What’s your favorite book that nobody else has heard of? You know, not Little Women or Huckleberry Finn, not the latest best-seller . . . whether they’ve read them or not, everybody “knows” those books. I’m talking about the best book that, when you tell people that you love it, they go, “Huh? Never heard of it?”
A Candle in Her Room by Ruth Arthur tells the story of several generations of a family haunted by a charismatic and evil doll. It scared me silly as a kid, so of course I read it over and over and over. A large part of the appeal was that the book takes place in England, maybe in Cornwall or Dover, some place with cliffs at any rate, and the characters were named Briony, Dilys, and Dido–all wonderfully exotic to American me.
Not sure whether I’ll introduce it to Bea, or let her discover it on her own… I do have a copy for her. I don’t believe in sheltering children from books, but it’s different when it’s your own child.
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21 responses so far ↓
1 gautami tripathy // Jan 24, 2008 at 11:44 am
Kids are not much scared. As a teacher, I should know.
“Huh?”
2 Chris // Jan 24, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I would have read that as a kid if I knew about it. And then never sleep again.
3 melissa // Jan 24, 2008 at 1:54 pm
my answer to the question would be Goodnight, Mr. Tom….
I would have read that book to as a kid. And, I’m totally bummed its OOP.
4 Jeane // Jan 24, 2008 at 2:16 pm
It sounds like a good book. Have you read Behind the Attic Wall? Not as obscure, also about a doll haunting (kind of).
5 Superfast Reader // Jan 24, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I’ll have to check it out. Dolls are scary.
6 Judy // Jan 24, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Okay… two more books to add to my list. A Candle in Her Room AND Behind the Attic Wall…. both sound wonderfully spooky and I love spooky books.
7 Jaimie // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:00 pm
This would have so scared me as a youngster!
8 Jaimie // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:01 pm
This would have so scared me as a youngster! Dolls that are alive - yikes!
9 Superfast Reader // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:15 pm
the list always grows, doesn’t it
10 Walrus // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:34 pm
I’ll throw in My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok. It was the first of his books I read and remains my favourite.
11 Superfast Reader // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I think I read that when I was younger. I ought to revisit it–
12 Susan // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I loved this book, and yes, it scared me silly, too. Didn’t it have a character named Emmy Lee?
13 Superfast Reader // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Yes–the maid! How cool you know the book!
14 Susan // Jan 24, 2008 at 6:07 pm
You’re lucky that you have a copy; mine came from the school library.
15 Andy B. // Jan 24, 2008 at 6:11 pm
The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson is a favorite of mine that nobody has ever heard of. It has its dry spots, but I love the idea behind it and the way the story was put together.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.....e_and_Salt
16 Superfast Reader // Jan 24, 2008 at 6:23 pm
I bought a used copy ages ago–so glad that I did!
Andy–I tried to read it but couldn’t get past the opening–a little too rough for me!
17 Andy B. // Jan 24, 2008 at 6:26 pm
yep, isn’t for everyone, agreed. oh - i did mean to tell you to try some of Neil Gaimen’s children’s books - coraline is a fun creepy read (though I think a good amount of people have heard of him and it)!
18 Superfast Reader // Jan 24, 2008 at 6:29 pm
that is def. on my list.
19 Julia // Jan 24, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I hate to be scared when I was kid LOL…….so I weren’t be familiar with this book. Maybe I should check it and see if I’ll be interested
Happy BTTs! Have a good Thursday and good weekend ahead!
Julia - Yen
20 T.F.P. // Jan 25, 2008 at 7:56 am
I can’t do scary books, otherwise I’ll be up all night! I might keep this title in mind for my son, though.
21 Superfast Reader // Jan 25, 2008 at 9:26 am
Hi TFP–it’s a great one for a fearless child.
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