I would love a Mass Observation Archive of these reading journals. Far from reliable, of course, but thought-provoking and (I hope) a little charming. Anyway, here’s a trip back to March 1993.

Date: 23rd Tuesday March [N.B.: FINISHED 26 MARCH]
Title: Behind the attic wall
Author: Sylvia Cassedy
Comment: EXCELLENT! [Another big exclamation mark coloured in] One of the best books I have ever read. It had all the qualitys of a good book. It was scarey, funny, even a bit sad. It was about Maggie, who is an orphan. She is sent to her two aunts, in a big house. At first she hears voices, and then she discovers a family of dolls, living hidden. Sorry my handwriting is so bad but I am excited at finishing. 10/10!

[Handwriting no worse than usual – I think I’m using a 2B rather than an HB. I like the phrase ‘living hidden’. I do remember this being very, very good… Maybe I should seek this out for a re-read.]

Date: Tuesday 20th April
Author: Jon Needle
Illustrator: ————
Title: Great days at Grange Hill
Comment: Great! Jon Needle wrote it really well. They’re showing the programmes at the moment and they’re both just as good. Its’ a book of stories, so I can’t tell an exact plot, but the same characters are: Tucker Jenkins, Benny Green, and Trisha Yates. 10/10

Date: Monday 26th
Title: The saga of Erik the Viking
Author: Terry Jones
Illustrator: Michael Foreman
Comment: Really good. I know this writer because I’ve read ‘FAIRY TALES’. It started off a bit boring, but it got better. It’s about a Viking called Erik, who sets off with his band of men to find the land where the sun goes at night. Really good. 8/10

Date: 30th Friday April
Title: Mr Shy’s Shoes
Author: Jennifer Walsh
Comment: Really good! I thought this book might be a bit young for me but then I read it WOW! It all begins when Tim wants some SPIDERMAN trainers. When the shop doesn’t have his size, he finds a shoe library run by Mr Shy. Afterwards he borrows all kinds of shoes, each one giving a different effect. Lots of funny parts, and a scarey one, where his sister Steffy puts on red shoes and gets in trouble.

Date: 5th May WEDNESDAY
Title: Swallows and Amazons
Author: Arthur Ransome
Illustrator: ^ and Nancy Blackett
Comment: Really good. Easy to get into. I seem to be reading a lot of good books lately. I hope the next one [I think I mean the next Arthur Ransome] is as good. One thing though. A-R obviously knew a lot about Ships and so he wrote in a lot of detail, half of which I didn’t understand. But good. 8/10!

Date: Wednesday 12th May
Title: Haphazard House
Author: Mary Wesley
Illustrator: ——-
Comment: Really good. I got this book out of the library, because my mum likes this writer (MARY WESLEY). It was a bit spooky. When Lisa and her family buy this hat, they back a horse and win a lot of money. They they buy a house called Haphazard House and loads of spooky things happen. 9/10

[No memory of reading this – a bit odd?]

Date: 21st May Friday
Title: The tree that sat down
Author: Beverly Nichols
Illustrator: Isobel/John Morton Sale
Comment: Really good. I like the title “The tree that sat down.” It sounds good! It’s about this girl called Judy and her grannie, who have a shop under a willow tree. Then Sam and his dad come to “the shop in the ford”, and they all have to compeit.

[I’m a bit worried that my anxiety about finishing books quickly and moving on to the next one may have set in at this age – there’s a small key in the top right of the page, marking down the chapters as I complete them. I carried this anxiety with me for a long time and still feel it sometimes, the pressure to finish one thing and read the next]

Date: Monday 24th May
Title: The Neverending story
Author: Michael Ende
Illustrator: Rodweither Quasfleig
Comment: Marvellous. Unlike its name it is not really a ‘Neverending story’. I had already seen the 2 films based on it, but this was something else! Its about aboy called Bastian, who steals the neverending story. He reads lots of adventures in it and then goes into the book and has adventures himself
10/10!

Date: 7th June
Title: Biggle in the orient
Author: Captain W.E. Johns
Illustrator: Although a picture would be fun/ Of an illustrator there is none
Comment:

[Nothing. I think I tried this on my Dad’s recommendation and didn’t think much of it – and perhaps I felt uncomfortable about that. Either way, after a pretty good stretch, Miss Hunter’s Reading Record ends here.]