Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Sisterhood of the Traveling Blog


Thank you again, Lydia, Laura, Danyelle, for inviting me to join the Sisterhood!

And my apologies to all my readers for disappearing – NaNo and holiday preparations are eating my lunch.

What was your favorite childhood book and why? (Is it still on your bookshelf?)

I have many favorite childhood books – I was a prolific reader early on – but the book I most clearly remember discovering was Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle.

I must have been eleven the day I explored my grammar school’s library, a cramped, windowless room in the basement. I was desperate for something new to read when this odd book fell into my hands and changed my life. I’d never read anything like it! It was a fascinating story filled with science and fantasy, bizarre adults and strong parents who still needed their children’s help. It made me feel both empowered and overwhelmed.

That book sent me on a lifelong search for great science fiction and fantasy. Contemporary novels simply didn’t hold the strength of speculative fiction.

At some point I went out and bought my own copy (I didn’t steal it from the library; today I checked the inside to make sure). I still reread it every ten or fifteen years, and each time it impresses me differently. This book is truly a classic!

What is your favorite childhood book?