A set of lock-picks, homemade sugary snacks, and a membership to Netflix.

Wow. Erin knows cool.

Jessica, I wouldn't want you to get into trouble, but thank you for the thought.

I was thinking about those books last night. I had read Andre Norton and probably a Heinlein or two by then, but I had to hide anything science fiction or fantasy from my parents, who would watch Star Trek after we went to bed, but not every episode, because they heartily disapproved of "that Kirk" who would "get with anything." Having a teacher I liked read them aloud was just so incredibly cool.

Ooh, Deena - I was thinking earlier, how about Diana Wynne Jones? One of my very favourite kids' writers, and I think that she might be age-appropriate for Kara, or at least nearly. Magicians of Caprona is a particular favourite of mine, along with Howl's Moving Castle and Charmed Life and Witch Week. Ooh, and Dogsbody is fabulous, of course. And...actually, I love most of her books. (Including The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, but I think that would be lost on Kara at present.)

A set of lock-picks, homemade sugary snacks, and a membership to Netflix.

BWAH!

Oh, thanks, Fay. Lovely idea. We watched Howl's Moving Castle and she loved it (as did I).

The movie differs from the novel in several ways, but I loved it. There are two sequels/companion books featuring Sophie and Howl (in supporting roles) - Castle in the Air and The House of Many Ways. I liked both of them a lot, but I think that I still like Howl's Moving Castle best.

Really want to re-read Fire and Hemlock, since discovering that it's based on TS Eliot's Four Quartets. Absolutely didn't put two and two together there - I read the book long before the poems, and although I realised that Fire and Hemlock is a retelling of the Tam Lin story, I absolutely didn't twig to the Eliot links. I'm eager to reread and see how that works.

Oh, that is interesting. I'll have to reread the Eliot before I read Fire and Hemlock. I love YA. There are so many good stories.

Deena, has she read any of the Mary Poppins books? Because the books are some of my favorites.

Oooh! She might like Clive Barker's The Thief of Always. In fact, I'm positive she would like it. It's similar to Coraline in tone.

I picked up the vast maority of the Vorkosigan series from the library. If I'm going to read a series, I like to have as much of it my grimy little hands as possible. And I looked up Deb Grabien's Cruel Sister and saw my name in the dedication! I'm immortal!

I picked up the vast maority of the Vorkosigan series from the library. If I'm going to read a series, I like to have as much of it my grimy little hands as possible.

According to my notes, I made it through as far as The Vor Game, except I don't remember a damned thing about it. I remember Shards of Honor, Barrayar, and The Warrior's Apprentice, but I'll be damned if I can remember what happened in The Vor Game.

The Vor Game is the one where Gregor runs away and Miles meets the psycho blonde mercenary leader. It's where the Dendarii actually get adopted by ImpSec, basically because they can't keep Miles away from them, and at least this way Illyan has a leash on them.