Thursday, April 7, 2011

Everyday Miracles, Part 4--The Zizzer Zazzer Zuzz

image from here.
You know what this is?
"It's a zizzer zazzer zuzz, as you can plainly see."

Why is it visiting my blog today?
Two reasons.  It's Z week at Alphabe-Thursday, and when I think of Z words, this one immediately comes to mind.
Jenny Matlock
Second reason is a little more profound.
I've been posting about everyday miracles this week, miracles we don't often notice or appreciate.

I can't believe how lucky we are to live in a world where we have access to so much literary creativity.

Don and Audrey Wood
Junie B. Jones
Magic Treehouse
Dr. Seuss
Narnia
A Wrinkle in Time
Lois Lowry
Lemony Snickett
Ender
Harry Potter
Tolkein
Elizabeth Kostova
Victor Hugo
The Road
Olive Ann Burns
Of Mice and Men
Bronte sisters

Not all classics, not all great literature.  Some mind candy, some food for thought.  Often I struggle to string words into coherent thoughts for a single short blog post--the ability to create an entire book?  "Astounding.  Confounding.  As I live and breathe!" (anyone know that book?) Authors whose magic has turned children into readers.  Into learners.  Into imaginers.

What a miracle.

What are your favorites?
blog
I don't think anyone will know that literary reference. If you can name the book, I'll send you a copy--hint: it's a picture book.
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27 comments:

  1. Rocky Mountain WomanApril 7, 2011 at 12:44 PM

    I don't even know where to begin! I have so many favorites that I could write a whole book about it....

    Lovely z take...

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  2. JudieApril 7, 2011 at 12:59 PM

    I love the kinds of childrens' books that take them away into the world of imagination. There is far too little imagination in the world today.

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  3. Debra Gray-ElliottApril 7, 2011 at 1:04 PM

    Stopping by from Alphabe-Thursday. Cute post.

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  4. Sue McPeakApril 7, 2011 at 1:13 PM

    Fun post and very creative use of the Letter Z. So many books....so little time. Great list!

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  5. CarolineApril 7, 2011 at 1:41 PM

    I love Dr. Seuss....maybe more than my children. It's wonderful to see that as an adult, Dr. Seuss still had an imagination. One book that comes to mind is The Very Hungry Caterpillar....but I love many.

    Mrs. T.
    Acorn Hollow

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  6. MykeApril 7, 2011 at 1:52 PM

    Three of my favorites are up there: Ender, Potter, and George and Lennie.

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  7. MykeApril 7, 2011 at 1:53 PM

    (I guess that makes four.)

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  8. JackieApril 7, 2011 at 2:05 PM

    I wish I was a kid who read a lot, then maybe I would know who most of these authors were . All I read were comics and smurfs but I loved them ! My first novel I ever read was 'The Betsy' and I was about 16 .

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  9. StacyApril 7, 2011 at 2:14 PM

    I love Literature too! My daughter is hooked on Stephanie Meyer, Me...I love young adult ficition. Dr. Suess when my kids were little, the list is so long. I love your miracle theme, it really has me pondering. Thanks!!

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  10. Coralie Cederna JohnsonApril 7, 2011 at 2:18 PM

    Oh!!! How cool! Thanks for posting and have an awesome Z day!
    Coralie

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  11. magsmccApril 7, 2011 at 3:09 PM

    I'm going to guess Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (which we already have!) but only because I found my seven year old curled up with James and the Giant Peach today, so if Dahl can do that, he's my man!

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  12. storybeaderApril 7, 2011 at 6:18 PM

    Dr. Suess is great fun. Someone else mentioned Charlotte's Web in this "lesson." And I agree, that's an all-time favorite of mine. {:-Deb

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  13. jennApril 7, 2011 at 6:40 PM

    in no particular order:

    silence of the lambs
    red dragon
    thyestes
    a separate peace
    our mutual friend
    the interpreter of maladies
    the time traveler's wife
    holding the dream
    right before your eyes
    love, rosie
    nick and norah's infinite playlist
    harry potter

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  14. EmApril 7, 2011 at 7:04 PM

    i used to read a wrinkle in time to my class every year. and the chronicles of narnia. good memories:)

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  15. CBApril 7, 2011 at 7:58 PM

    I'm a Suess Girl and I love the books and author's you mentioned. As a child my deepest desire was to devour the public library.

    I still love reading because I am taken to different places, times and on adventures!

    I loved The Little House on the Prairie books when I was a girl. Also, Nancy Drew and Romana the Pest and all of Madeline D'Engles books!

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  16. AnonymousApril 7, 2011 at 11:27 PM

    I will forever be grateful to Harry Potter for turning my oldest into a reader! He hasn't stopped since:)

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  17. Dana @ Bungalow'56April 7, 2011 at 11:53 PM

    I too often think about how these authors manage to weave these amazing stories. A true art. Could relate to your difficulty with stringing a few sentences together some days. So true so true.
    Dana

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  18. Su-sieee! MacApril 8, 2011 at 1:00 AM

    A great post! Junie B. Jones is a blast to read. I love her spunk and humanity.

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  19. AnonymousApril 8, 2011 at 6:48 AM

    It's doctor Seuss's Abc book.

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  20. Susan RApril 8, 2011 at 7:59 AM

    I love Junie B. She may not be grammatically correct and she may be very sassy, but she cracks me up.
    Don and Audrey Wood...they are some of my all time favorite children's authors. Have you read anything by Mark and Carolyn Buehner? They are fabulous, LDS too, I think. They wrote "Fanny's Dream" and "Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm". They also write "The Adventures of Maxi the Taxi Dog" sooo cute.
    Yeah! No cast.

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  21. AmesApril 8, 2011 at 8:06 AM

    I have so many favorites. My choice on the mind candy would be Janet Evanovich, Stephanie Plum Series.~Ames

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  22. Susan AndersonApril 8, 2011 at 8:24 AM

    I also have a million favorites, but some no-miss authors for me are Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart, Chaim Potok, and Rosamund Pilcher.

    =)

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  23. AnonymousApril 8, 2011 at 7:16 PM

    I just read your blog of the last few days. I KNOW THAT BOOK!!!!!! I love Stand Back Said the Elephant!!! I read the posts backwards so I already saw the posting with the answer. I read that book to every class the first week of school when they came to the library. They all loved it! The school counselor went to by it on Amazon for his nieces and nephews. Thanks for sharing it with others. I wrote my book report for my class on that book and the professor LOVED it!! Thanks for reading it to me when I was little. It is one of my fondest memories. "Oh my, do try," said the fly.(always with a southern accent) When I heard someone else read it once, it was awful! They just didn't do it justice!

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  24. Debra Gray-ElliottApril 9, 2011 at 8:08 AM

    Now following.

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  25. Keri {One Mama's Daily Drama}April 12, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    I love reading. Its something that I can share with my kids, and that means a lot to me.

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  26. Splendid Little StarsApril 13, 2011 at 2:55 PM

    CS Lewis!
    Laura Ingalls Wilder!
    The Giver
    Beverly Cleary
    and
    so
    SO
    MANY
    more!

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  27. JennyApril 13, 2011 at 3:49 PM

    Awwww....childrens books...where to start, where to stop.

    Instead I shall just say that I really like the list you shared with us and I am still enchanted by the Boxcar Children, Little House on the Prairie, The Indian in the Cupboard...etc. etc. etc.

    This was a great post and you definitely resonated with everyone this week.

    Thanks for a fabulous wrap up to Alphabe-Thursday's Round Two.

    Jen, I've really enjoyed you participating...you always have such and fresh and zingy things to share!

    A+

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