However, I am about to go to Bouchercon where Elizabeth George is a guest of honor so I'm hoping to pick up Well-Schooled in Murder and use that for this challenge. I loved playing school when I was a kid and would either "teach" to all my stuffed animals or else coerce my younger brother into playing. He'd play school with me if I'd play with matchbox cars with him.

As an alternative there is always an Agatha Christie book that I could read since I loved reading mysteries as well.

This is such a clever theme! My most beloved possession from childhood is a teddy bear named, creatively, Teddy. I still have him in my apartment! So I'm thinking of reading Laura L. Sullivan's Love by the Morning Star, in which one of the main characters is named Teddy.

I've always loved mysteries starting out with children's mysteries by authors such as Enid Blyton, and moving on to Agatha Christie, who is still a favourite. As I just recently acquired A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond I will read either that one or one of Christie's. I still have a little collection of teddy bears.

>6 LadyoftheLodge: I was similar, but I played librarian! I would make index cards for all my books and pockets to go in them (from the olden days when that was how library books were borrowed!) I had all my books catalogued. As an adult, I am still trying to get all my books entered into LT - it is a work in progress.

I am going with Little Women. Too obvious, I know, but I am also participating in a Louisa May readalong and it is scheduled for December.

I am going to try to get to Lilac Girls. My fondest childhood memories are of playing amongst the lilac bushes at the back of our yard. We had many imaginary games there as well as a great place for hide and seek. I looked at the page count and took a pause (597). Not sure I can work that in November which is a busy month and already committed to several other books. I'll give it go!

When I was small I had two imaginary friends, Mary and The Cowboy. I spent many happy hours playing with them and the family dog in our big backyard shaded by a huge hackberry tree. For the challenge I'm going to read memoirs of an imaginary friend by Matthew Dicks.

>12 clue: That is so cool! I pretended to perform for an imaginary audience! I also used to tell my sister bed time stories, from the top level of the bunk beds. I pretended to open an imaginary sliding door to a shelf full of books, and I invented the stories. She later told me, when we were both older, that she really thought I had a secret bookshelf and that is where the stories came from.

I loved my dolls, and I wish that I had taken better care of them. I think I had all kinds, crying, talking, and of course Barbies. Two books off the shelf that have been there a while are: China Dolls and Baby Doll Games.

>2 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I see you are going to read China Dolls also!

>14 lsh63: We are! I am looking forward to it as Lisa See always delivers a very good story.

I am finding this one to be a bit tougher than I expected. I'm not sure if that says something about my childhood or about my reading mood right now (perhaps both). But I have an idea that I may pursue: my father was an English professor and poet. Not a very good poet but he was regularly published in regional poetry journals of the day and he had a few chapbooks published. I LOVED hearing him read his own work! He was a Shakespeare and Chaucer guy, and also a ham. So, I'm thinking I might read a poetry collection in honor of my fond memories of attending his poetry readings.

>16 EBT1002: Wonderful idea! I never read enough poetry so I look forward to hearing what you choose.

One of my favorite memories is going to the Egyptian Museum in Berlin on a 6th-grade field trip. I am going to relive that adventure by reading the Egyptian Museum Berlin by Biri Fay (a library book sale find)

I just finished Samantha Learns a Lesson by Susan Adler, which was a school story. Samantha sets up her own little school room to help her neighbor learn her school lessons more quickly so she can move up a grade.

I have completed The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis.

The 2020 RandomCat planning thread is up and looking for volunteers to host a month if anyone is so inclined:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/312875

Keep in mind, my childhood was nothing like this! I chose it because I was looking for something with grandparents. When I think of my childhood, I think of plenty of times where I spent time with my grandparents, at their cabin or at their house!

Hillbilly Elegy / JD Vance
4 stars

The author grew up in Kentucky (Appalachia) and Ohio (where his grandparents moved to get away). They were poor. JD’s mother was not much of a mom – she did drugs and went from man to man. JD and his sister often lived with their grandmother, Mamaw, who took care of them. Even still, their entire home/family life included a lot of yelling and insults. But, apparently, this is how a lot of poor Appalachian kids grow up. JD eventually managed to get away, get a good education, and become a lawyer.

This was interesting. In addition to looking back on his own family life, he looks at statistics and some interesting insights about people in the area, their family dynamics and growing up poor. It is impressive that he worked his way up and out of that kind of life. He does credit that to a few members of his family who were good examples – interesting that they all married outside of the Appalachian culture (to, I think, very understanding people!).

Ended up winning a copy of Better Late Than Never at Bouchercon and read it for this challenge. It's set in a library and my childhood was definitely filled with pleasurable moments pursuing the bookshelves at our local library.

>23 LittleTaiko: I read Reading with Patrick for this challenge because I have so many happy memories of reading in childhood. Sadly this book was not one of my favorites. Lots of important social justice issues were raised, but the writing style left me wanting.

I read a book about a black & white cat that looked very much like my Sam, who I had throughout my childhood:


The Tale of the Good Cat Jupie by Neely McCoy

I was a slightly weird kid—I was simply fascinated by the genealogical tables of British royalty in my family's Encyclopaedia Britannica! When I was looking for something to read for this challenge, I came across The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey, in which her Scotland Yard detective, Alan Grant, stuck in a bed with a broken leg, ends up examining the mystery of the princes in the Tower. A delightful book, even as a reread, especially for those of us with an avid interest in history.

>25 fuzzi: ♥️

I read The Long Take by Robin Robertson. While I'm guessing the poetry was not exactly up my dad's alley, it ended up being perfect. My dad was a WWII vet who drank, I know, to numb the pain of PTSD. Many things about the story imbedded in The Long Take, an unusual part-novel and part-poem, reminded me of my dad although he was not as sidelined by his post-war memories as some of Robertson's characters.

>24 beebeereads: I have Reading With Patrick next on my pile. That is disappointing to hear, but I think I will still give it a go as I love books about books and reading.

>26 NinieB: That is an awesome childhood interest! :D

>29 rabbitprincess: And there's even a genealogical table at the back of The Daughter of Time!

I've been spending so much time planning and setting up my 2020 Challenge that my reading this month has suffered. I did just complete China Dolls by Lisa See which unfortunately, didn't quite work for me but I doubt if I will get any more books read for this theme.

>28 JayneCM: I have book club tonight so I will be interested in what others thought. Let me know what you think when you get to it.

I am reading Cat's Eye by Atwood. I didn't realize that this book would have so many childhood memories for me. the title is for a type of marble. I remember playing, collecting marbles and especially the cat eyes. Another memory is the description of the woods of Canada which are so much like my home area. The blueberries, the making of jams, Lake Superior. There are so many memories for me. And the writing is good too!

I re-read one of my favourite books of my childhood: The prospering. In English this time, of course.

Finished Cardboard Kingdom today. I pre-read this for my grandson and although thoroughly contemporary, it reminded me of the day-long adventures we would have in our neighborhood growing up. So many children are missing out on this creative play. I hope they are finding outlets in their care centers. Great writers and artists of all kinds emerge from free play, IMHO. I did totally appreciate the social issues that were addressed in gentle ways so that the book was totally inclusive.

>13 LadyoftheLodge: That sounds like so much fun. We didn't ever have bunkbeds but one of my neighborhood friends did. The only time I remember playing dolls, we tended to be outdoor kids, we played on the top bunk. I don't have any idea why that was necessary but it was.

Looks like I haven't reported finishing memoirs of an imaginary friend by Matthew Dicks, I loved it.

>36 clue: Taking a BB on that one!

>36 clue: But the top bunk is so much more fun!