Through Amazon’s Ominvoracious blog, I was introduced to Fine Lines, a weekly series by Lizzie Skurmick at Jezebel. Skurmick’s ruminations on children’s and YA books of yore earned her a book deal with HarperCollins (congratulations!). What a fun time I had browsing the archives for my favorite books. Some particular favorites (warning: Jezebel is notably more PG-13 than this blog):
- From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (Could that wonderful book get published today, I wonder? Or would the powers that be insist it would convince kids running away is OK?)
- Deenie by Judy Blume (I was much more partial to Tiger Eyes myself — I wonder exactly how many times I read Tiger Eyes?)
- The Pigman by Paul Zindel (I love the sly reference to another YA book that Mr. Schmeisser also assigned in 7th grade language arts in addition to this fine volume, which I have taught myself to great success.)
- The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger (I was a little more obsessed with its sequel, There’s a Bat in Bunk Five, in which Marcy has lost weight, becomes a camp counselor, visits Woodstock, and gets a cute boyfriend — who honest-to-God on my copy — which I still have — has the parted-in-the-middle 1970’s/early 80’s feathered wings hairdo.)
- Are You in the House Alone? by Richard Peck (I think I had to read this one in 8th grade LA and discovered I’d already read it, or something. And Lizzie’s right. TV and books in the 1970’s and 80’s conspired to make the threat of rape as real as the threat of online pedophiles trying to hook up with you through MySpace is today.)
I cannot wait until she gets to Lois Duncan’s Stranger With My Face, which is just one of the best books EVAR!