My mother read the original Anne of Green Gables to my brother and me. Later I read the whole series and I still listen to the Librivox version of Anne of the Island or Anne's House of Dreams on YouTube when I'm looking for something to take me away to another time and place.
I didn't watch the PBS series. I guess even then I knew that books were usually better than the movie, but I might be willing to give it a try and see what they've done to the continuing story.
I haven't read Peter Pan or Mary Poppins, but I guess I'm not surprised to find they aren't the sweet versions we've been given in the movies. Saving Mr. Banks is a very good movie, too.
Some of the movie versions of Anne of Green Gables are good and some aren't. I loved the PBS series and I liked the first season of Anne with an E on Netflix, but then the later seasons deviated from the books too much for me. Let me know if you end up watching any of them and what you think of them.
Not sure this would be considered literary, but not long ago I re-read Ramona the Pest and was delighted to be brought back into that world. I was such a goody-goody kid, I remembered that there was a big part of me that actually wished I had the gumption to be as ‘naughty’ as she was! Pushing the envelope, being her sassy, independent self, being curious…Go Ramona!!
I loved those books as well. I believe that I saw an interview w/Beverly Cleary who said that as she was writing, Ramona sort of showed up and was really meant to be a small part but she ended up taking over and having books of her own. I guess she really was a pest. :)
I haaaaated Peter Pan - the movie, have never read the book. Well, you know, I never did like anything that has a male lead character (notable exception: Top Gun). I also have - and you won't believe it - never watched Mary Poppins!
On the topic of rereading children's literature, I reread Heidi at the start of the pandemic and whoa, it is DARK. I remembered it as a delightful book where she sleeps in a loft and eats goat cheese and bread, and frolicks around in the flowers with the goats. I did NOT remember that she was orphaned due to a series of horrific accidents, her aunt basically dropped her off at grandpa's because she was poor and needed to take a job where she couldn't take Heidi with her, and the whole thing where she is left in the city with Klara? It is pretty awful to modern eyes. But of course, probably not all that strange back when it was written.
LOVED Anne and also the Emily books! Also, the orphan theme that was so popular back then is pretty sad to think about now. Anne had such an awful childhood!
Anyway, excited about this series!! Great idea, Laura!
I have a bookcase full of books I loved as a child. The Narnia books, the Little House on the Prairie books, Gene Stratton-Porter (Laddie, and A Girl of the Limberlost), Joan Aiken (The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and all its sequels), Louisa May Alcott (the Little Women series and An Old-Fashioned Girl), The What Katy Did books, Heidi, Madeleine L'Engle (A Wrinkle in Time), Ursula Le Guin (The Wizard of Earthsea), Noel Streatfeild (Ballet Shoes and White Boots were favourites), Catherine Storr (Marianne Dreams), Swallows and Amazons series, Frances Hodgson Burnett (A Little Princess, Secret Garden), The Borrowers, E. Nesbit (The Railway Children), Pollyanna, Henry Treece (Viking Saga), Roger Lancelyn Green (Tales of the Greek Heroes and more), the Moomin books, Barbara Sleigh (Carbonel books and Jessamy), Penelope Farmer (Charlotte Sometimes), Grace Lodge (The Marsh Princess), the Mary Poppins books, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm...plus so many more! In recent years I've loved Philip Pullman and Patrick Ness - guess I'm still a kid at heart!
Films of books are very problematical for me. Most of the time I just avoid them because I can't bear to have them "improved on" by the film-makers. The Mary Poppins film is an absolute abomination to me, I'm afraid! The only exceptions are The Railway Children (which was so faithful to the book) and the Megan Follows version of Anne of Green Gables you mentioned above, which was also absolutely beautifully done. The scene where Matthew died had my entire family sobbing - including my Dad!
What a great list! Thanks for sharing. I agree, now that I've read the book, the Mary Poppins movie isn't my favorite. I love The Railway Children, but haven't read the book.
My mother read the original Anne of Green Gables to my brother and me. Later I read the whole series and I still listen to the Librivox version of Anne of the Island or Anne's House of Dreams on YouTube when I'm looking for something to take me away to another time and place.
I didn't watch the PBS series. I guess even then I knew that books were usually better than the movie, but I might be willing to give it a try and see what they've done to the continuing story.
I haven't read Peter Pan or Mary Poppins, but I guess I'm not surprised to find they aren't the sweet versions we've been given in the movies. Saving Mr. Banks is a very good movie, too.
Some of the movie versions of Anne of Green Gables are good and some aren't. I loved the PBS series and I liked the first season of Anne with an E on Netflix, but then the later seasons deviated from the books too much for me. Let me know if you end up watching any of them and what you think of them.
Not sure this would be considered literary, but not long ago I re-read Ramona the Pest and was delighted to be brought back into that world. I was such a goody-goody kid, I remembered that there was a big part of me that actually wished I had the gumption to be as ‘naughty’ as she was! Pushing the envelope, being her sassy, independent self, being curious…Go Ramona!!
We loved the Ramona books. Beverly Cleary lived in Portland, OR and you can take a self-guided walking tour based on her life and her books. If you ever come to visit, we should do it! Here's the link to the tour: https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/ramona-quimbys-portland-a-self-guided-walking-tour-through-sites-in-beverly-clearys-books/
I loved those books as well. I believe that I saw an interview w/Beverly Cleary who said that as she was writing, Ramona sort of showed up and was really meant to be a small part but she ended up taking over and having books of her own. I guess she really was a pest. :)
I love that so much!!!
Hoping The Boxcar Children makes your list. You've got me really intrigued to read Mary Poppins...hoping it doesn't ruin Julie Andrews for me though.
The Boxcar Children is definitely on the list. I loved that sharing that series with my daughter.
I haaaaated Peter Pan - the movie, have never read the book. Well, you know, I never did like anything that has a male lead character (notable exception: Top Gun). I also have - and you won't believe it - never watched Mary Poppins!
On the topic of rereading children's literature, I reread Heidi at the start of the pandemic and whoa, it is DARK. I remembered it as a delightful book where she sleeps in a loft and eats goat cheese and bread, and frolicks around in the flowers with the goats. I did NOT remember that she was orphaned due to a series of horrific accidents, her aunt basically dropped her off at grandpa's because she was poor and needed to take a job where she couldn't take Heidi with her, and the whole thing where she is left in the city with Klara? It is pretty awful to modern eyes. But of course, probably not all that strange back when it was written.
LOVED Anne and also the Emily books! Also, the orphan theme that was so popular back then is pretty sad to think about now. Anne had such an awful childhood!
Anyway, excited about this series!! Great idea, Laura!
I was never a Peter Pan fan either, but I did enjoy the book, just because it was so wildly different. And I liked Hook-the movie loosely based on it.
I have a bookcase full of books I loved as a child. The Narnia books, the Little House on the Prairie books, Gene Stratton-Porter (Laddie, and A Girl of the Limberlost), Joan Aiken (The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and all its sequels), Louisa May Alcott (the Little Women series and An Old-Fashioned Girl), The What Katy Did books, Heidi, Madeleine L'Engle (A Wrinkle in Time), Ursula Le Guin (The Wizard of Earthsea), Noel Streatfeild (Ballet Shoes and White Boots were favourites), Catherine Storr (Marianne Dreams), Swallows and Amazons series, Frances Hodgson Burnett (A Little Princess, Secret Garden), The Borrowers, E. Nesbit (The Railway Children), Pollyanna, Henry Treece (Viking Saga), Roger Lancelyn Green (Tales of the Greek Heroes and more), the Moomin books, Barbara Sleigh (Carbonel books and Jessamy), Penelope Farmer (Charlotte Sometimes), Grace Lodge (The Marsh Princess), the Mary Poppins books, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm...plus so many more! In recent years I've loved Philip Pullman and Patrick Ness - guess I'm still a kid at heart!
Films of books are very problematical for me. Most of the time I just avoid them because I can't bear to have them "improved on" by the film-makers. The Mary Poppins film is an absolute abomination to me, I'm afraid! The only exceptions are The Railway Children (which was so faithful to the book) and the Megan Follows version of Anne of Green Gables you mentioned above, which was also absolutely beautifully done. The scene where Matthew died had my entire family sobbing - including my Dad!
What a great list! Thanks for sharing. I agree, now that I've read the book, the Mary Poppins movie isn't my favorite. I love The Railway Children, but haven't read the book.