Yesterday I responded to a post by Vickie Motter at Navigating the Slush Pile concerning your favorite comfort books. After replying, I thought about the books I had listed and decided to explain why I chose them, as they aren't really the most comforting of stories.
First, there was Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. I had to read this in college for one of my reading classes and quickly fell in love with the story, even though it made me cry. Jeffrey, aka Maniac, is race blind. The shade of your skin doesn't matter (in fact he doesn't understand why he is called white or blacks are called black) what matters is your actions. The acceptance of people for who they are, not what they are, makes me hope our children will focus more on actions than race.
The other book I chose was Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. I can still remember sitting in my third grade classroom, listening as our teacher read this aloud after lunch. The description was so vivid I could see the story in my mind, as though I were watching a movie. While the story is not a happily-ever-after ending, the memories it brings warm my heart.
What stories from your youth do you turn to for comfort and why?
I read so much stuff everything is now a mish-mash, but I do remember enjoying Gerald Durrell and James Herriot very much. Their stories are full of humuor, family and heartwarming moments.
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