A Bear Called Paddington

Bond, Michael. A Bear Called Paddington. 1958.

Plot: At Paddington Station, Mr. and Mrs. Brown discover a small bear. While the bear describes his travels, Mrs. Brown finds a note requesting for assistance tied to his back. The Browns decide to adopt the brown bear cub, much to the delight of their children. The bear, named for the station where he was discovered, quickly creates new adventures when he fails to understand basic household items. The incidents continue through the subway stations, stores, shopping windows, beaches, and birthday parties. Paddington manages to earn some friends through his polite demeanor, kindly attitude, and bearish charm.

Genre: Animals, Everyday, Fiction

Reading Level: Winnie the Pooh, Roverandom, My Father's Dragon

Personal Thoughts: The book launched a fandom. Paddington's adventures eventually lead to a cultural phenomenon, creating toys, shows, books, commercials, and upcoming movies. The charm is understandable and relatable since the bear's adventures play on common everyday events, such as shopping or visiting the beach, with the not-so-everyday inclusion of a floppy-hatted, marmalade-loving bear.

Pippi Longstocking

Lindgren, Astrid. Pippi Longstocking. 1945.

Plot: Pippi Longstocking, a nine-year-old living without parents but with a monkey, decides to use the gold she gained through her travels to buy a horse and a house in a small Swedish village. She quickly becomes close friends with her two clean, well-mannered neighbors. Her exploits continue to gain the favor of her two friends, even if they alienate her from some other members of the village. Street-wise, tough, and determined, the raggedy girl conquers the police, school, orphanage, and thieves by overwhelming them with her common sense, deliberate justice, abnormal strength, and striking personality. Yet, she also helps the town through her fearlessness, and saves two boys from a fire and providing an even greater show than the circus. Pippi Longstocking arrives, and nothing will ever be the same.

Genre: Fiction, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Similar Titles: Ramona the Pest, Harriet the Spy

Personal Thoughts: The book offers the story of the ultimate vicarous character. Pippi enjoys riches, animals, strength, understanding, and freedom without work, school, or obligations, but she remains friendly, kindly, and just. While she runs in danger of becoming a "Mary Sue" (an unrealistic character with no faults), her flaws in social events and the stunned responses balance the character nicely. She remains cheerful, indomitable, and appealing.

At least five additional books and a number of films feature the protagonist.

As a side note, some of the more modern translations avoid potentially stereotypical terms, such as substituting "cannibal" for "native." Also, most modern covers do not picture the heroine with a gun in her hand, as my copy did.

Ramona the Pest

Clearly, Beverly. Ramona the Pest. 1968.

Plot: Six-year-old Ramona is finally old enough to go to Kindergarten. Despite her eagerness to go, she finds herself in more situations than she expects. Her teacher, Miss Binny, seems nice and smart. David, a classmate, also seems intriguing. However, a curly-haired nemesis and sulky male friend also stalk the classroom. Ramona struggles against strange substitutes, old boots, rainy days, and writing her name. She also navigates the general chaos usually instigated by her own choices. Her desire for attention eventually leads to her dismissal from class. Ramona must learn to face her own frustrations to return to the teacher she adores.

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Growing Up, School

Reading Level: Grades 2-6

Similar Titles: Junie B. Jones, Clementine, Emma Dilemma series

Personal Thoughts: Despite the book's age, it still contains the same appeal as current titles, particularly the Emma Dilemma and Judy Moody series. The story generally avoids transitional subjects, such as fashion, politics, and entertainment. Instead, it focuses on unchanging topics, such as student-teacher relations and family interactions. Ramona is a slightly larger-than-life character in a fairly normal society, so her adventures seem completely feasible and even understandable. Most students balance between wanting approval from their teacher and wishing to misbehave when confronted by a bully. Many younger siblings are repelled and enchanted by their elders. Everyone wishes they could have something slightly better than they can afford. Ramona's struggles are the same as everyone's, even if her reactions break convention. She uses her audience's sympathy to relate to and encourage readers, gaining establishment in even modern libraries.

Old Books - Same Song, Different Chorus

We will continue our search for the classics verses the old next week.

Cheezburger time?

Ozma of Oz

Baum, L. Frank. Ozma of Oz. 1904.

Plot: Unexpectedly blown overboard with a yellow hen named Billina, Dorothy finds herself in a fairy country. She describes her past experiences in Oz to the hen, but the chicken only believes her story after the arrival of Ozma, Princess and Ruler of Oz. The princess, accompanied her army, tin man, scarecrow, sawhorse, cowardly lion, and hungry tiger, left Oz to free the rightful ruler of Ev, the land Dorothy landed on. The royal family, sold to the King of Nomes by a act of treachery, are long allies of Oz. Dorothy and Billina, as well as their new companion, Tik-Tok the mechanical man, join the princess in her travels through dangerous lands. The Nome King seems willing to return the family of Ev, but only if the people of Oz willingly play his game. He cheats. Yet, his pride may yet lead to his fall, if the yellow hen has any say in the matter.

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Similar Titles: Harry Potter series, Unicorn Chronicles, The Marvelous Land of Oz

Personal Thoughts: The series served as the Harry Potter of its time and it seems to have aged well. The characters remain lively, understandable, and appealing. Some "modern" aspects actually gained a quaint feel since their 1904 description, so the story seeps into the ambiguous time of "long ago" without distracting from the tale.  Additionally, the plot plays on common fairy-tale themes without becoming overly predictable. However, later titles, particularly the last two in the 14-book series, tend to lean toward the dark and macabre, so warn sensitive readers.

Mary Poppins

Travers, P.L. Mary Poppins. 1936.

Plot: Jane, Michael, Barbara, and John Banks need a new nanny after Katie Nana abruptly leaves without explanation. Equally unexpectedly, a new nanny quite literally blows into the household. Her presence creates a stir with the children, and, despite her odd appearance and demeanor, she quickly receives their favor. Her free day is spent within the chalk drawing of her friend, Bert, but her days with the children begin to fill with unexpected adventure. They travel across the world in a matter of minutes with a magical compass, meet a star, enjoy a birthday at the zoo, and have a tea party on the ceiling. However, over all their adventures looms a threat. Their new nanny will only stay until the wind changes.

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level: Grades 4-7

Similar Titles: Secret of Platform 13, Enchanted Glass, Nurse Matilda

Personal Thoughts: The book is surprisingly popular. While the adventures are exciting, many of the more famous ones, such as the ceiling tea party, seem less intriguing than the zoo story. However, none of the adventures really cover the novel's major flaw.

None of the characters are likable. The parents serve a virtually non-existent roll. The children act as blank caricatures, with no real personality, growth, or development. Mary Poppins herself enjoys unexplained popularity with her charges and employers. She is shown as vain, aloof, and mean. Yet, the children are shattered when she leaves for reasons they never bother to explain. At the time of the novel, adventure could compensate for poor characters. However, in a world with Harry Potter, Coraline Jones, Baudelaire children, and Katniss Everdee, novels need to provide larger-than-life protagonists to match the tales.

Some side notes:

- The original novel had racist aspects during the compass adventure. Fortunately, Travers was able and willing to change the novel and eliminate the racism.
- Seven additional titles followed the first novel.
- Most people experience Mary Poppins through the Disney musical. The movie portrays the nanny as a much nicer, prettier, and appealing person, apparently to Travers' chagrin.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle

Lofting, Hugh. The Story of Doctor Dolittle. 1920.

Plot: Dr. Dolittle, despite his considerable skill as a physician, drives his human clients away with his eccentrics. Eventually driven to poverty, Polynesia, his pet parrot, recommends he study animal languages and become an animal doctor. Under the parrot's tutelage, he becomes a renowned veterinarian. However, the animals of Puddleby are not the only one who needs him. Monkeys in Africa are ill, and they (with the help of some migrating birds) ask the doctor to heal them. To help the monkeys and return home, Dr. Dolittle must voyage to Africa, avoid a vengeful king, escape pirates, and return a young boy to his uncle. Yet, the doctor's skills in linguistics provide a powerful tool throughout his adventures.

Genre: Fantasy, Animals

Reading Level: Grades 4-7

Similar Titles: Good Morning Gorillas, Lionboy

Personal Thoughts: While the book offers a whimsical story with solid details and fun subplots, it will never be accepted as an ideal book in the present age. The novel was written during the European colonization of Africa, and, unfortunately, the results of the setting show unpleasantly. Severe racist elements, particularly in regards to the African prince, seep into the novel. Even the revised version I read failed to erase the blatantly wrong point of view offered by the novel. Realistically, the title will not appeal to a modern audience. 

By contrast, some revisions of the novel's eleven sequels manage to eliminate the derogatory elements in the original much more effectively. Additionally, the titles inspired multiple films and musicals, with varying degrees of success.