Ever since we went to see a musical version of A Little Princess, I’ve been on a Frances Hodgson Burnett reading kick. I never read any of her books when I was a kid, but now that I’m giving them a try, I really like the ones I’ve read four so far (A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, The Lost Prince, and Little Lord Fauntleroy). They all follow a similar formula: the main character is a child (10 years old or a little younger?), of excellent character whom almost everybody (adult and child) adores, at least one significant change of fortune (with family, in particular removal from parents, typically playing a key role), everything turns out all right in the end for the main character as well as one follower who has been uplifted by contact with said character. Not a bad formula for children’s books, and quite well executed in all her books I’ve read.
It looks like several of her books are available via Project Gutenberg, for all you etext fans out there.
Other things I’ve enjoyed recently:
- The Incredibles. I’m not sure if it or Monsters, Inc. is my favorite Pixar movie, but I had a great time. A bit much for Miranda, though she was brave through it.
- Philadelphia Chickens. They are indeed remarkable cows. And remarkable aardvarks. And on and on…
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