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Monday, January 09, 2017

What We're Reading for the LMM Challenge (2017)

While everyone else has begun to figure out which Montgomery books they are reading during the month of January in conjunction with the Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge, I figured I should share my reads as well.



The last few years of this challenge I've focused on reading The Story Girl (back in 2015) and its sequel, The Golden Road (in 2016) aloud to my kids. A few months back I read Anne of Green Gables to them for the first time. I was saving it until I thought they would have a good chance at appreciating it. You can only imagine my state of mind when I told my kids we were down to the last few chapters and the following conversation ensued:

Me: "We only have a few chapters left and then we'll be done and you guys can watch the movie."
Daughter (age 5): "Oh, but I don't WANT it to be over!!"
Me: "Why not?"
Daughter: "Because I love it so much."

Sweet, sweet music to my ears. I almost died of happiness.

I can't believe I never got around to writing down all of the kids' impressions of Anne of Green Gables but such is life. It's been a busy season around these parts. Nevertheless, I didn't want January to pass us by and my miss an opportunity to read a little bit more Montgomery to them. This year I opted to read aloud Magic for Marigold.


I picked this one for a few reasons:

1. I want my kids to be aware of Montgomery's lesser known characters and not just her most famous ones.
2. They have a growing affinity for Montgomery and accept her people rather wholeheartedly.
3. I haven't read Magic for Marigold since 2014.

We're about four chapters into the story already and I'm on the fence about having picked this one to share with them. My kids (aged 4 to 10) are tracking with it for the most part. They laugh in the right parts and take interest in the characters. However I do think it is written with an adult audience in mind and much of it would seem to go over children's heads. We'll soldier on though and I know I'll hardly regret it.

For myself I chose Looking for Anne of Green Gables, by Irene Gammel.


This book has proved the perfect choice for me. I am absolutely loving it! So informative and interesting. It's distracting reading. Seriously, life has been so incredibly hectic lately I can't even begin to describe it. However, this book has forced my mind to slow down and find enjoyment in learning more about Montgomery. Montgomery and her characters really are a passion of mine and I love being distracted by a good book about both. Somehow or another, spending time with or around Montgomery leaves me feeling very calm and relaxed, introspective and grateful. She's fuel for my brain in some form or fashion so I'm grateful that January is here and it's time for this reading challenge!

I don't know if I'll manage to squeak in any additional Montgomery reads this month but I will certainly try. If I don't manage it I'm not too worried. The only thing I've decided about my reading goals for 2017 is to indulge in as much Montgomery as I like all the year long. If you are also a fan of this woman and her works, then stay tuned. I plan on spending a good bit of time with her these next few months.

Meantime, happy reading!

5 comments:

Tarissa said...

Sounds like you've made some excellent choices for the challenge. I would probably be interested in reading 'Looking for Anne of Green Gables' myself. I'll keep it in mind!

Also, I'll be super excited to ear of your adventures in Montgomery all through the year. :D

Barbara H. said...

I had mixed emotions to Looking For Anne of Green Gables. Lots of it was greatly interesting. But she seemed to want to find a reason or basis or inspiration of everything in the Anne novels rather than believing that LMM could just make some of this up in her imagination. I know some of what she wrote was inspired by something in her surroundings or her life, but not every little thing. Plus she seemed to connect anything involving nature with paganism and seemed to think the female friendships in LMM's and Anne's lives went beyond the platonic. If she could have kept that kind of conjecture out of it, it would have been an excellent book. (My review is here:http://barbarah.wordpress.com/2011/02/12/book-review-looking-for-anne-of-green-gables-the-story-of-l-m-montgomery-and-her-literary-classic/.)

Tarissa said...

Hi Carrie! I had a couple of questions that I thought I would run by you, since you seem like a good authority on all things L.M. Montgomery. :)

I've been reading my NEW FAVORITE BOOK EVER, Jane of Lantern Hill. And I'm brimming over with happiness.

Now... Have you ever watched the movie adaptation, Lantern Hill (1990)? If so, would you recommend it?

Also... I have to admit, my heart just about stopped when I was reading on Wikipedia that Montgomery was writing a sequel.... but did NOT finish it! (Oh, the anguish of my soul!) To your knowledge, is there any way to get a hold of the manuscript she was writing?

Blessings!
Tarissa
http://InTheBookcase.blogspot.com

Amy @ Hope Is the Word said...

I think I need to branch out and read a bit of scholarly stuff about LMM since I've almost re-read everything by her since starting this challenge. (Thanks, CArrie!) I did write a research paper about Emily back in graduate school, but I don't remember a whole lot about it now.

Annette Whipple said...

I must admit...my M doesn't want to read Anne. She saw the movie with me years ago and didn't like the sadness...

BUT...I think I'll introduce her to Marigold!

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