forgot to remember what i wanted to do

I honestly think that I read much more prolifically when I was a kid than I do now. At least, that's my excuse for having forgotten so many books. But not all forgotten books are forgotten in the same way. To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld: there are books I remember, books I remember I have forgotten and books I forget I have forgotten altogether. For example...

Witch Week- Dianna Wynne Jones
I knew part of the plot of this story, but I'd forgotten the book. It drove me crazy, the story as I remembered did not match with 'Witch Week' so I knew it couldn't be it. Until I read it one day. 
Turns out it was...

Indian Captive: The Mary Jemison Story- Lois Lenski 
I read this book back in year 5 or 6, but completely forgot its existence until the other day. Reading a website dedicated to finding forgotten books, I came across one that reminded me of the existence of this book, reading something like 'girl is kidnapped by Indians'. There are millions of books with this plotline, it turns out, but this is my one. It's based on a true story! A girl on the American frontier is kidnapped by Native Americans, at first bitterly resenting her captors but later choosing to stay with them as part of the tribe. Apparently the real Mary Jemison narrated her life story at age 80 (check out her story on Wikipedia, pretty interesting). Anyway *ahem* I had totally forgotten this book existed, so pleasant surprise to remember it again.
There are a number of books like 'Witch Week' still that I haven't found (if you think you can help, one of them is up here in hope of identification, although I am beginning to think I imagined it), but the ones that are really exciting are the ones you stumble across, having forgotten them, and are able to greet them like old friends.
Some books that I lost, and found again, and really count as childhood favourites include:
Patricia C. Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles
A princess wants to avoid getting married, so sets off to be 'captured' by a dragon and away from princely suitors. Adventures follow. Read these books in the library, loved them, returned then lost them and found them after much searching. I've borrowed and read them many times, but only the other week found that there's one I haven't read! Need to hunt it down...

Jenny Nimmo Snow Spider series
Kind of cheating- I can't remember if I forgot it? I own 'The Snow Spider' but kept forgetting the sequels. As I recall these books were amazing (I'm actually planning to reread them soon). Based on the Mabinogion + Welshness. I could probably right a whole post on childhood favourites incorporating various aspects of British mythology.
As for the rest... I forget. Hopefully they will turn up again some day.

Comments

  1. Trees10/9/10 10:58

    OMG! The Snow Spider trilogy... I had truly forgotten about that until I glanced over the title in your blog post. Now it all comes back to me... and the sequels too (Emlyn's moon and the Chestnut Soldier)...

    Wow, blast from the past! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Catie10/9/10 11:02

    Haha- awesome! That's what this blog post is all about :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Trees10/9/10 11:39

    Mum recently gave me back a few of my childhood books as she was running out of room. From Hop on Pop and various other Dr Seuss's books, to the whole Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon series... it's funny how it all comes back to you when you start to read just the first page...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Catie10/9/10 13:30

    They are so nostalgic, well loved children's books!
    Plus they sometimes make me clucky: I think "I have to own these books so my children can read them". It makes me want to have children just so they CAN read these brilliant books. But that passes quickly :)
    But now I can buy books for your child! Super exciting :)

    ReplyDelete

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