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The Bridge Book

I have been looking for the perfect book to bridge J's journey from childhood to adolescence. The books I read when I was about her age were the ones I first tried to get her interested in. It turns out they don't quite resonate with her. The generation gap has become a gigantic gulf since we started living our lives in internet years - our age adjusted world views are so far apart that I could be  a character from her history text book.
Then this summer, I got her A Tree Grows in Brooklyn from the library. She approached it tentatively  (as she usually does when I suggest that she read something) but after about twenty pages, she was completely hooked. She can now be found at all places at all times reading the book. If J is not to be seen or heard for some time, she is reading the book. This is exactly what I had looked for in the book that will help her make the physical and emotional transition she is making. She goes into middle school this fall - yet another of many changes she will experience in the next few years. 
Next on my list are The Lord of the Flies, Sense and Sensibility,The Time Machine and The Good Earth. It will be interesting to see which of these books will have her mesmerized like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has. To me, all of these books satisfy Italo Calvino's definition of a classic and if so, they should transcend time and cultural differences. And I can't wait for her to be ready to read one of my favorite books of all time A Prayer for Owen Meany. And in time Possession by A.S Byatt - but I am getting way ahead of myself.
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Comments

sandhya said…
To Kill a Mockingbird? Anne Frank-the diary of a young girl?

I have a daughter in middle school now, and I'm debating if I should give her these yet. She has already read Are you there, God? It's Margaret. The Good Earth and Lord of the Flies were books I enjoyed as well in my early adolescence, as was Rebecca.
11:06 PM
Heartcrossings said…
sandhya - both of those books are on my list and she loved all the Judy Blume books she's read :)

Thanks for reminding me of Rebecca - need to add that to the list
10:35 PM
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