Tag Archives: children’s books

My Porridge & Cream read… @JamesSteptowe #childrensbooks

Today I’m delighted to welcome children’s author James Steptowe. His ‘Porridge & Cream’ read is The Two Farms by Mary E Pearce.

James Steptowe

James’ copy of ‘The Two Farms’ by Mary E Pearce

“It is a book I first read in 2018 on my honeymoon in Italy. My wife (who is Italian) and I asked our wedding guests to buy us a book that was special to them for a present. A close friend of mine from university gave us The Two Farms. He told us he had had to search hard for it as it was not in print anymore and inside, he left us a note saying, “the story in this book is very simplistic, but the sentiment behind it has a lot of meaning – love is the source of happiness”. We loved the thought he had put into it, so we packed it in our bag for our honeymoon. When I started reading it, I could not stop. It is not a long book and I think I read it in a day, on the beach, under the scorching Italian sun. The story is simple; predictable even, but so captivating and the description of the English countryside is enchanting.
“I now live in Italy and it is the book I go to when I just want to read a lovely story. It is the book I go to when I want to be reminded of the rolling English countryside (particularly poignant and powerful in these strange times we are living in). And it is the book I go to when I want to read without stopping. The review on the front of my copy from a reviewer called James Herriot says, “Sheer Country Magic” and frankly I could not agree more with Mr Herriot.”
James SteptoweBUY THE BOOK

James’s Bio
James SteptoweJames is a children’s book author and teacher originally from Essex, but now living in Italy. In May 2019 he published his debut book, Raid of the Ratskull Rodents, while living in Horsforth, Yorkshire. Chase for the Championship, a football story for girls and boys, followed in 2020. He has lived in Italy since January 2020 with his wife, daughter, cat and two chickens, and currently teaches at a bilingual school just outside Monza. When not teaching or writing, he loves hiking, reading a good book and spending time with his family.

James’s links
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

James’s latest book
James SteptoweA football story for girls and boys, formatted and written for struggling or reluctant readers. Sarah Saunders, striker for Lingerfield FC, and Yonis Ganim, goalkeeper for SLS United, are locked in a tight battle for their under-eleven championship title. Only 1 point separates their teams at the midway point in the season. However, as the chase for the championship heats up, both Sarah and Yonis realise there are much more important things in life than just football…
BUY THE BOOK

What is a ‘Porridge & Cream’ book? It’s the book you turn to when you need a familiar read, when you are tired, ill, or out-of-sorts, where you know the story and love it. Where reading it is like slipping on your oldest, scruffiest slippers after walking for miles. Where does the name ‘Porridge & Cream’ come from? Cat Deerborn is a character in Susan Hill’s ‘Simon Serrailler’ detective series. Cat is a hard-worked GP, a widow with two children and she struggles from day-to-day. One night, after a particularly difficult day, she needs something familiar to read. From her bookshelf she selects ‘Love in A Cold Climate’ by Nancy Mitford. Do you have a favourite read which you return to again and again? If so, please send me a message.

Discover the ‘Porridge & Cream’ books of these authors:-
Alex Marchant’s choice is Over Sea, Under Stone’ by Susan Cooper
Kelly Clayton chooses ‘Naked in Death’ by JD Robb
The Wind in the Willows’ by Kenneth Grahame is chosen by Rob V Biggs

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
Why does @JamesSteptowe re-read THE TWO FARMS by Mary E Pearce #books https://wp.me/p5gEM4-57m via @SandraDanby

My Porridge & Cream read… @MaggieCobbett #books #Yorkshire

Today I’m delighted to welcome Yorkshire novelist Maggie Cobbett. Her ‘Porridge & Cream’ read is The Beloved Vagabond by William J Locke.

The Beloved Vagabond by William J Locke has been a favourite of mine since childhood. The now tatty illustrated edition, published in 1922, belonged to my father and we used to read it together. It is that memory that often draws me back to it, together with the fact that Paragot, the main character, (as depicted in the wonderful illustrations by Jean Dulac, see below), bears more than a passing resemblance to Dad as he would have liked to be. An artist, writer and rover at heart, he was trapped for most of his life in mundane occupations that kept him in Yorkshire.” Maggie Cobbett

Maggie Cobbett

Paragot in Paris

Maggie’s Bio
Born in Leeds, Maggie studied modern languages at the University of Manchester and then spent many years teaching in the UK and abroad, taking every opportunity to travel more extensively in the holidays. Since taking early retirement and now based back in Yorkshire with her family, she writes short stories, articles, reviews, ‘fillers’ and even the occasional poem. Until the pandemic struck, she also appeared regularly as a ‘village regular’ on Emmerdale.

Maggie’s links
Workhouse Orphan at Facebook
Website
Amazon 

Maggie’s latest book
Maggie CobbettMaggie explains, “Workhouse Orphan, inspired by a brave young man way back in my family history and dedicated to him, tells the story of a boy forced at a very tender age to leave his siblings behind in their grim London workhouse and work down a Yorkshire coal mine. Despite the hardships he encounters, he never loses sight of his wish to reunite the family. While not originally intended to be a book for children – it’s actually suitable for anyone with an interest in social history – I’ve been told by parents that it’s made a good bedtime read and given their own offspring cause to realise how lucky they are!”
BUY THE BOOK

What is a ‘Porridge & Cream’ book? It’s the book you turn to when you need a familiar read, when you are tired, ill, or out-of-sorts, where you know the story and love it. Where reading it is like slipping on your oldest, scruffiest slippers after walking for miles. Where does the name ‘Porridge & Cream’ come from? Cat Deerborn is a character in Susan Hill’s ‘Simon Serrailler’ detective series. Cat is a hard-worked GP, a widow with two children and she struggles from day-to-day. One night, after a particularly difficult day, she needs something familiar to read. From her bookshelf she selects ‘Love in A Cold Climate’ by Nancy Mitford. Do you have a favourite read which you return to again and again? If so, please send me a message.

Discover the ‘Porridge & Cream’ books of these authors:-
Julia Thum’s choice is ‘The Little White Horse’ by Elizabeth Goudge
Lexi Rees chooses ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ by Douglas Adams
The Shell Seekers’ by Rosamund Pilcher is chosen by Carol Warham

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
Why does Yorkshire author @MaggieCobbett re-read THE BELOVED VAGABOND by William J Locke? #books https://wp.me/p5gEM4-4Yt via @SandraDanby

My Porridge & Cream read… Linda Jones @LJonesauthor #books #LordoftheRings

Today I’m delighted to welcome children’s writer Linda Jones. Her ‘Porridge & Cream’ read is The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien.

“In 1979 I lived in Bristol, in a house full of university graduates. For my birthday, they clubbed together and bought me a paperback copy of the full, unabridged edition of The Lord of The Rings by JRR Tolkien. Ecstatic didn’t get close!

Linda Jones

Linda’s copy of ‘The Lord of the Rings’

“I’ve always loved fantasy in all its forms; from science fiction to fairy tales. I remember ‘devouring’ that huge tome in a matter of days, carrying it with me everywhere. Finally published in full in 1954, Tolkien’s rich descriptions of the world he created are peerless. Helped of course by his love of the British countryside and his longing for the peace of pre-war days.  So much of what he writes about is recognisable. All you have to do is transplant Hobbiton or Bywater to a quiet English village and you’re there… minus the hobbit holes of course.
“My original copy from 1979 has sadly bitten the dust. It was read frequently. During long, autumnal evenings, crisp spring mornings or just because I could. I clung on to the thumb-worn, taped-together pages for thirty-three years, but in the end, I had to let it go. You can imagine my joy when my wonderful daughter found me a hardcover copy from the same period! It lives next to my bed, already read many times.

Linda Jones

Front page of Lord of the Rings

“The Lord of The Rings is so many things. At its simplest an adventure, following the lives of the hobbits, Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee, Merry and Pippin as Frodo attempts to destroy an all-powerful ring. But there are so many other tales bound up within those pages. Epic heroes and villains, cruel monsters and unexpected encounters. The thrill of the chase, sorrow, battles, love stories…
“As I’m writing this, I know I’ll be reading it again very soon.”
Linda JonesBUY THE BOOK

Linda’s Bio
Originally from South Wales (UK), Linda was a psychiatric nurse. Now she’s an independent author with four books published and another, Cavern’s Fall due out in October 2020. As a writer of children’s fiction, Linda enjoys nothing more than delving into the worlds of fantasy and adventure. Right now, Linda can be found roosting near Pontefract, West Yorkshire, where the rain tastes and smells pretty much the same as the Welsh valleys.

Linda’s links
Author website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Linda’s latest book
Linda JonesAn illustrated magical fantasy adventure. It’s spring. Nothing magical has happened for ages, then Dylan opens his school desk…Finding a talking hamster is weird enough, but soon Dylan and his sister Emily are caught up in another incredible adventure. This time they have to dive deep into a cold, murky river, avoid being captured by the crafty Aquelsis, or eaten by a terrifying Belfroad – and all to rescue the school bully! Deep Waters continues the story from Deadwood Hall, as Dylan and Emily begin to discover more about magic and the secrets their grandfather has been hiding.
BUY THE BOOK

What is a ‘Porridge & Cream’ book? It’s the book you turn to when you need a familiar read, when you are tired, ill, or out-of-sorts, where you know the story and love it. Where reading it is like slipping on your oldest, scruffiest slippers after walking for miles. Where does the name ‘Porridge & Cream’ come from? Cat Deerborn is a character in Susan Hill’s ‘Simon Serrailler’ detective series. Cat is a hard-worked GP, a widow with two children and she struggles from day-to-day. One night, after a particularly difficult day, she needs something familiar to read. From her bookshelf she selects ‘Love in A Cold Climate’ by Nancy Mitford. Do you have a favourite read which you return to again and again? If so, please send me a message.

Discover the ‘Porridge & Cream’ books of these authors:-
Rosemary Kind’s choice is ‘Under Milk Wood’ by Dylan Thomas
Graeme Cumming chooses ‘Eagle in the Sky’ by Wilbur Smith
Race of Scorpions by Dorothy Dunnett is chosen by JG Harlond

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
Children’s writer @LJonesauthor loves THE LORD OF THE RINGS by JRR Tolkien… why? #books https://wp.me/p5gEM4-4R7 via @SandraDanby

My Porridge & Cream read… @AlexMarchant84 #books #childrensfiction

Today I’m delighted to welcome children’s author Alex Marchant. Her ‘Porridge & Cream’ read is Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper, first in the ‘Dark is Rising’ sequence of five books.

“Although I’m generally not one for re-reading books often, when Sandra kindly invited me to contribute my Porridge and Cream book, it took only a moment’s reflection to realize what it was: Susan Cooper’s ‘Over Sea, Under Stone’. Read first when I was ten or eleven – the ideal age for it and the ‘Dark is Rising’ sequence of which it is the first book – and read every few years since, it was the novel that called strongly to me during the early days of this spring’s lockdown in response to the upsurge of Coronavirus in the UK.

Alex Marchant

Alex’s copy of ‘Over Sea, Under Stone’

“Set during an idyllic summer in the mystical land of Logres (aka Cornwall), it follows the holiday adventures of the Drew children – Simon, Jane and Barney – along with borrowed red setter Rufus, as they battle the malevolent forces of ‘The Dark’ in a search for an ancient grail, aided only by a treasure map and their mysterious great-uncle Merry. As in many of her books, Cooper masterfully interweaves the ordinary lives of modern (well, 1960s/70s) children with local and national legends, seasons with plenty of ‘mild peril’, and serves up an exciting treat for younger readers ­– and a nostalgic feast for older ones such as myself.

“I haven’t been to Cornwall for too many years, but in a springtime when travel was impossible, ‘Over Sea, Under Stone’ went some way towards satisfying a yearning to be somewhere (and somewhen) else than in 2020 England ravaged by a pandemic. Being transported to a simpler time, when I knew everything would be ‘all right in the end’ (at least until the next book), was a comfort in those uncertain times. Perhaps more so than my usual escape from the twenty-first century – into the fifteenth century of my own books (despite the latter having been heavily influenced by Susan Cooper’s work themselves in their strong sense of place and their focus on the adventures of a similar closely knit group of young characters). I know where I’d rather be at this precise moment!”
Alex MarchantBUY THE BOOK

Alex’s Bio
Children’s author Alex Marchant was born and raised in the rolling Surrey downs, but, following stints as an archaeologist and in publishing in London and Gloucester, now lives and works surrounded by the moors of ‘Brontë Country’, close to the northern heartland of King Richard III, the leading character of The Order of the White Boar sequence. The sequence was begun in 2013 after the announcement of the rediscovery of King Richard’s grave in a car park in Leicester, to seize the perfect opportunity to tell young people the story of the real king – rather than Shakespeare’s murderous villain. With its sequel, The King’s Man, The Order tells King Richard’s story through the eyes of a young page in his service, and the books have been called ‘a wonderful work of historical fiction for both children and adults’ by the Bulletin of the Richard III Society. Alex has also edited two anthologies of short fiction inspired by the maligned king – Grant Me the Carving of My Name and Right Trusty and Well Beloved…, both of which are sold to raise funds for Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK), a charity which supports young people with the same spinal condition as King Richard – and is currently writing a third book in the White Boar sequence, provisionally entitled ‘King in Waiting’, and also reworking an earlier novel for publication, the 2012 Chapter One Children’s Book Award winner Time out of Time.

Alex’s links
Alex on Twitter
Matthew Wansford on Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Alex’s latest book
Alex MarchantThe Order of the White Boar, together with its sequel The King’s Man, tells the story of the real King Richard III, not Shakespeare’s murderous villain, through the eyes of a page in his service at the majestic castle of Middleham in the Yorkshire Dales. Twelve-year-old merchant’s son and talented singer Matthew Wansford secures his position as page despite having left York Minster song school under a cloud. He soon makes friends with fellow page Roger, Alys, a ward of the Queen, and Duke Richard of Gloucester’s only son, Edward, but also encounters a brutal bully, Hugh Soulsby, son of an executed traitor. Suitable for ages 10 to 110, The Order of the White Boar follows Matt and his friends’ adventures as the final days of the Wars of the Roses unfold towards the fateful Battle of Bosworth – and beyond….
BUY THE BOOK

What is a ‘Porridge & Cream’ book? It’s the book you turn to when you need a familiar read, when you are tired, ill, or out-of-sorts, where you know the story and love it. Where reading it is like slipping on your oldest, scruffiest slippers after walking for miles. Where does the name ‘Porridge & Cream’ come from? Cat Deerborn is a character in Susan Hill’s ‘Simon Serrailler’ detective series. Cat is a hard-worked GP, a widow with two children and she struggles from day-to-day. One night, after a particularly difficult day, she needs something familiar to read. From her bookshelf she selects ‘Love in A Cold Climate’ by Nancy Mitford. Do you have a favourite read which you return to again and again? If so, please send me a message.

Discover the ‘Porridge & Cream’ books of these authors:-
Margaret Skea’s choice is ‘Anne of Green Gables’ by LM Montgomery
Laura Wilkinson chooses ‘The Secret Garden’ by Frances Hodgson Burnett
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is chosen by Renita D’Silva

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
Why does children’s author @AlexMarchant84 re-read OVER SEA, UNDER STONE by Susan Cooper #books https://wp.me/p5gEM4-4QG via @SandraDanby

My Porridge & Cream read @JuliaThumWrites #writing #childrensfiction

Today I’m delighted to welcome children’s writer Julia Thum. Her ‘Porridge & Cream’ read is The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge.

“The story is about a beautiful valley called Moonacre that is shadowed by the tragic memory of a Moon Princess and a mysterious little white horse. When 13 year old orphan Maria Merryweather is sent to live there she finds herself involved in an ancient feud and is determined to restore peace and happiness to the whole of Moonacre Valley.

Julia Thum

Julia’s copy of ‘The Little White Horse’ by Elizabeth Goudge

“I first read this magical story when I was eleven. My father had just died and we were living on a farm in Somerset. I still remember transposing Moonacre’s fantasy world onto my own life and spending many happy hours wandering around the fields pretending to be Maria and looking for the mysterious little white horse.

“I read and re-read the story all through my teens and tweens, picking it up whenever I needed a safe space. In adult life, I’ve read The Little White Horse to all my children. Now they’re teenagers, and I’m moving from writing adult to ‘middle grade’ children’s fiction, I’m re-visiting the story, looking at the form, the structure, and trying to ‘bottle’ what makes it so enchanting.

Julia Thum

The current edition of ‘The Little White Horse’ by Elizabeth Goudge

“The world of The Little White Horse gave me somewhere to escape when the world was spinning too fast. Now, when I pass it on the bookshelf, I pause, exhale and enjoy the memory of all the magic it has bought to my life.”
BUY

Julia’s Bio
Julia visits primary and secondary schools delivering reading and writing workshops to students, reviews books on her website and BBC Berkshire Book Club, and blogs about books and nature on Twitter. Her second novel, a magical realism story for middle grade readers, is due out next year.

Julia’s links
Twitter 
Facebook 
Website

Julia’s latest book Julia Thum
Julia Thum co-authored the cozy mystery Riverside Lane by Ginger Black.
“A lovely, witty slice of middle class English village life a la MC Beaton!” – Sally Hamilton, ‘Mail on Sunday’
A handsome American with a secret, Luca Tempesta, gets off a plane at Heathrow and heads for a quiet village by the Thames, taking time out, it would appear, for a holiday in the tranquil English backwater.
But Luca soon realises that The Village is not such an easy place to hide. A former spy, a gameshow host, a model, a journalist, the vicar and a biker all play a part in making up the village scene, with secrets lurking at every twist and turn of the river.
BUY

What is a ‘Porridge & Cream’ book? It’s the book you turn to when you need a familiar read, when you are tired, ill, or out-of-sorts, where you know the story and love it. Where reading it is like slipping on your oldest, scruffiest slippers after walking for miles. Where does the name ‘Porridge & Cream’ come from? Cat Deerborn is a character in Susan Hill’s ‘Simon Serrailler’ detective series. Cat is a hard-worked GP, a widow with two children and she struggles from day-to-day. One night, after a particularly difficult day, she needs something familiar to read. From her bookshelf she selects ‘Love in A Cold Climate’ by Nancy Mitford. Do you have a favourite read which you return to again and again? If so, please send me a message.

Discover the ‘Porridge & Cream’ books of these authors:-
Rob V Biggs’s choice is ‘Wind in the Willows’ by Kenneth Grahame
Susanna Beard chooses ‘Winnie the Pooh’ by AA Milne
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is chosen by Laura Wilkinson

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
Why does children’s #author @JuliaThumWrites re-read THE LITTLE WHITE HORSE by Elizabeth Goudge#books https://wp.me/p5gEM4-47M via @SandraDanby

Great Opening Paragraph 119… ‘Peter Pan’ #amwriting #FirstPara

JM Barrie“All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up. And the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, ‘Oh, why can’t you remain like this for ever!” This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.”
‘Peter Pan’ by JM Barrie
Amazon

Try one of these 1st paras & discover a new author:-
A Month in the Country’ by JL Carr 
These Foolish Things’ by Deborah Moggach 
Far From the Madding Crowd’ by Thomas Hardy 

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
PETER PAN by JM Barrie #books https://wp.me/p5gEM4-3Jw via @SandraDanby

First Edition: ‘Five on a Treasure Island’ by Enid Blyton #oldbooks #bookcovers

In the midst of World War Two, Enid Blyton [below] continued writing. The first of her Famous Five series, Five on a Treasure Island, was published on September 11, 1942, in London by Hodder & Stoughton [below]. Next in the series was Five Go Adventuring Again, published in 1943.

Enid Blyton

[photo: Wikipedia]

Enid Blyton

Illustrator of the first edition was Eileen A Soper, who illustrated her own books and those for Elisabeth Gould as well as Blyton. Her series of designs of children and animals were used for a china series by Paragon China in the 1930s.

Enid BlytonThe current Hodder Children’s edition [above] dates from 2017.
BUY

The story
Three children – Julian, Dick and Anne – spend their summer holidays with their Aunt and Uncle at Kirrin Cottage, in the village of Kirrin. There they meet their tomboy cousin Georgina, who prefers to be called George, and George’s dog Timmy. And so they become five. Exploring the nearby Kirrin Island, a storm descends and stirs up an old shipwreck from beneath the waves. Exploring the wreck, the five find a treasure map in a box and decide to find the gold. But when Uncle Quentin sells the box to an antique dealer, he wants the gold too.

Other editions

Films
The 1957 film, Five on a Treasure Island, starred Rel Grainger, Gillian Harrison, Richard Palmer and John Bailey, with Daga as Timmy. Watch it at You Tube.
Or watch the part one of the first episode of the 1995 television series, starring Jemima Rooper, Marco Williamson, Paul Child, Laura Petela and Connal as Timmy.
Read more about the Famous Five, and Enid Blyton’s other books, here.

If you like old books, check out these:-
Ulysses’ by James Joyce
The Hobbit’ by JRR Tolkien
Watership Down’ by Richard Adams

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
First Edition: FIVE ON A TREASURE ISLAND by Enid Blyton #oldbooks #bookcovers https://wp.me/p5gEM4-3VL via @SandraDanby

#BookReview ‘La Belle Sauvage’ by @PhilipPullman #BookofDust

Philip PullmanI’m a great Philip Pullman fan so when word of his new series The Book of Dust was first announced, I was excited. La Belle Sauvage is volume one in the series and tells the story of eleven-year old Malcolm who lives beside the River Thames at The Trout pub at Godstow, near Oxford. One day, a baby arrives at the priory on the other side of the river. Called Lyra, mystery surrounds the child, her parentage, and why she is cared for by the nuns.

This of course is Lyra Belacqua, so familiar and beloved of Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. La Belle Sauvage is the story of Malcolm’s fascination with the baby Lyra, his relationship with scholar Hannah Relf and his suspicions about a mysterious stranger who visits The Trout. Everyone dislikes this man, despite his ready smiles and chat, because of his daemon, a three-legged hyena. Common with the first book of every series, there is a certain amount of scene setting, the laying-down of foundations for the forthcoming books. Pullman takes time and care to develop the character of Malcolm, the love he has for his canoe La Belle Sauvage, his relationships with his parents, the nuns, and Alice who works in the kitchen. Every reader of His Dark Materials knows the story of the fight between Lyra’s parents and how she was hidden in a cupboard with a gyptian boatwoman. La Belle Sauvage starts after this, when Lyra is placed in the nunnery for her safety. Lurking threat is there on every page – a light mist at first, developing into a heavy presence which will not go away – as Pullman constructs a world in which research into Dust is in its early stages; a resistance group, Oakley Street, is formed to fight The Magisterium; and the League of St Alexander radicalises schoolchildren to inform on unbelievers.

I became very fond of Malcolm. Pullman has a way of writing child characters who stand at the edge of things; they are not the most popular, the high achievers or the butterflies; but they have potential, as all children do. Pullman creates thoughtful character arcs for his child characters so we see them change and grow, facing difficulties, making mistakes, learning and maturing. In Malcolm, more than with Lyra and Will in His Dark Materials, I was conscious of Pullman’s background as a teacher. I was cheering for Malcolm, for his ingenuity, his bravery, his kind heart, his sense of fairness and justice.

If you are a novelist and haven’t read Pullman because he ‘writes for children’, you are missing out. He creates characters you care about, he expertly drip-feeds mysterious information and lays a factual base which seems irrelevant at first reading but will be revealed as essential at moments of crisis, he manages the ebbs and flows of tension, and creates a mystical world that is believable. Every fact included has a significance. He is a writer of tremendous detail, patience and care.

Just read him.
Amazon

Read more about Philip Pullman’s books here.

If you like this, try:-
‘The Bear and the Nightingale’ by Katherine Arden
‘The Magicians’ by Lev Grossman
‘The Queen of the Tearling’ by Erika Johansen

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
LA BELLE SAUVAGE by @PhilipPullman #bookreview https://wp.me/p5gEM4-3k9 via @SandraDanby

SaveSave

SaveSave

My Porridge & Cream read: Chantelle Atkins @Chanatkins #books #YA

Today I’m delighted to welcome young adult author Chantelle Atkins. Her ‘Porridge & Cream’ read is The Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger.

“I first read this novel when I was fifteen years old, so around 1993/94. I discovered it when I was flat and cat sitting for my oldest sister for a weekend. Every now and then my sister and her boyfriend would have a weekend away and she would ask me to flat sit from Friday to Sunday. Of course, at this age, I absolutely jumped at the chance. I was allowed to have a friend if I wanted, but on the occasion, I started reading The Catcher In The Rye, I was alone for the entire weekend. My sister, who back then was obsessed with 1950s music and memorabilia had the coolest flat in the world. It was crammed full of retro and vintage furniture, clothes, records and books. It was a treasure chest full of goodies. Chantelle Atkins“That weekend, browsing her bookshelves, I discovered so many intriguing old books. I started reading The Catcher In The Rye [above] and could not put it down. It’s fair to say I fell completely and utterly in love. I have been in love with it ever since and have read it countless times at various stages in my life. I get something new from it every time I read it. I would say I re-read it every couple of years, mostly out of love, but also familiarity and curiosity. What else will I get from it, if I read it again? The one thing that draws me to it is the character, and I have always been drawn to character-driven books. I think this was the first one I ever really came across, where not much happened in terms of plot, but it had a character I would never forget and always feel a connection to.

“If I was to describe it as an elevator pitch, I think I would say: This classic coming-of-age story follows the exploits of a teenage runaway trying to find some meaning in life and some authenticity in the people he meets.”
Chantelle AtkinsAmazon

Chantelle Atkins’ Bio
Chantelle Atkins was born and raised in Dorset, England and still resides there now with her husband, four children and multiple pets. She is addicted to reading, writing and music and writes for both the young adult and adult genres. Her fiction is described as gritty, edgy and compelling. Her debut young adult novel The Mess Of Me deals with eating disorders, self-harm, fractured families and first love. Her second novel, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, follows the musical journey of a young boy attempting to escape his brutal home life and has now been developed into a 6 book series. She is also the author of This Is Nowhere and award-winning dystopian, The Tree Of Rebels, plus a collection of short stories related to her novels called Bird People and Other Stories. Her next book Elliot Pie’s Guide To Human Nature was released through Pict Publishing in October 2018. She writes for Author’s Publish magazine.

Chantelle Atkins’ links
Website/blog
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Amazon

Chantelle Atkins’ latest book
Chantelle AtkinsOne boy’s mission to find the good in people. Twelve-year-old Elliot Pie lives a solitary life with his agoraphobic mother. He is desperate to help her and he also wants to find out what happened to his Uncle Liam, who walked out one night leaving his dog and his car in the back garden. While his mother sinks further into the darkness, Elliot finds comfort in people-watching. He is determined to prove to her that good people still exist and when a stranger is kind to him one day, a plan is hatched. A plan to save his mother. A plan that might help him find Uncle Liam. Elliot’s collection of strangers all have stories to tell about human nature, but is he placing his trust in the wrong people? Or is the real danger closer to home?
Amazon

 

What is a ‘Porridge & Cream’ book? It’s the book you turn to when you need a familiar read, when you are tired, ill, or out-of-sorts, where you know the story and love it. Where reading it is like slipping on your oldest, scruffiest slippers after walking for miles. Where does the name ‘Porridge & Cream’ come from? Cat Deerborn is a character in Susan Hill’s ‘Simon Serrailler’ detective series. Cat is a hard-worked GP, a widow with two children and she struggles from day-to-day. One night, after a particularly difficult day, she needs something familiar to read. From her bookshelf she selects ‘Love in A Cold Climate’ by Nancy Mitford. Do you have a favourite read which you return to again and again? If so, please send me a message.

Discover the ‘Porridge & Cream’ books of these authors:-
Helen J Christmas chooses ‘Camellia’ by Lesley Pearse
Rosie Dean’s choice is ‘Prudence’by Jilly Cooper
‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ by Philip K Dick is chosen by Lisa Devaney

 And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
Why does #YA author @Chanatkins re-read THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by JD Salinger? #books https://wp.me/p5gEM4-3KQ via @SandraDanby

First Edition: The Hundred and One Dalmations

My first memory of the iconic children’s book The Hundred and One Dalmations by Dodie Smith, is actually the Disney animated film. This was quickly followed by a Puffin edition, which I sadly no longer have. That films are still being made of the story, and there is demand for old copies of the novel at rare booksellers, is, I think, testamount to the longevity of the book. Long may it continue, even if it includes no fight scenes, no dragons, no magic, no vampires or spaceships.

First editions
At bookseller Peter Harrington, there are three first editions available [at time of going to press].

 

A special edition by Heinemann 1956, £1,500, bound in white morocco with black onlay patches to resemble the coat of a Dalmation dog [above left].

The second example for sale is also a 1956 Heinemann first edition, £975, including black and white illustrations by Janet and Ann Grahame-Johnstone [above top right].

The third book, a pink leather first edition by Heinemann, 1956, £2,000, features an onlaid Dalmation on the front cover plus paw prints above lower right].

The story
Pongo and Missis are a pair of spotty Dalmation dogs which live with Mr and Mrs Dearly. Missis has a litter of 15 pups. Concerned that Missis will be unable to feed all her puppies, Mrs Dearly looks for a canine wet nurse to help and discovers a liver-spotted Dalmation lost in the rain. The dog is named Perdita who tells Pongo the real reason she was outside in the rain: she was searching for own lost litter of puppies which had been sold by her owner. Trouble really arrives when Mr and Mrs Dearly host a dinner party at which one of the guests is Cruella de Ville, who is fixated on fur clothing.

The film
The Walt Disney animated film of 1961 [below left] varies the story slightly in that Missis does not exist, Pongo and Perdita have their own little of puppies. Actor Rod Taylor was the voice of Pongo, Cate Bauer played Perdita, and Betty Lou Gerson was Cruella de Ville. Watch an excerpt here.

The 1996 film [above right], starring Glenn Close as Cruella de Ville, was a live-action comedy adventure. It was praised for its faithfulness to the 1961 film and was a commercial success, though it received mixed reviews. Watch the trailer here.

Other editions

Dodie Smith

 

‘The Hundred and One Dalmations’ by Dodie Smith [UK: Egmont]

If you like old books, check out these:-
‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll
‘The Secret Garden’ by Frances Hodgson Burnett
‘The Hobbit’ by JRR Tolkein

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
First Edition: THE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIONS by Dodie Smith #oldbooks https://wp.me/p5gEM4-38Q via @SandraDanby