Halloween Stories #1

I worked a Halloween event at work today, and so in honor of all things spooky and scary, I decided to devote the next 4 days to four of my favorite ghost stories. I probably have more, but I think these four are my favorites.

Book Number 1: The Ghosts by Antonia Barber.

It's kind of funny how I found out about this one. I'm not sure how old I was, probably early high school, but I think I was watching AMC Movie channel or something of that sort. However it happened, I ended up catching the end of a movie called 'The Amazing Mr. Blunden'.

At the end of the movie it said "Based on the novel The Ghosts by Antonia Barber". At the time, I was a firm believer that books were way better than movies, and while I still believe this I'm not as adamant as I was as a child. However, I rushed out to find this book. It's unclear to me whether this was one of my first online purchases or not, but I think it was since I have no idea how I would have found her book in any sort of book store, used or not.

 

Here is my gorgeous copy in all it's splendor. The book is about a family that is visited by a man who asks them to come in a live in a strange old house that many people say is haunted. The children don't believe them until they are visited by the ghosts of two children who are desperate to find someone to help solve their murder and the change the events of the past.

 

The book is short and easy to read, and it kept me enthralled to the end. Ms. Barber is another one of those English authors that has such a wonderful way of writing for children.

 

If you have a chance, I would strongly encourage you to find a copy of this book and hold onto it. At only 214 pages, it's a quick read and one that you will love, I am sure!

I Got A Present

You could easily say that I am a book hoarder.

Actually, I would probably agree with you.

When I wanted to be a teacher, I used to visit tons of book stores in the area to find tons of cheap books. The more the merrier. I wanted to have a huge classroom library that all of the kids loved.

Well, teaching did not work out for me (that in itself is a story meant for another day), so I didn't need the classroom library. But then I started looking at what I had. And I had some good stuff. Most of it, I sold to Half Price Books, and got probably a 3rd of what they were actually worth. But hey, who cares, right? It's like free money... that's not free.

The books I didn't sell somehow wormed their way into my heart. I thought for sure that I was going to get married soon. And then we would have kids. I want my kids to want for nothing, especially books. Now, will what I have be outdated by the time I have kids? Most certainly. But I try to make sure that I am saving things that have some type of appeal to me, and that I think my children will grow to love and appreciate one day. I can see my someday-daughter curled up on the window seat with Anne of Green Gables or the Secret Garden. I see my someday-son hiding under the covers with a flashlight reading The Hardy Boys or Treasure Island. I just want to save so many books for so many different reasons.

But one reason makes no sense to me, or anyone else I know.

I fell in love with a publisher. And that publisher is Dell Yearling. I looooooove the Dell Yearling editions of books. I love how they look, and the books they choose to print, and even how they smell. And I have made it a bizarre mission of mine: to collect as many Dell Yearling editions as I can find. It's a little like treasure hunting for me, in a way. When I find one I don't have, it just feels so special.

So imagine my surprise when people on eBay suddenly see the value in my sweet, little Dell Yearlings?! It makes it that much harder to find something I love.

Except when someone has no idea what they were doing. Cut to Monday. I am surfing around eBay, as usual, and find a seller selling 16 Dell Yearling Classics (those darling red cover editions that are just so fun). Starting bid is 2.00, but I could Buy It Now for 35.00.... you better believe I'm starting the bidding at 2 bucks. And guess what- no one else bid!! Yay! So I just bought 16 books for less than a dollar a book.

Here are my dear gifts arriving at the house today:

 

 

 

Add all of these lovelies to the four I already owned, and we are well on our way to finding some new favorite books. I just love the Classics, and I hope that if you ever find one, you won't just glance over it. Give it a try. Pick it up and read it. I guarantee you will find out what makes each of these books so very special.

Starting Over

OK

I said I wouldn't do it.

I know.

But I feel like I have so much to say, and not a lot of time to say it. Or, I have a lot of time, but not much to say.

Either way, I really wanted to bring the blog back. But I wanted to make it so much more than just me talking about me. Well, I mean, I will be talking about me. And what makes me, me. But, I thought of doing it a little differently than I've done it in the past.

If you ever get the privilege, or the dis-privilege or whatever that is, to visit my room you will notice 3 things straight away:
1) I am super messy. Like, I forget to put clothes in the hamper, everything everywhere, except please don't move it because I remember where I put everything, kind of messy.
2) I have an unnatural love of the 1980's, as displayed in my extensive Care Bear collection, with homage to Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony, respectively.
3) I have a passion and love for books. I have four book cases overflowing, and all of closet shelf space, plus a few bins in a few other closets, devoted to my books.

Books have always been a huge part of my life. From sitting in my parents laps, fascinated by Dr. Seuss and Sesame Street, to spending way too much time at Barnes and Noble, books have connected me to life in a different way than many of the other passions that I have.

I hope that you will learn a little something about me in my profession of book love that is now a blog. Please enjoy this trip down memory lane. Take some time to get to know me. Find a new favorite book. Tell me about your favorites.

I hope you all come away with a love and appreciation for books that maybe you didn't have before, just like I have.