Systematic Student:
Memory Monday

Today is my first actual Memory Monday post, and I'm pretty excited about it! If you missed what Memory Monday is all about, you can read this post here for a more detailed explanation.

I thought for a while about which book I want to start with, but couldn't really settle on one book. Two of the books I read this week happened to be fairy tale retellings, and I have quite a few (a lot) more on my read and to-read lists, so I decided I would start my Memory Monday postings with the reason I love fairy tales so much. And that reason is:

Grimm's Fairy Tales as written and collected by The Brother's Grimm!

Have any of you read their collection of fairy tales?! It's wonderful!

I first read this when I was 10 years old. We were spending a week or so visiting my grandparents, and I was bored. I love my grandparents very much, but at 10 years old, just being in the same house is usually enough. I'm sure you can all relate...

Always having been a reader, I was looking for a book. They had a few picture books, a lot of plays (my grandfather and that whole side of my family is very big into theater), and a bunch of non-fiction — biographies and the link. When you are ten, all of that equals one big BLAH.

I can't tell you how much time I spent searching their shelves just hoping that something interesting would appear and give me something to read. There are only so many times you can play "River Wild" in the hammock. (That's another long story...) Ahem...

As I was searching the shelves, my grandpa pulled an old copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales from the bookcase and told me to give it a try. I was skeptical at first but soon because deeply fascinated by these dark and often morbid tales. Disney never told me that Cinderella's bird friends pecked out her evil-stepsister's eyes, or that Snow White 'dies' two or three times before finally eating the apple, and that it's the dwarf's who save her the first times. There were so many more tales that I had never heard of before and they were all so fascinating. Not all of the heroines are helpless, waiting for their prince to come. A lot of them are ultimately the ones who save their princes and even the tales that have a happy ending are not nearly as peaceful getting their as the current tales would have you believe.

I overheard my grandpa remarking how impressed he was with me to my parents because of my reading. I was sitting on the couch while my brothers were watching cartoons when my grandpa walked through the room. He assumed we were all watching TV, but was impressed and pleased to find me tuning out the TV and little brother noises to focus on my book. I was, as my grandma says, tickled pink. I remember that day, and I remember that book. I loved the stories so much that my parents got me my own copy that Christmas which I promptly sat down and read again, and would use night after night to read bed time stories to my younger brothers. I have such fond memories of these stories, and I love reading them in their original form and retold in new and unique ways.

Because of this book, I also read The Complete Tales of Hans Christian Anderson, and although there were a few favorites there (namely The Little Match Girl and Thumbina) the stories of the Brother's Grimm are most definitely the favorites. (Do you know that HCA has a fairy tale (no lie) about a dung beetle? Ya, I thought it was weird too).

The Brother's Grimm had a very definite impact on me early reading, and what interests me today. Do you have any old favorites? I'd love to hear about them! Leave me a comment telling me about your childhood favorites, or linking me to your blog post, or telling me about your experiences with Grimm's Fairy Tales! I'd love to hear from you!

The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Anderson and The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry are two of my very favorite Christmas stories. Both of these stories are able to instantly bring to mind clear memories of past Christmases, and times spent with my family. Click the titles if you would like to read the stories online. They are both definitely worth the time it takes to read.

As I mentioned in a previous Memory Monday, my family is a bit... dramatic. My dad's parents started a home town theater in West Yellowstone, Montana and my grandfather was a drama professor for years. Acting, orating, speaking and dramatic readings are one of the most clear and vivid pictures I have of my grandfather, and certain milestones in my life are remembered by which story Grandpa was telling.

These two stories were stories that he told over and over again. Both stories are bittersweet, although the ending to The Gift of the Magi is most definitely happier than that of The Little Match Girl but both embody something inherent to the spirit of Christmas.

In O. Henry's story, the husband and wife are willing to sacrifice their most prized and valued possessions to purchase something nice for the other. Their desire to show the love they have for each other is stronger than the desire to maintain their possessions, and learning this is a greater gift than any trinket or bobble, no matter how nice, could be.

Anderson's story appears far more tragic, and it took me a while as a child to appreciate and understand why the story was told at Christmas time. The story leaves us with the idea and the hope of a better place. Our little match girl is alone, cold, and unloved. When she begins striking the matches she is supposed to be selling in a vain attempt to keep warm, she sees a glorious image of food, warmth and love, directed and given to her. Desperate to maintain that vision, she strikes all of the matches and is found in the morning frozen, with a wide smile upon her face. I admit that I don't have an easy line or idea about what this story means about Christmas. I have a much stronger reaction to this story when I listening to a recitation of it, or reading it on my own. But, I have a gut reaction to this story, that makes it feel like Christmas and love.

I know that this is largely due to my grandfather, because of his love for the tale, but regardless, this is a story that resonates with me, that leaves me questioning, thinking and wondering about the true meaning of Christmas.

Both of these are stories that I strongly recommend you seek out if you are unfamiliar with them. What Christmas stories do you hear every year? What memories do those bring?

Today's Memory Monday takes me back — way back. I remember each of these picture books from early grade school. These are books that I first heard when my teacher read them to the class. I loved them so much I read them later on my own, but then I forgot all about them. Something reminded me of them, and I searched for both of them for a long time before I finally found them.

The first was the easiest to find — The Mitten by Jan Brett. A little boy loses his mitten in the woods, and various animals in the forest use it for shelter. I believe this book was my first real experience with the suspension of disbelief. I distinctly remember thinking to myself that what was happening simply wasn't possible. There was no way these animals could all fit inside this mitten, especially when they all start cramming in there together. But then I remember making the conscious decision to like the book anyway, and just pretend for a moment that it was possible, and I was then able to enjoy the story. What can I say, I tend to over think things.

The next book took a lot longer to find, because I didn't remember anything about the title, I just knew it was about a Christmas tree that kept getting its top chopped off over and over, because each piece was just a tiny bit to big for its new home. I was beyond thrilled when I finally found the title again. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry. I used to examine the tops of our Christmas trees every year after I read this book, looking for that bend in the top that meant we would need to clip it off. I never got to though, and I'm pretty sure I was awfully disappointed about it...

Do any of you have a favorite winter or Christmas picture book? Or a favorite winter read now? I'd love to hear about them!

I started thinking about the books I'm talking about today because of a 2011 challenge I'm participating in, the 80s and 90s YA Challenge over at The Book Vixen. I was looking at possible books to read, and I realized that Midnight in the Dollhouse and When the Dolls Woke by Marjorie Stover were both published in the 80s, and I could re-read them for the challenge.

It made me start remembering what I loved about those books. I don't remember much about the two books themselves, but I remember reading them over and over. I would check them out of my elementary school library every few months. I remember automatically heading over to the section of the library they were shelved in, and sitting in front of the shelf as I skimmed through the book again and again.

I read them several times, but my memory of the story itself wasn't very good. A few years ago, I was feeling nostalgic, and I wanted to look up these books and maybe reread them. But I had no idea what they were called, or who they were written by. All I remembered was that there were two books, one was pink, and they were about dolls who came alive and that the maid was from the Caribbean, and practiced voodoo. It's not an awful lot to go on, but I searched for them. Someone in a forum on Amazon mentioned these two books, and I immediately looked them up. Turns out, they also include people. Who knew?!:)

Although I don't remember much about the books, I do remember that I liked them enough to want to read them again and again. I would like to read them again someday, but I'm also afraid to. I've reread a few childhood favorites now that I'm an adult, and some of them hold up well, but others really do not. I'm afraid that rereading these books will ruin the memory of them.

Before I get started on what books I want to remember today, and the memories themselves, I need to give you a little background on my family and my childhood. Bear with me here. If you actually end up reading the whole story below... It's pretty funny, and totally true. (Welcome to my life... ;) )

So, my dad grew up in a theater family. His father owned a 'local summer theater' up in West Yellowstone, Montana (The Playmill, for anyone who's been out that direction) and my dad (the youngest of 7 kids) began performing in the Playmill when he was 6 or 7. I'm not kidding or exaggerating when I say it's in his blood, which very likely means it's in mine as well (even though I haven't done much in the way of acting) which may explain why I have a tendency to be a little over the top.

Anyway, rather than divulge more family history, I'm going to tell you a story, that will segue nicely into my Memory, for Memory Monday.

As I believe I mentioned, or hinted, I tend to be dramatic, and I can get pretty intense, especially when I was a kid. One day, as the family was getting ready to go somewhere nice (I was in a dress) my father did something that upset me, and I decided that I was tired of it. So, I informed the family that I was leaving, and they could just go on/be happy without me, and I walked out of the house. I don't think I really intended to run away, it was (as it so often is with nine year olds) more of a punishment for my parents. We had a very long driveway/road (about 3 other houses along the road) and I walked to the end of the driveway, and then turned to watch, expecting my dad to be right behind me, waiting to drag me back into the house. Apparently, it took them a while to notice I was gone, so it was a few minutes before my dad came after me. But, by then I was so mad! I couldn't believe that they had waited that long before coming to get me! So, I decided to run away for real, which meant I definitely needed to get a move on.

As I mentioned before, I was a nine year old wearing a dress that had previously been worn in my aunt's wedding... Stiff fabric and a long, straight skirt. So, I didn't move very fast. My dad caught up with my just around the corner, in the libraries parking lot (fitting, I suppose) and dragged me back to the car. He made me get in, we started driving. My dad asked me if I knew what happened to young girls who tried to run away from home. He sounded quite ominous, and he spent the next 15 — 20 minutes explaining to me what exactly happened to nine year old runaways... In a nut shell, I could look forward to being picked up by a pimp and turned into a crack whore. (Did I mention that I was nine, and that I'm not making this up?!)

My mom was horrified, my older sister completely scandalized, my little brothers oblivious, and me? I was belligerent. Every bad thing my dad mentioned — some guy will grab you and force you to be a prostitute/he'll take all your money/he'll make you take drugs/you will have no choices etc and etc and etc was met with a very sincere, well, I won't let him do that. I was a little afraid, because what nine year old want to believe that her possible future includes hooking for some greasy, smelly old guy while completely high on some toxic mixture of meth, crack and heroine?! But, I refused to let my dad know he was upsetting me, and I honestly remained convinced that I would be able to get away, or overcome said greasy, smelly old guy. I believed that they same way I believed, when my mom would tell me never to open the door to strangers when my parents weren't home, that I could just 'shut the door really fast if they were bad' and there would be no problems. I could handle it.

My mom and I were talking about this a while ago (well, she was actually kind of mocking me) and it got me thinking about why I was so convinced I would be able to handle the world's bad guys as some fairly scrawny 9/10 year old kid. I was looking through some of my old favorite books, when I had an epiphany. I had discovered why I was convinced I could take anything those evil nasties threw at me: Willo Davis Roberts. (GR profile)

I read Roberts voraciously. Some of her books were 'issue' books (Sugar isn't Everything about a girl who is diagnosed with diabetes, Don't Hurt Laurie about child abuse etc) but most of her books are more in the vein of The View from the Cherry Tree, Scared Stiff, Twisted Summer, Baby-Sitting is a Dangerous Job, and Meghan's Island. That is to say — a mystery where the young (generally 8-13ish) protagonist(s) ends up matching wits with the sinister bad guy, and the kids always win! True, there are usually adults involved on the periphery, but there role is generally relegated to calling the police, or offering a small amount of moral support while their world collapses. It's always the kids who ultimately save the day, not only figuring out who the bad guys are, but also managing to subdue them until the police arrive, while also caring for the injured adult family member.

I read every single book by Roberts I could get my hands on. And a vast majority of the books I picked up involved a young kid outsmarting the adult criminal. So I ask you... What else was I supposed to think?! How could I not have believed I'd be able to 'take them down?' What we read often reflects on our realities, so in my reality, kids were definitely the heroes, and there was no doubt in my mind that I would be able to bring those suckers down. Those criminals had no idea who they would be messing with, and I was just itching to prove all these great abilities gleaned from Roberts wisdom.

Wanna know the craziest part? I went back and reread a few of my favorite Roberts' stories a few months ago and I can still believe what those kids get involved with! Her stories are just barely plausible enough to work, and if you don't think about it too hard, those kids really could have done everything she professes them capable of. While it's unlikely that they would be so lucky, by just the right combination of brains, luck, boredom and skill, it's a possible scenario!

Today's 'Memory Monday' is going to be a little different than normal. Instead of talking about a specific memory reading a specific book, I'm going to talk about 3 authors that instantly come to mind when people talk about 'definitive reader moments'. (Okay, so I just made that name up, but I'm sure you all know what I'm actually talking about...) Some of these books will pop up later, probably in an actual review, or I might give them a more in depth 'Memory Monday', but today is less about the books, and more about the authors themselves.

When I was 12, I remember complaining to my mom that I had nothing to read and I was so bored! I think it was mostly an excuse to whine, but I was in a definite slump and nothing really caught my attention. My house has always been full of books, and so my mom took me to the bookshelves to find me something to read. Katherine Kurtz (link to GR profile) has written a series of high fantasy books set in a world she calls Deryni.

There are (I think) somewhere between 18 and 21 books now in the series, mostly grouped into trilogies. My mom cautioned me about them, letting me I might not like them, but there were a lot of them, and I just know my mom just hoped I'd like them because that many books, of which we owned them all would keep me occupied for a long time. But, alas... I did not like them. At all. Looking back, I realize, more than anything, this is probably because the books are high fantasy written for adults, and I was a 12 year old who had most recently grown bored reading R.L. Stine... It wasn't the right for me to read them, but my 12 year old brain took this to mean that all fantasy was BAD. I decided that all fantasy was boring, lame, and definitely beneath me.

So, back to mom I went. My mom, probably desperate to get me to leave her alone, because I am nothing if not persistent when I want something I think you can give me, handed me her copy of Pretend You Don't See Her by Mary Higgins Clark (GR profile). I never gave it back. That book changed my reading life. I LOVED it. I immediately went to my mom, begging for more books to read, but she didn't own any. For the next few years, that was what I read. I read every mystery she produced (I still read them, but I'm 2 behind...) and in my narrow world, mysteries were the only way to go. I read all the Kinsey Milhone ABC mysteries by Sue Grafton, tried my hand at a few Agatha Christies and devoured Joan Lowry Nixon.

Then, in 8th grade, I met a girl who made it her goal to make me understand that other genres had value too. I scoffed, but she insisted and finally bribed me into reading a book of her choice. She picked The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (GR profile), and I was horrified. She expected ME to read fantasy?! The nerve. But, she insisted, and seeing as I had already accepted the 'bribe' I caved. Surprisingly, I loved the book. I was completely enthralled, blown away and amazed. Who knew that so much greatness could reside in one book?! I brought the book back a few days later and gave it back to her. She was mad, because she thought I had given up, until I started positively gushing about how wonderful that book was. She did the expected, I told you so, and then demanded that I read The Blue Sword, the companion novel to Hero, but I resisted. She finally convinced me to read it. I took it home, and was bored. The beginning dragged on and on, and it took me about a month to get through the first 3 chapters, which I took to mean that fantasy was definitely not for me, and Hero must have been a weird fluke. This girl finally got mad at me about it, because another of my friends was waiting for the book so she could read it. So I begrudgingly agreed to go home and try to get through another chapter. What a chore. But, I went home and picked up the book like I'd promised, expecting to work through another chapter, maybe two if I was feeling particularly masochistic. I brought the book back the next day, done. And I couldn't shut up about how great it was, and how I totally wished I could have been as cool as Harry or Aerin.

I gobbled up Robin McKinley in much the same way I inhaled Mary Higgins Clark, and I ran to this girl for book suggestions over and over. She is the one who introduced me to historical fiction and Ann Rinaldi by convincing me to read Time Enough for Drums (click title for my review). Because of my experiences with this girl, I stopped judging a genre based on a single book, and I opened my mind to new possibilities in reading.

I still haven't gone back to try reading Kurtz's Deryni books again. I'm a little afraid, and I still shy away from those epic fantasy series with books in the double digits, but I'm working up to it. I would like to revisit those books, now that I'm an adult, because I know my perception will be a lot different. My mom and dad both love them, my sister has read them all, and she really enjoyed them, and one of my really good friends began reading them after we had this conversation, and she loves them too. I do plan to read at least some of this series sometime in the future, but I still need to work up to it a little. Have any of you read them? What do you think?

Who are your favorite authors? And what are your 'definitive reading moments'?

My mom gave me her old copies of the first two Encyclopedia Brown books by Donald J. Sobol when I was pretty young, around maybe 10 or so. I had Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective and Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch. Each book has 10 mysteries Encyclopedia Brown is supposed to solve. His name isn't really Encyclopedia, it's Leroy. But, no one called him Leroy except his mother and his teachers.

I don't know if any of you read any of the Encyclopedia Brown books, but I absolutely loved them. I read my two copies so often the covers fell off and the binding started falling apart. And then, I discovered that both the public library and my school library had more! I was so excited! I read mystery after mystery, always excited when Encyclopedia outwitted Bugs Meany again or helped his father, the Idaville Chief of Police, capture some bad guys. And I don't think I ever once solved the riddle before Encyclopedia. I always had to peek in the back of the book for the answers.

I pick up copies of these books in book orders, or when I find them in good condition in used book stores, because I had such fond memories reading these while growing up, I'd love to have them in my home. I've found new stories that I'm pretty sure I never read as a kid. And, I'll admit it — I still don't solve the mystery before Encyclopedia tells us the answer.

I loved the recurring characters in the stories — Tough Sally (the partner) who routinely beats up Bugs Meany (more or less, the nemesis), and Charlie with his collection of animal teeth. Encyclopedia Brown has a lot of friends, many of whom we meet as they hire Encyclopedia (for 25¢) to help them solve a mystery.

As I said before, I loved Encyclopedia Brown when I was a kid. I actually believe he was my first (and only) legitimate literary crush. I would so have loved to meet him, but alas... It never worked out, and I've decided I'm way to old for him now. So Encyclopedia, here's looking at you kid.

This Monday, I don't have an actual memory for you... Yet. I'll start that up next week. This post is designed as a reference point, both for me and for you, my lovely readers. I will use this post to explain and explore my ideas and my reasoning for this themed post, and as a place for you to comment with any suggestions, criticisms, or words of encouragement.
So, what I envision is a post each Monday (or every other Monday?) that talks a little bit about those beloved childhood favorites. You know the books I mean, right? Those books that you haven't read since you were 8, but that you know are just the absolute best book ever written, but you are seriously afraid to reread them, because they probably won't live up to your memories?! I have a lot of those. I want to share how I felt about them, but I remember more about how I felt reading them than I remember what they are actually about. So, I want to use this weekly(ish) post to talk about those books, with the emphasis being on the memories they created.
I'll talk about how I felt reading those books, which scenes still stick out to me now, years later, how I felt going back for a reread (if I did) and a bit about how I think the book would hold up to memory now.
But, since I'm talking about memories here, I will also talk about books that broadened my idea of what it is to read, authors that were influential to my life, books I didn't like so much, and books that I read when I was older — but still have strong memories associated with them.
I'd also love to see other people take part in this idea, whether it becomes something you do regularly or not. I love hearing about those books people read that changed their life or that evoke strong memories and feelings. I'd love to hear what other people have to share. So, if you do write up a Memory Monday — esq post, I'd love to hear about it! Send me a link in the comments, and I'll rush right over and check out what will be (I'm completely sure) wonderful post. I would, of course, like a small shout out as well, just as I gave one to my lovely sister (who btw is a great seamstress, and will sometimes do custom sewing jobs if you are looking for something... (email me, and I'll get you in touch with her.:) ) ahem)
Anyway, I'd love to hear from you! Your thoughts and all that jazzy good stuff. Tune in Next Week for an actual Memory Monday, complete with books and everything!

On my sister's personal blog, she started a weekly post she calls Memory Monday to try and create consistent posts about her and her family. With 3 young kids, it's hard to find the time to post regularly, and this was her way to let people know what's been going on in their family on a regular basis.

I think the idea is great, so I'm contemplating stealing it to use on my book blog, because there are so many books I absolutely love from before I started a book blog that I want to share. A lot of those also have distinct memories associated with them, so I thought I could use this Memory Monday idea to share some of those past favorites and the memories of reading them and my reactions to them that will probably last longer than the memories of what I actually read.

What do you guys think? Would you be interested in hearing that I cried when my 4th grade teacher read us Where the Red Fern Grows, and ran off to the bathroom (hopefully) before anyone noticed and when my best friend came to find me and make sure I was okay, I sniffed dismissively and told her it was 'Just my allergies'? Or that I stopped reading this book after the only dog I've ever loved died and I swore that, even though it was my favorite book EVER, I would never read it again, but couldn't stop myself from picking it up about 2 years later when these our next two dogs (who were not good dogs for kids...) ran away and I felt bad that I wasn't sad about it. Or, that I've always wanted to live in the Ozark mountains because of this book, and it makes me ridiculously happy that Billy lives in Idaho when the book starts.

Anyway, back to my idea — I doubt I would do this every single Monday, but it is something I'm tossing around. Any thoughts?

Deerskin by Robin McKinley is a retelling of the fairy tale, Donkeyskin. I admit it's not a tale I was familiar with before I read this book, and I still haven't taken the time to seek out the original. (Perhaps I should make this a priority...) Anyway, I've posted about Robin McKinley in Memory Monday's before (here I talk about her general influence on me as a reader and here I focus specifically on Beauty.) I have always been the type who goes out of my way to find other books an author has written when I find I really like a book they've written. So, seeing that this was also a fairy tale retelling, I picked up a copy to read. In 8th grade.

From what I do know of the original tale, Donkeyskin is just as disturbing and unsettling as Deerskin. Princess Lissar is the young daughter of a fairy tale couple. No seriously — there is magic in their world, and the her father was one of many suitors to win the hand of the most beautiful woman in all the lands. They fell in love at first site and that love motivated him and gave him and gave him the strength and ability to complete the challenging quest. They marry and are deliriously in love. But when a love is that consuming, when love is that obsessive, it can become tainted and corrupted. They become so focused on and full of each other that there is not room for anyone else, not even their daughter. Always alone, Lissar is delighted when a neighboring prince sends her a dog from his prized brood. Lissar names her Ash, and they become inseparable.

Things are fine, and each of the characters are settled into their roles. But then, the queen falls ill. Afraid of losing her beauty and living when she is no longer the most beautiful woman of all, she allows herself to waste away to nothing. After the queen dies, the king is overwhelmed by grief. While the queen lived, they were so caught up in each other that they had very little attention to spare for their daughter, so she is used to being on her own. But as the king becomes more and more consumed by his grief, and the whispers that Lissar is the exact replica of her mother become stronger and louder, things start to change. Lissar doesn't know what to with all the extra attention from her father, growing more and more uncomfortable until it culminates in an announcement that shocks and horrifies her. Her father announced to the whole court that he would marry his daughter after her birthday. Sickened and terrified, she locks herself in her chambers with her beloved Ash, but the door cannot hold forever and on the third night, her father breaks into her chambers and brutally rapes and beats her. Near death, Lissar takes Ash and flees. The Moon Goddess appears to Lissar and heals hear, removing the painful memories until Lissar has healed enough to be able to handle them.

There is more to the story of Deerskin than this. Far more. There is much to say about Lissar's time in her mountain safe haven where she begins to heal, or down in the neighboring kingdom where lives Ossin, the prince who long ago gave her Ash. There is much to say about Ossin himself. But, this is a post about my memories of the book and the beginning of the story is what filled and took over my mind any time I thought about this book. A few years after I had originally read this book, I was talking to a friend who was thinking about reading it, and I couldn't remember anything beyond knowing that I *think* I liked it when I finished reading it, and that it disturbed me.

I think that I understood as an 8th grader that this book was not actually aimed at me. That I was not currently in the books targeted age bracket. I was too young. This is one of the few of McKinley's books that is specifically aimed at adults. And so, wanting to give the book a fair chance, I decided that I would reread it. And I did. I reread the book two years ago (I think) and am happy to say that, although the book did still disturb me, I genuinely liked it and would read it again. I think that now, I understand more of why the story is told as it is, and now I am disturbed as the story intended me to be, rather than as a 13 year old who wasn't old enough to be the story's target audience.

The is one of the darker retellings out there. You can't have a story based around incest without darker elements creeping into the story, especially given the way the father's inappropriate desires begin to form for his daughter. This is a book that I do recommend, a book that I think is worth the read. This is a book that I will be interested to reread in the future, so I can once again compare how my thoughts and feelings regarding the book have changed as I have gotten older and as I change.

Beauty by Robin McKinley was a very important book for me. As is quite obvious by now, I love fairy tales. When I hear that a book is a retold fairy tale, I automatically want to read that book. However, I wasn't always like this. I've always loved fairy tales themselves, but I didn't know that fairy tale retellings existed and I was adamantly opposed to reading fantasy. As I mentioned in a previous Memory Monday, I thought fantasy was beneath me.

But then, my friend introduced me to Robin McKinley and I read Beauty. I couldn't believe it! Here was a fairy tale, fleshed out and grown up! There was more to it than the traditional tale, and we get to see more of Beauty, the beast and her home life and family. I recognized more elements of the original tale than you see in the Disney version, such as Beauty's sisters, her father as a merchant etc. There is no dancing singing silverware in this version but the house is enchanted, just as the beast is, and the servants do not hold their true shapes.

But oh! This story is magical! It changed me. It introduced me to a whole new world of fairy tales, stories and retellings. Without this book, I might never have discovered retold fairy tales, might never have been introduced to this amazing world of literature, and oh what a travesty that would be.

I read and reread this book many times. It adds depth and detail to a story without straying too far from the original and creates a world I fell into effortlessly. Beauty is a solid character, one who sacrifices herself for the good of her family, one who looks past appearances. But she is also very real. She isn't the glowing gorgeous beauty of Disney fame, and it takes her a while to feel comfortable in the beast's home. She slowly learns to open up and trust him, but her responses and feelings toward the beast are very realistic, very believable.

And, I feel that I would be remiss in this review, as a book lover, if I didn't briefly mention the library. If it were in my nature, I would have swooned reading that scene. I tell you, it puts the Disney library to shame, and who would have thought that possible?!

Perhaps my thoughts and feelings for this book would be different, had I read it later in life. But, as it stands, this will always be a very favorite of mine, because it introduced me to a whole new genre and the beauty and magic of it changed my perspective on reading and life. It's one I would recommend to everyone.

Misty posted about this book yesterday! Check out her thoughts on Beauty.

Everyone, please welcome Amber of The Literary Wife to the blog today for Memory Monday! I've loved chatting with Amber on Twitter and was thrilled when she agreed to be my guest! So, here she is!!

My name is Amber Keck and I have been blogging for almost a year at The Literary Wife. I started my blog to fulfill a challenge I gave myself to read through the Top 100 Children's Books, as compiled by Betsy Bird at A Fuse #8 Production. I have had a blast reading through old classics and some books that I hope will become classics in the future. It is my pleasure to be sharing with you, Ashley's readers.

Growing up, we lived about fifty feet from my town's public library, so you can imagine where I spent a lot of my time. I actually ended up working there in high school, one of the best jobs I have ever had. It was just a small library, but there was a great collection of children's literature, complete with bean bag chairs and an awesome reading area. I spent countless hours there reading or picking out books for my little brothers.

The highlight of my own book collection was definitely my impressive Babysitter's Club collection. At one time, I owed books one through 82 in the series. I think anyone that read these as an adolescent can resonate with the love and appreciation shown for this series. However, the series that I most remember devouring and loving is the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. From her first home in Wisconsin to moving in with her husband, we see Laura grow up and become a woman through much adventure and adversity. With Mary as the quiet fixture in her life and Pa as the one instigating her crazy antics, Laura is a character that you just can't help but love.

As I recently spoke about on my blog, I believe there is something in all of us that draws us to books with stories we will never experience. We live vicariously through the literature that we read and that was definitely the case with me and the stories of the Ingalls family. I will never make maple candy straight from the tree or watch my father build a home from logs that he cut down himself. This is the beauty of literature. We can transcend time and grow in our understanding of people by reading their stories and passing them on.

Thanks again Amber! I loved the post! I remember The BSC & Little House books! They were definite favorites! If you are interested in being a guest blogger for Memory Monday, in my blog for more info and the form, or shoot me an email!

"She put the survival knife down on the table." So begins When She Hollers by Cynthia Voigt, one of the first books I remember reading that could be considered an 'issue' book.

When I first opened this book, I didn't really know what to expect. I was somewhere are 8th grade, and a majority of my reading in recent years was Mary Higgins Clark or Willo David Roberts. Murder mysteries where the bad guy always gets caught, and the good guy always saves (and gets) the girl, and books about kids outsmarting adults in all sorts of implausible situations didn't really prepare me for the gut punch I felt when I started this book.

I picked it up because I had read Cynthia Voigt's Tillerman Saga, which begins with Homecoming. I loved the Tillerman Saga. They are sad yet hopeful books, stories of children with unsure families and futures who make their own way in the world by necessity, never by choice. I loved these books. They touched me as a young girl, and I was amazed that any character could possess that kind of strength. (You will definitely be hearing more about these books in the future). Because I loved these books so much, I started picking up other books by Voigt. This led me to Jackaroo, which is the first of Voigt's loosely connected Novels of a Kingdom set.

By the time I got around to this book, I wasn't even really paying attention to summaries anymore. I just saw Voigt's name on the cover and thought — Yes. So, I read the book. And Oh. My. Goodness. This was not what I was expecting. Voigt doesn't pull any punches with this story. She tells us the story of Tish and her pain with such vividness that I didn't know what to do. I had been exposed to something like this that pulled absolutely no punches with the telling. You see, Tish is young, 13 or 14 at most and her step-father rapes her. Her mother doesn't believe her, or maybe, doesn't want to believe her would be more accurate and Tish doesn't know how to make it stop. So she gets a knife. And she decides that she is going to keep it with her at all times, no matter what, because it's the only way she will ever be safe again.

This book opened my eyes, broke my heart, and both hurt and healed my soul. Tish has had so much bad already in her young life. This man who is supposed to take care of her, who used to treasure and dote upon her now hurts her all the time, and no one will listen to her. So she tries to make them listen. And when they don't, she takes her survival into her own hands and proves that she is stronger than they are, that although the experience will scar her and change her, she won't let it ruin her.

This book, and my experience with it is largely responsible for the pull I feel toward 'issue' books. There is something about the struggle of a character toward life and light when their whole existence is filled with pain and suffering that really pulls me in and forces my interest and attention. I actually wonder if this book, and others like it isn't what really sparked my interest in Psychology, and working with teenagers.

I need to reread this book, if for no other reason than as a way of saying thank you to a book that changed my life. It's one I recommend. It will hurt a place inside of you, because Tish is so young, and she's hurting, but it will ultimately leave you feeling hopeful because Tish is going to make it after all.

Hello everyone! Let's welcome Donna to the blog today! If you would like to be a Memory Monday guest, click for more information or send me an email! Now here's Donna!

Bio:

I live on the beach in a suburb just outside of NYC (which is where I work) I have my 2 girls, been married for almost 5 years. am a grad student in Library Science, will graduate in May 2011!!! and that's it Besides my major addiction to books. I have over 800 all around my house and in my office and that doesn't include my large array of children's books!! I blog at Book Nazi.

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My family really doesn't read I am pretty much the only one so when I was younger I would go to the libraRY all the time. I reember reading books from R.L. Stine and then I moved on to adult books. They had this section of books that were recommended from the librarians so I would just spend hours going through them. I used to just sit and read a book the whole day. I haven't done that since I "grew-up".

So, my memeroy is just reading by myself and always having a passion for it. So much so that I have one more semester for my Masters in LIbrary Science! Not much has changed, I still love my books!!!

Oh and now I read to my 2 girls (Marley 2 and Vinni 1) every night and sometimes in the day too and now they sleep with their books. They love books just like me and I am hoping to pass on my passion for them in the long run!!!

Thanks again for stopping by Donna! I remember spending a lot of time in the R.L. Stine section of my library as well!

Today's Memory Monday post is going to be another author spotlight. I have so many Memory Monday ideas, that it's hard to narrow it down, and decide what books or authors to talk about. Last week, while deciding which topic to write about, a friend on Twitter asked for some book recommendations, and in the large list I supplied her with, I included a link to Sharon Creech's twitter account, telling my friend to read her books. And guess what. Sharon Creech replied to me. She's commented back to me on Twitter before, but every single time it happens I get butterflies in the pit of my stomach because, guys, she's Sharon Creech!

I recognize that many of you will not understand the significance of this to me yet, so let me explain. Sharon Creech was a monumental author figure in my childhood. I don't remember how I got a copy of her book, but I read Walk Two Moons in elementary school, and I was completely blown away by the amazing story and characters Creech created. Salamanca Tree Hiddle completely captured my heart and I felt filled up with her story. I was compelled to turn the pages in a way I don't think I had ever experienced before.

When I finished reading this book, I was completely in love. It completely filled me and I knew that I would never be the same. I needed everyone to read this amazingly wonderful book, and I wanted to tell everyone about it. I loved it so much that I asked my teacher if it would be okay if I did an additional book report on it. Yes, I was, and am, that much of a nerd. I made a shoe box diorama of a significant scene (similar to the one on the cover, but mine was more detailed) and wrote a report about it, that the teacher had displayed for me in the library.

I quickly inhaled Bloomability, Chasing Redbird, Absolutely Normal Chaos, and The Wanderer. Each story brought something new to my newfound wonder at character relationships, life stories and writing. Each book opened a new part of my eyes and I was thrilled at the wonderful world Creech could create for her characters. Bloomability is one of the original boarding school books folks. Long before out heroines were running around their boarding schools seeking out paranormal not-quite-bad-guys-but-definitely-not-good-guys, Domenica had to leave her gloriously eccentric family to attend boarding school in Switzerland.

I read these 5 books when I was younger, and then imagine my shock and joy when I, now almost 20 realized that Sharon Creech had written more books beyond these 5 glorious reads. So, I made a point to find and read them all. And, I think that I have. Or, very nearly.

Sharon Creech was one of the absolutely essential writers from my childhood. Bloomability was my first reading experience in a foreign country, and man did I want to visit the Alps. (Still do). Walk Two Moons makes me want to take a road trip, and part of it takes place in Boise, Idaho. I lived in Washington when I read this book, but all of my dad's family is from Idaho. So, I felt a strong connection to Sal and her grandparents as they traveled to what I considered to be my *other* state. Chasing Redbird is about a girl striking out on her own over the summer, tackling a huge project by herself, and needing it to be that way. I've always loved doing projects by myself, and I get irrationally annoyed when other people try to help me, which Zinnia felt as well. Also, as an awesomely cool connection, Zinnia was best friends with Sal before her dad made them move. She misses her, and mentions her. It's been a few years since I read these books that were so important to me growing up, and this post has reminded me that I have missed them. It's definitely time for a reread soon.

I don't know how else to tell you how important Sharon Creech was to me growing up. Her books rank right up there on the favorites shelf with Billy and his dogs in Where the Red Fern Grows which, if you've been around a while (or click that link) you know at least part of what that means to me. Even today, Sharon Creech goes on the auto-read list for me. If she wrote a book about dirt, I would read it and I would be delighted with how wonderful Sharon Creech managed to make dirt sound.

And guys. She talked to me on Twitter. An icon from my childhood thanked me for recommending her books. I screamed a little.

If you would like to be a Memory Monday guest blogger, I'm always looking for more volunteers. I would love to hear about what books or authors influenced your childhood and left strong memories! If you are interested, in my blog for more information, or send me an email!

Today's Memory Monday guest is Allison! She has one of my favorite blogs, and she is here to talk about a childhood favorite that was also a favorite of mine!
If you would like to be a guest blogger for Memory Monday, in my blog to find out more information, or send me an email! I'd love to have you!

Bio:

My name is Allison. I'm in my twenties, and I live in Oklahoma. I attend OU in Norman and hope that someday I will actually finish school and end up with my Masters in Library Science! I'd love to be a young adult librarian so I can get paid to do what I spend all my time doing already! I'm an unapologetic book pusher and Patrick Rothfuss fangirl.

I would also like to add that Allison is the phenomenal blogger over at The Allure of Books. If you haven't checked out her blog, you are definitely missing out! Head on over there and leave her some loving!

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When I start thinking about books that impacted my life when I was a kid, several series come to mind. However, none of them had a more lasting influence than the American Girls series Felicity books by Valerie Tripp. I read all the American Girl books that were out when I was younger (there are more now), but the Felicity books were definitely the most special to me.

My parents are big antique collectors, and as far back as I can remember, my mom was especially caught up with both the antiques and the history of Colonial Williamsburg. I learned a lot about the time period from her, so when I read the Felicity books, the time period already felt familiar. I was captivated by everything — from the clothes to the proper etiquette to the politics. Felicity's family were patriots, and the tension that caused them was a large part of the stories. The idea of standing up for something you believe in (especially when it isn't easy) is a cornerstone of the series, and Felicity definitely isn't afraid to stand by her family! I loved imagining myself in her place and being spunky and adventurous like she was.

I remember sitting in my dad's lap while he read the books aloud to me (the only time I ever remember that happening!), and I know I read them with my mom as well. I loved collecting different items from the series besides the books... paper dolls, stickers, etc. One Christmas, I even got a Felicity doll! (Since I'm home for Spring Break, I was able to take a picture since my mom still has it sitting out.) Also, since buying things from the catalog was always really expensive, my awesome parents even made things to go with it, like this bed! My dad built it and my mom made the bed linens. Loved it.

We even took a vacation to Colonial Williamsburg one year. I'd mostly grown out of the American Girl books by then, but I still loved walking down the streets and eating different things and getting a clearer picture of how Felicity and her family lived!

So even though I read a lot as a kid, the Felicity books are definitely the ones that hold the most memories. Having the doll and getting to go to Colonial Williamsburg definitely made her story much more personal for me. Anybody else remember Felicity (or any of the other American Girls)?

Thank you so much Allison, for being here with us today! I absolutely loved the post, and am very jealous of your handmade American Girl bed!

I cannot possibly talk about books that have impacted me or bring about strong memories without talking about The Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin. There are over a hundred books in the regular series, along with The Babysitter's Club Mysteries, Little Sister, Super Specials, and Special Character Additions. It all started with Kristy's Great Idea. Why not give parents one place where they can find several babysitters all at once?! And voila! That BSC was born. The original characters were Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey. Over time, other characters came and went, including Dawn, Abby, Mallory, Jessi, and Mary Anne's boyfriend, Logan.

Claudia was always my favorite character, probably because she ate junk food all the time and she loved to read. Although, I must say I find it interesting that she read Nancy Drew nonstop, and I didn't pick up a Nancy Drew book until long after my obsession with all things Babysitter's Club ended. I feel like I should have been just in love with Nancy Drew as Claudia. But, I digress.

When I was 9 and 10, we lived just around the corner from the public library, and my mom decided that, because I didn't have to cross any streets, (and because I begged and begged and begged) she would allow me to walk to the library on my own, as long as I promised not to go anywhere else, and to come straight home after getting my books. This is probably one of the few times I didn't try to push my limits, and just accepted the rules my mom gave me. Going to the library was important enough to me that I didn't even try to disobey or take advantage of the privilege. And, being the awesome mom that she is, and understanding just how much I loved needed to read, she also told me that I was allowed to check out as many books as I could carry home, as long as I consistently returned them without losing any, or aquiring late fees. And let me tell you, I definitely took advantage of that!

One of my first experiences on a computer was using my libraries online catalog to find more BSC books to place on hold. When I was 9, I memorized my 17 digit library card number because I entered the information into the computer system so many times. And once, when I forgot my card, I asked the librarian is I could just tell her my card number. I don't think she believed me, until I spouted it off. And she was quite impressed. All the librarians also recognized me by name, face, and choice of books. They'd see me approach the desk, and pull down my stack of 7-12 BSC books before I even got to the front. Pretty impressive for a 9 year old, I'd say.

Given that I was completely obsessed with the babysitter's club. I wanted to start my own club, and even made plans with my best friend to start one when we turned 12, because that's how old my mom said I had to be before I could start babysitting other people's kids. I also used to purchase anything Babysitters Club related in those Scholastic book orders that came through the school. My mom told me once that there would come a day when I wasn't going to want to read these books anymore, and asked if I'd like to save my money. I'm pretty sure I thought she was blasphemous. I almost cried the day I realized she was right. There came a few times over the years when I almost sold the books, or gave them away, but for one reason or another, I always ended up holding onto them, and now I'm incredibly grateful that I did. I'd also like to fill in some of the gaps on my shelf, especially of the earlier books.

I love that the books I've held onto have stories for me, and you can obviously tell which ones were my favorites. For years, even after I no longer loved the books in the same way, they were my go to books (along with Where the Red Fern Grows) anytime I didn't know what to read next. All of them are a little roughed up, but there are some that have very definite wear and tear to them because I read them to pieces. Each of those stories has such powerful memory triggers for me. Like in Stacey's Emergency. Stacey is diabetic, and in one book she ignores the rules, and ends up getting really sick. I think she ends up in the hospital over it. My favorite aunt growing up (we share the same birthday, so she was my favorite.:) ) is also diabetic and I spent weeks after reading that book terrified that something would go wrong.

All of these characters were so alive for me. I sincerely loved them, and always wanted for things to work out for these girls. I can't wait to hear what you all remember about this great group of girls (with one guy). Please, comment away!!

If you would be interested in guest blogging with a Memory Monday idea of your own, please in my blog for more information and fill out the form. I'd love to have you!

About me: I work in a public library as a Children’s Programmer and Sr. Library Assistant. I’m a mom of one wonderful 10 year old boy and married to an amazing man who is also my very best friend.

I’ve been blogging for nearly 8 months, at Lost in the Library, and I love it. It’s become a way for me to share what I’m passionate about with others and I’ve been so fortunate to meet some fabulous people while doing it. You can also find me on Twitter, @librarygalreads or email me at librarygal [at] hotmail [dot] ca
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As a tween, reading was my most favourite activity. I went to the library every week-sometimes twice and would check out a huge stack and just read and read and read. I went through a few different genre phases during this time-

There was my classics phase where I devoured anything by Dickens, Bronte or Austen.

I had a Lurlene McDaniel phase, where every book I read had someone with cancer or someone dying as a result of a horrible accident.

My science fiction phase -that I never really outgrew

I also had a “books that scare me to death” phase and that is where the author Joan Lowery Nixon came in.

Joan is skilled at writing thrillers that have you holding your breath until you turn the page (especially if you’re 11 or 12). The Other Side of the Dark was one that I read over and over again. It was first published in 1986 by Laurel-Leaf Publications.

original cover (this is the copy I have)

New-more contemporary cover

Summary from GoodReads Stacy wakes up in a room that's not hers, in a body she doesn't recognize, to discover she's been in a coma for four years. Her mother is dead--—murdered--—and Stacy, recovering from a gunshot wound, is the only eyewitness to her mother's murder. She can recall only a shadowy face, so far. But the killer is not about to let her reveal his identity...
This was a plot driven book that kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I did not predict the ending at all, although that might have been different if I were to read it now. One scene which has completely stuck with me is a part in the story where Stacy and her best friend are getting ready for a party. She does her hair and makeup and picks out her outfit which is a red silk blouse and jeans (which she first shrinks in the dryer) and then she struggles for 10 minutes just to get into them.

At 12, I thought this would be a fantastic outfit and had my mom buy me new jeans (which I shrank) and a lovely red blouse (though as I recall it was closer to orange) and it was silk of course. I am very glad that there are no pictures to document this glamourous fashion statement, though it is burned into my mind. (at least no one else can see)

I haven’t re-read the book since my teen years and though it’s sitting on my bookshelf downstairs as I write, I’m not sure if I’ll ever read it again. I’d really like to preserve the memory of how I feel about it through those ‘tween’ eyes.

Thank you so much Jennifer! I definitely went through a Joan Lowry Nixon phase, so this brings back all kinds of memories!

If any of you would like to be a Memory Monday guest poster, follow the link or shoot me an email! I'd love to have you!

I don't remember how I discovered Lois Duncan, but I remember reading her books. A large part of my jr. high years revolve around her books. I read them all. Every single book I could get my hands on. And some of them completely blew my mind. Let me share.

One of my most favorite Duncan books is Daughters of Eve. It starts out with young girls growing into feminism to rise again the town full of complete chauvenistic pigs in which they live, and quickly degenerates into a dangerous, out of control, vendetta pushed and encouraged by the slightly deranged and very bitter advisor who planted the seeds of feminism in the first place. Let me tell you, reading this took me from, "Yes!! Feminists rock!" to "Wow! That is some crazy-a** s**t". Freaky. Seriously gives me chills, even now.
Gallows Hill is also creepy but a huge favorite. A small town in Missouri is the reincarnation of Salem Village during the witch trials and new-girl Sarah doesn't know what she's getting herself into.

Ransom is about 5 high school students who are kidnapped by their substitute bus driver and taken to a remote cabin in the mountains. This book convinced me that I needed to be prepared and knowledgable about how to react in the event of an abduction, because, you know, they are going to steal my bus. And, it made me want to learn to read in French. Again, definitely a favorite.

Another favorite of mine was The Third Eye which is about a young girl who begins to have psychic flashes, helping her find missing children.
Killing Mr. Griffin, which was one of my first experiences reading about a sociopath and They Never Came Home explores that concept a little bit also (although not quite as well).

I decided that I needed to learn to play tennis because a strong backhand comes in seriously handy for our main character in Don't Look Behind You as their family is on the run from a contracted hit man, Down a Dark Hall is one of the (I assume) original magical/supernatural boarding school books, and Locked in Time makes me happy that I will always be growing older, even if sometimes we think it sucks.
There were some of her books that weren't my favorites, and some of those that I have only read once. But, most of them were books that I read over and over again. They were deliciously creepy without being gross or full of the cheap thrillish horror, like R.L. Stine was (although, seriously — I loved him in grade school. He will be the subject of an upcoming post!) I don't know how good these books would be if I were reading them for the first time now that I'm older. I have a feeling that I'd be more likely to notice inconsistencies and some of the stories might have a harder time convincing me to suspend my disbelief, but they were absolutely perfect for me in jr. high, and I love them still. I want to own most, if not all of Duncan's books eventually, because I have so many fond memories of reading these books, and think they'd still be fun to revisit sometime down the road.
Do any of you remember reading Lois Duncan?
Don't forget to fill out the form, if you'd like to be a guest poster for Memory Monday! I'd love to have you!!

Please help me welcome Alexa to the blog today! She is our third Memory Monday guest! And, because she loves the book she's talking to us about so much, she is going to be giving a copy away!!

Hi Everyone!
I'm Alexa, I'm a 20 year old college student studying to get a Bachelors Degree in Nuclear Medicine. I normally get blank looks when I say nuclear medicine so basically it is just a fancy title for the techs that take MRI, CT and PET scans. I love to read YA books and Adult Romance so I started a blog to share my opinions with others out there who love to read. I started my blog, Pages of Forbidden Love, back in August and I'm amazed and how many great people I have already met through my blog. The blogging community is full of great people with new things going on all the time. My book wish list is now miles longer since I now read so many great reviews for all sorts of books that I would have never even thought of reading before.

As part of Memory Monday I would like to share one of my childhood memories with you, I promise it has to do with books. When I was little, try first and second grade I really didn't like reading. I've always been a math and science person but I hated reading. Obviously this is a huge problem because when you are in first and second grade you need to learn how to read and it is a big part of your education. It was so bad that I had to stay after school with my teacher for her to spend extra time teaching me how to read.

Through the extra time spent with my teacher I learned how to read but I still didn't like it all that much. All of a sudden between 8th and 9th grade I started to go to the library to check out books from them and slowly I started to find books that were great for me. I feel that every person can be a reader, they just have to sometimes get through some genres that aren't for them before they find ones that they really enjoy.

One of the first books that I became hooked on was Battle Dress by Amy Efaw. The story is about a girl named Andi who wants to escape her family live so badly that she wants to go to West Point Academy to join the military. The story has a great group of male characters that in a weird way accept Andi even though she is one of the few girls in their Platoon. This story is a great story about a girl making it in a "man's" world. I personally love this book and I have read it at least 4 times. However, this book sadly seems to go unnoticed in the book world. Even though I am not a huge fan of the military I think this is a book anyone could read and love, who doesn't love a strong female who could be a good role model for younger girls. This book is about so much more than just West Point or the military, I hope that more people will read this book, give it a chance, what do you have to lose?

Giveaway:
In order to try to get more buzz going about one of my favorite books I'm going to be giving away a copy of Battle Dress by Amy Efaw. I will be giving away the newest reprint which is the black cover featuring Andi that I posted above.

Rules:
This giveaway is open to US Residents only. The giveaway will run from today, Feb 14th until Feb 28th at 11:59 PM.
The winner will be announced within one week of the giveaway's end date.

How to Enter:
~ Leave a comment on this post with your email address

Extra Entries:
+1 Follow Ashley's blog (Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing!)
+1 Follow my blog Pages of Forbidden Love
A huge thank you to Ashley for letting me be a guest on her blog.

Thanks again for being with us today Alexa! This is a book that's definitely going onto my wishlist!
If you would like a chance to be a guest blogger for Memory Monday, fill out this form, or send me an email!