Customer Reviews

The Little Bookroom

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's a crying shame that this enchanting book is out of print. Perhaps tastes have deteriorated so much that the delicate, the lovely, the merely marvelous are no longer fashionable. Perhaps Eleanor Farjeon's sensibility, nurtured in the late Victorian period, and flowering in the 1920's and 1930's, is simply not able to connect with modern readers. But I don't believe it. I believe that the right child can still be entranced by her writing, and touched, even moved by her stories. Of particular note: "The King's Daughter Cries for the Moon," "Westwoods," "The Barrel-Organ," "Leaving Paradise," "And I Dance Mine Own Child," and the exquisitely poignant "The Glass Peacock." It seems unlikely that publishers comb these reviews for hints at what the public might buy, and less likely that one would see the value in this quiet masterpiece, but should one stumble across it I hope they pay attention and bring this book back to a new generation.

When I first read some stories from 'little bookroom', I was 9 or 10 years old, I didn't like them very much. They were very different from the stories which I liked those days such as 'little mermaid'. 'snow white' and others about beautiful princesses, hansome princes, faries, and so on in a far-away strange lands. The stories of 'little bookroom' said about a princess who left palace with a ragged servant, a king who married a maid, a goldfish who regarded a globe the whole world, a small school-boy who believed his father's white lies, and a farmer who went to poverty by spending all his money for other people etc. I thought then they were weird for fairy tale characters, so concluded the stories were unattractive. However when I grew older, I found myself thinkng repeatedly those stories and finding more and more beauties that I had not understood. I read them again and got to love them deeply. There were'nt much dazzling luxuries or heart-thrilling adventures in the stories, but all of them were warm, friendly...and so on. The weird ones I hadn't like very much looked as if some old friends whom I had thrown over the fence of 'westwood' due to my ignorance of their true beauties. Reading them, I thought I could feel what Eleanor Farjeon had felr in her little bookroom, and now I want my own little bookroom.

I was given this book in 1955 and still have my well-read copy. I loved the stories and read and re-read them when I was around eight years old. I especially loved Westwood and the descriptions of the wonderful ball gowns that were made - each one more marvellous that the last. I also loved the story of San FairyAnn. I am going to get a copy for my granddaughter who loves to read and I hope she will be as enthralled with the stories as I was at her age. The stories are magical and transport the reader to a different world and I still remember them to this day.

The child who gets the chance to read this book is lucky indeed, because they will be touched by magic. The story about the goldfish who fell in love with the moon was in one of my elementary school readers in the '60s, but I did not learn where it came from until I was about 12, when I discovered an original copy of this book from the '50s in my school library. I especially loved the stories of the Clumber Pup (I have learned there really is such a dog breed)and the boy who planted a kernel of corn from the pyramid. I got goosebumps when I first read "San Fairy Ann", and every time I re-read it the goosebumps come back. Eleanor Farjeon is the only author who has really captured for me the magic of time passing, and generations passing. I love to think that children are still changed for life by reading this book. I know I was.

I read The Little Bookroom when I was about 10 or so. I have never forgotten some of the stories, and I am thrilled to have found it available for sale still. All the stories are wonderful and teach good lessons. Perhaps the one that has stuck with me the most is the one about the lady who kept changing her mind about what color she wanted her room to be. I loved (soaked up!) the detailed metaphoric descriptions of each room and to this day, I remember the ending, "The trouble with you, lady, is you don't know WHAT you want!" That said, the little fairy kicks her feet back and forth briskly and the room disintegrates and the picky lady is left standing in the night, with no. . . .room . . .at . . .all. . . Heh! Now, is that a life lesson or what? Buy this book and read these stories to your children or grandchildren. They don't write 'em like this anymore!

If I ever have children, I would make sure that Eleanor Farjeon's "The Little Bookroom" will be part of their library and their childhood. Happy days could end with a story of a "Young Kate" who sang and danced and planted flowers, then a good night kiss and then a tuck into bed. Difficult days could be made better with the story of the Little Dressmaker and her dresses , a tight hug and a warm glass of milk.

Eleanor's stories are not just tales to be read then forgotten, they are springboards of the imagination and of lively discussion. In the tale of the "Seventh Princess," would you rather be one of the six princesses or the seventh? Do you love a toy as much as Célestine was loved in the story of "San Fairy Ann?" If you were one of the Princes in "Leaving Paradise," would you?

Some stories are funny, like "Westwoods," and some are heartbreaking, like "the Lovebirds," but all of them magically transport the reader to another world. I have no doubt this book will be read until it was tattered, torn, dog-eared and stained with sticky candy.

The King and the Corn - Simple Willie tells the story of a boy (or is he the boy?) who values his father's cornfield above all the riches of Egypt's Pharaoh.

The King's Daughter Cries for the Moon - The Disappearance of the Princess results in a comedy of errors where even night and day are turned upside-down.

Young Kate - Kate finds the freedom and time to sing, dance and plant flowers, for which she is rewarded 50 times over.

The Flower Without a Name - Adam forgot to name one of God's flowers.

The Goldfish - For some, happiness comes from a world more suited to their size.

The Clumber Pup - A young, kind-hearted woodcutter finds love with the help of a dog, a cat and an old woodcutter. Best love letter ever: "My Love! I love you because you are lovely like my Pup."

The Miracle of the Poor Island - A girl's sacrifice is repaid in kind by a miracle that saves the people of the island.

The Girl who Kissed the Peach-Tree - A girl's love of her peach-tree saves a village from a volcano's wrath.

Westwoods - A young Prince woos Princesses with funny rhymes. He finds his true love in the dream country of Westwoods.

The Barrel-Organ - A barrel-organ in an unlikely place lifts up a Traveller's spirit and helps him find his way.

The Giant and the Mite - When a giant with great strength is paired with a mite of great mind, catastrophe occurs.

The Little Dressmaker - What sounds like a traditional fairy tale love story twists into something more delightful. A queen giving her nephew pencil-cases makes me chuckle.

The Lady's Room - A lady keeps changing her mind about her room's decoration. Is this a fable about the dangers of discontent or a cautionary tale against fairies as interior decorators?

The Seventh Princess - Would you pass on to your child a beautiful park and castle or freedom in the wide world?

The Little Lady's Roses - Friendship is kindled with roses.

In Those Days - A soldier guards a barren spot. A fable about following orders when the reason is long gone.

The Connemara Donkey - Danny believes in his heart the tales of Finnigan O' Flannagan, his white donkey in Connemara.

The Tims - In times of distress, the villagers turn to the Tims for advice.

Pennyworth - How much fun can be had for a penny?

And I Dance Mine Own Child - This sweet story of how a book keeps a child and her grandma together is my favorite of the bunch.

The Lovebirds - A poor child's happiest moment is given her by a lovebird.

San Fairy Ann - A well-loved doll introduces a sad child to a foster mom.

The Glass Peacock - Kind Annar-Mariar shares her christmas tree ornaments with the children of the neighborhood. I love Annar-Mariar's love for her baby brother Willyum.

The Kind Farmer - A recognition of kindness transforms a hard, tightfisted farmer into the village philanthropist.

Old Surly and the Boy - A winter's miracle unites an old shepherd and a potential apprentice.

Pannychis - A story inspired by Andre Chenier's Pannychis. Don't hold a beloved too tightly.

When I was 12 or so, I read some stories of this book which was translated in Korean. At first, I didn't like the stories very much, because they were very different form those day's my favorites such as 'little mermaid'or 'other fairy tales about princess and prince of farland.' In Eleanor's stories, even the kings, princes, and princesses did something such as dusting, cooking, going market etc. But after that, I found myself thinking repeatedly about 'the king and the corn', 'westwoods', 'the seventh princess', 'the kind farmer', and 'the author's note(in Korean book, it itself was titled "the little bookroom). So I read them again, really loved them, wanted to read them in English, and got this book form amazon.com. Every story was fascinating ! The children, fairies, kings, princesses who were cooking, dusting, and going market, were like my friend who I had thrown over the fense of 'westwoods'. I was really happy to meet and love them again, and I am happy now writing this and imagining someone who read this, read 'westwoods', or 'the kind farmer' , and love them. When I was reading the book, I felt I myself was in the 'little bookroom' and now I want my own little bookroom.

Eleanor Farjeon writes classic fairy tales, new and old at the same time. Her other books, Martin Pippin in the Apple Orchard and Martin Pippin in the Daisy Field, are both marvelous, but this one is just full of stories that are wonderfully imaginative, not dated and not stereotyped. Most classic fairy tales are limited by the need to follow a pattern that is expected by the audience, in terms of plot and character; most modern versions try too hard to go against the stereotyped expectations that are no longer desirable, in terms of gender and class. Farjeon is just writing good stories, sometimes romantic, sometimes magical, always wonderful. And they are layered with meaning, as good children's books are, so that the appeal to the 9yo is not lost, but deepened, for a 12, or 16, or 46yo. Read them aloud to your children: you will both enjoy them.

I am a third of the way through this book with my 8 year old and it is magical! I read The Silver Curlew by the same author with him earlier in the year. It is an extended version of 'Tom Tit Tot' and brings charm, darkness, love and daft characters to warm your heart.

I am a Japanese woman and since the auther is quite popular here thanks to the great translation of Momoko Ishii, I could read most of her work. Every book has mesmerising charms of poem and fantasy. I bought this book because I wanted to read in original English text. This book is an anthology of varities of short stories from a couple of pages long to dozens.

My all time favorite is "And I Dance Mine Own Child" which is about a 10 year old girl Griselda who lives with her 110 year old Great-Grandmother in a cottage in the poor lane. She is so diligent hardworking child. The old lady is becoming like a child and Griselda treats her dearly like her own child. Their bed time ritual makes me smile, and Griselda's noble diligence and love for the Gramma makes my eyes teary everytime I read it. Although there arn't any fairies or magic nor dragons in it, this is a pure fairy tale.

Other stories like romantic "The Clumber Pup", "The Little Dressmaker", "West Woods" are comparably long and are also my favorite. Short ones like "The Seventh Princess" which implies an astonishingly modern idea of woman's independence, "The Grass Peacock" with another noble diligent girl, comic fable "The Tims" are all attructive in different tones.

Great for story telling performance.