My Favorite Books: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Hi all! Since this week's Did You Know... featured C.S. Lewis, I figured I would talk a little about a book that he wrote. As I've mentioned many times before on this blog I am a big fan of Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. A while back, I wrote about the first book in the series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I thought I'd share a little bit about the third book in the series, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

I first had this book read to me by my mother when I was about 12 or so. Mom used to read a couple of chapters every night after dinner while my four brothers and sisters and I were still seated at the table. She started with the first book and wound up reading through the first four or five books before I decided to read the rest on my own because she was going too slowly!

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for this book. In Voyage of the Dawn Treader only the two youngest Pevensie children, Edmund and Lucy, return to Narnia. The are accompanied, unwillingly, by their cousin, Eustace Scrubb. Eustace is a real pill. Anyway, they land in the ocean and are picked up by King Caspian and hauled aboard his ship, the Dawn Treader. Caspian is on a journey to the Lone Islands and beyond to find the seven banished lords of Narnia. Along the way, they have many wonderful adventures.

As a youngster, this book really captured my imagination. I loved all of the interesting places they went and the things they did. The island of the Dufflepuds was both funny and suspenseful. The chilling waters of Death Island were fascinating, and their encounter with a dragon was unique to say the least. I also liked Eustace's journey from insufferable lout to a really nice guy.

As I said before, this book left an impression on me. In fact, I can see some similarities in the third book in my Deliverers series, The Golden Dragon of Ang. Now, the themes in my book differ from those in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, but as I reread the book after writing it, I could see influences of Lewis' book sprinkled subtly throughout. For instance, the Deliverers travel across an island chain, the Dragon Islands. It contains a mysterious rhyme (Reepicheep the recited a rhyme that was said over him when he was little), they travel from island to island and have adventures. There is even talk of a dragon.

Do you have any thoughts about Voyage of the Dawn Treader or any of the books in the Chronicles of Narnia series? If so, I'd love to hear about them!

My Favorite Books: Caps For Sale

Today just so happens to be the last day of summer vacation for my children. Yes, tomorrow they go back to school. Our town seems to be the last town on the planet to return to school. I'm not sure why when all surrounding towns started Monday or Tuesday, but I'm sure there must be a reason. Anyway, my children had no interest (understandably) writing a Reading Crew post today, so it looks like you are stuck with me!

Since it's been a while, I thought I would tell you about one of my favorite books when I was growing up, Caps For Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkina. I loved this book when I was a kid. I remember going to the library and taking out this book--multiple times.

Something about Caps really appealed to me. First off, the idea of the peddler wearing a stack of hats on his head really interested me. How did he balance all of those? Then, the colors were so varied, but they were all organized by color. He has a hard time selling his caps and falls asleep under a tree.

Next come the monkeys. They love his hats. They wear them while sitting in the tree. As a very young child, I thought they were hilarious. I also thought the peddler's trick for them to give up the caps was a lot of fun.

What I found out much later is that this story is based on an old folk tale. For me this book is a prime example of a magical reading moment. I don't really know what exactly fascinated me about book in the first place, but I've never forgotten about it. As I think about it, that's what's so cool about reading. Discovering a good book is the beginning off a love that will last a lifetime. If you have young ones in your life, introduce them to one of your favorite books from childhood today and watch them experience the magic for themselves.

My Favorite Books: The Hobbit

As I was thinking back over some of the books that I really enjoyed when I was young, I realized that I’ve never written about one of my favorite books of all time. While Narnia got me into the fantasy genre, and reading The Lord of the Rings sealed my fantasy addiction and became my favorite book, there was one other book that told me I was on to something.

I’m talking about The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. After racing through the Chronicles of Narnia as an 11 or 12 year old, I was looking around for another book “like Narnia”. Once again, my mother came to the rescue with a suggestion—The Hobbit. I got hold of a copy from the library and devoured it.

Not only was it a good adventure, but it was really funny in places and scary in others. I think it has the perfect combination. This was my first “quest” book, and it really does feature a classic. There are 13 dwarves trying to recover their stolen gold. Their advisor is a wizard named Gandalf who recruits a simple, stay at home hobbit to go off and have an adventure. What’s funny is that he was selected as a burglar to steal the treasure (the idea of one small person trying to steal the wealth of an entire dwarf kingdom!) and to change the number of people in the party from an unlucky 13 to 14!

Bilbo is very put out at the thought of going on an adventure. When the dwarves tell him the golden horde was stolen and is guarded by a dragon named Smaug, he’s even more reluctant. Still, he screws up his courage and decides to go, although he is almost left behind. That sets him on a path that will change his life, and the course of history.

This book fueled my hunger for books of this type and led me to its sequel, The Lord of the Rings. From there I was off. I started reading a lot of fantasy, good and otherwise. I’ll tell you about the next step on that journey next time!

Here's a look at the animated classic version from Rankin Bass:

My Favorite Books: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

When I was between eight and ten, I was really into a number of authors. I read lots of E.B. White, A.A. Milne, Beverly Cleary and Roald Dahl. One of my favorite books from that period of time was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Cover from the version I had as a kid

I believe that I read the book before I saw the film starring Gene Wilder. The movie version came out when I was seven, but I did not see it until it was on TV a few years later. I remember that I was a little outraged that they had titled the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but the film was brilliant. Still, I liked the book more.

I think I liked seeing what happened to the children best. There was a little feeling of righteousness as each child got what they deserved (although I did become a little nervous as I read about Mike Teavee) while the deserving Charlie Bucket got the big prize. Oh yeah, and the glass elevator at the end was cool, too.

Charlie was a perfect hero--someone who was good but had nothing and wound up getting everything his heart desired. Imagine my horror when in the film, Charlie and his Grandpa Joe broke the rules! I don't know why they decided to do that, because Charlie would never break the rules. Hollywood can warp everyone, I suppose. Anyway, this is a fantastic book, and I also enjoyed the sequel, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. If you haven't read them, you should definitely check them out.

Have you read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or any other books by Roald Dahl?

Here's a bit of the film version. This was cool when I was a kid, before computer generated scenes. All that candy! I've read that the first time the actors saw the chocolate waterfall room was when this scene was filmed.

My Favorite Books: A Bear Called Paddington

Back when I was a wee lad of about 10 or 11 (okay, you might find it hard to believe, but I was once a wee lad) I remember looking for a new book series to read. My sister, who was about nine at the time, had a bunch of books in her room. Being desperate, I wandered in and started looking through them. My expectations were low because, well, she was a girl and I knew that girls never had anything interesting to read (don't say it, I've learned otherwise since). But like I said, I was desperate.

One set of books did look kind of interesting. The back cover said it was about a bear from Darkest Peru who was found by a London family on the platform of Paddington Station. Okay, not bad, it was English. That alone was worth a closer look. I took it into my room, began reading, and was instantly hooked. The book was A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond.

Paddington & Mr. Gruber enjoying elevenses

I really did fall in love with the series right away. Paddington was always getting into ridiculous situations either with his adopted family the Browns, or their crusty neighbor Mr. Curry. Then he'd go tell his friend the antique dealer, Mr. Gruber as they sat down to "elevenses".

I loved these books because they sparked my imagination. It felt like I was getting a dose of English life spiced up with the antics of a mischievous Peruvian bear. The illustrations were fun, too.

Now, my eight year old daughter is starting to read them. My wife reads one chapter and Abby reads the next. She loves to read with her mom. My eleven year old son has even been seen nonchalantly hanging around with an ear cocked, listening as they read. He won't admit it, but I know. He really enjoys Paddington's adventures, just like me.

My Favorite Books: Custer's Last Battle

I've mentioned before that my parents always managed to find some great books for me for Christmas. I've documented a few of them here in the past. Every once in a while they would give me a book that I had fallen in love with at the library.

One such book was Red Hawk's Account of Custer's Last Battle by Paul & Dorothy Goble. It was an account by a fictitious Sioux warrior of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. It was based on the actual accounts from real Sioux warriors.

I took that book out from thee library a bunch of times to read it and pore over the illustrations. My parents, always observant, decided it would be a good one to get for Christmas. I was really excited. Very few things excited me like a book at Christmas. Okay, maybe a revolutionary war set complete with stone walls trees and a tin tavern gave me a bigger thrill at the age of 8 or 9, but not much else!

The account was eye opening for me. The book was published in 1969. I probably received it in 1973 or 74 or so. It was really the first time I'd read something that was sympathetic to Native Americans and gave their side of the story. Until then the only accounts of the American west that I had encountered were  John Wayne and Henry Fonda movies. Needless to say it was a revelation.

I also loved the illustrations. They were done in a Native American style by Paul Goble. The Sioux and

Cheyenne warriors were very interesting, but I have to admit I was fascinated but the army uniforms. At that point in time I loved the blue uniforms of civil war and Indian war period soldiers. Each of the figures on both sides had a personality--no two were the same. They really helped bring the story to life.

Anyway, mom and dad really came through again. I guess I took for granted that there was always going to be a present or two that I would really love under the tree. One of them was almost always a book.

Today, with video games a dime a dozen--or $45 dollars each--give the child in your life the gift of a good book. If you're not sure what they like, take them to the library and see what they gravitate to. Remember, books open up worlds for children, and you hold the key.  

My Favorite Books: The Inside Story of the Miami Dolphins

As I look back on some of my favorite books from when I was growing up, a couple things strike me. One is the diversity of genres--fantasy, history, sports, fiction. The other is that many of them were Christmas presents from my parents. As I think about it, I discovered many books that I may not have found until later in my life--if at all--because my parents suggested them or gave them to me as gifts because they thought I'd like them. Most of the time they were right.

This week's book is one of those Christmas gifts. This book is about my favorite football team, the Miami Dolphins and it's called The Inside Story of the Miami Dolphins by Steve Perkins & Bill Braucher. I think I received it for Christmas of 1974. The book was published in 1973 and revised in 1974, right after the Dolphins had won back to back Super Bowls. I had just watched my first Super Bowl that past January--the Dolphins beat the Vikings 24-7 in Super Bowl VIII on a black and white TV set up specially in my room. Man, TV in my room! We only got that when we were sick. Little did I know that it would be the last title the Dolphins would win (so far anyway).

Anyway, my parents saw that I really liked the game, and in particular the Dolphins, so the next Christmas I was given a book about them. Now forgive me if I start sounding like an old man, but 40 years ago there were not a lot of places to read about your favorite sports team--especially if you lived in Connecticut and your team played in Florida. There was no internet, no ESPN. Papers ran stories only on the local teams. Even sports logo clothing was tough to come by. All I could find was a rinky dink Bob Griese #12 Dolphins shirt that I ordered from the Sears catalog. I once found a Dolphins pennant in the local Marshalls that I badgered my mom into buying when I was 10. I still had it when I came back from college 11 years later.

So with that in mind, imagine my fascination as I read this book. The inside story, wow! The writers covered the team during its legendary undefeated season and the following year--perhaps the greatest two year stretch any football team has ever had--and I had a front row seat. I must have read that book about 50 times. The icing on the cake were the seven pages of glorious black & white pictures in the center. Ah, simpler times. 

I've still got that book. It's practically falling apart now. But as I thumb through the yellowed pages and look at those black and white photos of my old heroes, I'm back in the 5th grade drawing pictures of football players during school, breaking in a baseball mitt by stuffing a ball in the pocket and sitting on it during school (ouch, how did I do that?), and trading baseball and football cards, hungering for the players that always seemed to escape my grasp. It really is true books--all books--are magic.

My Favorite Books: Charlotte's Web

As you've probably guessed by now, I'm an old school middle grade reader. While I like a lot of today's middle grade titles, I grew up with many of the older books that today are considered "classics". These books are what influenced me most in shaping my own writing style.

Take Charlotte's Web for example. The first time I read this book was when our teacher read it to us in 5th grade. I think today it may be considered 4th or even 3rd grade reading material, but I really enjoyed it as a 5th grader. I loved the idea that animals could talk and had their little own secret society in Farmer Zuckerman's barnyard.

E.B. White was such a great writer and had such command of the language. I could see the whole book playing out before my eyes so clearly. The emotions were vivid. He brought it all to life. The book had been so real that when I visited Sturbridge Village that fall, I was almost disappointed that the pigs and cattle and oxen didn't speak as they had in the book.

The values in the book also made an impression on me. Charlotte went to extremes to save her friend Wilbur's life, even as her life was ending. Wilbur paid back the favor by guarding Charlotte's eggs until they hatched. The book is truly a great story of
 friendship.

I was quite surprised when E.B. White popped up again when I was in college. I had never known much about his life, so I was surprised when his Elements of Style cropped up in an English class. Was this the E.B. White of Charlotte and Stuart Little? Yes by golly it was. Freaky. Then a little later on, I found out about his career at the New Yorker. I was astounded again. Clearly here was one talented writer for readers of all ages.

As an author I can learn a lot from E.B. White. I can not only admire the stories he wrote that appeal to both young and old, but learn from him as I peruse Elements of Style from time to time, cringing as he reminds me of some bad habits I've picked up over the years.

Yes, Charlotte's Web is a classic book written by an accomplished author who brought the world so much. That's why it's one of my favorite books.

My Favorite Books: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

This installment of My Favorite Books is all about the first book in a series that I resisted reading for a long time. I'm not sure why I did not pick up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone  by J.K. Rowling until 2000 or so. I suppose it was because the series was so wildly popular. I'm naturally suspicious of overly popular things, preferring to find hidden treasures on my own. Harry Potter was too accessible, too easy. Perhaps there was a little bit of jealousy there, too. After all, here was someone that had achieved my dream--to be a middle grade fantasy author, and a wildly successful one at that.

Old Cover

Finally, I broke down and read the first book. I was transfixed. After racing through it, I kicked myself for waiting so long to read it. It has everything I love--a boy who does not realize how special he is until a magical (literally) world is revealed to him, magic, friendship, fantasy, and all those owls at the beginning! Rowling did a truly masterful job of reinventing well worn elements of myth and legend, fantasy and magic, creating something brand-spanking new. I could only tip my hat to her.

I love the fact that Harry is a down and out kid, unloved, unwanted and unnoticed, who finds friends in the most strange and wonderful circumstances. I also love that he then has to prove himself and overcome challenges that help him grow. Simply brilliant stuff.

I loved all the books, some more so than others, but each one was a revelation. This series more than any other brought me back to reading middle grade/YA fantasy again.

New Cover

More importantly, it was one of the factors that got me thinking about actually sitting down and writing a middle grade novel. I had never really believed that I could write a full length book, having only written short stories and poetry until that point.  But Harry Potter had stirred my imagination, and I started tossing around ideas in my head.

Being a slow starter, it took a year or so until I actually hit upon something I liked. When my son Christian was born early in 2002, I decided that the time had come, and began writing what would become The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel. At the beginning, I had some vague idea of a series, but I just wanted to see if I could write an entire novel. I did, and now I'm working on book 3!

These books are proof that children still love to read, even in this age of smart phones, video games and the internet. Of course, I daresay that any teacher could have to me that, but I think we all owe a debt of gratitude to J.K. Rowling for reminding the general public that books are still the best way to get our kids' imagination soaring.

My Favorite Books: All Creatures Great & Small

Way, way, okay, waaaay back when I was but a lad, I liked to read a lot of different types of books. I read middle grade, young adult, history, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, comedy--everything except romance, ugh!

When I was about 13 or so, my mother's cousin started mailing us books every once in a while. She was the original Amazon.com, only I didn't order the books, she just sent whatever she thought I'd be interested in. There was just one problem--she had no idea what I liked to read. I don't think she asked my mom, she certainly didn't ask me. I couldn't really tell her what I liked because these gifts were just sent randomly, and if I asked her for a book it would seem like I expected to receive one.

To be honest, I don't remember any of the books that she sent me. Except the ones by Alf Wight, a/k/a James Herriot. For some strange reason, I found I really liked these books about an English country vet. I think looking back it was because the books took me back to another time and place--Yorkshire in the 1940's and 50's with such vivid descriptions. Each chapter was a little individual story that dealt with universal truths about human and animal nature.

Cast of All Creatures Great and Small

I had become something of an Anglophile by that time. Many of the authors I was reading were English--J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and others. My entertainment was also decidedly Anglo-centric. I had just discovered Monty Python--don't get me started about Monty Python! Genius. My music was also dominated by English bands--Yes, Bowie, and the most English band of all--Jethro Tull. Some of their songs from the mid to late 70's were snapshots of the Yorkshire countryside.

All this combined to fuel my imagination of that green and pleasant land that English poet William Blake wrote about (sorry, English major in me coming out). Then lo and behold, while flipping channels one night (yes, those were the days when you actually had to get up and turn the knob), I chanced upon All Creatures Great and Small on PBS.

Alf Wight a/k/a James Herriot

Well, I was hooked all over again. The beautiful locations, the use of live animals on set (lots of shots of the actors sticking their hands up cows' butts), and the fact that they did all this in suits(!?), appealed to me. I loved seeing beloved characters and animals brought to life. It was awesome. So much so, that even today I love rereading the books, and my whole family likes listening to "vet stories" as the kids call the audio books and the DVDs.

So, thank you Cousin Kathy for giving me a gift that really did keep on giving. If you have children in your life, I heartily support the notion of sending them random gifts of books. You never know. You just might open up a door to a whole world of entertainment!

My Favorite Books: The Hardy Boys-Shore Road Mystery

When I was a kid of about eight or nine, there were certain things that my world revolved around--the Dodgers & Dolphins, G.I. Joes, Matchbox & Hotwheels, baseball & football cards, bike riding, Bill Cosby comedy records, and books.

I read all kinds of books, but one series that really grabbed my attention was The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon. They led a really cool life. These were high schoolers Frank and Joe Hardy, sons of the great internationally famous detective Fenton Hardy, who were always stumbling upon mystery and intrigue in their own back yard.

The Shore Road Mystery is the sixth book in the series, but the first one I ever read. I really loved it. There were Frank and Joe riding their motorcycles (motorcycles--way cooler than my bike!) down Shore Road, overlooking the ocean. They get a report over their radio that a car has been stolen (you can see the radio on the cover). They have a short wave radio on their motorcycle? Wow, these guys were cool. I definitely wanted to hang with them!

That was all it took. I was hooked! They were cool. Everyone is stumped by the car thieves. Frank and Joe come up with a simple plan to catch the thieves. They buy this cool looking roadster as bait. Wow, these guys can afford to buy a car?! How awesome is that?

The Hardys have a friend named Chet. As a kid, I could relate to Chet. He didn't have a famous father, he couldn't afford to buy a roadster (what exactly was a roadster, anyway?), he was a little pudgy and awkward, and slightly timid. But he always tried his best to help the Hardys out, although he usually got left behind or messed up in some way. In spite of that, he always managed to help solve the crime--usually through a hobby he was into at the time. It was uncanny how the hobby related to that book's particular mystery. In The Shore Road Mystery, his interest in plant biology led the Hardys to an important discovery. I think these coincidences were lost on me as a kid, but it sure was entertaining.

What I didn't know at the time was that the original version of the book was written in 1928 (hence the reference to a roadster) by Leslie McFarlane. Franklin W. Dixon was his pen name. The series was repackaged and revised over 30 years later. Nevertheless, kids in my neighborhood--and many others--loved it. The Nancy Drew series was also out there, but I never paid it much attention because it featured a girl, and I knew that no girl could be as cool as the Hardy Boys. I learned otherwise a few years later!

My Favorite Books: The American Heritage History of the Civil War

It's been a while since I wrote about some of my favorite books when I was growing up, so I thought it was time for me to share another one with you. When it comes to reading, my favorite subjects have always been fantasy (middle grade, YA and adult), science fiction, sports history, history (American Revolution, Civil War & WWII), historical fiction, and biographies.

I was exposed to these genres and others at my local library. I first came across The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War at the library, and fell in love with it. I checked it out over and over again when I was 10 or 11. I pored over the pictures, maps and illustrations which brought the Civil War to life. Bruce Catton's narrative (he wasn't credited as an author because it was a picture history) also made the times and circumstances come to life vividly.

This book was huge to me at that age. It was a real coffee table book. It was a hardcover with over 600 pages. I really loved the paintings of the battles, and the diagrams of the battles were paintings of scenes themselves. Today, these diagrams look to me like screen shots of computer war games--very ahead of their time. Anyhow, this book really captured my imagination and made the history come alive.

I loved so much, that I managed to scrimp and save my pennies, forgoing the purchase of baseball and football cards, so that I could purchase a copy of the book. I could not find it in a bookstore, so I actually ordered it from the publisher. I came in the mail or UPS or whatever, and I was so excited to get it. This was long before the days of Amazon and ordering online (yes, my children, I know that this must be an inconceivable concept)!

I still have the book today. The price on the dust jacket is $24.95, which was quite a princely sum back in the mid-1970's. I must have saved for quite a while, or else I had some long forgotten parental help. Hmmm, have to ask mom about that one of these days.

Maybe one day, you can go to your library and see if they have a copy of this venerable classic. Then you could check it out and see what I mean. If you're not into history, go to the library anyway, and check out whatever tickles your fancy. Remember, before the Internet and Amazon, and Kindles, there was the library. Check it out!

My Favorite Books: Just In Time for the King's Birthday

Today I'm writing about a book that's close to my heart. I don't know much about what it's about. Until today I couldn't remember the author, the illustrator, or even the title. However,Just In Time for the King's Birthday is a book that I will always think of with fondness--even if I don't remember much of it.

You see, this is the first book that I ever read all on my own. I "read" many books before this, if you count looking at pictures and picking out some of the words, or if you count the ones that had been read to me. But, Just In Time for the King's Birthday, written by E.B. Chance and illustrated by Arline Meyer, was the first book that I read through all by myself without any help.

Why this is one of my favorite books.

As I said before, it's the first book I ever read on my own. This made such an impression on my that I remember it clearly over 40 years later. I also have a vivid memory of proudly marching out of my room to read (pretty dramatically I might add) the entire book aloud to my parents. I thought that this was quite a treat for them--the equivalent to appearing on America's Got Talent or something like that today.

It was a Scholastic book that I ordered at school--I loved ordering those books, just as my kids do today! There was no better feeling than coming in to school and seeing the big brown box on the teacher's desk. Right then all the kids knew she'd be handing out books. This particular book also came with a little record or the book. I thought that was cool.

What I didn't know when I first read it.

I had no idea about the world that I was about to enter. I had just cracked open the door to a land of a world of infinite imagination, knowledge and adventure. 

Here are some things that I either knew then and had forgotten, or that I never knew. The book is 31 pages long. On the flip side of the record is a little song called Over In the Meadow by Joe Raposo. He wrote songs for Sesame Street for years. Many of his songs you knew growing up, including Bein' Green and C is for Cookie. I also did not remember much about the book, as I said. 

I was able to find an audio copy of the book on the web, courtesy of Recordo Obscura. I took it and turned it into a video on Windows Movie Maker. As I listened to this for the first time in 40 years, it immediately brought me back to that moment. I am amazed how much of it was familiar, like it had been lurking around in my head just waiting to be drawn forth. Hmm, there's a book idea in there somewhere. The narrator is Robert Dryden. Anyway, here it is:

My Favorite Books: Where the Wild Things Are

Unless you haven't watched the news or picked up a paper or been online this week, you know that we lost a groundbreaking children's writer/illustrator. I grew up not too far from where Maurice Sendak lived. The girl who was his caretaker in the last years of his life grew up two houses down the street from me.

Because of that and the fact that I loved Where the Wild Things Are as a wee lad (and as a large lad for that matter), I think it's only fitting that I feature this classic book in this week's column. A while back, I wrote about  my brush with Mr. Sendak. His living so close made being a children's book writer not just some nebulous concept, but something real.

Why this is one of my favorite books.

Aside from the fact that Maurice Sendak lived in the same town that I grew up in, the book has a special meaning for me. It's the first book that I remember being read to me. It was published the year I was born, so it was still new

I identified with the main character, Max. He was a wild thing, as was I. I liked to run around. I also liked the idea of going to another world, which is probably the one theme that really resonates with me. Besides that, the wild things were cool.

What I didn't know when I first read it.

I didn't know much of anything when this book was first read to me. That's probably why it's stuck with me, because it's just about the first book I remember. I didn't know that I would one day write a children's book of my own. 

I also didn't know how long and winding a journey I would be taking in becoming an author, albeit a part time one. Where the Wild Things Are was the first step that I took on that journey. Thanks Mr. Sendak.

My Favorite Books: My Brother Sam is Dead

It's been a while since I wrote an installment of this column. In the last one, I wrote about The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Today, I want to talk about another book I loved as a child, and one that I still enjoy, My Brother Sam is Dead by Christopher and James Lincoln Collier.

Why this is one of my favorite books.

I've got a few reasons:

1. First of all, the events depicted in the book take place in the same area in which I grew up. One of the places they travel through, Ridgebury, is the section of Ridgefield, CT in which I grew up. It sparked my imagination to think of them traveling right by my house. It didn't matter that our property was a farmer's field back then.

I knew all the landmarks that were mentioned and had been to Putnam Park in Redding, which was the site of General Putnam's winter encampment. It made history come alive. Check out this link to see what some of the book's locations look like today.

2. It's a historical novel about the American Revolution. I love historical novels, especially those relating to the revolution. In addition to this book, I love Johnny Tremain, April Morning, and Silver for General Washington.

One day, I'm going to write a novel for kids set during the American Revolution. I just need to hit on the right idea. Eric & Stig travel back in time to assist? Hmmm.....

3. The final reason that I really love this book is that one of the authors, Christopher Collier, spoke to my class when I was in the second grade. I had received a copy of the book for Christmas, and I brought it to school that day, and he autographed it. Still have it. Cool.

What I didn't know when I first read it.

I didn't know much about the historical events depicted in this book. I knew about the Battle of Ridgefield (small battle, but still cool), and the burning of Danbury, but nothing about what life was like in that area during the revolution. I also didn't know anything about the winter encampment of General Wooster's army, or that the area was a Tory hotbed.

In some ways, this book influenced me when I was writing my book, The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel. The village of Calendria in my book is based on a colonial village. My first taste of that in literature was My Brother Sam is Dead.

What are some book that you read when you were young, or are reading today, that have had a big influence on you?

My Favorite Books: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Last week, I introduced this column, and I have to admit that I didn't think it through as well as I wanted. This week, I'm writing about a book that really introduced me to the whole fantasy genre, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

Why is this one of my favorite books?

As I said above, this is the book that really introduced me to the fantasy genre. I've told the story before about how my mother would read us all a chapter of LWW every day at the dinner table. I was about 12 or 13, and it just sparked something in me. I think it was the idea that you could just walk through something ordinary, like a wardrobe, and enter into another world. That was something that caught my imagination.

What I didn't know when I first read it.

I had no idea when I first read any of  The Chronicles of Narnia that C.S. Lewis was anthing other than a darn fine fantasy author. I had never heard of any of his philosophical or spiritual works. I am embarassed to admit that I still haven't read much of his other writing.

I also had no idea  that the chronicles were allegorical. Now when I read them, I can see a lot of the hidden meaning. I think it's kind of cool that Lewis was able to convey a lot of the themes of Christianity in a series of books that are such good reads.

When I was writing The Deliverers, I had a hard time trying to get across the theme of Eric struggling with his father's death and his feelings of guilt. It was only after I stopped trying so hard that the message was able to come through naturally. Go figure.

I also didn't know that C.S. Lewis anf J.R.R. Tolkien were good friends, and that they were part of a writing group called The Inklings. This group of Oxford professors would gather to listen to each other read whatever they were writing at the time, and offer critiques. Believe it or not, I had no idea who Tolkien was. I would a short time later!



Why I would recommend this book to others.

I would recommend this book because of it's simplicity. There aren't a lot of wasted words in this book. It's very simple and direct, just a good story without a lot of window dressing. This book allows you to paint the pictures in your mind. I love that. There's nothing like imagination for making a book come alive.

Also, who wouldn't like to go to another world, and become a king or queen? Lucy, Peter, Edmund, and Susan liberated an entire country, just by being who they are, and remembering who they are. What a great message!

Spring Has Sprung Giveaway

Here at The Deliverers Publishing Headquarters, the weather has been unseasonably warm. Even though the weather's been good, that doesn't mean that I'm not looking forward to the beginning of Spring this week. With that in mind, I thought it would be a good time for a little giveaway.

The Spring Has Sprung Giveaway

Those who enter will be eligible to win a prize pack that includes:

A signed copy of The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel
A $25 Amazon Gift Card

The giveaway will run from March 18 to March 31, so make sure you enter to be a part of it!

Here's what you need to do to enter to win:

1. Follow The Deliverers blog, and you'll get 2 points
2. Like The Deliverers Facebook Page, and you'll get 1 point
3. Follow The Deliverers on Twitter, and you'll get 1 point
4. Leave a comment below: What do you like best about spring?
5. Fill out the Rafflecopter entry below.

Best of luck to everyone!

If this is your first visit to The Deliverers, thanks for stopping by. Here's a rundown of our daily features:

Monday--The Monday Interview Series. This was inspired by the Deliverers Character Interviews where I interviewed characters from my book. This new series features interviews with famous characters from classic children's literature and fairy tales. No, there aren't any interviews with Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, because I can do without the copyright hassles, but they are entertaining and--I hope--fun.

Tuesday--Did You Know? This features trivia on the book or story in which the weekly interviewee appears. My wife says I'm a trivia magnet, all these useless facts stick in my head. This gives me a chance to dust some of them off and put them to good use.

Wednesday--What's Christian Reading? My ten year old son, Christian, is a fourth grader who lives to read. He reads anything and everything, some good, and some that are just glorified comic books. He discusses whatever he's reading in a particular week. He tells us a little of what it's about, and what he likes--and doesn't like--about it. He gives us a rating using his very own rating system--flaming monkey heads. .

Thursday--My Favorite Books. This is where I share my thoughts on some of my all time favorite books, and why I love them.

Friday--A Writer's Week. A weekly update on what I've done on the writing front over the course of the previous week. I try to give you an insight into what goes on in my (twisted) writer's brain. It also helps to keep me on track.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Favorite Books: The Lord of the Rings

Today I'm launching a new feature, My Favorite Books. This may wind up being a weekly post, but don't hold me to it. In the short time that I've been writing this blog, I've mentioned a bunch of books that I like. I'll be talking a little bit about what makes these books so special to me.

I'm kicking this off with my favorite book, The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien. This book has always had a special place in my heart. I read The Hobbit first when I was about 12 or so, and read LOTR immediately after. After that, I don't think any fantasy has ever measured up.

The thing I like most about the book is that it's about a group of ordinary people (okay, hobbits) that are called upon to put an end to evil and save the world. The tale is truly an epic tale of good vs. evil.

The book is so big, that you get lost in the story and the world of Middle Earth. My favorite character is probably Samwise Gamgee, the faithful friend of Frodo Baggins. I think I relate best to him. He's a common, everyday person. I admire his loyalty, and his down to earth common sense. In many ways, he's as responsible for the success of the quest as Frodo.

When I first read the book, it sparked my imagination, and I hoped that one day I'd be able to write a book as good as that. Now that I've written a book, part of that dream has been realized. I know my book isn't as good as LOTR, no book can be, but I'm proud of what i've accomplished.

Every time I read LOTR I'm transported back to the first time I read it. I love to travel back and visit the places it takes me. The great thing is, I always find something new that I hadn't noticed before. That's what makes a favorite book such a great thing.

What's your favorite book?