Remember that Book: MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL

MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL, by Virginia Lee Burton (Houghton Mifflin 1939).

What I remember: Set in the 1930s, it involved Mike and his steam shovel, Mary Ann, who were being displaced by newer diesel models, even though they could do the job just as effectively, possibly even better.  I really remember liking the drawings, feeling sad about the steam shovel graveyard, the sense of nostalgia, and enjoying the very appropriate surprise ending.

The rest of the recollection: This was one of my brother's and my favorites.  We would go to the old Hild Library and check this book out as many times as we could. 

I also firmly recall that sense of sadness of when new technology replaced the old.  My mother used to do the typing for one of the companies in the old Rookery Building downtown, and I would drop off the finished papers at the switchboard operator, whose name was Helen.  At first, she had an old wire and plug style board, and I used to find it fascinating to watch.  But then, one day, it was gone, replaced by a sleek white plastic object with lots of flashing lights and buttons.  It wasn't nearly as fun as the old board, and Helen didn't think so, either. 

And now:  The book still absolutely holds up.  I love the drawings of the steam shovels and the sense of flying dirt as they dig the basement, as well as the fact that it's the kid who had the solution.  Further, the idea that a steam shovel -- old technology with an old aesthetic -- still has worth in a modern diesel-electric age still resonates (And I kind of want to call Virginia Lee Burton the "mother of steampunk." :-)).

I read this as an omnibus edition, which also included KATIE AND THE BIG SNOW, THE LITTLE HOUSE, and MAYBELLE THE CABLE CAR, which I also remember enjoying, although not as much as MIKE MULLIGAN.       

Remember that Book: CAPTAIN OF THE QUEENS

CAPTAIN OF THE QUEENS: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CAPTAIN HARRY GRATTIDGE, FORMER COMMODORE OF THE CUNARD LINE, AS TOLD TO RICHARD COLLIER (Dutton 1956). 

What I remember: Harry Grattidge was one of the last captains of the RMS Queen Mary and RMS Queen Elizabeth, once the premier ocean liners in the world and the pride of Britain's Cunard Line.  CAPTAIN OF THE QUEENS tells Grattidge's story from his days as a lowly cabin boy aboard a sailing ship, his coming of age at sea, and his rise to the highest rank at Cunard.

The rest of the recollection:  I read this in a volume of Readers' Digest Condensed Books and recall being completely captivated.  I don't remember exactly when I read it, but it would probably have been around 7th or 8th grade.  I was fascinated by ships and airplanes and spacecraft and really cool acts of engineering in general.

Queen Mary in 1945, in troopship livery

 A couple details stood out, though, that had nothing to do with the engineering itself.  The first was an anecdote about how the captain of a ship has to be on top of every detail, even those that seem the least important.  To illustrate this, Grattidge related a story of how he had to change the chaplain's Sunday hymn selection when the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were traveling aboard Queen Mary.  The hymn that got axed?  Crown Him with Many Crowns.

The other was on the order of "don't get cocky kid:"  On his first voyage as captain of Queen Mary, he ran her aground in harbor...

And now:  Still a fascinating and captivating read of a bygone era, telling Grattidge's life story wrapped around an account of his last voyage in 1953 as captain of Queen Elizabeth.  Although written for adults, I think it would still appeal to young adults who enjoy history or historical fantasy of the steam and diesel eras.

Remember that book: THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON

THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON, by Johann Wyss (orig. pub. 1812)(Pictured cover is from Yearling 1999 edition). 

What I remember:  A Swiss clergyman and his wife and four sons are stranded on a (really big) desert island when their ship crashes onto a reef in the middle of a storm.  There, they survive alone for a decade, encountering an extraordinary array of flora and fauna, build a tree house, and generally bring civilization to the antipodes. 

The rest of the recollection:  This was one of my favorite books as a kid.  I remember taking it out of the library in third or fourth grade and never wanting to return it.  Just the idea of having to make do without modern conveniences was intriguing.  And it actually hit fairly close to home, since many members of my family grew up without many of the basics (plumbing, electricity, cable TV) we take for granted today.

I also found interesting the details on how they went about building the tree house, installing the plumbing, etc.  The animal and the botany lectures were also fun, although even than, I knew that certain, er, liberties were being taken. 

And now:  It's still an absolutely terrific adventure and worth the time.     

Finally, I always wondered why the family's last name was "Robinson," since they were Swiss and all, and it wasn't until recently that I discovered it (probably) wasn't.  The title was a reference to the fact that the book was a robinsonade, a Robinson Crusoe-type adventure (Back in the day, it was apparently the name of an entire genre, much like "science fiction," etc.).      

Remember that book: DANNY DUNN AND THE ANTI-GRAVITY PAINT

DANNY DUNN AND THE ANTI-GRAVITY PAINT, by Jay Williams and Raymond Abrashkin (orig. published 1956)(ages 8-12).

What I remember:  In the DANNY DUNN series, Danny and his friends (Joe and Irene, etc.) have various science fiction-y adventures.  In this one, they accidentally set loose a spaceship and go traveling across the solar system...

I didn't read the entire series, but do recall DANNY DUNN AND THE HOMEWORK MACHINE and DANNY DUNN AND THE SWAMP MONSTER.

The rest of the recollection:  I remember always liking these books and am a little surprised I never read them all (especially since there's one about them being trapped on a desert island).  I also remember ANTI-GRAVITY paint feeling a little dated, but that was kind of one of the things I liked about it.

And now:  It's still a bit dated, but still fun (The science, even apart from the "anti-gravity paint," doesn't quite work...). 

In addition to Danny and his friend Joe, we're introduced to Danny's mother, and to Professor Bulfinch and Dr. Grimes (The jolly chubby scientist and the more saturnine tall, thin one must have been popular back in the day (it's also featured in THE ENORMOUS EGG)).  Irene apparently doesn't join the cast until book 3.  And, it's illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats!

Remember that book: KIDNAPPED, by Robert Louis Stevenson

A couple years back, I did a post titled "Remember that book...?" in which I discussed some books that had appealed to me as a young reader, and my current reactions upon reading them.  I thought I'd take a look at some others...

KIDNAPPED, by Robert Louis Stevenson (orig. published 1886, now available in many editions).

What I remember of the story:  David Balfour gets whacked on the head and is sold into indentured servitude by his uncle and taken aboard a ship bound for the Carolinas sometime before the American Revolution.  He escapes when the ship runs aground and he has to make his way back across the wilds of Scotland.

The rest of the recollection:  I remember this one being intense and really kind of scary.  But, I did check it out of the library more than once.

And now: Still a great and intense adventure story, although at times David struck me as being a bit young for his age (17), especially given the era.  Stevenson also pokes gentle fun at robinsonades (island castaway stories) and there's a lot more having to do with the politics of the day than I remember:  I had no memory of the Jacobite subtext (the version I read was probably was a "middle grade" or edited-for-children version).

Written as a serial "boy's novel," KIDNAPPED feels older than TREASURE ISLAND, although should still appeal to fans of adventure and treachery in the Highlands and on the high seas.

Remember that book ...? [Updated]

So. As a kid, I read. A lot. Many of the books I've completely forgotten about. Some of them, I remember liking and still remember in part. And some of them, I've completely forgotten about and will never remember again unless and until somethings jogs the memory.

Anyway, now, being an author of youth literature, I wanted to see how some of them held up today...

MYSTERY OF THE GREEN CAT, by Phyllis A. Whitney (Westminster Press, 1957)(ages 8-12).

What I remember of the story: A blended family (two sons by the father, two daughters by the mother) come together in contemporary San Francisco where the blending of the family causes angst and a mystery arises involving the house next door.

The rest of the recollection (or what I thought I remembered): This was a library book that I remember really liking. I would've read it sometime in fourth grade or earlier, when I was in my Three Investigators/Hardy Boys phase.

It's one of the first books I remember reading where the kids weren't "perfect" (particularly for a mystery novel) and something about that resonated. Also, one of the few I read as a kid with a Japanese American character.

And now: Hmm. The kids who come together are engaging (mostly), although the emotional arc is a little abrupt and, well, the Japanese American character is a bit annoying, in a Charlie Chan-esque sort of way. I still kind of like it, though. It has a certain charm and the period differences (e.g., jeans not being something you would wear in public) are fascinating.

Random notes: The 1958 Newbery went to Rifles for Watie. Phyllis Whitney was a prolific author of mystery and romance novels. She passed away last year at the age of 104.

SECRET UNDER THE SEA, by Gordon R. Dickson (Holt, Rhinehart and Winston 1960)(image is from the 1960 Scholastic edition)(ages 8-12).

What I remember of the story: This kid lives in an underwater house (there was a nifty internal illustration of it) and has a dolphin friend named Balthazar. Some criminals try to steal the house or kidnap the father, or something.

The rest of the recollection: This book we owned (I think it must've been a hand-me-down from my older cousins). I remember one day going through all the books on one of our bookcases in the basement rec room and pulling out this one because it looked interesting.

This was another one I really liked -- science fiction and dolphins. How cool was that?

I had absolutely no idea what the title was, though, until I googled it and found this LiveJournal blog called What was that Book?

And now: The terrorists, called "vandals," are trying to get at the Martian creatures being held at the station (no, really).

Bottom line: A short, quick read; fun, but no internal arc to speak of and perhaps a bit too self-consciously a "children's book" (by which I mean, among other things, it has too many informational parentheticals and is a bit too concerned with delivering a behavioral lesson). But science fiction and dolphins are still cool.

Random notes: The 1961 Newbery went to Island of the Blue Dolphins. Dickson wrote two sequels (I bought the omnibus edition) and is best known as author of the Dorsai books.

THE FORGOTTEN DOOR, by Alexander Key (Westminster Press, 1965)(ages 8-12).

The story: An alien boy named Jon with telepathic powers and amnesia, falls to earth (literally).

The recollection: I had totally forgotten about this book (ironically). Once my memory was jogged, though, I kind of remembered it but couldn't recall having a strong feeling about it one way or another.

The only reason I remembered the book at all was because of a comment on this post on Stacy Whitman's Grimoire blog that referenced Alexander Key as an author of science fiction, including the Witch Mountain books (I will confess that I liked the Witch Mountain movies as a kid, but never realized they were based on books).

And now: It's rather like ET and The Cat from Outer Space, except he looks human and, instead of middle class California suburbia, Jon ends up in the Smoky Mountains. And he has to escape the prejudiced and narrow-minded, as well as government types who want to do who-knows-what with him.

Upon reading it now, I do vaguely remember some scenes (particularly the last) and that, back in the day, I liked it and wanted more and, really, still do (was Witch Mountain a sequel?). However, it could stand better characterization, less preachiness, and a stronger arc.

Random notes: The 1966 Newbery went to I, Juan de Pareja. (The Black Cauldron was an Honor Book). And, there's going to be another Witch Mountain movie. Unfortunately, while the movie novelizations are in print, the original novels aren't. (THE FORGOTTEN DOOR is the only one of Key's books still in print). Update [9-25-10]: The original Witch Mountain is available again.

The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books has an article about Key here.

THE ENORMOUS EGG, by Oliver Butterworth (Little Brown, 1956)(ages8-12).

What I remember of the story: Nate Twitchell lives on a farm in rural New Hampshire. One of his hens lays the eponymous egg, which hatches into a live triceratops...which Nate now has responsibility for...

The rest of the recollection: This is another that we owned. I thought this one was terrific -- the idea that Nate got to spend a month at the Smithsonian and spend a good part of it walking a live dinosaur on the Washington Mall was really appealing.

And now: This one has held up surprisingly well. The voice is still fresh and un-self-conscious. Okay, I don't quite completely buy the whole plot arc with the Senate, but the senator himself is (still) absolutely hilarious. The drawings are also still pretty accurate (although the idea of triceratops posture has changed somewhat since 1956).

Altogether, a fun, sweet, and surprisingly sophisticated read.

Random Notes: The 1957 Newbery went to Miracle on Maple Hill. (Old Yeller was an honor book).