by VicÂki Palmquist
When I was in my twenÂties, I worked at an archiÂtecÂture firm. SevÂerÂal of the archiÂtects were fasÂciÂnatÂed by my deep conÂnecÂtion to children’s books. One day, one of them asked me, “Which books, being pubÂlished now, will become clasÂsics?” That quesÂtion has stuck with me, holdÂing up a signÂpost every now and then. How does one preÂdict a classic?
WhenÂevÂer someÂone asks which books were favorites from my own childÂhood (#bookÂsthathooked), sevÂerÂal books push themÂselves to the foreÂfront—A WrinÂkle in Time, Lord of the Rings, and LoretÂta Mason Potts. That last title always causÂes a “huh?” PeoÂple, genÂerÂalÂly, are unfaÂmilÂiar with this book.
The next quesÂtion is always, “what’s it about?” Here’s the thing: I couldn’t answer that quesÂtion. I didn’t rememÂber a thing about the book except its title. What I rememÂbered was the cirÂcumÂstances surÂroundÂing the readÂing of that book, the way it made me feel.
In sixth grade, I had a teacher, GorÂdon Rausch, who changed my life. He showed me posÂsiÂbilÂiÂties. He believed in me. He made learnÂing and research fun. I was often bored in school, but nevÂer in his class. Every day was a new advenÂture. What I rememÂber most is that he read books out loud to the whole class. I rememÂber PipÂpi LongÂstockÂing. I rememÂber A WrinÂkle in Time. But he also read LoretÂta Mason Potts to us.
As far as I can recall, he was the only teacher I had who ever read books out loud. Our class had its share of bulÂlies and attenÂtion-getÂters. No one interÂruptÂed his readÂing of a book. His choicÂes were good, his readÂing skills were exemÂplary, and he always knew where to end, leavÂing us cravÂing more.
LoretÂta Mason Potts was writÂten by Mary Chase and pubÂlished in 1958. Thanks to The New York Review Children’s ColÂlecÂtion, you can read this fine book, too. They reprintÂed it in 2014. I’ve just re-read it and once again I underÂstand why it springs to mind as my favorite.
Mary Chase lived in DenÂver. She died in 1981. You may know her because of anothÂer one of her books, HarÂvey, which won a Pulitzer Prize and became a movie starÂring JimÂmy StewÂart. If you know HarÂvey, you will underÂstand that the writer has a fanÂtasÂtiÂcal imagÂiÂnaÂtion and a good wit. Both of those are eviÂdent in LoretÂta Mason Potts.
It’s a charmÂing mixÂture of a Tam Lin stoÂry and a Snow Queen stoÂry, cenÂterÂing on a famÂiÂly of chilÂdren, their mothÂer, and their long-lost eldest sisÂter, told in a way that will reach into the heart and mind of a child. It has naughty chilÂdren, ensorÂcelled chilÂdren, a carÂing but someÂwhat clueÂless mothÂer, a mysÂteÂriÂous bridge, and a casÂtle occuÂpied by the bored CountÂess and GenÂerÂal, who hovÂer on the precipice of danger.
I am so glad that this book is illusÂtratÂed. It was the first book pubÂlished with Harold Berson’s black-and-white line drawÂings. He would go on to illusÂtrate anothÂer 90 books.
There are a growÂing numÂber of titles in the New York Review Children’s ColÂlecÂtion. I have sevÂerÂal of them and would put every one of them on my bookÂshelves if I could. The selecÂtion of these books is enchantÂiÂng. Do you rememÂber readÂing Esther Averill’s JenÂny and the Cat Club? How about Dino Buzzati’s The Bears’ Famous InvaÂsion of SiciÂly? Or LucreÂtia P. Hale’s The Peterkin Papers? (I had forÂgotÂten all about this book until I saw it on their bookÂlist — I loved that book.) Or Wee Gillis by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson?
Are these books clasÂsics? This, I think, is the interÂestÂing quesÂtion. What is a clasÂsic? These books are being pubÂlished once again … so they’ve withÂstood the test of time. Although the writÂing is someÂwhat quaint, they still hold up as stoÂries that will interÂest a modÂern readÂer. LoretÂta Mason Potts is a book that has lived on in my mind for decades. I wonÂder if the othÂer stuÂdents in my sixth grade class rememÂber it in the same way.
Which books pubÂlished today will become clasÂsics? It’s a quesÂtion worth disÂcussing, isn’t it?
I’m glad that LORETTA MASON POTTS didÂn’t disÂapÂpoint you in your rereadÂing. SomeÂtimes I’m afraid to revisÂit a childÂhood clasÂsic for fear that it won’t live up to my fond memÂoÂries. And thank you for introÂducÂing me to the word “ensorÂcelled” (my spellcheck doesÂn’t recÂogÂnize it, but I found it in the online dictionary!).
I know what you mean about being afraid to re-read a book, David. I was so disÂapÂpointÂed with The Five LitÂtle PepÂpers and How They Grew. I couldÂn’t, in good conÂscience, recÂomÂmend that to a kid today. And yet I loved the big, hapÂpy famÂiÂly as a kid. And PHEW about findÂing “ensorÂcelled” in the dicÂtioÂnary. I conÂfess that I someÂtimes make up words.
LoretÂta Mason Potts is now on my queue at the library… thanks for the recÂomÂmenÂdaÂtion! An all time favorite of mine from childÂhood, that has stood the test of re-readÂing as an adult, is North to FreeÂdom by Anne Holm (transÂlatÂed from the DanÂish.) There was a horÂriÂble movie verÂsion of it, called I Am David, which still annoys me– so don’t judge the book by the movie. The book is wonderful.
I don’t know North to FreeÂdom, Lynne. I’ll go put it on MY queue at the library. Hope I find it there.
To David,
Me, too. I was takÂen with ensorÂcelled. It’s one of those words that you underÂstand from the conÂtext, but look up anyway!
NorÂma Gaffron
And Hi to Lynne, I enjoy hearÂing thoughts from writer friends by way of othÂer peoÂple’s blogs, etc.
A prosÂperÂous 2016 to all chilÂdren’s writÂers everywhere…
NorÂma G.