Marianne’s Profile
My child is named Marianne, which can also be a Norwegian name with a particular pronunciation. Marianne has a strong Scandinavian heritage, especially Swedish and Norwegian. As a baby, toddler and preschooler, she likes bright colors and little animals like bunnies and kittens. She is mostly an easygoing baby, but cries loudly when she gets too tired or hungry or frustrated. It is hard to get Marianne as a toddler to sit still long enough to see the pages of an entire picture book. She is busy trying to grab everything that she sees. She likes to play outside in the sandbox, and to make mud pies there. She loves going to the beach because it is like one BIG sandbox with one BIG sea for making sand-castles and mud pies.
When she is an elementary school-age child, Marianne likes to read books about travel and to see the pictures of the different landscapes, people, and animals.
Like most children, she is fascinated by stories of magical beings and super-natural events. Marianne likes to read about other cultures because then she can usually see pictures of the charming national dresses of the different ethnic groups. She likes to sing and to listen to pop or classical music on the radio. Marianne hates the destructive effects of violence, and gets upset about events like plane crashes and terrorism. Marianne is somewhat sensitive in that way. She reads a little at night before she goes to bed, but usually she just likes to run and play outside with a couple of her “best” friends. She is not incredibly social with all of the children she meets, but when she meets someone she likes, she always wants to play with them. Marianne has a bit of a temper and is somewhat impatient—if she doesn’t have her way about something, it is hard for her to find satisfaction with any alternatives.
As a teenager, Marianne has kept many of the same characteristics and interests she had as a child. She still likes nature and to go to the beach, but now she likes to run barefoot on the sand, lie on the beach and get a tan, and just hang out there with her friends. Required reading for her English classes has exposed her to a wide range of genres, and now she is more willing to try a different kind of book, instead of always books in fiction or mystery series. She is curious about all sorts of grown-up topics, and will occasionally read a book on a more sensitive topic if she wants to know more information. Marianne is still interested in other cultures, but now she wants to know how living in a different culture makes people have different values. She is still stubborn and independent, and prefers to figure out what she should do and then maybe ask your advice to see if it matches her opinions, rather than the other way around of asking for advice first to see how it might influence her decision. It is hard to recommend a book to her; it is much easier to talk to her about a topic and then to wait and see if she will read a book about it. Sometimes Marianne would rather not read at all, but simply relax and socialize and travel a lot. She thinks that she wants to see the world, but she wants to start with the United States first!
The following reading list for Marianne is organized by genre, with the genres used for Marianne’s younger years listed first (such as picture books). Her heritage books are listed first because it seems to be a good thematic introduction to the reading list concept. Within each genre the books are organized by the recommended reading age for Marianne; the books for her youngest ages are listed first.
Marianne’s Personal Literature Collection
Tales of Scandinavia
The Race of the Birkebeiners. Written by Lise Lunge-Larsen, illustrated by Mary Azarian, 2001.
Age 6-12
Azarian's illustrations show the fierce harshness of the Norwegian countryside and the Viking-like Norwegian warriors, who ski a baby to safety. Marianne can learn even more about Norway with the use of Norwegian names and phrases, and pictures of skiiers, warriors from medieval (13th century) times, and the snowy hills and fields of the land.
Pippi Goes on Board. By Astrid Lindgren, illustrated by Louis S. Glanzman, c1957.
Age 7-12
A book in the Pippi Longstocking series about a fiercely independent, very strong little girl with supernatural powers named Pippi who lives all alone in a cottage named Villa Villekulla. She has made friends with children Tommy and Annika, and definitely solves her own problems. The whimsical illustrations and twists of the story are very Scandinavian (or Swedish), and Marianne enjoys a book about what children would do (in a fantasy world) without adult supervision. Armchair adventure for children! One of my all-time favorite books as a child!
Master Maid: A Tale of Norway. Retold by Aaron Shepard, pictures by Pauline Ellison, c1997.
Age 7-12
A story in the tradition of a classic fairy tale with repetition, tests, conflict and resolution, supernatural spells--the trolls and fairies make it decidedly Norwegian. Marianne likes the colorful and picturesque illustrations. It is like “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” or “The Three Little Pigs”, but with a Norwegian influence.
Scandinavian Folk & Fairy Tales. Edited by Claire Booss, c1984.
Age 8+
This collection seems very similar to the Grimm fairy tales, but filled with more supernatural creatures, such as brownies, trolls, and elves, which intrigue Marianne, lover of fairies and witches. The stories are organized by country--the Swedish and Norwegian stories would be especially important because of Marianne’s Scandinavian heritage.
Picture Books for Marianne
Goodnight Moon. By Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd, 1947.
Age 0-6
Marianne thinks this is an excellent bedtime story! Look at how the night and shadow darken the color of the objects in the green room! Look at how the moonlight lights up a sliver of the room! Marianne tries to sit still for this one!
The Very Hungry Caterpillar. By Eric Carle, 1969.
Age 0-6
Marianne likes the colorful collage-like illustrations of the caterpillar eating its way through leaves. The large, simple illustrations are attractive to her!
The Napping House. By Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood, 1984.
Age 2-8
The cool blue tones of the house appeal to Marianne, who loves vibrant colors.
She also likes the cat and dog in the story, and she likes to count all of the people and animals when they are piled on top of each other on the bed!
Grandfather’s Journey. Written and illustrated by Allen Say, 1993.
Age 4-8
The different homes and dress of the Japanese are great conversation-starters for Marianne. She also likes talking about the illustrations of San Francisco.
Seven Brave Women. By Betsy Hearne, illustrated by Bethanne Andersen, 1997.
Age 4-8
Marianne enjoys reading about extraordinary women who are from different times and places, and who aren’t much different from other grown-ups she knows. The bold vibrant illustrations also appeal to her.
Fiction/Poetry for Marianne as a Child
Sarah, Plain and Tall. By Patricia MacLachlan, c1994.
Age 4-8
Marianne likes the short descriptive concise words of the book and its setting in pioneer times. She thinks that Sarah is brave to leave her home in Maine, and
loves to hear her talk about the sea and its beautiful color because Marianne
loves the sea, too.
Ramona series. By Beverly Cleary, copyright in the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s.
Age 6-9
Marianne reads these books whenever she feels lonely for playmates or depressed with her own problems. Marianne identifies with Ramona’s daily life because the little (and sometimes big) problems that Ramona faces with her family, friends and school are the kinds that Marianne has everyday.
Where the Sidewalk Ends. By Shel Silverstein, 1974.
Age 6-11
Marianne likes music, so it’s natural that she would like the “music” and rhythm
of these poems, which also make her laugh!
The Wind and the Rain. Collected by Richard Lewis, photographs by Helen Buttfield, c1968.
Age 8-12
This collection shows nature through the eyes of children in their poems (ages listed). Children certainly see things in novel ways. Marianne likes the textural poetry and the black-and-white illustrations, which show patterns in nature.
Anne of Green Gables series. By L.M. Montgomery, about c1915.
Age 8-14
Anne’s romantic heart and delight in the beauty of nature really appeal to Marianne, who likes to read descriptions about nature on Prince Edward Island
and to follow Anne’s growing-up and “romantic yearnings” for young Gilbert.
This series adds so much romance and poetry to Marianne’s own life, which
Marianne longs for in this world of surprise disturbances!
Ghost Abbey. By Robert Westall, c1988.
Age 10-12
Seems like a well-written ghost story. After her mother's death, a girl and her father move to an abbey that her father will restore. However, the abbey is haunted with mysterious voices, noises and a ghost! Creepy with suspenseful descriptions of scary sounds and ghost-sightings, but not gory and overly horrifying! A good ghost story for Marianne, who occasionally likes a little scari-ness!
Nonfiction for Marianne as a Child
Naturescapes. By Shirley Felts and Jill Bailey, 1988.
Age 3-8
This book is similar to A Tree is Growing for its plant identification, but it has the additional delightful feature for Marianne of colorful watercolor three-dimensional nature scenes, such as a coniferous wood and the grasslands!
Discovering Seashells. Written and illustrated By Douglas Florian, 1986.
Age 3-10
Marianne loves to look at the life-size and half-life-size watercolor illustrations of all kinds of shells. In addition, the book discusses the habitat and location of many of the shells. Marianne likes to learn the names of shells, and the illustrations are so colorful and textural that she is attracted to their artistic appeal.
The Cataract of Lodore. By Robert Southey, illustrated by David Catrow, 1992.
Age 3-10
This picture book looks like fiction, but actually it talks about the waterfall at Lodore in the famous Lake District of England. The watercolor illustrations remind Marianne of the way English gardens look. Beautiful watercolors of woods and little animals. Marianne likes to follow the rush of the river through the countryside. It's written in onomatopoeic poetry form, and the people do funny things like float down the river on a lounge chair and ottoman!
A Tree Is Growing. By Arthur Dorros, illustrated by S.D. Schindler, c1997.
Age 4-12
The illustrator, who is also a botanist, used plants from his own two-acre woods in Pennsylvania as models for the realistic, highly textural illustrations. Marianne enjoys picking out the animals and different leaves as a preschooler and kindergartener. As an older child, she can learn the different common names for leaves, animals, and trees. The different seasons are also appealing.
The Inside-Outside Book of Paris. Written and illustrated By Roxie Munro, c1992.
Age 5-12
This picture book communicates the freshness and gaiety of Paris with its lively ink outline and watercolor drawings. Its informative captions of famous landmarks are both entertaining and highly educational. Marianne likes to talk about the carousel with its white horses, the gargoyle, and L'Arc de Triomphe. Counting all of the scrumptious pastries on two pages is really exciting!
Children Just Like Me. By Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley, illustrated with photographs by Barnabas Kindersley, 1995.
Age 6-12
Reading about children from around the world and their hobbies and daily lives really appeals to Marianne, who is interested in other cultures. The large bright photos of children in their daily dress are important to her. Each page describes what each child likes, and is illustrated with photos of the food, landscape and/or homes of that country.
Caribbean Carnival: Songs of the West Indies. By Irving Burgie, pictures by Frane Lessac, c1992.
Age 6-12
Sometimes I catch Marianne singing, so I am giving her a songbook with some of my favorites (sung by Harry Belafonte) and some songs I have never heard before. The brightly-colored Gauguin-like illustrations of natives doing everyday tasks impart a sense of the West Indies culture and tropical environment.
Teddy Bears' Picnic Cookbook. By Abigail Darling, illustrated by Alexandra Day, c1991.
Age 7-9
It is delightful to learn culinary secrets from the civilized teddy bear, and I think that Marianne agrees! Baked apples, honey hot chocolate--simple recipes that are not too frustrating for her. The colorful and soft-edged watercolor illustrations will make Marianne want to bring her teddy bears along with her to the picnic afterwards!
American Girls Pastimes Kirsten's Cook Book. Pleasant Company Publications, Inc., c1994.
Age 8-10
The girl on the cover looks like she could be Scandinavian, but the recipes could have come from the 1800's. I think that Marianne will certainly love "St. Lucia Buns"--both for their sweet taste as well as for the reminder of the Swedish holiday!
Fiction for Marianne as an Adolescent
Halinka. By Mirjam Pressler, 1998.
Age 11-13
Twelve-year old Halinka, who lives in a home for troubled girls in post-WWII Germany because her mother is emotionally distraught and cannot care for her, hides her own thoughts and writes all of her Aunt Lou's sayings on paper. She interacts with other girls in the home, and Marianne likes to read about the other girls living in Germany. Halinka learns to share herself with a new friend.
The Yearling. By Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, c1938.