Classics that I have read Part 1

As some of you may know I have challenged myself to read children’s classic books and also some adult ones. So for that reason, I have taken my library books back and put my library ticket away in my purse…unless I go to the library and get a single book on my long-looking list which I am going to add at the end of this blog.
These are the classics that I have finished since starting this challenge and what I think about them. etc.

1. Anne of Green Gables…This was the first one I read and I have also watched the two movies…the other one being Anne of Windy Poplars,(when she was grown up. Anne soon realised that the people who had been sent to the orphanage for her had expected a boy who would help them with the homestead. I felt that Anne was always trying her best to please who she called her aunt but her uncle who had picked her up at the station I feel felt her charms from the start and her relationship with him was formed at the very start. She went to school and made a best friend and an enemy…..Gilbert eventually became the man that she married. Because I had seen the movie first I had pictures of the characters in my head.

2. The Folk of the Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton…..The only other Enid Blyton books I had read were the Secret 7 and Famous 5 ones so I found this a very strange book and even stranger characters example Mr Spoon. I have to admit I did not enjoy it at all and found it a bit silly.

3. The Railway Children…I enjoyed this. I had seen the movie starring Jenny Agutter first which showed all the fantastic countryside so that is how I pictured it. My favourite character has “Mr Perks” who I loved and his wife and the baby. A really lovely gentle read.

4. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer…I don’t know why but for some reason I always thought of Tom Sawyer as being black but soon realized he wasn’t. The language is not very “work” but that is the time it was written in, and it does not bother me as it would some people was easily read and I liked him even though he tried hard to get out of finishing any chores he had been given. I like his character.

5. The Family From One End Street….loved reading this. Reminded me of “The Broons” cartoon in what I think was a Sunday newspaper called The Sunday Pictorial. They were a hard-working very poorly paid family but full of love and grit who cared and loved each other.

6. Black Beauty…..a lovely story from the horse’s point of view. I had watched the TV series as a child so it was very easy to read. I enjoyed it.

7. Little Women…I had read snippets of this but this was my first ever read. I found a beautiful copy of this in the Oxfam Bookshop I volunteer. I wonder what people who say today id “the girl says, I should have been a boy”I did enjoy this book and liked Jo. She and her sister Meg were the two I was drawn to.

8. Matilda….the first Roald dahl I have ever read. I enjoyed it. He has a different way of writing, I look forward to reading his others.

9. Peter Pan….the only one I gave up on I read about half. I found it very dark and disturbing in parts and I just could not connect with it. And the way Tinkerbelle thought about Wendy…..I thought “What a bitch!!”.

10. The Secret Garden…..10/10 for this one. I enjoyed. This was a book I knew nothing about apart from people saying I would enjoy it. From both being very self-centred children Mary and Colin were very likeable by the end of the story. The Head Gardner and the little mid that looked after Mary (I cannot remember their names) were two favourite characters.

11. The Famous 5…Five on a Treasure Island…It was my 2nd time reading this. Decided I liked Aunt Fanny the best happy and caring for her family. I felt George was a bit spoilt to start with but got better. Loved Timmy.

12. Swallows and Amazons…I enjoyed this book. Another one I knew nothing about. Watched the movie afterwards…the book was better.

What are the books I have finished? Am reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at the moment.

List of books I am looking for Children’s classics….the adult ones will be at the end of part 2.

Watership Down. Charlottes Webb.Water Babies.What Katy Did Next, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, James and the Giant Peach, Fairy Tales Arabian Knights.Robin Hood, Swiss Family Robinson, The Borrowers, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm., Pippa Longstocking, Narnia Chronicles, Mary Poppins,5 Children and IT, The Twits, Pinocchio, Beauty and the Beast, Stuart Little, Doctor Doolittle, The Children of the New Forst, Emil and the Detectives,

so endeth Part 1.