the book challenge

Sheila requested I participate in this wee survey and I will happily oblige...

1. Total Number of Books I've Owned:
Dude, this is like asking me how many breaths I've taken in my lifetime. Too many to count. I was an avid customer of the Troll and Scholastic Book Clubs. Those alone send my number into the hundreds.

2. Last Book I Bought:
Um... I think it was a Barbie book for my niece in Times Square but for me, it was The Plot Against America by Philip Roth and Dry by Augusten Burroughs.

3. Last Book I Read:
Naked by David Sedaris

4. Five Books That Mean A Lot To Me:

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
This was my sister's book but I think I read it more than she did. Even at a young age, I was impressed with the gold seal on the book. I had no idea what a Caldecott Medal even was but to me, it looked fancy and that signified quality and lo and behold, I read the book repeatedly and adored it each and every time.

Corduroy by Don Freeman and The Elves and The Shoemaker by Jacob Grimm (tie)
Corduroy: I loved that wee bear. I remember loving the warm yet vibrant colors in the book. I thought he was so lucky to be trapped in a department store. I don't remember why exactly but my favorite part was when he rode the escalator. I think I liked seeing stuffed animals and dolls doing human things or something. I don't remember all of the details but whenever I think of this story, a feeling of warmth and comfort comes over me.

The Elves and The Shoemaker: I loved this book probably for the same reason I love before-and-after decorating shows today. I like to see progress being made and hard work rewarded. It's gratifying. In this story, the shoemaker and his wife were totally poor and hurting for business. The elves came in late one night when the shoemaker was asleep and made shoes, you know, just because. They did it secretly and didn't want credit for it. The shoemaker woke up the next day to find tons of pairs of beautiful shoes, which the public then went nuts over and soon the shoemaker and his wife were rolling in it. And then they figured out that the elves were the ones responsible so they made them some nice clothes to replace their existing ratty togs. And everyone was happy and taken care of. I always found it thoroughly satisfying.

Mandy and The Beano collections
These were separate hard-cover collections of British comic books. When I was little, my mother often had to go to Scotland to take care of my ailing Gran. When she'd return, she'd have a bag loaded with tablet (condensed milk and sugar hardened into a sweet, cavity-causing bar), Crunchies, Flakes and issue upon issue of Mandy and The Beano. I think the latter is still in print but I'm not sure that the publisher is aware that in America something sold under the same name supposedly prevents farts.

Blubber by Judy Blume
I read Freckle Juice and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing but Blubber was the first (but not the last) Judy Blume book to resonate with me. I actually still have the book and I keep it among my most treasured things. The cover has fallen off and the pages are totally yellow and dog-eared but I will not part with it.

As a side note, I went to Catholic grammar school and the only Judy Blume book allowed in the library, believe it or not, was Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. There's no way in hell that Sister Mary Ellen, the head librarian, ever read that book because if she had, she would have realized it wasn't all that religious what with the bust-increasing exercises and all that talk about periods. She made a very broad assumption based on that title, let me tell you. It should have tipped her off that the book, along with The Outsiders, was consistently checked out each week and scores of kids would be huddled around someone's desk reading it. It wasn't 'cause we were religious, Sister.

Anyways, the school library was holding an art contest one year. Participants were asked to select their favorite book and create a diorama depicting a favorite scene. Naturally, I chose Blubber and then busted out my art kit and got to work recreating the scene where Linda gives an oral report on whales and explains to the class what a flenser does. It was a pretty rocking diorama if I do say so myself. Later that week I went to the library to look at all of the projects and I was crushed to discover that mine was the only one not on display. Somehow Sister Mary Ellen deemed it inappropriate. Probably because it was my own book and not some Beverly Cleary job I checked out of her library. Apparently, her logic was as follows: Making fun of a fat kid and ultimately overcoming the pack mentality = forbidden. Frank discussion of periods by somewhat sex-positive preteen girls = hunky-dory. I mean, that sort of thing IS totally hunky-dory but that old nun's reasoning for banishing mine wasn't.

Mom, You're Fired by Nancy K. Robinson
In this story, Tina, the main character, was embarrassed by her eccentric hippie-dippy mother and totally developed the nonsexual hots for her friend's mother who was well-dressed and totally put together.

This book was in heavy rotation along with Blubber. It really struck a chord with me because my mother was a bit older than the mothers of most of my friends. She was also Scottish and therefore didn't engage in the same banter that most young, American moms did. At times, I'd make unfair comparisons between my mom and others but then, being the big old baby that I was, I'd go to a slumber party and within minutes, I'd miss my mother terribly. The young, American mothers in charge could never soothe me the way my mom could.

5. Tag five people and have them do this on their blog:
Like Sheila, I don't expect any of you to do it but if you feel so inclined, please take it away. If you're not on my list, don't let that stop you either!
1. Occasional Bitch
2. Lachlan (My So-Called Blog)
3. The Bees Knees
4. The Ubik
5. Filomena