Baby Island and book spine poems
Last week, averageinsuburbia posted about book spine poems. I thought they were super neat. But what got me really excited was a book in one of her poems, Baby Island. Baby Island is my favorite book from when I was a kid. I think I read it every year up until I was in my twenties or something. Which may seem ridiculous, but it was like a book security blanket: a quick and easy read, a sweet and simple story. Pleasant. It made me happy.
Last night, I pulled Baby Island out once again to read its yellow pages. My copy is becoming a bit more fragile, and I’m being careful with it so I don’t rip the pages. I looked at the copyright and the original was in 1937. The copyright for the printing of my book is 1965, before I was even born. I wonder if, in 1937, a dad really would have handed his baby to a 12-year-old and a 10-year-old in a life boat, to go back for his wife who fainted somewhere along the way? Or if parents would have left their 2 toddlers and a 4-month-old baby alone in a cabin (with unlocked doors) while the ship is supposedly sinking? I’m thinking not, but you’ve got to get all those babies and pre-teens out in the ocean alone together, or there’d be no Baby Island to read about. So, I can suspend my disbelief for a while.
“Now, Jean,” said Mary firmly, “we’ve just got to be brave. I planned everything out last night while you were asleep and the boat was drifting along. Mr. Snodgrass was telling me only the other day that there are hundreds of little islands in this part of the sea, and I’m hoping to reach one before night.”
“What makes you think so?”
“Because shipwrecked people always do,” said Mary decidedly. “Why, the public library at home is just full of books about shipwrecked people who landed on tropical islands. And did you ever see a book written by a person who was drowned at sea? I never did.”
Me either.
PS: That is my book spine poem up top (it’s not a good poem, but I hurried it together this morning).
♦
Items of Interest:
Book Spine Poems by averageinsuburbia
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steadily skipping stones 
Okay – I’venever heard of book spine poems. I am quite slow in my old age, so could you spell it out for me. I tried reading the titles from up to down and reverse, then I tried to read one word in each title, top to bottom and reverse. I still don’t get it.
Probably because my “poem” is not much of a poem at all. Click on the link to averageinsuburbia’s post, or click on the words in my post (book spine poems) to read more about it. It’s supposed to be the titles of the book as a poem. Mine is about the hitchiker’s guide to the universe, all the other titles are what the guide is about: places (treasure island), weird phenomenons (falling up). The first book is telling you this is all true.
I am soooo going to read this book again! I think the reason why I liked it so much was the idea that these girls were so capable and hey! Maybe I could be too! Mary was so calm and efficient and made them have church every Sunday even if they were on an island. Loved it! I didn’t think that it was weird the girls should end up in a life boat with the babies but I’ll read it again and see what I think now. I’m sure I’ll have an entirely different perspective 🙂
Yeah, I never thought anything of it until now, either. Maybe it’s because I’m 42 now and have a baby niece, but I would keep hold of my kid, unless I knew for sure we were going down right that minute and I wasn’t going to make it. It really is a sweet and fun little story, though.
I have never read Baby Island, but the excerpt is just great and now I want to read it. Thanks for sharing that.
It’s a cute little book, a children’s book so it’s a quick read, too. It led to many an adventurous day dream about desert islands and surviving on my own (although they do get help pretty quickly). As I was reading it the other day, that little excerpt jumped off the page at me and said, “blog me, share me!” So, you see, I had to do it 🙂 I’m glad you liked it, too.
What a cool idea! My 9 year old has a ton of great books that would be perfect for this!
Great post!
anne
I thought it was really cool when I read averageinsuburbia’s post about it. It would definitely be a fun activity for a young person to do!
I was a voracious reader when I was a kid and somehow never found this book. Now I have to read it!
It’s still my favorite! I just loved on that book so much when I was a kid.