Book Review: Today Is Monday by Eric Carle

Today Is Monday

 

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (August 4, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0698115635
• ISBN-13: 978-0698115637

 From Publishers Weekly

Taking his culinary cue from the well-known children's song, Carle dishes up a smorgasbord of creatures and comestibles. Bold spreads feature larger-than-life birds and animals enthusiastically partaking of their favorite foods: a mottled snake sucks up unruly spaghetti strands, while a calico catroast beef. Though the cumulative rhyme is little more than a grocery list, Carle injects energy and movement with his signature rainbow-like collages. Exotic hues--a turquoise elephant, an emerald fish, a parrot of Technicolor plumage--glow with vitality as if illuminating the animal's inner core. Yet despite their radiance these are down-to-earth animals imbued with the loving clumsiness of a child's artwork. The final spread shows children--also of various skin colors--wolfing down the various foods at a sumptuous banquet, as the featured animals look on from paintings on the wall. The song's music and lyrics bring this feast to a satisfying close. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-- Featuring the artist's familiar bold and colorful style, this song was originally illustrated as a frieze in 1977. Now adapted as a picture book, it is a joyous invitation to "all the hungry children"--shown at a multiethnic banquet at the end of the book--to ". . . Come and eat it up!" Each double-page spread shows a line from the song, with a different animal for each day of the week, eating a different food. Most of the animals are eating a predictable food (a fox with a chicken, a pelican with a fish), but there are some nonsensical scenes (a snake with spaghetti, an elephant eating "zoop"). Overall, the verse has a catchy, cumulative rhythm, but it's the dazzling illustrations--gorgeously displayed with a mastery of design and form--that make this a simple, yet memorable, picture book. --Cyrisse Jaffee, Newton Public Schools, MA

My Thoughts:

This is a cute book that teaches the days of the week with different foods in the form of a story and a song. It also uses different animals and the text is repetitive. This can be used to teach math skills, different animals, and foods. The repetitive text builds memory and can implement body movement.  

Today is Monday, today is Monday

Monday, string beans

All you hungry children

Come and eat it up.

String beans, spaghetti, ZOOOOP, roast beef, fresh fish, chicken and ice cream are the delicious fare during the week in this popular children's song. Until Sunday. Then, all the world's children are invited to come together  and share in the meal.

Celebrated artist Eric Carle brings new energy and heart to these much-loved verses as lively animals parade across the pages, munching on favorite dishes, and introducing young readers to the names of the days of the week. Both art and song invite children of all ages to join the procession and sing along. 

Fresh Green Beans from My Garden

I especially like the song and 2 chords at the back of the book. 5 Stars! 
Today Is Monday



 Happy Reading,
-- LadyD 

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Book Review: Same Kind of Different As Me

By Ron Hall, 2008

ISBN 084991910X

A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery. An upscale art dealerArmani and Chanel. A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream. A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it. It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana . . . and an East Texas honky-tonk . . . and, without a doubt, in the heart of God.  It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana . . . and an East Texas honky-tonk . . . and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda . . . an upscale New York gallery . . . a downtown dumpster . . . a Texas ranch. Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.

Book Review of Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together

I love to read books about relationships that inspire me and somehow after finishing the story I feel changed for the good, you know, from within. Almost instantly I could tell I was going to like the three main characters in the book because the details of their characters was so believable and embraceable.

When it comes to the meaning of friendship, I think Denver's line in the story is most accurate and complete. "But if you is lookin' for a real friend, then I'll be one forever." So what does an art dealer, a Christian wife with the heart of the servant and an uneducated, homeless black man have in common? The one thing, the main thing is that they made a difference in each others lives. It was not by chance that they found strength in their purpose together. I have learned to be more compassionate towards everyone I meet now and as I get to know them,  remember the element of surprise can be your friend.
 
I have no doubt that you will be inspired with a renewed perspective of faith and relationships with this remarkable, true and unforgettable story. 5 stars. Highly recommend this quality book!

Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together
 
This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers.


Happy Reading,
-- LadyD

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Friday 56: Arabian Nights

Image via WikipediaDear Book Reader,



Do you have Arabian Nights in your library? Have you read this one before? Remember the contents?

1. Scheherazade
2. The Story of the Fisherman and the Genie

3. The story of the King and the Physician
4. Further Adventures of the Fisherman and the Genie
5. The  Story of the Young King of the Black Isles
6. The Story of the Enchanted Horse
7. The Story of Sinbad The Sailor
8. The Story of the Three Sisters
9. The Story of Prince Ahmed and Periebanou
10. The story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
11. The Story of Aladdin; or, The Wonderful Lamp
12. The story of Abou Hassan; or, The Sleeper Awakened
13. The Story of Godadad and His Brothers

Guide for Friday 56 Meme:

* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog Starting Fresh and to Storytime with Tonya and Friends
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

File:Benjamin-Constant-Arabian Nights.jpg

Here's Mine: From The King of the Black Isles)

"Prince," said the Sultan, "your condition can never be sufficiently deplored."

( "It surpasses all that has hitherto been recorded. One thing only is wanting: the revenge to which you are entitled, and I will omit nothing in my power to effect it.")

File:Boulanger Gustave Clarence Rodolphe A Tale of 1001 Nights.jpg

Pick up a copy of Arabian Nights:
The Arabian Nights (Norton Critical Editions)


I loved reading Arabian Nights as a child and was so pleased that Disney's Aladdin character was and still is such a huge success. How about you?


Happy Reading,
--LadyD



“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

You're Just What I Need

One morning a mother saw a strange bundle under the blankets in her bed. "What is it?" she said to herself. "What can it be?"
So begins Ruth Krauss's charming story of a mother and child playing hide-and-seek. Baby hides beneath the blanket, and Mother tries, again and again, to guess what in the world the bundle could be.
"Can it be a bundle of laundry... a bundle of carrots...a monkey? Young readers will delight in this familiar game and its satisfying ending.
Ruth Krauss's celebration of the wonderful moments between a mother and her child are brought to life by Julia Noonan's soft and playful artwork, making this a perfect story for all parents and young children to share.

About The Author:

Ruth Krauss was one of the most widely celebrated children's book authors of all time. Her long list of award-winning books includes THE CARROT SEED, THE HAPPY DAY, A HOLE IS TO DIG, OPEN HOUSE FOR BUTTERFLIES, A VERY SPECIAL HOUSE, and many others. Her books continue to be read and cherished by children throughout the world.

About The Illustrator:

Julia Noonan has illustrated a number of best-selling children's books, including DREAMLAND; EMMA & MOMMY TALK TO GOD; THE SHUT_EYE TRAIN; and TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR. She has also contributed to Sesame Street Magazine, Good Housekeeping and The New York Times. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (March 6, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006443561X
• ISBN-13: 978-0064435611

 I love this book. It is so cute with a darling story line. The illustrations are precious. 5 Stars!

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

 

Sylvester And The Magic Pebble

Product Description

One rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results.
How Sylvester is eventually reunited with his loving family and restored to his own donkey self makes a story that is beautifully tender and perfectly joyful.
Illustrated with William Steig's glowing pictures, this winner of the 1970 Caldecott Medal is a modern classic beloved by children everywhere. Now reissued to celebrate the discovery of the original artwork, this deluxe edition contains painstakingly careful color corrections made from those watercolor originals -- the color you'll see within this book is as Mr. Steig had originally intended it to be. It also features his moving Caldecott Medal acceptance speech.
The New York Times Book Review wrote of Mr. Steig that "everything he does is magic." This deluxe edition of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble truly recaptures that magic for a whole new generation of readers.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 42 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (October 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416902066
• ISBN-13: 978-1416902065

 About The Author:

William Steig's work has been widely acclaimed. His cartoons in such magazines as the New Yorker and his books of symbolic drawings have inspired cartoonists and artists everywhere, and his books for children are loved by readers both young and old.
Born in New York City into a family of artists, Mr. Steig now lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
5 stars! I love this one because the story is from the heart! You've got to read this one to the end to find out what happens in this delightful children's book.

-- LadyD
“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

JUMP, FROG, JUMP!

This hardcover children's book written by Robert Kalan and illustrated by Byron Barton was published by Greenwillow Books and printed in Singapore. I believe it was in published in 2003 and reissued by popular demand.
"This is the turtle that slid into the pond and ate the snake that dropped from a branch and swallowed the fish that swam after the frog-JUMP, FROG, JUMP!"


Don't read this book aloud if you aren't prepared to have your listeners chorusing these words. this perfect cumulative tale might well have been entitled "Let's Hear It for the Frog." And hear it you will-for no one can read or listen to this cliff-hanger without total involvement.

About the Author

Robert Kalan also wrote Rain and Blue Sea, illustrated by Donald Crews, and Stop, Thief!, illustrated by Yossi Abolafia. He has a master's degree in education from Claremont Graduate school. and has taught reading to both gifted and remedial students as well as kindergarten and fourth grade. He and his family live in Bellevue, Washington.

About the Illustrator

Byron Barton is an author-artist with an outstanding list of picture books to his credit, including Wheels; Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs; Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones and building a house. He is also the illustrator of such favorites as The Tamarindo Puppy and Where's the Bear? by Charlotte Pomerantz, The Snopp on the Sidewalk by Jack Prelutsky. and Good Morning, Chick by Mirra Ginsburg. He lives in Sarasota, Florida.

 -- If you love the color green and love frogs, you will enjoy reading this bright colored children's book to your little one and join in with saying aloud: "Jump, Frog, Jump! 5 stars!

-- LadyD
“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Fran's Friend by Lisa Bruce

Cover of Fran's Friend

 Fran's Friend by Lisa Bruce, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw.

Why is Fran ignoring her best friend, Fred? Why won't she play with him? Turns out, there's a very good reason; she's making him a surprise! Celebrate fun and friendship with Fran and her best dog, Fred.

Lisa Bruce is the author of Fran's Flower. She is a former children's librarian and lives in England.

Tom Morning Book Review from Booklist:

"It's a warm summer day and Fran's friend Fred (a friendly and enthusiastic dog) wants to play. Fran, meanwhile, is working on some sort of craft project, as she clomps about the house in her enormous slippers. Fred tries to help out, but although he seems much smarter than the average dog, he keeps retrieving the wrong thing (newspaper instead of construction paper, a hairbrush instead of a paintbrush). Finally, he gives up in despair only to discover that Fran has made a card for him, letting him know that he's her best friend. Beardshaw's energetic, brightly colored paintings, big and bold, do much to enliven this simple story. Their unusual perspectives (overhead, from the side, and close-up) add fun and make this a winner that will be great for small-group sharing."

Visit her website for more information:
http://lisabruce.com/




For all your card making needs, visit this wonderful site for card making activities:
Children's card making activities

I loved this book! ***** stars! Do you have it in your library?
-- Lady D


“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Friday 56 Meme: The Heart of the Artist

Cover of The Heart of the Artist Dear Readers,


Another week has gone by, my how time flies. Hope you're enjoying these summer days. Can you believe some of the schools in California have started back! Others will be attending their first day during the last week of August. How about where you live? For me, I can remember returning to school one week after Labor Day. Whichever school calendar you will be on, I wish you a wonderful school year. I will begin teaching all ages to play the piano again this September.
And of course, you will always find me reading a book or two with my grandsons.


This week, one of the books closest to me has sold over 100,000 copies.


Guide for Friday 56 Meme:

* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog Starting Fresh and to Storytime with Tonya and Friends
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Here's Mine:

 "Boasting is the way some people cope with insecurity."

From: Heart of the Artist: a Character-Building Guide for You and Your Ministry by  Rory Noland

"I wish I had your gift!" 

How do you handle those words as a creative artist? Somewhere between pride and self-abasement lies true humility-just one aspect of the balanced character God wants to instill in you as an actor, a musician, a visual artist, or other creative person involved in ministry. God is interested in your art and your heart.


 Happy Reading,
 -- LadyD 
“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Children's Book Allusions: LadyD Books (Goodnight Moon)

I have been studying the devices in poetry and prose. Allusions fascinate me like the lion Aslan in the book Chronicles of Narnia. I wrote an intel on the subject and thought I would post some of it here.

An allusion is one of the richest and most demanding literary crafty schemes. It’s meaning, “reference” or “fanciful design,” calls on the vast wealth of history, religion, literature, and mythology. An allusion rewards readers in direct proportion to their background knowledge by referring to ideas and things they recognize. The reader will be able to understand the allusion and be familiar with all of the meaning hidden behind the words...
Harry Potter's movie series and storybooks have hundreds of allusions in them. JK Rowling has alluded to many mythological names and folklore.
Allusion examples for children can be from comic characters, story books, nursery rhymes, animation and fiction movies, fairy tales, etc. In The Chronicles of Narnia, we have the White Witch alluded to Snow Queen, and the best example of direct allusion is Aslan for Jesus.


My grandsons love the children's book, Goodnight Moon. You can purchase the book at:
Goodnight Moon

 Happy reading,

 LadyD
“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Kate Banks: The Cat Who Walked Across France

Cover of The Cat Who Walked Across France


The Cat Who Walked Across France by Kate Banks

"For many years the cat had lived in the stone house by the edge of the sea. he chased that wind that scuttled through the garden. He watched the birds flitter from the  tree. At dusk he curled up in the bend of the old woman's arm... Then one day the old woman died."

And the cat is packed up with the possessions of the old woman and sent north to the village where she was born. Soon he is forgotten. He walks the streets aimlessly until, spurred by memories and a longing to return to the place he knows and loves, the cat embarks on a journey to find the home he's left behind.

The Cat Who Walked Across France

In lyrical prose and glowing pictures, Kate Banks and Georg Hallensleben take readers on an unforgettable journey across France.
Kate Banks and Georg Hallensleben are the author and artist of several picture books for children, including And If the Moon Could Talk, winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award, and Close your Eyes. ms. Banks lives in the South of France, and Mr. Hallensleben lives in Paris, France.

I enjoyed reading this delightful picture book to my grandson. The book is for ages 4-8. You'll see many famous landmarks within as you begin the journey with the cat who walked across France. 5 stars. Here is a photo of my beautiful Siamese cat and a friend's Siamese. We are cat lovers. How about you?

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Friday 56: The Woman's Book of Courage

* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog Starting Fresh and to Storytime with Tonya and Friends
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Here's Mine:

"As much as our physical body needs water in order to live, we need silence in order to have a rich emotional and spiritual life."

From: Sue Patton Thoele, who also wrote The Courage To Be Yourself.

The Woman's Book of Courage: Meditations for Empowerment and Peace of Mind
I just got back from vacationing in beautiful Santa Barbara and found the fifth sentence on page 56 this week to be so true. How about you? Have you had an inspiring, quiet moment of reflection and renewal? Awh, it does the body good!

Happy Friday,
Lady D
“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Two Children's Book Winners by Karma Wilson

 I enjoy reading Karma Wilson's children stories. Karma lives in beautiful Idaho and is the author of Dinos on the Go and the New York Times bestseller Bear Snores On. Here are two of her children's books I recently read to my grandson.

1. Mr. Murry and Thumbkin by Karma Wilson

"Once there was a furry mouse, a skitter, scatter, scurry mouse, a flurry-about-in-a- hurry mouse, whose name was Mr. Murry Mouse. He lived alone in an old teapot, and Mr. Murry worried a LOT!"

So begins the charming tale of two very different, but lovable mice. Mr. Murry worries about every little thing all day long. He worries especially about his new neighbor, Thumbkin, who moved into the pumpkin next door. Thumbkin is the most laid-back mouse around and has not a care in the world.
While manic Mr. Murry works and frets to get all of his fall chores done before winter arrives, lethargic Thumbkin lazes around in his yard, soaking up the sun and eating fat pumpkin seeds.
Will Mr. Murry, who worries too much, and Thumbkin, who worries too little, ever be able to get along and meet somewhere in the middle?

My thoughts:

Mr. Thumbkin never worries about tomorrow. You see, he lives inside a pumpkin. But then there is Mr. Murry and he lives in a teapot. I love the morals taught in this book because indeed you do have to think of tomorrow... find out why and what happens in this very cool book. 5 stars!

We recently returned from vacationing in beautiful Santa Barbara and experiencing "Fiesta Days"! More on that later. But upon returning from our trip, my grandson and I discovered a wonderful surprise.  Many of our pumpkins have turned orange in the month of August! What fun to read about Mr. Murry and Mr. Thumbkin amidst our pumpkin patch!

Visit Karma Wilson at www.karmawilson.com

2. Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson

Today is Grandma's birthday, and Granddad has an itchin' to bake a WHOPPER chocolate cake and traumatize the kitchen!
Join the madcap frenzy of making the biggest  cake in the world! And the biggest... mess!

My Thoughts:

Great illustrations and a fun rhyme combine for another great book from Karma Wilson.  Using his pick-up truck and generous helpings of all the ingredients, Granddad sets out to make a birthday cake like no one's ever seen before. What a fun story to read aloud and the recipe on the back sounds good but alas, I'm allergic to chocolate. I guess my grandson will eat my portion, too! 5 stars!
Another happy occasion I experienced while on vacation was attending my daughter's baby shower. We celebrated in style with this very cute, white chocolate cake!

I hope your summer for the month of August is going well for you!
Love, LadyD

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Friday 56 Meme: Same Kind of Different As Me

 * Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructionson your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog Starting Fresh and to Storytime with Tonya and Friends
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

 Here's Mine:

"Poopsie!" gushed a six-foot bald man who looked exactly like a cross between Gene Autry, Liberace, and Moshe Dayan. The man thrust out diamond-laden hands and wrapped me in a bear hug as though I were long-lost kin."

From New York Bestseller and Amazing True Story, Same Kind of Different As Me.
(a modern-day slave, an international art dealer. and the unlikely woman who bound them together.)
By Ron Hall and Denver Moorey
Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together


About The Book:

"Denver Moore and Ron Hall's story is one that moved me to tears. The friendship that forms between these two men at a time when both were in great need is an inspiration to all of us to be more compassionate to everyone we come in contact with. This is truly a wonderful book"
-- Mrs. Barbara Bush

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

25 Books Every "Lost" Fan Should Read

Kaitlyn contacted me regarding an article, 25 Books Every "Lost" Fan Should Read,  that was published on onlineuniversities.com. It's a great article that you will want to know about. Here it is:


If you’re a fan of "Lost," you know that well-placed books were just some of the many clues (and red herrings) that the producers tossed in to heighten the mystery. Some of the books speak directly about the castaways’ situation, while others are more philosophical. The books on this list were all referenced on the show in some way, whether being read by a character or student, glimpsed quickly on a shelf, or just used as thematic inspiration. Digging into them might not solve any of the series’ lingering mysteries, but it will get you closer to the action.

1. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll: Could there be a better way to get into the world of "Lost" reading than the classic tale of a girl gone down a rabbit hole into a bizarre dreamworld? The book appeared in the fourth season’s "Something Nice Back Home," when Jack read it to young Aaron, and the story’s elements also popped up in episode titles like "White Rabbit" and "Through the Looking Glass." (Poor Charlie.)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

 2. A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking: Stephen Hawking’s book helped bring science to those without advanced math or training, and it explored tricky concepts like black holes and the origins of the universe in simple language. The book’s parallels with the series are obvious, and it appeared in Ben’s bedroom in "The Man From Tallahassee," and we also saw Aldo reading it while he was guarding the kidnapped Karl.
A Briefer History of Time  

3. The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis: Starting with "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," C.S. Lewis’ fantasy series wove adventure with religious allegory, as often happened on "Lost." What’s more, the character of Charlotte Staples Lewis was named as a nod to the author, and the DHARMA station known as the Lamp Post, located in Los Angeles and used to pinpoint the island’s location, is a reference to the lamp post of the first Narnia book.
The Chronicles of Narnia  

4. Everything That Rises Must Converge, Flannery O’Connor: Jacob was seen reading this collection of stories in "The Incident," the fifth-season finale. The book’s tales deal largely with family and society as well as the role of faith in the personal lives of the characters. Sounds like something John Locke would like.
Everything That Rises Must Converge  

5. Fear and Trembling, Soren Kierkegaard: Although the book only makes one appearance, and a brief one at that — Hurley finds it in the sixth-season opener "LA X" — but the book’s explorations of the relationship between God and man are central to the world of "Lost." Kierkegaard wrote of making a "leap to faith," and the act of taking a leap of faith is one that’s discussed frequently on the show, usually between Locke and Jack. Locke’s obsession with being a "man of faith" makes this volume worth seeking out.
Fear and Trembling  

6. The Invention of Morel, Adolfo Bioy Casares: Sawyer is seen reading this 1940 sci-fi novel in the fourth season episode "Eggtown." The book follows a fugitive living on an island who hides from the tourists who start to arrive there, only to find himself unable to interact with them. A number of strange things begin to happen that lead the narrator to question his sanity.
The Invention of Morel (New York Review Books Classics)  

7. Island, Aldous Huxley: Huxley’s fictional Pala Island was the naming inspiration for the "Lost" island’s Pala Ferry, and this novel about a shipwrecked journalist is a slightly sunnier companion piece to Brave New World.
Island (P.S.)  

8. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery: The inspiration for an episode title in the fifth season, this children’s book is worth a read for its eerie similarities to the world of "Lost": the narrator survives a plane crash (this one in the desert), and the prince of the titles lives on a faraway asteroid and claims that death is the only way home. Weirder: The author disappeared in flight in the 1940s.
The Little Prince  

9. Lord of the Flies, William Golding: The classic novel about island survival and tribalism, William Golding’s book was referenced multiple times in dialogue and bears many emotional similarities to the series. The book’s examination of how easily societal rules can be abandoned in disaster situations was a heavy influence on the TV show.
William Golding's Lord of the Flies (Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations)  

10. An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge: Locke briefly rifles through this book when he finds the Swan station, hoping to find a note tucked in its pages, but the book’s worth far more than just a skim. This classic short story by Ambrose Bierce is about a man who hallucinates a new life in the seconds before his death, making it a striking parallel for the events of the final season of "Lost."
An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge - Ambrose Bierce  

11. VALIS, Philip K. Dick: This sci-fi volume was on Ben’s bookshelf, and when he’s being held captive in the Barracks, Locke tells him to read it again in case he missed something the first time. The extent to which that statement was a taunt or an actual clue is up for debate, but the book makes for some trippy reading regardless. Dick’s book deals with religion and spirituality in dense and challenging ways, echoing the multiple religious viewpoints embraced by "Lost."
Valis  

12. Ulysses, James Joyce: Ben reads this in "LA X," and the book follows the journey of Leopold Bloom over the course of one day in town. The book is also a parallel with Homer’s Odyssey, another important "Lost" title.
ULYSSES by James Joyce  

13. Odyssey, Homer: The epic poem and sequel to the Iliad traces the journey of Odysseus as he treks home to his beloved Penelope (the name of Desmond’s wife on "Lost"). What’s more, the series plays off the poem in several ways. Desmond’s attempts to get home to his Penelope are often thwarted by the sea (Charles Widmore standing in for the god Poseidon) and a cyclops (the one-eyed Russian Mikhail).
The Odyssey of Homer (P.S.)  

14. The Turn of the Screw, Henry James: James’ book is one of the all-time classic ghost stories, all about a governess who realizes that her children are being haunted by the ghost of the woman who used to do her job. The "Lost" connection? Well, aside from appearing in the Swan station, the story is echoed in the eerie whispers heard throughout the jungle, which are revealed to be the movement of those souls trapped on the island.
The Turn of the Screw  


For the entire list, visit:
http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/07/25-books-every-lost-fan-should-read/ 

Thanks, Kaitlyn Cole!

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis