Tag Archives: food and fighting

A nonsensical tale for grown-ups: Once On a Time by A.A. Milne

Posted on August 22, 2018 by jenny

A little known story by A.A. Milne, Once On a Time is an absurd and whimsical fairy story. It starts when one king takes exception to another king taking a morning walk over his battlements during breakfast time while wearing … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century, Fantasy, General adult audience | Tagged 20th Century, adventure, British, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, good out loud, humour, seven league boots, whimsical | Leave a comment

Adventure for kids, humour for grown-ups: Dragon Boy by Dick King-Smith

Posted on May 22, 2018 by jenny

Dragon Boy by Dick King-Smith is another classic dragon story from my childhood by one of my favourite children’s authors (he also wrote The Sheep-pig aka Babe). Orphaned John is found crying in the forest by a dragon, Montague Bunsen-Burner. … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Children's, Fantasy | Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, action, adventure, animals, British, coming-of-age, courage, Dick King-Smith, drama, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, good out loud, humour, orphaned hero, parody, there be Dragons, wolves | Leave a comment

The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

Posted on November 28, 2017 by jenny

E.B. White is better known for Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little, but my favourite of his books is The Trumpet of the Swan. It tells the story of Louis, a trumpeter swan who can’t trumpet, which has grave implications for … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Children's Classics, Fantasy | Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, action, adventure, American, animal behaviour, animals, birds, boats, children's classic, disability, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, good out loud, honour, humour, impressively pompous character, literacy, mild romance, music, muteness, nature, overcoming adversity, summer camp, swans, trumpet, whimsical, zookeeping | Leave a comment

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

Posted on August 25, 2016 by jenny

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis is the 6th Chronicle of Narnia. As a child it was my least favourite Narnia book, despite containing a favourite character and a favourite scene. The drawbacks are that the main human characters spend … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Children's Classics, Fantasy | Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, action, adventure, animals, British, C.S. Lewis, children's classic, Christianity, classic, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, giants, good out loud, Narnia, The Inklings | Leave a comment

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Posted on June 25, 2016 by jenny

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis was my favourite Narnia book as a child – an exciting ocean journey discovering new lands in a quest to find seven missing lords of Narnia. It again features King Caspian … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Children's Classics, Fantasy | Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, action, adventure, animals, boats, British, C.S. Lewis, children's classic, Christianity, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, good out loud, grace, Narnia, The Inklings, there be Dragons | Leave a comment

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

Posted on February 20, 2016 by jenny

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis is the fourth book set in Narnia. Caspian, the true king of Narnia has been usurped by his uncle, Miraz. Caspian longs for the olden days of Narnia when animals spoke, fawns danced, and two … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Children's Classics, Fantasy | Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, action, adventure, animals, British, C.S. Lewis, children's classic, Christianity, classic, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, good out loud, humour, Narnia, The Inklings | Leave a comment

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Posted on August 25, 2015 by jenny

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster is the story of a bored boy named Milo who comes home to find a box. It contains a a tollbooth that allows him to drive his toy car into the Kingdom of Wisdom, … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Children's Classics, Fantasy | Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, action, American, animals, children's classic, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, humour, illustrated, parody, travel, whimsical, Wordplay | Leave a comment

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Posted on February 28, 2015 by jenny

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a book that my parents read to each other while I was in utero and which has been a regular feature of my life ever since. I have enjoyed it in primary … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Children's Classics, Fantasy | Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, action, allegory, animals, better than the movie, British, C.S. Lewis, children's classic, Christianity, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, good out loud, home front, humour, Narnia, The Inklings, wartime, WWII | Leave a comment

The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay

Posted on June 30, 2014 by jenny

The Magic Pudding is a delightful Australian Children’s Classic by Norman Lindsay about puddin’-owners, puddin’-thieves and, of course, a cantankerous puddin’ that answers to the name of Albert. It’s basically an excuse for food, fighting and nonsense poetry. Thanks to … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Australian, Children's Classic, Children's Classics, Comedy, Fantasy, Fiction, Novel | Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, animals, Australian, children's classic, fiction, food and fighting, good out loud, humour, nonsense poetry, rhyming | Leave a comment