(no subject)

[skygiants]

Today, I bring you: BOOKLOGGING FROM THE PAAAAST!

Okay, so when I was home most recently, I discovered a stack of index cards from elementary school with plot summaries of a bunch of books. I think this was from a project we did in fourth grade where we had a competition to see who could read the most books over a certain period of time, ending in some kind of prize; the dates of the books included seems to bear this out, since I think the most recent publication date of any book in the stack is 1995, when I was ten.

So: here's a list of books read in 1995 by ten-year-old Becca! Comment with a title, if you like, and I will provide a guaranteed accurate plot summary as generated by a fourth-grader. Except possibly for the ones written in crayon, because they're kind of illegible.


1. Talking to Dragons, Patricia C. Wrede
2. Tomorrow's Magic, Patricia F. Service
3. Only You Can Save Mankind, Terry Pratchett
4. The Adventurous Four, The Adventurous Four Again, and The Adventure of the Strange Ruby, Enid Blyton
5. Half Magic, Edward Eager
6. Archer's Goon, Diana Wynne Jones
7. Here Abide Monsters, Andre Norton
8. Zia, Scott O'Dell
9. The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Spear
10. Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell
11. Five Little Peppers And How They Grew, Margaret Sidney
12. Five Little Peppers Abroad, Margaret Sidney
13. A Haunting in Williamsburg, Lou Kassem
14. Seven-Day Magic, Edward Eager
15. Many Waters, Madeleine L'Engle
16. Follow My Leader, James B. Garfield
17. A Ring of Endless Light, Madeleine L'Engle
18. Five Little Peppers Midway, Margaret Sidney
19. The Hero and the Crown, Robin McKinley
20. Troubling a Star, Madeleine L'Engle
21. The Blue Sword, Robin McKinley
22. The Moon By Night, Madeleine L'Engle
23. Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself, Judy Blume
24. The Arm of the Starfish, Madeleine L'Engle
25. The Fairy Rebel, Lynn Reid Banks
26. Mystery of One Wish Pond, D. Regan
27. Around the World in Eighty Days, Jules Verne
28. All the Weyrs of Pern, Anne McCaffrey
29. Mystery at Kickingbird Lake, D. Regan
30. The Enchanted Castle, E. Nesbit
31. The House of Arden, E. Nesbit
32. Martin the Warrior, Brian Jacques
33. Five Children and It, E. Nesbit
34. Mariel of Redwall, Brian Jacques
35. Mossflower, Brian Jacques
36. Redwall, Brian Jacques
37. The Carpet People, Terry Pratchett
38. Small Gods, Terry Pratchett
39. Magic to Burn, Jean Fritz
40. The Golden Road, L.M. Montgomery
41. Wren to the Rescue, Sherwood Smith
42. Wren's Quest, Sherwood Smith
43. Wise Child, Monica Furlong
44. Juniper, Monica Furlong
45. Heart of Valor, L.J. Smith
46. The Chronicle of Pern - First Fall, Anne McCaffrey
47. Wren's War, Sherwood Smith
48. The Adventures of King Midas, Lynne Reid Banks
49. Dragonsdawn, Anne McCafrey
50. An Appropriate Time, Madeleine L'Engle
51. Over Sea, Under Stone, Susan Cooper
52. The Dark is Rising, Susan Cooper
53. Ghosts I Have Been, Richareck
54. The Giver, Lois Lowry
55. Anne of the Island, L.M. Montgomery
56. Greenwitch, Susan Cooper
57. The Grey King, Susan Cooper
58. Magic for Marigold, L.M. Montgomery
59. Silver on the Tree, Susan Cooper
60. Anne of Windy Poplars, L.M. Montgomery
61. Anne's House of Dreams, L.M. Montgomery
62. Titus Groan, Mervn Peake
63. Anne of Ingleside, L.M. Montgomery
64. Rilla of Ingleside, L.M. Montgomery
65. Blossom Culp and the Sleep of Death, Richard Peck
66. The Dreadful Future of Blossom Culp, Richard Peck
67. The Ghost Belonged To Me, Richard Peck
68. Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery
69. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
70. The Doll Hospital, James Duffy
71. The Homeward Bounders, Diana Wynne Jones
72. Outcast of Redwall, Brian Jacques
73. Wait Till Helen Comes, Mary Downing Hahn
74. The Island of Adventure, The Castle of Adventure, The Valley of Adventure, Enid Blyton
75. Mandy, Julie Edwards
76. Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
77. The Flying Classroom, Erich Kastner
78. Libby on Wednesday, Zilpha Keatley Snyder
79. Winter of Magic's Return, Patricia F. Service
80. Night of the Solstice, L.J. Smith
81. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle
82. The Harper Hall of Pern, Anne McCaffrey
83. A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Madeleine L'Engle
84. Wind in the Door, Madeleine L'Engle
85. Deep Wizardry, Diane Duane
86. So You Want To Be a Wizard, Diane Duane
87. Dealing With Dragons, Patricia C. Wrede
88. High Wizardry, Diane Duane
89. Calling On Dragons, Patricia C. Wrede
90. Searching For Dragons, Patricia C. Wrede
91. A Tale of Time City, Diana Wynne Jones
92. Castle in the Air, Diana Wynne Jones
93. Charmed Life, Diana Wynne Jones
94. The Mennyms in the Wilderness, Sylvia Waugh
95. Cart and Cwidder, Diana Wynne Jones
96. Drowned Ammet, Diana Wynne Jones
97. The Lives of Christopher Chant, Diana Wynne Jones
98. The Magicians of Caprona, Diana Wynne Jones
99. Dragons in the Waters, Madeleine L'Engle
100. Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Mary Norton
101. The Firelings, Carol Kendall
102. Anne of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery
103. Rainbow Valley, L.M. Montgomery
104. The Gammage Cup, Carol Kendall
105. Dragon's Milk, Susan Fletcher
106. The Ramsay Scallop, Frances Temple
107. The Mennyms, Sylvia Waugh
108. Cheaper By the Dozen, Frank and Ernestine Gilbreth

Notes:
a.) the cards are not, sadly, in original archival order
b.) wait, I did read Rilla of Ingleside? Because I have NO MEMORY of that book
c.) WHO LET ME READ MERVYN PEAKE WHEN I WAS TEN NO WONDER THE NAME 'GORMENGHAST' SUMMONS UP PSYCHOLOGICAL HORRORS FOR ME

Comments

[nextian]

Omg, DRAGONSDAWN.

[skygiants]

Summarry: the colonists from Earth spend a happy eight years on Pern, bonding with the small dragonish fire-lizards and establish territory. After those eight years everything changes. Deadly spores that destroy everything in their path are falling from the Red Star, a stray planet in Pern's system. Then they come up with the idea of breeding huge fire-lizards to char the spores in the sky, and it works!

Apparently irrelevant to ten-year-old Becca: that whole INCREDIBLY DISTURBING subplot about the lady who marries a dude who is clearly gay or asexual, complains because he won't put out, and then gets kidnapped into outer space and has her feet sliced off while he weeps about how he never appreciated her. BUT ADULT BECCA REMEMBERS. THE NORTH REMEMBERS.

[kate_nepveu]

_Rilla_ is the one with WWI! It has a 100% success rate at reducing me to tears.

Wow, this is difficult. Okay: _Hero and the Crown_.

[skygiants]

So the index cards inform me! I have no idea why it has apparently vanished in its entirety from my brain. I remember all the others!

Summary: Aerin's mother was called a witchwoman whom enspelled the king into marrying her; it is said she turned her face to the wall and died of despair when she bore a daughter. Because of this, Aerin is despised by all except her cousin Tor and her father, King Arlbreth. But then she befriends the King's old warhorse, Talat. She kills Maur, the dreaded Black Dragon. Then she goes to Luthe, the Mage, and kills her evil uncle. She returns home victorious with the symbol of Damar, the lost Hero's Crown. She then marries Tor and becomes Queen.

For the record, the last sentence is nearly illegible and appears in incredibly tiny text, partly because I was running out of room, but also I think because I did not really care about Tor. But apparently more than I cared about Luthe!

[musesfool]

The Arm of the Starfish!

[skygiants]

Summary: Adam Eddington is going to work with Dr. O'Keefe, a world-famous scientist who works with limb regeneration. On the way to Geae, where Dr. O'Keefe lives, he meets beautiful Carolyn. Carolyn's father says Dr. O'Keefe is evil. When Adam meets Dr. O'Keefe, he knows it's not true. Dr. O'Keefe has valuable papers that cannot fall in the wrong hands. Adam makes the mistake of trusting Carolyun, who almost steals the papers. She doesn't get them, but someone is killed in the saving of them.

I think I maybe was trying to avoid spoilers? Either that, or being needlessly dramatic. Poor Poly is also apparently Miss Not Appearing In This Summary.

[hebethen]

Haha, what did bb!Becca (bbcca?) make of Small Gods?

[skygiants]

This is one of the ones written in crayon! But to the best of my abilities to make it out:

Summary: Brutha is a simple novice. Then one day the Great God Om spoke to him. It had lost it's power and needed Brutha to help it. In the end, there is an uprising and Brutha becomes the Great Prophet.

INCISIVE ANALYSIS, tiny Becca.

[opusculasedfera]

Wren's Quest!

(10 year old me is delighted by this list and how well it matches to many of her favourites.)

[skygiants]

Wren is taking her basics test in magic when someone knocks the teacher unsconsious. Aided by Prince Conner, who has been also having problems, she sets out on a quest to find her relatives, for she's an orphan. In the meantime, Tyron the journey-mage has been turned into a dog of his own free will to help guard Princess Teressa gets captured! It's no mistake that all the people who helped rescue Teressa before are having problems, and in the end they defeat the magician and Wren finds her relatives.

NO MISTAKE, INDEED.

(Hee! My roommate just looked at this list and said, "Becca, you are SO PREDICTABLE.")

[hafl]

I would say all the L.M.Montgomery books, but if I have to choose one, then Anne of Ingleside.

[skygiants]

Summary: Anne Shirley is married to Gilbert BLythe and lives in a house called Ingleside. She has 7 children. Jem, Walter, Nan & Di, Shirley and Rilla are their names. They get into every scrape imaginable. Jem waits up all night for his parents. Walter is scared Anne will die. Nan makes bargains with God. Di continually makes friends with no-good liars. Shirley doesn't do anything, and Rilla refuses to carry a cake. Even Anne makes a mistake when she thinks Gilbert doesn't love her anymore. Altogether, though, they're a happy, lovable family.

. . . apparently my past self did not know how to count to six.

[surexit]

NUMBER THIRTY-SEVEN.

I UNIRONICALLY LOVE THAT BOOK.

[skygiants]

BECAUSE IT'S GREAT

The Munrungs are a tribe of people who live in the Carpet. When Fraykes a carpet hair fall and smash their village, they set out for Ware, the chief city of the Damii kingdom. Along the way they are often beset by Mouls and the Snargs they ride, and make many friends. They meet some wights, beings who can see in the future, and gain the help of Coraina, a very special wight who can see all possibilities. Eventually they win over the mouls and get a friend made emporer after which they all live happily ever after.

[shark_hat]

Any of the Enid Blytons. Or the Susan Coopers.

[skygiants]

OK, you get the Island Of/Castle Of/Valley Of Adventure!

Sumarry: In the first book, Philip and Dinah, who live with their aunt and uncle, make friends with Jack and Lucy-Ann. They uncover a bunch of forgers. In the second book all four go to visit an old castle and get captured by a network of spys. In the third book the children get on the wrong plane and are trapped in a valley of treasure. In all of the books, their friend Bill Smugs, a government detective, saves the day.

Bill Smugs? BILL SMUGS? Also, what a cop-out! Everyone knows kids are supposed to save the day in books titled "Of Adventure." I am indignant on ten-year-old Becca's behalf.

[brownbetty]

I am curious about "Five Little Peppers and How They Grew", because I'm pretty sure I read that in about fourth grade too, and my memories of it are fuzzy.

[skygiants]

I've actually been thinking about rereading this one!

Summary: Ben, Polly, Joel, Davie and Phronsie Pepper are five children. Their father is dead and they have no money. They suffer many misfortunes, such as the measles and the old black stove, but they also have many good times. Then they meet a new friend called Jasper King; he and his grandfather invite them all to live at his huge mansion with them and their cousins, the Whitneys, and they live happily ever after.

So basically it's a book in the classic genre of Suffering But Worthy Poor Luck Out, MANSIONS FOR EVERYONE!

[agonistes]

I want two!!! (Or three really but I will stick with two!!) GREENWITCH AND WAIT TILL HELEN COMES

[skygiants]

I WAS WAITING FOR SHATI TO COME DEMAND WAIT TILL HELEN COMES but I suppose since you got in first I will oblige you :D

Summary: Simon, Jane and Barney are spending another summer with their Great-Uncle Merry. Merry is one of the Old Ones of the Light, forever struggling against the Dark. Last time they found a grail which was one of the great treasures of Light. Now it's been stolen, and they must find it. At first they don't think much of Will, another boy brought to help, but they learn he is one of the Old Ones too. They find the grail and it's key in the end, aided by elusive Greenwitch.

VERY PORTENTOUS, TINY SELF.

Molly's mother has remarried a man who's wife died in a car accident. He has a very strange daughter called Heather, who hates them all. Heather meets the ghost of a girl called Helen, who's family died a fire. Helen is said to lure children into the pond to drown, so Molly is scared. It turns out that Helen is lonely, and when they find the bones of her parents she goes to rest in peace.

Tiny Becca was scared of ghosts, but apparently she was also scared of the difference between whose and who's.

[vivien]

A Wrinkle in Time!

(Was A Swiftly Tilting Planet also on the list?)

[skygiants]

It was! Looks like I read a lot of L'Engle that year.

One night outcast Meg and her very precosios 5-year-old brother Charles take a walk. They meet Calvin O'Keefe and the three of them find out about Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, three supernatural beings who whisk the three of them on a quest to rescue Meg and Charles Wallace's father from a planet under the Dark Shadow, where everything is controlled by IT, a giant brain. Charles Wallace falls under IT's spell, but they rescue him and their father.

Alas, past self, not precocious enough to spell 'precocious.'

Summary: Charles Wallace Murry's father receive's a phone call from the president that Mad Dog Branzillo, King of Vespugia, is about to start a nuclear war, which would destroy the earth. Charles Wallace goes back in time, accompanied in thought by his sister Meg, who is married to Calvin O'Keefe. He goes inside the bodies of many people, directing them to the right course to take. In the end, he fixes it so Mad Dog never was, instead peace-loving Madog Branzillo.

Wow, I had forgotten how creepy the plot of A Swiftly Turning Planet actually was.

[vass]

I would like to hear ten year old you's review of Titus Groan, please. For the lolz.

By the way, ten year old you had REALLY GOOD TASTE.

You should totally reread Rilla of Ingleside. It's my favourite Anne book, and not just because there's much less Anne.

[skygiants]

Summary: A new baby Titus, has just been born at Gormenghast Castle. It is a male and therefor a legitimate heir, unlike his 14-year-old sister Fuchsia. This starts a long chain of events. It makes a hatred between Swelter, the chef, and Flay, Lord Sepulchrave's first servant. It bewilders many, such as Fuchsia and old Nannie Slagg. And it brings Steerpike, former kitchen boy, to power, causing the death of Sourdust, the Master of Ceremonies, Swelter, and Lord Sepulchrave himself. The plot doesn't wind up because it's a trilogy.

And, since tiny Becca apparently felt VERY STRONGLY that Titus Groan could not stand on its own, here is Gormenghast!

Summary: This is a continuation of Titus Groan. Titus is 7, and resents his position as Lord of Gormenghast. When he runs away, he finds Flay, his dead father's servant, who was outlawed by Lady Groan. In the meantime, the evil Steerpike has killed off Clarice and Cora Groan and also Barquentine, Master of Ritual. As Titus grows up he also kills Flay. Titus' sister Fuchsia suicides. Titus manages to kill Steerpike, and decides to leave the castle. This is continued in Titus Alone.

But at that point I guess I had had enough of NIGHTMARES and never read Titus Alone.

I should reread Rilla of Ingleside! I should also reread some of the other lesser-known Montgomeries that I really loved -- I'd forgotten almost totally about the Story Girl, for example.

[genarti]

Mossflower! (I didn't read that till I was 11 or 12, but I made up for it by rereading it approximately a billion times.)

[skygiants]

This is another one written in large crayon letters, and thus cut tragically short by default:

Summary: The woodlanders are being terrorized by Tsarmina the wildcat. Then Martin the Warrior comes along, and defeats Tsarmina and her horde.

I mean, okay, yes, fine, but . . .

(Hilariously, this was one of the books that my parents bought for me as a bribe for learning how to ride a bike. I got one Redwall book for every half hour I spent repeatedly falling off!)

[gogollescent]

omg, it's hard to pick just one. Deep Wizardry?

[skygiants]

Summary: Young wizards Nita and Kit are nudged by a dolphin one night at the beach. They find a wounded whale-wizard, whom they heal. They agree to take part in an ancient sea mammal celebration ritual, but unknowingly Nita volonteers for a part that gets eaten by a shark. It's hard enough just getting out in time and coming home. Eventually Nita and Kit tell Nita's parents and Nita's little sister. Nita gathers the courage to do the ritual, but is saved by Ed, the shark who was supposed to eat her.

I guess I decided it was not a celebration when I remembered about the getting-eaten-by-a-shark part.

Other fun facts: although it is not apparent from this summary, Tiny Becca totally shipped Ed/Nita. LOOK, I . . . have no excuse, actually.

[evewithanapple]

I feel like if you'd read Rilla of Ingleside you would remember it because of that book's ENDLESS SOUL-CRUSHING SADNESS.

[skygiants]

That's what I thought too! But maybe I blocked the soul-crushing sadness from my mind?

The index card informs me:

Summary: Rilla Blythe is just an ordinary girl, rather pretty and flighty. Then the war comes, and everything changes. Her brother Jem and her playmate, Jerry Meredith, have both gone to war. Rilla is secretly iove with Kenneth Ford. When he goes away, he realizes he loves her, too. Her favorite brother, Walter, goes away too, and he gets killed in battle. Even Shirley, her next in age, goes to be a fighter pilot. Even her sisters, Nan and Di, are away at college. But eventually, the war is over and the boys come home.

I swear to God, I remember none of this! The last concrete Anne book memory I have is of everybody frolicking in Rainbow Valley. MAYBE IT'S BETTER THAT WAY.

[dimestore_romeo]

OMG, the Mennyms! Some of the weirdest kids books ever.

[skygiants]

Are they not just? I remember getting really freaked out by them as a kid, actually.

Small Becca says,

Summary: THe Mennyms are a family of life-sized rag dolls. There are Magnus and Tulip, grandma and grandpa; the mother and father Joshua and Vinetta; 16-year-old Soobie, 14-year-old Appleby, the 10-year-old twins Poopie and Wimpey and baby Googles. When they get a letter from the owner, who wants to come visit them, they are in despair. They don't want anyone to learn their secret. They make preparations, but in the end they learn that it is only a trick of Appleby's. Finally Pilbeam, an unfinished Mennym whom Vinetta finished, joins the family, and Miss Quigley comes in as nurse to Googles.

Also: WHY POOPIE AND WIMPEY? Why would you do that? WHY.

WISE CHILD & JUNIPER!

[aurimae]

:D

Re: WISE CHILD & JUNIPER!

[skygiants]

Summary: Wise Child's mother left her when she was young and her father is on a long voyage, so when her grandfather dies she has nowhere to go. Juniper, her village magic woman, takes her in. Juniper teaches Wise Child many things, and tells her about dorans. Wilse Child's mother, Maeve, comes to claim her. She is a black witch and she stays with Juniper. The villagers lead an assault against them, but they escape with her dad.

Summary: Juniper is a Cornish princess who finds she has special powers. When she's around 10 she goes to live with her godmother, Euny, for a year. Euny is a doran, a magical person who lives at one with nature, and trains Juniper to be one. She returns home, to find her Aunt Meroot is cursing the kingdom. Meroot is an evil doran and Juniper has to save her cousin and best friend from her. She does.

I am glad that my past self wants to make it very clear that everything turns out okay. IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING.

[sandrylene]

I want to request one of the Patricia Wrede ones. (Any you want to pick is fine.) :D

[skygiants]

Summary: Morwen the witch finds Killer, a six-foot-tall rabbit who has various changes throughout the story. Then King Mendanbar of the Enchanted Forest, and his Queen, Cimorene, Morwen, Telemain the Magician, Killer, Kazul, King of the Dragons, go on a quest to find it. On the way they meet Branwel the fire-witch, who finds that Antorell the wizard and Arona Michaeler Grinogian Vomist, a traditionalist, have the sword. When they get back, the find that Mendenbar is trapped by the wizards but when Cimorene's baby grows up it will free his father with the sword.

My favorite thing about this summary is how it never explains what they have all actually gone questing FOR.

[rachelmanija]

How can no one want to read a summary of Archer's Goon but me?!

[skygiants]

Summary: The Sykes are just an ordinary family. Quentin is an author, Catriona a music teacher and they have two kids, 13-year-old Howard and 8-year-old Awful. One day the Goon turns up, and everything changes. He says he is sent by Archer. Archer is a wizard, and as they meet him and his younger brothers and sisters they find that they think Quentin's writing is holding them back and all want a sample. He refuses, but then they find that Howard is one of them. They family realizes it's only the oldest three that are bad and they send them off in a space ship.

It's so simple! Why did I never think to try to explain the plot to people this way before?

[twtd]

I really want your summary of The Ghost Belonged To Me because I know I read it but I have absolutely no memory of any of it. I'm pretty sure I had already forgotten it before I had finished reading it.

[skygiants]

I actually reread this fairly recently, so you can have Adult Becca's summary as well as Past Becca's!

Summary: Alexander Armsworth lives in Bluff City. His next-door neighbor is Blossom Culp, who tells him he is able to see ghosts, and that there is a ghost in his barn. At first Alexander refuses to believe, but then he saw the ghost of Inez Dumaine. She met death by water and is buried near the barn. She wants to be with her family, so when the learn her story and find her bones they take her to her hometown where she can rest in peace.

[kd7sov]

Oh, man, Many Waters. The only L'Engle I own, as it happens.

And can I get Dragon's Milk, too?

[skygiants]

Somebody actually already asked for Many Waters on LJ, but I'll c/p it:

Sandy and Dennys, the Murry twins, have always been the normal ones in the family. Meg is a math wiz, Charles Wallace is a genius and their parents have both won Nobel Prizes. One day they mess with an experiment-in-progress and get transported back to pre-flood days. There they meet Noah and his sons, especially Japheth, and also Noah's daughter, the lovely Yalith. They also learn about the tempting, greedy Nephilim and the beautiful, wonderful Seraphim. They help Noah with his Ark and finally find a way home.

And here is Dragon's Milk!

Kaeldra is different. Everyone knows it. When her foster-sister Lyf gets ill, the only cure is dragon's milk. Gram, Lyf's grandmother, tells her she is a dragon-sayer, one of those magical people who can communicate with dragons. She cures Lyf by milking a dragon. In return for the milk, she babysits the 3 baby dragons. Hungers are after them and, when their mother dies she runs away with them. At the end, she calls upon the dragons in a time of need. They save her life.

Oh, one of THOSE magical people.

[swamp_adder]

I love how much your ten-year-old self's taste in reading resembled by own.

Island of the Blue Dolphins, plz?

[skygiants]

Oh man, not only did I read Island of the Blue Dolphins in fourth grade, but I also remember that we had to make a PICTURE BOOK VERSION. It was my job to draw the little brother. Who died. That was a fun experience.

Karana is a young Native American girl who lives on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Her people are quiet and peaceful and in great fear of the Aleuts that come a few times to hunt otter. They are very releived when a ship turns up to take them to the mainland. (California.) But Karana's brother does not get off in time and she dives back to save him. The ship leaves them behind. Her brother dies. She acquires some pets, the chief one being Rontu, a dog she injured with an arrow and brought home. Finally, after 18 years, the ship returns.

[bookblather]

Ghosts I Have Been is actually by Richard Peck, not... the typo thingy you have written, and OMG DO WANT.

Also, Tiny!Becca had impeccable taste in books.

eta: oops it occured to me this is actually really insulting sounding and that is not what I meant at all, I meant LJ accidentally some of your letters, I am SO SORRY if you were insulted or sad. :(

[skygiants]

Ha, no worries! I type faster than my keyboard can keep up with me a lot of the time. >.> THANK YOU FOR THE CATCH.

Summary: Blossom Culp didn't think she had inherited any of her mother's psychic talent, until one day she foretells that a little boy has been run over by a car. She starts doing and seeing extraordinary things. She finds the perfect partner in Alexander Armsworth, who also can see the Unseen. Eventually she relives the sinking of the Titanic, and goes to England to soothe the ghost of a boy who's parents left him to drown. She returns home happy.

TINY ALEXANDER/BLOSSOM SHIPPER, I SEE YOU.

[next_to_normal]

OMG A RING OF ENDLESS LIGHT. That was my very favoritest book for a while. (Tiny Laura had a bit of a dolphin ~obsession.)

[skygiants]

Little bit of a marine mammals theme here overall! Island of the Blue Dolphins, Deep Wizardry . . . I think it is safe to say that Tiny Becca ALSO really liked whales.

Summary: Vicky is on an island with her family visiting her grandfather, who is dying of cancer. Three boys are vying for her attention. Leo she likes as a friend, but not a boy-friend. Zachary is rich but troubled, and utterly selfish but very loving. Adam is the one she really likes. Adam introduces her to Basil, Norfreda and Njord, the wild dolphins. It is Adam who helps her find her telepathic talent. But Adam doesn't feel the same way. In the end, she and Adam do get close, and pull her out of the darkness.

Oh man, the emo poetry at the end of A Ring of Endless Light though! It had a HUGE IMPACT on me at that age.

[betony]

Tomorrow's Magic (that's the one with post-apocalyptic Arthuriana, isn't it? And wee! Merlin running around?), please! Or maybe The Gammage Cup, which I think I read around the same age but hardly remember....

[skygiants]

That is in fact the post-apocalyptic Arthuriana!

Sumarry: In the sequel to Winter of Magic's Return, Earl Wilbur, alias teenage Merlin, goes on a quest for a lost magical artifact. His very good friend, Heather, finds she has a gift for magic and does not know whether to use it or ignore it. Evil Morgan La Fay is still abroad, and in an attempt to kill them and their friend Welly, she sends them back in time to twentieth-century London where a bomb is about to fall. In the end, King Arthur's troop defeat Morgan once and for all in the final battle.

I'm pretty sure Heather and Merlin were more than just "very good friends," but sure, tiny self, we'll keep it PG.

Summary: Mingy, Muggles, Gummy, Curly Green and Walter the Earl are all outcasts. Their Minnipin village is ruled by the Periods, desndants of the only Minnipin who ever left their cozy valley. One day they are outlawed, and move out of the village to a little house on the Knoll. There they discover that the Mushrooms, ancient enemies of the Minnipins, have returned. They rouse the village to beat the Mirrieios [?] and in the end they get the greatest treasure.

My dad was actually college BFF with the daughter of the woman who wrote The Gammage Cup, so I had a special fondness for her books -- I felt a ~personal connection~. Also they were generally a lot of fun.