History is being made. Neck and neck voting at 51% for Mike Mulligan right now.
I am passionate about both, but I think Mike Mulligan embodies Americana a little better than Blueberries. You put the argument for both so well though.
I haven't read Swallows and Amazons, though my kids have, and I've meant to. We're about to begin Tom Sawyer together, and I'm bingeing Wodehouse and Golden Age mysteries this month. (For me personally, it's Blueberries for Sal and Frog & Toad forever and always, so lovely Mike never stood a chance for me. But the whole voting has been downright painful until now!)
Yes, we kids loved Swallows and Amazons when we were growing up. Great story. Another book by Arthur Ransome was Pigeon Post; we kids physically chased Squashy Hat (our Teacher's Aid for the summer) all over the property, learned semifore, and lived in the book during those months. Great times . . .
1. I've had Swallows and Amazons in my *Amazon* cart Saved for Later and your post has pushed me to go ahead and get it. Another Charlotte Mason homeschooling friend highly recommended since our family does a lot of sailing. Here we go!
2. I really appreciated your write-up of Blueberries for Sal. This book isn't one of my top ones but you made a beautiful case for why it is a great American picture book.
3. Very interesting First Things article about CS Lewis and gender! What do you make of Uncle Andrew repeatedly admiring Jadis as a "dem fine woman"? I'd also be interested in any writings on Lewis and Calormen.
Rachelle, congratulations on your articles! I can't wait to read them! And writing for First Things AND Circe? Yowza!!
I'm still pouting that "Make Way for Ducklings" didn't make the elimination rounds, but I'm still rooting for "Blueberries for Sal," even though it wasn't my favorite as a child - I simply could not conceive of Sal as a girl, as I really thought she was a boy, and it was horribly confusing to see all the "she" references. It actually wasn't until I saw her much later in "One Morning in Maine" that I realized, "Oh, Sal was a girl." (I'm a bit slow on the uptake.) But it's still an adorable story.
Mike Mulligan I've always loved (along with all Burtons!), but sometimes avoid just because it is one of those so-so-long books. Also, I found the ending sad - yes, he won the contest, but it was still a failure in the end, because the old way of doing things was completely and finally ended. I guess I see it as a Pyrrhic victory.
I have read "Swallows and Amazons" twice, and absolutely loved it. I love the idea of giving children more freedom and responsibility, rather than having to hover over then until they're twenty-seven, as modern society seems to dictate. I haven't yet used it as a read-aloud, because I didn't know if our kids would be willing to wade through the sailing terminology (and I myself haven't the faintest idea of what it means). But you have inspired me - I think I'll add that to our soon-to-be-read-aloud list. :)
Books I'm reading right now:
For adults: (1) The Imitation of Christ, (2) The Brothers Karamazov, (3) Summa Domestica (Leila Lawler), (4) Beyond Order (Jordan Peterson).
For kids: (1) The shoes series by Streatfeild ("Ballet Shoes" is our favorite, followed by "Dancing Shoes" and "Skating Shoes"), (2) The Anne of Green Gables series, (3) Enemy Brothers (I think it's by Bethlehem Books), (4) Understood Betsy (Fisher), (5) Silver Chief (O'Brien).
Also, the Ordway ("The Spiritual Life of Tolkien") just came in from the library, and I'm so excited to read it - thank you for the recommendation!
You are doing so well on this site! Keep up the amazingness! :)
Oh, and I LOVE seeing how incredibly well-read the Swallows & Amazon kids are! The songs they sing, my goodness! Actually, some of them I picked out and made part of our music curriculum. I think "Spanish Ladies" was one of them. So, in a way, S&A has been part of our family life even though our kids haven't yet heard it. Also, I heard that S&A is actually a series - quite a long one! - though the others are hard to find.
I’m cracking up because my kids and I have had multiple arguments about Sal being a girl, and one of them just would not believe me until we read One Morning in Maine.
You’re reading so many books at once, some of them very long! You’re an inspiration, Diana. And many of the read-alouds you mention are new to me. My TBR list is getting longer and longer!
I love Mike Mulligan! My boys asked for it often when they were little. Also, that line about writing a book is one of my favorites in Swallows and Amazons. 😄
History is being made. Neck and neck voting at 51% for Mike Mulligan right now.
I am passionate about both, but I think Mike Mulligan embodies Americana a little better than Blueberries. You put the argument for both so well though.
I haven't read Swallows and Amazons, though my kids have, and I've meant to. We're about to begin Tom Sawyer together, and I'm bingeing Wodehouse and Golden Age mysteries this month. (For me personally, it's Blueberries for Sal and Frog & Toad forever and always, so lovely Mike never stood a chance for me. But the whole voting has been downright painful until now!)
The previous round must have been extra painful — Blueberries for Sal vs. Frog and Toad!
It was indeed! 😆
This is impossible. I may have to abstain from voting.
Yes, we kids loved Swallows and Amazons when we were growing up. Great story. Another book by Arthur Ransome was Pigeon Post; we kids physically chased Squashy Hat (our Teacher's Aid for the summer) all over the property, learned semifore, and lived in the book during those months. Great times . . .
This is about how my kids have reacted. It reminds me of an E. Nesbit book, taking seriously everything that kids are serious about.
1. I've had Swallows and Amazons in my *Amazon* cart Saved for Later and your post has pushed me to go ahead and get it. Another Charlotte Mason homeschooling friend highly recommended since our family does a lot of sailing. Here we go!
2. I really appreciated your write-up of Blueberries for Sal. This book isn't one of my top ones but you made a beautiful case for why it is a great American picture book.
3. Very interesting First Things article about CS Lewis and gender! What do you make of Uncle Andrew repeatedly admiring Jadis as a "dem fine woman"? I'd also be interested in any writings on Lewis and Calormen.
Circling back to your question about Calormen, my husband suggested this lecture: https://www.narniaweb.com/resources-links/are-the-chronicles-of-narnia-sexist-and-racist/
As we were reading Swallows and Amazons, I kept thinking of you, actually, and how you'd understand all the boat jargon so much better!
I'll have to think awhile on articles on Lewis and Calormen. I don't have anything off the top of my head.
Such a hard decision!
I know! How can one choose??
Rachelle, congratulations on your articles! I can't wait to read them! And writing for First Things AND Circe? Yowza!!
I'm still pouting that "Make Way for Ducklings" didn't make the elimination rounds, but I'm still rooting for "Blueberries for Sal," even though it wasn't my favorite as a child - I simply could not conceive of Sal as a girl, as I really thought she was a boy, and it was horribly confusing to see all the "she" references. It actually wasn't until I saw her much later in "One Morning in Maine" that I realized, "Oh, Sal was a girl." (I'm a bit slow on the uptake.) But it's still an adorable story.
Mike Mulligan I've always loved (along with all Burtons!), but sometimes avoid just because it is one of those so-so-long books. Also, I found the ending sad - yes, he won the contest, but it was still a failure in the end, because the old way of doing things was completely and finally ended. I guess I see it as a Pyrrhic victory.
I have read "Swallows and Amazons" twice, and absolutely loved it. I love the idea of giving children more freedom and responsibility, rather than having to hover over then until they're twenty-seven, as modern society seems to dictate. I haven't yet used it as a read-aloud, because I didn't know if our kids would be willing to wade through the sailing terminology (and I myself haven't the faintest idea of what it means). But you have inspired me - I think I'll add that to our soon-to-be-read-aloud list. :)
Books I'm reading right now:
For adults: (1) The Imitation of Christ, (2) The Brothers Karamazov, (3) Summa Domestica (Leila Lawler), (4) Beyond Order (Jordan Peterson).
For kids: (1) The shoes series by Streatfeild ("Ballet Shoes" is our favorite, followed by "Dancing Shoes" and "Skating Shoes"), (2) The Anne of Green Gables series, (3) Enemy Brothers (I think it's by Bethlehem Books), (4) Understood Betsy (Fisher), (5) Silver Chief (O'Brien).
Also, the Ordway ("The Spiritual Life of Tolkien") just came in from the library, and I'm so excited to read it - thank you for the recommendation!
You are doing so well on this site! Keep up the amazingness! :)
Oh, and I LOVE seeing how incredibly well-read the Swallows & Amazon kids are! The songs they sing, my goodness! Actually, some of them I picked out and made part of our music curriculum. I think "Spanish Ladies" was one of them. So, in a way, S&A has been part of our family life even though our kids haven't yet heard it. Also, I heard that S&A is actually a series - quite a long one! - though the others are hard to find.
I love that you picked songs from the book to sing in your homeschool!
I’ve heard that the later books are even better. Now I’m off to track them down.
I’m cracking up because my kids and I have had multiple arguments about Sal being a girl, and one of them just would not believe me until we read One Morning in Maine.
You’re reading so many books at once, some of them very long! You’re an inspiration, Diana. And many of the read-alouds you mention are new to me. My TBR list is getting longer and longer!
LOL, I'm glad I'm not the only one who is/was in the "Sal is a boy so what's with all the 'she' business" camp!!
And I highly recommend all of the kiddos' books that I mentioned - they're all so good! :)
This is so hard.
Both were read to me as a child, both have been read to my children.
One was read by my father, one was read by my mother.
But if we are strictly talking Americana I shall have to go with Mike.
I love Mike Mulligan! My boys asked for it often when they were little. Also, that line about writing a book is one of my favorites in Swallows and Amazons. 😄
It made me laugh! I appreciate that the book-writing subplot carries through the book, all the way to the end.