I've picked up more than one book that I remembered (or that contained short stories I remembered) from childhood. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler was read to the class by my 5th grade teacher; as an adult, I thumbed through it in Waldenbooks once or twice, and was vaguely aware that a movie version had been made; I finally bought a copy (through Alibris, I think) a few years ago. Likewise, I bought Robert Arthur's anthology, Ghosts and More Ghosts (again through Alibris), on the strength of a short story that had been included in a reader I had in elementary school, "The Marvelous Stamps From El Dorado."
And I make no secret of the fact that I grew up on The Bobbsey Twins. And a few years ago, I went to great lengths to obtain a copy of every single title in the series, and Project Gutenberg downloads of the original versions of the first three. Many are surprisingly well-written. And astonishingly well-researched, especially the later ones: the first time I visited Colonial Williamsburg, I found that I could find my way around the whole historic district just based on recollections from having read The Bobbsey Twins Red, White and Blue Mystery (the first time I read it was also the first time I'd ever heard of the place, and it wasn't until sometime later that I even knew it was a real place). And they even got the color right, with regard to the gray shuttle buses that circulate around the perimeter of the historic district, providing free transportation to any visitor with an admission badge.
Never underestimate the quality of children's literature, just because of the intended audience.
And I make no secret of the fact that I grew up on The Bobbsey Twins. And a few years ago, I went to great lengths to obtain a copy of every single title in the series, and Project Gutenberg downloads of the original versions of the first three. Many are surprisingly well-written. And astonishingly well-researched, especially the later ones: the first time I visited Colonial Williamsburg, I found that I could find my way around the whole historic district just based on recollections from having read The Bobbsey Twins Red, White and Blue Mystery (the first time I read it was also the first time I'd ever heard of the place, and it wasn't until sometime later that I even knew it was a real place). And they even got the color right, with regard to the gray shuttle buses that circulate around the perimeter of the historic district, providing free transportation to any visitor with an admission badge.
Never underestimate the quality of children's literature, just because of the intended audience.
