Dreaming and Waking

When I was a little kid, I didn't watch Saturday morning cartoons. My mom didn't want us to watch them, so they weren't ever on in the house. When I was really little, I thought cartoons only played in hotels, because we only watched them when we stayed in one.

I don't feel like I missed anything by not watching cartoons, but I know that the lack of cartoons means I don't have them in common with my peers. So it delights me when I find other childhood pop culture pieces in common with people.

Some random bits of my childhood that some people have never heard of, but others remember with great fondness:

Bunnicula: Books, the whole series. I love the mental image I still have of the cat trying to pound the steak through the bunny's heart.

Where the Wild Things Are: I loved that book!

The Peanut Butter Solution: Movie. I love the reactions of people who have never seen this movie when they hear a plot summary. You see, there's this boy who loses his hair. And he gets this formula to help him grow it again, involving putting peanut butter on his head. And his hair won't stop growing, but it is magical hair. People make paintbrushes out of his hair which paint magical paintings with single strokes and you can walk into them. It is a real movie; other people have seen it!

Waterbabies: The original, classic book. One of my favourites; I used to dream that I was a waterbaby.

Snugglebums: Toys. I don't know if there was a TV show or anything about these, I just remember wanting the toys when I was little. For whatever reason, Mom didn't like them (I think she thought they were ugly), so I made myself a Snugglebum out of a washcloth and some emboidery floss. I don't remember if it was any good (I doubt it could've been; I was about 6), but I loved it.

Tonight's Special: TV show. I liked the mouse.

Other favourite books from childhood that I still love: Heidi (Mom read it to me the first time, in installments over a summer; I've read it more time then I can count myself), Wizard of Oz (the whole series), Beautiful Joe (the first and last chapters still make me cry), All Things Great and Small and all the James Herriot books, and so many more, I'm sure.

I know I'm forgetting so many. I love it when someone mentions some fond memory from their childhood and it reminds me how much I also loved that toy/TV show/movie, etc.

Here's a fabulous little program: release books "into the wild" for people to read, comment about on a website, then re-release for more people to do the same. More information is at www.bookcrossing.com.

So, I'm plotting what to seek out in used book stores in order to release. So far I'm thinking:

Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint
Ana Historic by Daphne Marlett
Ravensong by Lee Maracle

These are some great Canadian authors.

Also, maybe some of my childhood favourites: Heidi, The Wizard of Oz, Beautiful Joe, Waterbabies (though I'd be hard pressed to release that one... I don't own a copy). Oh, and some of the original books that later got "Disneyfied" -- 101 Dalmatians, Mary Poppins, etc.

Oh, and something by James Harriot. I loved All Creatures Great and Small from the first time I read it in grade 5, and I read just about everything James Harriot ever wrote. I still own a bunch of them, in fact.

Ah, must get to a used bookstore soon! Anyone have any other ideas on books that need to get out into the wild and read?