This time of the year, I like reading at least one Christmassy book; one that propounds the Christmas spirit and is essentially feel-good, and festive. A Norwegian friend of mine fleetingly mentioned how, while he was growing up, his family would read this book together, reading one chapter on each day of the Advent calendar. Intrigued. Curiosity piqued. Specially as I've loved everything else I've read by Jostein Gaarder so far. I did race through this book in two days though, instead of reading it patiently, over twenty-four days. But, in my defence, I *needed* to know what happened next. Clearly (and possibly slightly embarrassingly), Joachim, the child protagonist, has more self-control and patience.
On 30th November, Joachim and his father go into a bookstore, looking for an Advent calendar. They walk out with a hand-made calendar, a one-of-a-kind that the bookseller doesn't quite recognise, and attributes its presence to John, the flower seller, who occasionally leaves things at the store as a thank you.
When Joachim opens the first door of the calendar the following day, not only is he greeted with a pretty picture, but also with a piece of paper that flutters out, that tells a story. The story is of a little girl called Elisabet, who spots a lamb in a department store, and is so keen to stroke it, that she runs after it, calling "Lambkin, Lambkin".
She had decided to follow it to the ends of the earth, but the earth was round, after all, so they might go on running around the world for ever, or at any rate until she grew up, and by then she might have lost interest in such things as lambs.
As she chases after the lamb, she notices the hues of the sky changing, and the clock going back in time, at which she ponders,
...perhaps the clock hands had become so tired of going in the same direction year after year that they had suddenly begun to go the opposite way instead...
En route, she meets Ephiriel, an angel, who informs her that they are going to Bethlehem, to witness the birth of Christ, and the journey continues through space and time. And each door of the advent calendar reveals a little bit more about this journey. More characters from the Bible, including the three wise men, the shepherds and the sheep join the journey, as they progress towards Bethlehem.
While the tales of their travel unfolds, Joachim and his parents get caught up in another mystery - the mystery of the little girl who disappeared in 1948. Could she be the real Elisabet, the girl who this story was written about? Or inspired by? They try getting in touch with John, but he seems to have disappeared off the face of this earth as well, popping up every now and again, to speak to Joachim, but not shedding any light on the mystery.
There are twenty-four chapters in this book, each representing a day on the advent calendar. There are stories inside the story, and advent calendars inside the advent calendar - multi-layered, much like Sophie's World. It's an engrossing, fascinating book. The only flip side was, the mystery of the real Elisabet rushed to a close, and ended almost too abruptly. But, that's a small small flip side, considering all else.
I finally have some semblance of a life again after being under the weather for an extraordinarily long time (well, "extraordinarily long" is a relative term, but it is coming up to about two months now). I read loads of my old Enid Blytons and Nancy Drews, while twiddling my thumbs and imagining all kinds of crazy things, but most of them were being re-read for about the seven hundred and twenty third time. I can actually recite some of those books without any prompts...
Right, that's a long digressive opening paragraph, which is meant to lead up to this simple statement : the only children's book (comfort read) I read during this period which I hadn't read before was Frances Hodgson Burnett's Little Lord Fauntleroy. I absolutely loved both, The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, but I'd just never managed to find this book anywhere before. Hurrah for libraries!
Coraline has just moved to a new house, and after acquainting herself with the neighbours, she sets about to 'explore' the place, for, you see, she is a self-acclaimed "explorer". She finds the well she's been warned to stay away from, just to know what to stay away from, and spends as much time outdoors as possible.
However, one rainy day, she stumbles upon a door in the living room, which opens only to greet her with a brick wall. And apparently, nothing on the other side - or so Coraline's mother tells her.
Which child would not like a book about a marvelous chocolate factory, owned by Willie Wonka, which had oompa-loompas as workers, a chocolate lake, an "invention" room, and the "television" room. The ideas were so surreal that they were fantastic, and I yearned to be Charlie.
This might be a favorite, as it's the one Roald Dahl I never possessed (until three years ago, that is). I used to go to the library with my mum, and attempted seeking out this book as many times as possible, so much so that the librarian suggested I buy the book. 
Believe it or not, this is the first time I've read this book, and for the life of me, I don't know why! Personally, I think it should be mandatory for every child to read it, just because it is so wonderfully beautiful and innocent.
However, reading it as an adult makes me realize how we focus on the unimportant things, that we neglect some of the simpler barer necessities.
This is the first Enid Blyton book I read, and I was absolutely captivated. A land of toys? People can buy bricks, and build their own house? A doll can befriend a brownie? And have a teddy bear as a neighbor?
This is the first book I read in the "Secret" series, and while all five of them were vivid, imaginative, and could easily be read independently, this is my favorite (only marginally).
This one, I've actually struggled with. I loved all the school series: Malory Towers, St. Clares, and of course, The Naughtiest Girl. And I've sat her, drumming the table with my fingers, contemplating which was my favorite, and this one edges it, mostly because, while I really wanted to be like Darrell from Malory Towers, I was always more like Elizabeth from Whyteleafe: I always tried to be really good, and always did something or the other, which resulted in the aftermath not being great!
I know, you aren't allowed to have a favorite Famous Five book. I mean, you can't choose between Five On Treasure Island, or Five On Kirrin Island again, right? Well, this one's always been mine. I think I know it by heart. Read it so many times, that the book's in pieces now - probably one of the three books I possess which is in such a terrible condition. And I can still pick it up and read it, and lose myself in the adventures of the Famous Five.
How cool would it be, to move from the city to the countryside, next to The Enchanted Wood, right in the heart of which stands, The Magic Faraway Tree - a tree where magical creatures live, and where, a new land is atop the tree every few days: be it The Land Of Do-As-You-Please, or the Land Of Goodies. There's the Land of Spells and the Land of Presents as well.
You didn't honestly think I'd be able to end this at just five, did you?! Well, sorry!! I promise though, this is the last one, and it's the only one that actually led me to have a hobby outside reading - collecting ships in bottles. I have twelve now, and they're my pride and joy!