65. Old Mother West Wind

65. Old Mother West Wind. Thornton W. Burgess. 1910. 96 pages. [Source: Bought] [3 stars, children's classic, animal fantasy]

First sentence: Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the golden light of the early morning. Over her shoulders was slung a bag--a great big bag--and in the bag were all of Old Mother West Wind's children, the Merry Little Breezes. Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills to the Green Meadows and as she walked she crooned a song: "Ships upon the ocean wait; I must hurry, hurry on! Mills are idle if I'm late; I must hurry, hurry on."

Premise/plot: Old Mother West Wind is a children's classic; this children's fantasy novel was first published, I believe, in 1910. There isn't a central character--not really--nor a central plot. Each chapter is its own story. There are overlapping characters, but, in this one--at least--the characters don't have a tremendous amount of depth or substance. This classic does introduce characters that Thornton Burgess will feature in many, many, many more fantasy books through the decades.

My thoughts: I didn't love this one. I did LOVE The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum. I did love the characters in that one. By the time that one was published, Burgess' characters had more life and liveliness to them. I do plan on reading more of Thornton Burgess's novels.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

93. Superman: The Golden Age Volume 1

93. Superman: The Golden Age #1 Jerry Siegel. Joe Shuster. 2016. (Comics are from June 1938 through December 1939.) 392 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [comic books; graphic novel; superheroes; action]

First sentence: As a distant planet was destroyed by old age, a scientist placed his infant son within a hastily devised space-ship, launching it toward Earth!

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get. This book is a collection of the earliest Superman comic books. The comic books include Action Comics (where he first appeared), New York World's Fair Comics, and the self-titled Superman comics. The main villain in these--appearing more than any other villain, I mean--is Ultra. But more often than not, each comic book has its own villain, or "villain." Sometimes the villain is a greedy businessman who takes shortcuts with the quality of his products, and sometimes they are out-and-out villainous. Ultra, for example, is out for world domination. Superman also at least once--maybe a few more times--does some "aggressive negotiating" with countries at war. He is not above beating out a confession from a villain either. 

My thoughts: A handful of these are extremely moralistic and didactic. To those that have read this book, a handful might not come across as the right word. There are super-incredibly-obvious didactic tactics at play. There are direct moralization at play. There are more subtle and indirect moralization at play. There's a range of spectrum. Even at its worst--it's enjoyable for a giggle. The writing is SO over the top and "special." My new favorites being SHORTLY LATER which appears more often than not in most of the adventures followed up by SHORTLY AFTER. The second half of the book, the writers seemed to have switched up the phrase. IF readers got paid a penny for every time the word "muscles" was used, then they'd be able to afford a LOT of comics. 

I can definitely see the appeal of Superman. Though it's not necessarily a visual appeal in the comics. I think this might just be the times in which they were written, but, it is almost like there were essentially three male faces and one perhaps two female faces that appear. Everybody looks the same, or same-ish. There are no details, no expressions. I thought it was funny--perhaps ironic--that Superman was able to take the place of at least two different people and masquerade as someone else. Once as a football player and once as a boxer??? Honestly, the way these characters are drawn, I believe it. That being said, I enjoyed the vintage-ness of it.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

70. Batman The Golden Age, volume 1

Batman The Golden Age, Volume 1. Bill Finger, Gardner F. Fox, Whitney Ellsworth, et al. 2016. 411 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars]

First sentence: "Well commissioner, anything exciting happening these days?" "No...except this fellow they call the "Bat-Man" puzzles me!"

Premise/plot: Batman The Golden Age is an omnibus of original Batman (and Robin) comics which originally appeared in Detective Comics and Batman comics. The first issue in the omnibus is Detective Comics #27 from May 1939, and the last issue in the omnibus is Detective Comics #45 from November 1940. All comics predate the Second World War as you can see. There are a variety of villainous villains--including Cat Woman and the Joker--but only one sidekick, Robin the BOY WONDER.The comics are formulaic, as you can imagine, and Batman is never to be outwitted or defeated.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would. Now I don't see myself turning into someone who reads comic books--and superhero action comic books at that--regularly. I do think this is more for adults perhaps. (I wonder if kids would seek out Batman comics on their own???) I say that merely because it would be rare indeed for an entire issue--each issue has multiple stories--to not offend someone in someway these days. But there is something  right in the fact that Batman rarely changes. Action with a hefty side of cheese.

 Some of the stories were GREAT, absolutely worth the read. A few weren't so great. Plenty were just meh. Still I'm glad I read this one.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

51. Danny and the Homework Machine

Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine. Jay Williams and Raymond Abrashkin. 1958. 141 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Danny Dunn bent over a strange device that hung from the ceiling of his bedroom, directly over his desk.

Premise/plot: Danny Dunn loves to learn, experiment, invent. He's driven by curiosity. However Danny Dunn and his friends--new and old--don't like doing homework. In this "vintage" children's book Danny programs the Professor's computer [large, bulky, not user-friendly computer] to do their homework. This requires a LOT of programming, a LOT of extra work. He first has to teach the computer and then has to teach himself and his friends how to use the computer. Danny is under the belief that he is saving time by using a computer. The adults may be getting amusement out of this realizing that extra homework is what it really is.

My thoughts: This book does not age well....for better or worse. On the one hand, I do think vintage books can give you a glimpse into the past, a time capsule if you will. In this book and in the previous Danny Dunn book I've read, it's a glimpse into how THEY in the 1950s thought the future would look like. The first book I read Danny Dunn was about space and space travel. This one was about computers. It can be amusing to see how those living in the past imagined the future playing out. On the other hand, Danny Dunn's life is so out of place--so dated. I have a hard time imagining kids today reading about this super-ancient "advanced" computer that is "oh so miraculous" and "amazing." The story, the dialogue, the characters don't really age well. As an adult I was amused yet not particularly entertained. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

20. Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint

Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint. (Danny Dunn #1) Jay Williams. Illustrated by Raymond Abrashkin. 1956. 154 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Space Captain Daniel Dunn stood on the bridge of the Revenge with his eyes on the viewer screens. He could see the fiery trails that were the rocket ships from Jupiter. Adjutant Dan Dunn ran up to report. "Sir," he cried, "They've got us surrounded!" 

Premise/plot: Danny Dunn is a daydreamer. His current obsession is space [the final frontier]. Should he be spending class time daydreaming about exploring space? Probably not. Is he punished by his observant teacher? Yes. Does that lead to a real adventure in space? Perhaps. Danny's mom is a housekeeper who works for a scientist professor, Professor Bullfinch. Danny finds the Professor fascinating. Danny "accidentally" helps the Professor invent something unexpected and unintended--anti-gravity paint. This discovery will lead them [and two others, I believe] into space in a ship of their own, a ship not powered by rockets but by anti-gravity paint. Will they arrive on earth in time for Danny to turn in his homework??? Will they return at all????

My thoughts: It's silly, but it's vintage silly. Vintage science fiction can be a hoot. This is the start of a long series. I'm not sure I'm up to reading them all. But I definitely enjoyed this one. Does it deserve to be widely read today? Probably not. Though I don't recall anything particularly offensive or inappropriate.  Though to be fair, it has been over a week since I've read it. I enjoyed it because of the glimpses into the imagination. It captures a time and place where ANYTHING was possible in terms of space exploration. It isn't grounded in science but in fantasy. I do imagine that there were a LOT of young children [boys and girls] who were interested in space in the 1950s and 1960s. This children's book isn't set in the future. It doesn't star adults, it's an ADVENTURE story starring a young child that probably many original readers could relate to.

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

154. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (and Mrs. Harris Goes to New York)

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris & Mrs. Harris Goes to New York. 1958/1959. Omnibus edition 2022. 320 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence from Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris: The small, slender woman with apple-red cheeks, greying hair, and shrewd, almost naughty little eyes sat with her face pressed against the cabin window of the BEA Viscount on the morning flight from London to Paris.

First sentence from Mrs. Harris Goes to New York: Mrs Ada Harris and Mrs Violet Butterfield, of Numbers 5 and 9 Willis Gardens, Battersea, London, respectively, were having their nightly cup of tea in Mrs Harris's neat and flower-decorated little flat in the basement of number five.

Premise/plot: This is an omnibus edition of the first two Mrs. Harris novels by Paul Gallico. In the first book, Mrs Ada Harris (or Ada 'Arris) fixates on the dream of buying/owning a Dior dress. She saves for three years to earn enough money to travel to Paris and buy the dress. While she's spent years dreaming about this experience, she finds that she doesn't necessarily daydream about actually wearing the dress [herself.] In the second book, Mrs. Ada Harris and her friend Mrs Violet Butterfield travel to New York with Mr and Mrs Schreiber. She uses this opportunity to look for the [American] father of Henry Brown. She's convinced he'd be better off with his biological father instead of his foster [or adopted] parents the Gussets who are abusive. How hard could it be to find a man named George Brown living someone in the United States? So, naturally, of course, she kidnaps the child and sneaks him aboard the ship they're traveling on.

My thoughts: I watched two adaptations of the first book Mrs Harris Goes to Paris. It is a charming SHORT novel [or novella]. Mrs Harris is a super-lovable busy-body. She's like everyone's fairy godmother--of sorts. Just by being her lovable, caring self, she improves the lives of those around her. Her beauty comes from within, and she brightens up the lives of those she knows [and interacts with]. The novel does differ from both adaptations of the novel. Neither movie has the book ending. 

The second novel is quite a bit longer than the first one. The focus is on Mrs Harris' search for the young Henry's father. She has better luck finding and buying the perfect dress [named Temptation] than she does tracking down the boy's biological father. And when the boy's father is found--no thanks to Mrs Harris' meddling or searching, it's an absolute disaster. The happy-ish ending is no thanks to Mrs Harris, not really. Mr. Schreiber is the one who saves the day. For me, the book was entirely MEH.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

62. Meet the Malones

Meet the Malones. (Beany Malone #1) Lenora Mattingly Weber. 1943. 282 pages. [Source: Borrowed from a friend]

First sentence: MARY FRED MALONE had just bought a horse. He was black and his name was Mr. Chips and Mary Fred was riding him home.

Premise/plot: Meet the Malones is the first in a series of books that chronicles the [fictional] Malone family. Elizabeth, Mary Fred, Johnny, and Beany. The book is set during the Second World War in Colorado. Elizabeth's husband, Don, is overseas fighting. Their father, a journalist, has gone to Hawaii. The family is mostly on their own--except for when they aren't. Nonna, the grandmother, is a FIERCE force to be reckoned with when she does arrive. She does change the family dynamics quite a bit. 

The point of view in this one is all Mary Fred. She has her first misadventure with "love" in this one. As this "mop-squeezer" is swept off her feet by the super-popular football player who typically dates "queens." Elizabeth returns home with a newborn son to care for! The whole family helps out...not just with Elizabeth but with other children in need. There is a real spirit of hospitality and compassion in this one. (Though that may not extend all the way to the neighbor's dog.)

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one very much! I enjoyed getting to know the family. At times I was left wanting more--which overall I think is better than reverse. Each chapter is a "snapshot." Some focus more on family life at home, their relationships with each other. Others focus more on school OR the community. You do get a sense of how life on the home front is during the war. The war is never far from their minds, they are always thinking of ways they can help out the war effort and encourage/support those serving. 

Quotes:

• The young Malones made their own decisions about lamb chops and life.  He was the delight of his English Lit teacher, gray-haired, gray-eyed, gray-garbed Miss Hewlitt.
• ‘The highest price you can pay for a thing is to get it for nothing.’ That’s the trouble with this generation; they want everything—” 
• Mary Fred said softly, “I read some place where courage is fear that has said its prayers.” 
• “Rabbits,” groaned Beany. “Why do people always poke rabbits at children when they’re too young to defend themselves?” “They’re beautiful blankets,” Elizabeth insisted. 
• Shame was different from grief or anxiety. You could share those with the ones you loved.
• Elizabeth said earnestly, “I don’t think they ought to end stories like that for children. It gives them the wrong idea. There’s happiness in love—oh, happiness that shakes you and enriches you, but love and marriage isn’t a happy-ever-after thing. Love and marriage has so much ache and emptiness and hurt with the happiness.” 
• Elizabeth detained them for one last word of admonition. “Now listen, gals, be sure you go out there to this soldiers’ dance with only one idea—not to have a good time yourselves but to give them one. Because you’ve got other good times ahead of you. But these kids—we don’t know what’s ahead for them.”
• “I didn’t bring you here to gloat over you,” he said quietly, as he swerved the car around and started home. “I wanted you to see for yourself. You’re always talking about Nonna and her being like a fairy godmother. I’m not up on my fairy tales but it seems to me I read about some old woman who fed a girl a poisoned apple and it stuck in her throat and she lay in a coma until something jolted her and it fell out. I wanted to jolt you.”

 

 

 

 

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Mr. Adam

Mr. Adam. Pat Frank. 1947. 184 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I suppose it is up to me to tell the story in its entirety, because I broke it in the first place, and I lived with it from then on, and I grew to know Mr. Adam. My name is Stephen Decatur Smith, and before I got involved in the most important story in the world I was a feature writer on the New York staff of AP.

Premise/plot: What if all the men in the world—minus one Homer Adam—were sterile?! Stephen Smith stumbles into a story with global implications. The lead he follows—there are no births scheduled after June 22 in New York City hospitals. Why? Is this true only in New York? Only in the North? Only in the U.S.? Only in the Northern hemisphere? Will any babies ever be conceived again? Is the human race doomed to die out? Many months go by, and then...a baby is born—a baby girl. Turns out that one man at least has not been effected by the nuclear disaster that has completely eradicated the state of Mississippi. His life will never be the same again. Everyone wants to own Mr. Adam and control him. Everyone wants to have a say in how the world is to be repopulated or populated. Not really differing in how—AI. Is artificial insemination the only hope for the human race?

My thoughts: Mr. Adam is a comedy written in 1946. Yes, it’s about a serious subject—the short term and long term effects of nuclear experimentation and use. Will the development of nuclear power and nuclear bombs lead to man’s extinction? Is sterilization a just consequence of man’s rashness or stupidity? At the time it was written, it was assumed that all women wanted to be mothers and that motherhood was the sole way women could lead satisfying or happy lives. Another assumption is that men don’t really care one way or another if they ever have children or not. Fatherhood is not that big a deal. Men don’t need babies in the same way that women do.

The novel is set in an unspecified future year. Frank probably could not have foreseen how AI would actually change the world giving barren couples hope. It was new and experimental, uncertain and controversial. Was it ethical? Should doctors and scientists be “playing God”? Wasn’t conception in God’s hands?

One thing is timeless about the novel—politics and politicians.

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Surprise Stories

Surprise Stories. Marjorie Hardy.  Illustrated by Lucille Enders and Matilda Breuer.  1926/1929. Wheeler Publishing Company. 124 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: My name is Puff. I am a little white kitten. I live with a little girl. Her name is Sally. I like to live with Sally. She takes good care of me. She feeds me. Sally knows just what I should eat. She knows just how much I should eat. Sally and I are good friends. I came to live with Sally because I had no home. Do you want to know why I had no home?

Premise/plot: Surprise Stories is vintage early reader from the Child's Own Way series. It was originally published in the 1920s. It is a classroom reader. The stories center around Sally and Billy (sister and brother), Puff and Wag (their pets), and other friends--many of which are animals. The stories flow into one another for the most part.

My thoughts: I love vintage readers. I do. Not that I'm not thankful for modern, contemporary books. I am. Mo Willems shouldn't be worried that children will start preferring Marjorie Hardy's stories to his own. But I like these glimpses into the past.

And I'm happy to say that, for the most part, there is nothing super-atrocious in this one making it inappropriate in terms of being politically correct. I qualify that with the word super.

It is not perfectly perfect. There are a sequence of stories set at the circus. Circus dogs, circus monkeys, and the circus elephant all get a chance to narrate a story. These animals are all pleased to be in captivity and belong to the circus. I imagine that in 1926, it would have been unimaginable that there would come a day when the circus would be no more.   

It was also not perfectly perfect because my copy was missing a page--two pages of text. What happened on page 47 and 48?!

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews